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  • Civil Services Reforms

    Public Policy Education: Essential For Developing Effective Policies

    30 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: Government Scheme/Policies, GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Public Policy Education and its significance and suggestions

    Central Idea

    • Government policies play a crucial role in determining the future of a country. They not only impact economic growth and public welfare but also improve the ease of living for citizens. Unfortunately, there is a lack of interest in public policy education in India, with only a small percentage of policymakers having formal education in public policy and administration.

    Public policy education

    • Public policy education refers to the study and teaching of the principles, theories, and methods involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that address societal issues.
    • This field of education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, create, and manage public policies effectively.

    How the government policies, economic growth, and public welfare are closely interconnected?

    • Government policies: Governments create and implement policies to guide economic activities, maintain social order, and promote the welfare of their citizens. These policies cover a wide range of areas, such as fiscal and monetary policy, trade policy, education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure development. The effectiveness of these policies can have a direct impact on economic growth and public welfare.
    • Economic growth: Economic growth is the increase in a country’s output of goods and services over time, usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). A growing economy typically leads to higher employment, increased income, and improved living standards for citizens. Government policies play a crucial role in stimulating or hindering economic growth by influencing factors such as investment, consumption, trade, and innovation.
    • Public welfare: Public welfare refers to the overall well-being of a society, encompassing aspects such as income distribution, access to essential services, health, education, and environmental quality. Government policies can significantly impact public welfare by determining the allocation of resources, setting priorities, and providing social safety nets.

    Paucity of Programs

    • As per the All-India Council for Technical Education, there are 3,182 institutions with an approved intake of 4.22 lakh in business management programs, but only about 130 universities that offer public administration programs and only 29 institutes that offer public policy programs.
    • The batch size of public policy courses is 20-60, and there are few jobs available for people pursuing such courses, which disincentivizes educational institutions and students from choosing public management courses.

    Lack of Exposure to Public Management

    • Most civil servants undergo departmental induction training programs that focus on the role they play in their department and not much on how to make good public policies.
    • Consequently, very few civil servants have exposure to public management before joining service, which is critical for developing effective policies.

    Suggestions to boost public policy education in India

    1. Public Management as a Compulsory Subject in UPSC:
    • Public management should be a compulsory subject for the UPSC civil service examination, either as a substitute for one optional subject or an additional paper. This will incentivize universities and private institutions to offer public policy education, research, and case studies at the graduate or post-graduate level, leading to a major boost in public policy education.
    • Additionally, civil servants who join government would have formal education in public management before they enter service, and even those who do not make it to government jobs would develop better understanding and sensitivity towards complexities involved in public management, making them better citizens and effective private sector managers.
    1. Larger Component of Public Policy in Induction Training: Existing training institutions of the government should have a larger component of public policy as part of their induction training. Moreover, a case study bank for training should also be established.
    2. Specialized Positions of Public Policy Analysts: The government can create certain specialized positions of public policy analysts to be picked up from the market directly, thereby creating new job avenues for the graduates of public policy programs.

    Conclusion

    • The lack of formal education in public management has led to governance lagging behind private sector management in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Public policy education is essential for developing effective policies that spur economic growth, public welfare, and improve ease of living for citizens.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is public policy education, and why is it important for policymakers in India to have formal education in public policy and administration? Suggest measures to boost public policy education in India.

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  • Digital India Initiatives

    Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): New Backbone of India’s Economy

    30 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Economics
    Mains Paper 2: E-Governance

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Other digital initiatives

    Mains level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Remarkable success and way ahead

    DPI

    Central Idea

    • India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a unique marvel of our times that has brought together the government, regulators, private sector, volunteers, startups, and academia to create a superstructure that delivers consistent, affordable, and across-the-board value to citizens, government, and corporate sector alike.

    What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)

    • India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) refers to the collection of technological systems, platforms, and services that enable the Indian government, businesses, and citizens to interact digitally.
    • The DPI is often referred to as the India Stack, which was built through a unique partnership between the government, regulators, the private sector, selfless volunteers, startups, and academia/think tanks.
    • India Stack includes a number of building blocks such as Aadhaar (a biometric identification system), e-KYC (electronic know your customer), UPI (Unified Payments Interface), and DigiLocker (a cloud-based document storage system).

    DPI

    DPI in India

    • India, first country to develop all three foundational DPIs: India through India Stack became the first country to develop all three foundational DPIs digital identity (Aadhar), real-time fast payment (UPI) and a platform to safely share personal data without compromising privacy (Account Aggregator built on the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture or DEPA)
    • Techno-legal regulatory frameworks in India: Techno-legal regulatory frameworks are used to achieve policy objectives through public-technology design.
    • For example: India’s DEPA offers technological tools for people to invoke the rights made available to them under applicable privacy laws. Framed differently, this techno-legal governance regime embeds data protection principles into a public-technology stack.
    • DPI most feasible model: DPI has emerged as the most feasible model due to its low cost, interoperability and scalable design, and because of its safeguards against monopolies and digital colonisation.

    Aadhaar and the private sector

    • Rebirth of Aadhaar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision enabled Aadhaar to become the rocket ship for launching good governance in India. Currently, over 1,700 Union and State government schemes use Aadhaar.
    • Aadhaar and the private sector: After the Supreme Court’s affirmation of privacy rights, Aadhaar is gradually being opened to the private sector. Aadhaar holders can voluntarily use their Aadhaar for private sector purposes, and regulated entities can store Aadhaar numbers using secure vaults. These changes are leading to the next leapfrogging of India Stack.
    • Three changes: The next leapfrogging of the India Stack, with a dynamic political executive and inspired volunteers, will happen with three changes, voluntary usage of Aadhaar for private sector purposes, sharing of Aadhaar data between government departments, and the creation of a new private sector-friendly UIDAI.

    DigiYatra and DigiLocker

    • India Stack’s greenfield market innovation potential can unlock various services such as DigiYatra, which offers a free biometric-enabled seamless travel experience through facial recognition systems, and DigiLocker, which has 150 million users and six billion stored documents.
    • Plans are afoot to expand DigiLocker to many countries around the world.

    Facts for prelims

    Initiative Description Launched by
    DigiLocker Cloud-based document storage platform for citizens Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiYatra Digital travel experience initiative for air travellers Ministry of Civil Aviation
    DigiSeva Digital service delivery platform for government services Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiGaon Digital village initiative to provide digital infrastructure Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiShala Digital classroom initiative to promote digital education Ministry of Human Resource Development
    DigiPay Digital payments platform for government services National Payments Corporation of India
    DigiSaksham Digital literacy initiative to empower citizens Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiDhan Digital payments and financial inclusion initiative Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
    DigiSangrah Digital repository of cultural resources for citizens Ministry of Culture
    DigiMuseums Digital initiative to showcase Indian museums online Ministry of Culture

    Impact of unified payment interface (UPI)

    • The unified payment interface UPI which is breaking records under the visionary leadership at the National Payments Corporation of India
    • UPI has now crossed eight billion transactions per month and transacts a value of $180 billion a month, or about a staggering 65% of India’s GDP per annum.

    DPI

    Conclusion

    • India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be seen as India’s second war for independence, this time for economic freedom from the daily struggles of transactions and bureaucracy. DPI has emerged as the new backbone of India’s economy, propelling it towards the goal of achieving a $25 trillion economy by the 100th year of India’s political independence. With the convergence of ChatGPT and India Stack, we can only imagine the tremendous progress and innovations that could spark a new era of economic growth and development, much like the Cambrian explosion in evolutionary history.

    Mains question

    Q. What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)? Explain the building blocks of the India Stack and their significance.

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

    Healthcare: Remarkable Progress But The Gaps Needs to be Addressed

    29 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Healthcare progress and challenges

    Central Idea

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome many challenges and has made significant progress, but there are still many tough health challenges that need to be addressed. There is need to bridge the gap between the services available in metropolitan and Tier-II and Tier-III cities, provide healthcare insurance to the unorganised middle class, and use Artificial Intelligence and digital technology to improve healthcare services.

    Overcoming past challenges

    • The Indian healthcare system has overcome seemingly insurmountable problems, including high maternal and infant mortality rates, and low hospital delivery rates.
    • The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) results show that even in the so-called BIMARU states, hospital deliveries have soared to 89 per cent.

    Current Health Challenges

    • Five interrelated challenges: The current macro picture shows at least five interrelated challenges that are pervading the population, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), obesity, and chronic respiratory diseases.
    • NCDs: The proportion of deaths due to NCDs has increased from around 38 per cent in 1990 to 62 per cent in 2016.
    • Obesity: Obesity has increased from 19 per cent to 23 per cent between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. Awareness about leading healthy lives will save millions from illness and decelerate premature death.

    Current state of healthcare in India

    1. Infrastructure:
    • The state of infrastructure matters. Since 2018, governments at the Centre as well as the state have been trying to bolster primary healthcare by establishing health and wellness centres.
    • But there are still huge variations between states, and some states have better arrangements than others. States must step up efforts to improve infrastructure in the healthcare sector.
    1. Bridging the gap in hospital services:
    • In urban areas, the challenge is to bridge the gap in hospital services between large urban agglomerations and Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
    • Large hospital chains provide only 4-5 per cent of the beds in the private sector.
    • Standalone hospitals and nursing homes provide 95 per cent of private hospital beds but are unable to provide multi-specialty, leave alone tertiary and quaternary care.
    • The gaps between services available in the metros and big cities and in districts must be bridged.
    1. Health Insurance Coverage:
    • Low health insurance penetration and the very high personal outgo on healthcare remain a challenge.
    • But over the past three years, more than four crore Indians have bought health insurance.
    • From 2018, the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme for 10 crore poor families has been undertaken to provide insurance against hospitalisation for up to Rs 5 lakh per year per family.
    • Nearly 74 per cent of Indians are either covered or eligible for health insurance coverage.
    1. Use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technology:
    • An emerging concern is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology to improve healthcare services.
    • Surgery assisted by robots, the use of genetic codes, clinical decision support systems, and telemedicine can help in making healthcare more accessible and efficient.

    Conclusion

    • India has shown how the impossible can be achieved, but the healthcare system needs to overcome various challenges to fully redeem its advantage of having the youngest population. The government needs to step up efforts in improving infrastructure, bridging the gap in hospital services, and providing health insurance coverage for the unorganized middle class. It is also essential to regulate the use of AI and digital technology in the healthcare sector to ensure accountability and prevent malpractice.
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  • Right To Privacy

    DPDP Bill 2022: Need for Sector-Specific Safeguards

    29 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: DPDP Bill 2022

    Mains level: DPDP Bill 2022, Data Privacy and Protection

    Central Idea

    • India’s digital economy is growing rapidly and generating massive amounts of personal data. As citizens embrace convenience, understanding how this data is handled and protected has become critical. The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2022 aims to safeguard citizens’ information from misuse and unauthorised access but lacks specificity in certain clauses such as the interaction with sectoral data protection regulations.

    The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2022

    • The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2022 is a proposed legislation aimed at safeguarding the personal data of Indian citizens from misuse and unauthorized access.
    • The bill aims to regulate the handling of personal data in the rapidly growing digital economy of India.

    Seven principles of DPDP Bill, 2022

    According to an explanatory note for the bill, it is based on seven principles-

    1. Lawful use: The first is that usage of personal data by organisations must be done in a manner that is lawful, fair to the individuals concerned and transparent to individuals.
    2. Purposeful dissemination: The second principle states that personal data must only be used for the purposes for which it was collected.
    3. Data minimisation: Bare minimum and only necessary data should be collected to fulfill a purpose.
    4. Data accuracy: At the point of collection. There should not be any duplication.
    5. Duration of storage: The fifth principle talks of how personal data that is collected cannot be stored perpetually by default, and storage should be limited to a fixed duration.
    6. Authorized collection and processing: There should be reasonable safeguards to ensure there is no unauthorised collection or processing of personal data.
    7. Accountability of users: The person who decides the purpose and means of the processing of personal data should be accountable for such processing

    Challenges regarding conflicting sectoral regulations in India

    • The DPDP Bill 2022 lacks specificity in certain clauses regarding the interaction with sectoral data protection regulations.
    • While the Bill allows for filling regulatory gaps, conflicting sectoral regulations may create confusion.
    • India already has sectoral regulations regarding data protection, such as the Reserve Bank of India’s directive on storage of payment data and the National Health Authority’s Health Data Management Policy. Any deviation from existing regulations will further require the industry to readjust their operations again at considerable cost.

    Approach to regulate privacy and protect data

    • The two major approaches to regulating privacy and protecting data is comprehensive legislation and sector-specific regulations
    • The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as an example of comprehensive legislation with sector-specific provisions
    • The American sectoral approach as a patchwork of regulations tailored to specific industries, with flaws in inconsistent protection, enforcement, and lack of federal regulation

    Way ahead: Finding the right balance for India

    • There is a need for greater clarity and specificity in the interaction between the DPDP Bill and sectoral regulations in India
    • It is important to build on existing sectoral regulations to avoid undermining their efforts and require further costly adjustments
    • The role of sectoral experts in ensuring a safer, more secure, and dynamic digital landscape for Indian citizens in the future is important.

    Conclusion

    • The DPDP Bill must serve as the minimum layer of protection, with sectoral regulators having the ability to build on these protections for a safer and more secure digital landscape.
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  • Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act

    AFSPA Further Lifted Form Northeast: Positive Development

    28 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Internal Security
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-24. Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: AFSPA

    Mains level: North east insurgency, security challenges and AFSPA

    Central Idea

    • The Centre’s decision to lift the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from more police station limits in Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland is a positive development that sends a message of hope to the region. While insurgency has necessitated the imposition of AFSPA in the past, the prevalence of violence in the region has been on the decline, and the government’s peace negotiations with rebel groups have borne fruit.

    What is Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA )1958?

    • Armed Forces Special Powers Act, to put it simply, gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in disturbed areas.
    • AFSPA gives armed forces the authority use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law.
    • The Act further provides that if reasonable suspicion exists, the armed forces can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.

    What are the Special Powers?

    • Power to use force: including opening fire, even to the extent of causing death if prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons or carrying arms and weapons, etc are in force in the disturbed area;
    • Power to destroy structures: used as hide-outs, training camps, or as a place from which attacks are or likely to be launched, etc;
    • Power to arrest: Without warrant and to use force for the purpose;
    • Power to enter and search premises: without a warrant to make arrest or recovery of hostages, arms and ammunition and stolen property etc.

    Reason for the decision

    • Improved security: The decision was taken due to a significant improvement in the security situation in Northeast India.
    • Decrease in Violence: The prevalence of insurgencies in almost all states in the Northeast may arguably have necessitated the imposition of AFSPA in the past. Statistics suggest that violence in the region has been on the decline. The MHA cited a reduction of 76% in extremist incidents, 90% decrease in deaths of security personnel and a 97% decrease in civilian deaths since 2014.
    • Negotiations with Rebel Groups: The government has negotiated peace with rebel groups in the region, including NSCN-IM, Ulfa, Bodo, and Dimasa groups, with some success.
    • Peace accords: The Mizo rebels, who signed a peace accord in 1986, joined electoral politics and won office. The Tripura government successfully negotiated with the insurgency and got AFSPA removed in 2015. The government must continue to engage with rebel groups to maintain peace in the region.

    Conclusion

    • The Centre’s decision to withdraw AFSPA in an incremental manner is a positive development for the region, and the government must continue to reduce its dependence on AFSPA to impose its writ. The Northeast’s stability is critical, especially with unrest in Myanmar, and the government must make judicious choices to balance regional and ethnic identity assertion with nationalism.
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  • Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

    Scrapping Tax Benefit for Debt Mutual Funds: Analysis

    28 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Facts related to mutual funds

    Mains level: Mutual funds, debt mutual funds, tax benefits, etc

    Central Idea

    • The Finance Bill 2023, passed by the Lok Sabha with 64 amendments, includes the controversial decision to remove the tax benefit for debt mutual funds. While the aim is to remove the advantage of debt funds over bank deposits, this decision will have far-reaching consequences that need to be examined.

    Mutual Funds

    • Investment decisions on behalf of the investors: Mutual funds are investment vehicles that pool money from multiple investors to purchase a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other securities. Mutual funds are managed by professional fund managers who make investment decisions on behalf of the investors in the fund.
    • Diversified portfolio of securities: Investors in a mutual fund own a proportional share of the fund’s underlying assets, and the value of their investment rises or falls in response to changes in the value of the securities held by the fund. Mutual funds can provide investors with access to a diversified portfolio of securities, which can help to mitigate the risk of investing in individual securities.

    Key differences between Mutual funds and debt mutual funds

    • Mutual funds and debt mutual funds are both types of investment funds, but there are some key differences between them
    Comparison Mutual Funds Debt Mutual Funds
    Types of Investments Stocks, bonds, commodities, and other asset classes Fixed-income securities such as bonds, debentures, treasury bills, and commercial papers
    Risk Generally higher risk due to the inclusion of stocks and other volatile assets Generally lower risk due to the focus on fixed-income securities
    Returns Potentially higher returns over the long term, but subject to more volatility Lower returns compared to equity mutual funds, but also come with lower risk
    Investment Objective Can vary widely depending on the type of fund Provide regular income to investors while preserving capital
    Liquidity Can be less liquid than debt mutual funds due to volatility in underlying securities Generally considered more liquid due to less volatility in underlying securities

    The Debate Over Scrapping Tax Benefit for Debt Mutual Funds

    • Removal of the tax benefit for debt mutual funds: The Finance Bill 2023 passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha last week with 64 amendments, including the removal of the tax benefit for debt mutual funds.
    • What it means: This change means that investors in debt mutual funds cannot avail the benefit of indexation for the calculation of long-term capital gains. From April 1, such investments will now be taxed at income tax rates applicable to an individual’s tax slab.
    • Motive: This move aims to remove the advantage that such debt funds have over bank deposits. However, the consequences of this decision need to be carefully examined.

    The Impact of Removing Tax Benefit

    • Impact on flow of funds: The removal of the tax benefit will lead to investors reassessing their allocations to debt mutual funds, which may impact flows into these funds.
    • Impact on bond market: This, in turn, may impact the growth and development of the bond market in India since debt mutual funds channel funds into the bond market.
    • For instance: According to a report by Crisil, 70% of the investment in debt funds flows from institutional investors, while individual investors, including high net worth individuals, accounted for 27% as of December 2022.
    • Impact on corporate debt: This change in rule may trigger a shift in investments away from debt mutual funds to other instruments, which will possibly affect flows to the corporate bond market, and demand for corporate debt is likely to be impacted.

    The Need for Rationalization

    • There is a need to acknowledge the finer points of differentiation between bank deposits and debt funds since bank deposits are insured up to Rs 5 lakh while debt mutual funds carry risk depending on the risk profile of the bonds they hold.
    • It has been argued that the capital gains architecture in India needs to be reexamined and reconfigured.
    • Not only are there different rates of taxation for different asset classes, but even the holding period for differentiating between short- and long-term capital gains varies across assets. Thus, rationalisation with regard to the tax rate and/or the holding period is desirable.

    Conclusion

    • While the removal of the tax benefit for debt mutual funds may remove the advantage of such funds over bank deposits, its far-reaching consequences need to be carefully examined. There is a need to acknowledge the finer points of differentiation between bank deposits and debt funds, as well as rationalisation of the tax architecture in India. Therefore, there is a need for broader discussions and debates on these issues.
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  • G20 : Economic Cooperation ahead

    Blue Economy: India’s G20 Presidency Offers An Opportunity

    28 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Economics
    Mains Paper 3: GS3-02.Inclusive growth and issues therein, Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Blue economy initiatives

    Mains level: Blue economy, significance for sustainable development and challenges

    Blue Economy

    Central Idea

    • The potential of the oceans for the sustainable development of the blue economy is immense and the initiatives taken by the Government of India towards achieving it demonstrate India’s commitment to building a sustainable future for its marine resources and the global community. India’s G20 presidency provides an opportunity to promote collective action for the transition.

    What is Blue Economy?

    • Blue Economy is defined by the World Bank as the Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ecosystem.
    • Gunter Pauli’s book, “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs” (2010) brought the Blue Economy concept into prominence.
    • The UN first introduced “blue economy” at a conference in 2012 and underlined sustainable management, based on the argument that marine ecosystems are more productive when they are healthy. In fact, the UN notes that the Blue Economy is exactly what is needed to implement SDG 14, Life Below Water.
    • The term ‘blue economy’ includes not only ocean-dependent economic development but also inclusive social development and environmental and ecological security.

    The Potential of the Oceans

    • The oceans offer vast opportunities for the prosperity of our planet, with 45% of the world’s coastlines and over 21% of the exclusive economic zones located in G20 countries.
    • They are reservoirs of global biodiversity, critical regulators of the global weather and climate, and support the economic well-being of billions of people in coastal areas.

    Facts for prelims: Government Initiatives

    • The Government of India has launched several initiatives to promote the development of a blue economy, such as
    Initiative Description
    Sagarmala initiative A program launched in 2015 to promote port-led development and boost the country’s maritime sector. It aims to modernize ports, improve connectivity and logistics, and promote coastal community development.
    Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy A policy introduced in 2016 to provide financial assistance to Indian shipyards for the construction of ships. It aims to boost domestic shipbuilding and make Indian shipyards globally competitive.
    Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana A scheme launched in 2020 to boost the fisheries sector in India. It aims to increase fish production, modernize fishing infrastructure, and create employment opportunities in the sector.
    Sagar Manthan dashboard An online dashboard launched in 2018 to track the progress of the Sagarmala initiative. It provides real-time information on project implementation, fund utilization, and other related metrics.
    Deep Ocean Mission A program launched in 2021 to explore the deep sea and harness its resources for national benefit. It aims to explore the deep sea, map its resources, develop technologies for deep-sea mining, and promote ocean conservation.
    Coastal Regulation Zone notification A regulation introduced in 2019 to manage development activities along India’s coastline. It aims to balance the economic development of coastal areas with the conservation of coastal ecosystems and livelihoods of coastal communities.
    • The government has also taken steps to eliminate single-use plastic and combat plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

    India’s G20 Presidency and the Blue Economy

    • Key priority: India’s G20 presidency has prioritized the blue economy as a key area under the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group.
    • Promote sustainable and equitable development: The aim is to promote the adoption of high-level principles for sustainable and equitable economic development through the ocean and its resources while addressing climate change and other environmental challenges.
    • A guide for future G20 presidencies: India’s commitment to prioritizing oceans and the blue economy under its presidency would ensure continued discussions on this crucial subject and pave the way for future G20 presidencies.
    • Communication and collaboration: Effective and efficient ocean and blue economy governance presents a significant challenge, and India’s G20 presidency can build an effective communication with all stakeholders to share best practices, foster collaborations for advancements in science and technology, promote public-private partnerships, and create novel blue finance mechanisms.

    Challenges and Responsibility

    • Ambitious efforts by countries to expand their blue economies are threatened by intensifying extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise.
    • Marine pollution, over-extraction of resources, and unplanned urbanization also pose significant threats to the ocean, coastal and marine ecosystems, and biodiversity.
    • The inherent inter-connectedness of oceans implies that activities occurring in one part of the world could have ripple effects across the globe.
    • Therefore, the responsibility of their protection, conservation, and sustainable utilization lies with all nations.

    Conclusion

    • India’s G20 presidency offers an opportunity to promote individual and collective actions towards a sustainable blue economy. The stewardship of oceans is an investment that will sustain future generations, and the global community must unite for the well-being of our ocean commons.
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  • Health Sector – UHC, National Health Policy, Family Planning, Health Insurance, etc.

    Healthcare: Public Health and The Insurance Funding

    27 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Governance
    Mains Paper 2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Various Insurance Schemes

    Mains level: Insurance based healthcare funding, benefits and drawbacks

    Central Idea

    • The Tamil Nadu public health model has achieved success in improving healthcare outcomes and maintaining equity in healthcare delivery. However, the shift in healthcare funding to insurance companies has brought both benefits and drawbacks to the public healthcare system.

    The key features of the Tamil Nadu public health model

    • Primary Healthcare: The Tamil Nadu public health model is based on a strong emphasis on primary healthcare, which is the first point of contact for patients seeking medical attention. Primary healthcare centres provide basic healthcare services and preventive care, which are critical to reducing the burden of disease.
    • Public Health Infrastructure: The state has a well-established public health infrastructure, including a network of primary healthcare centres, secondary and tertiary care hospitals, and medical colleges. The state government has also invested in health infrastructure, including sanitation facilities, water supply, and waste management.
    • Health Insurance: The Tamil Nadu government has implemented a comprehensive health insurance scheme, the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), which provides free healthcare services to families living below the poverty line and low-income groups.
    • Human Resource Development: The state government has also focused on developing human resources in healthcare. It has set up a large number of nursing and paramedical institutions to train healthcare professionals.
    • Health Awareness: The Tamil Nadu government has launched various health awareness campaigns to educate people about health issues, including communicable and non-communicable diseases. The government has also launched campaigns to promote healthy lifestyle choices, such as a balanced diet and regular exercise.
    • Partnership with NGOs: The government has partnered with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to implement various health programs. These partnerships have helped in the effective delivery of healthcare services in remote and rural areas of the state.
    • Innovations: Tamil Nadu has implemented several innovative approaches in healthcare, such as telemedicine, which enables patients to receive medical consultation and treatment remotely using technology. The state has also established mobile clinics to provide healthcare services to people living in remote areas.

    Benefits of Decentralization

    • Improved access to healthcare: Decentralization can help to improve access to healthcare services, particularly in rural or remote areas. By empowering local communities and healthcare providers to make decisions about healthcare delivery, services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the population.
    • Better quality of care: Decentralization can lead to better quality of care by enabling healthcare providers to respond more quickly and effectively to the needs of their patients. It can also promote innovation and experimentation in healthcare delivery, leading to new and improved approaches to patient care.
    • Increased accountability: Decentralization can increase accountability in healthcare delivery by empowering local communities and healthcare providers to monitor and evaluate the quality of care. This can help to identify and address problems in healthcare delivery, leading to improved outcomes for patients.
    • Cost savings: Decentralization can lead to cost savings in healthcare delivery by reducing the administrative costs associated with centralized decision-making and management. It can also promote greater efficiency in healthcare delivery, leading to reduced waste and duplication of services.

    Insurance Funding in healthcare

    • Insurance funding in healthcare refers to the use of insurance mechanisms to finance healthcare services. This involves pooling financial resources from individuals or groups through insurance schemes, which are then used to pay for healthcare services.
    • Insurance funding can help to mitigate the financial risks associated with healthcare, and ensure that individuals have access to the care they need without incurring excessive costs.

    Drawbacks of Insurance Funding

    • Shifted focus: The focus on indemnity and negotiations with insurance companies has shifted the focus of hospitals from patient care to claiming money.
    • Compromised quality of service: The appointment of contractual employees with meager pay has created a divide between permanent high-paid staff and temporary low-salaried staff, leading to a compromise in the quality of service.

    Facts for prelims

    Type of Insurance Funding Description
    Private health insurance Purchased by individuals or employers to cover healthcare costs. Coverage, cost, and benefits vary widely and may be offered by commercial insurers, nonprofit organizations, or government programs
    Public health insurance Provided by government-run programs, typically funded through taxes or other government revenues. Coverage is provided to eligible individuals based on criteria such as age, income, or medical need. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is a government-funded health insurance program that provides free health coverage to economically disadvantaged families across India.
    Social health insurance A hybrid model that combines elements of private and public insurance. Individuals and employers contribute to a national insurance fund that is used to pay for healthcare services, typically managed by a government agency but delivered by private providers
    Employer-sponsored insurance Private insurance provided by employers to their employees, often mandatory in many countries. Employers are required to provide a certain level of coverage to their employees.

    Conclusion

    • While insurance funding has brought benefits, it has also created challenges, including the erosion of compassion among health professionals and a diversion of funds from public to private hospitals. It is necessary to strike a balance between decentralization, insurance funding, and preserving the fundamental principles of equity, compassion, and excellence in care to maintain the success of Tamil Nadu’s public healthcare system.

    Mains Question

    Q. Highlight the benefits of decentralization in healthcare delivery. Analyse the benefits and drawbacks of insurance funding in India?

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  • Climate Change Negotiations – UNFCCC, COP, Other Conventions and Protocols

    Climate Change: Mission Adaptation A Comprehensive Measure

    27 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Environment
    Mains Paper 1: GS1-14.Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Mission Adaptation

    Mains level: Climate change, Allocation of funds and Mitigation measures Mission Adaptation

    Central Idea

    • The budget for 2023-24 in India includes some measures towards climate change mitigation, but adaptation has not been given adequate attention. The government needs to adopt a Mission Adaptation to create a supportive ecosystem for all entities to come together and work towards developing locally-sound adaptation solutions.

    Climate Change Mitigation Measures

    • Allocation for green transition: The budget for 2023-24 in India has allocated funds towards climate change mitigation, with a focus on green growth initiatives targeted at reducing the carbon intensity of the economy such as green mobility, energy efficiency, and the green hydrogen mission announcement.
    • Promoting nature based initiatives: Nature-based solutions such as the mangrove plantation initiative and the community-based wetland conservation scheme also promise to have potentially positive impacts in mitigating climate change.

    Lack of Attention to Climate Change Adaptation

    • Climate change is addressed indirectly: While climate change mitigation has received attention in the budget, climate change adaptation has been addressed only indirectly.
    • No measures towards enhancing resilience: The budget does not include measures towards enhancing the resilience of communities and habitations to climate change’s impact, despite India’s high vulnerability to climate change.
    • For instance: Measures to account for climate change-induced risks, such as the recent example of Joshimath, do not find explicit mention in the budget.

    Funding for Adaptation

    • Adaptation has traditionally received far less attention than mitigation in the global climate discourse, resulting in lower funding for adaptation.
    • In India, the ratio of funding for climate adaptation to mitigation stands at 1:10. While funding for mitigation is also underfunded, with only 25% of the requirement met, the gap for adaptation stands much higher, at only 7.9% of the needed funds.

    Challenges in Funding Adaptation

    • Adapting to climate change often requires highly local and nature-based solutions that do not have a classically-measured ROI. Consequently, mainstream, interest-seeking capital flowing into adaptation is scant.
    • Climate adaptation has largely remained a publicly-funded endeavor in India, with nearly 100% of the funding for adaptation coming from public sources. International funding has also remained scarce due to the skewed discourse on climate change.

    The Need for a Strategic Investment

    • Climate shocks are anticipated to get more frequent and severe, and in the absence of resilience-building for communities and habitations, the impact could be devastating.
    • The public sector must view resilience building as a strategic priority and actively address this matter.
    • Climate adaptation must come to be seen as a strategic investment by the public sector, which it must make in order to climate-proof lives, livelihoods, the environment, and the economy.

    Mission Adaptation

    • Mission Adaptation is a term used in the context of climate change and refers to the need for a strategic, proactive approach to building adaptive capacity in order to climate-proof lives, livelihoods, the environment and the economy.
    • It is a proposed initiative for creating a supportive ecosystem for all entities, including the private sector, non-profits, and civil society, to come together and work towards developing and scaling up locally-sound adaptation solutions in India.
    • The idea is to view climate adaptation as a strategic investment by the public sector and to bridge complex challenges faced by society today using the idea of public purpose to guide policy and business activity.

    Conclusion

    • Given the increasing frequency at which climate-related stress is occurring and is expected to occur, the public sector will remain a crucial contributor to funding for climate adaptation. The government must work towards developing a more systemic understanding of resilience and support efforts aimed at building such an understanding across the ecosystem to make Mission Adaptation a reality.
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  • Internal Security Trends and Incidents

    Internet Shutdowns in India: A Growing Concern

    27 March 2023 | op-ed snap | Internal Security
    Mains Paper 3: Social Media Networks & Internal Security

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Internet shutdowns in India and its impact

    Central Idea

    • Earlier this month, the Punjab government suspended mobile internet and SMS services for more than four days as it launched an operation to arrest a pro-Khalistani preacher. This is not an isolated incident in India, with the country recording the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world.

    Internet shutdowns in the world

    • India has recorded the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world.
    • Such shutdowns are never or almost never implemented in most parts of Europe, North and South America, and Oceania, while they are rampant in Africa and Asia.

    State-wise Instances of Internet Shutdowns

    • Punjab: The Software Freedom Law Center has recorded eight such shutdowns in Punjab alone.
    • Southern states: Southern states, on the other hand, have only recorded six such shutdowns in the same period, with no instance of internet shutdown in Kerala.
    • Northern states: Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have recorded the highest number of internet shutdowns in India.

    Absence of Centralised Data

    • Absence of data: The Central government does not collate data on internet shutdowns imposed by state governments, which was strongly recommended by the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology.
    • Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology: The Committee came down heavily on the use of internet shutdowns as a substitute for enforcing law and order and wanted the reasons, duration, decision of the competent authority and of the review committees to be noted for every internet shutdown, and for the information to be made public.

    Need for Internet Shutdowns

    • Civil unrest: Internet serves as a medium for the transmission of information through pictures, videos and text that have the potential to cause civil unrest and exacerbate the law and order.
    • Fake news: Shutdowns in order to block the flow of information about government actions or to end communication among activists and prevent the spread of rumors and fake news.
    • Rumors: Shutdown helps prevent the “spreading of rumors and misinformation using social media platforms which can hinder peace and law and order”.
    • Preventive Response: Cutting off the Internet is both an early and preventive response to block restive groups to organize riots against the Government.
    • National Interest: The Internet cannot be independent of national sovereignty. Therefore, the necessary regulation of the internet is a reasonable choice of sovereign countries based on national interests.

    Costs of Internet Shutdowns

    • Education: Shutdowns also impact education, as students and teachers are unable to access online learning materials and tools. This can lead to a disruption of education and a negative impact on academic performance.
    • For instance: A UN report noted that in Kashmir, long-standing restrictions on connectivity undermined the education of students relying on remote education,
    • Economy: Businesses that rely on the internet to operate may suffer significant financial losses during shutdowns. This is particularly true for online retailers, e-commerce platforms, and other digital service providers.
    • For instance: A 2018 paper estimated that India lost around $3 billion between 2012 and 2017 due to shutdowns.
    • Health: The internet plays a critical role in disseminating health information and enabling telemedicine. Shutdowns can make it difficult for people to access vital health information or receive medical care.
    • Communication: Internet shutdowns severely limit people’s ability to communicate with one another, both within the affected region and with the rest of the world. This can make it difficult to coordinate protests or other forms of social and political activism, as well as to stay in touch with friends and family members.
    • Human rights: Internet shutdowns violate people’s human rights, including freedom of expression and access to information. They can also hinder the ability of journalists and activists to report on human rights abuses.
    • Politics: Shutdowns can be used to suppress political opposition and prevent dissent. This is particularly true during elections or times of political unrest, where the government may seek to limit the spread of information that could be used against them.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the reasons behind the high number of internet shutdowns in India also discuss socio economic impact of such shutdowns.

    Conclusion

    • Internet shutdowns in India are a growing concern, with a significant impact on education, healthcare, and the economy. However, the government has no mechanism to assess the socioeconomic impact of internet shutdowns. It is also important to consider the principle of proportionality and the socioeconomic impact of such shutdowns while enforcing law and order.
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