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  • Digital India Initiatives

    Data Sharing Governance And India’s Opportunity

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: E-Governance

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: DEPA

    Mains level: Data Governance, Data Sovereignty

    Governance

    Central Idea

    • India’s digital strategies and data governance have advanced in recent years, but there are concerns regarding inclusivity, transparency, security, and sustainability. India’s G-20 presidency presents an opportunity to showcase advancements in data infrastructures and governance, while balancing the interests of stakeholders, promoting ethical and responsible practices, and navigating the complex issues of data sovereignty.

    Governance

    What is Data Governance?

    • Data governance refers to the overall management of the availability, usability, integrity, and security of data used in an organization.
    • Data governance of a country is the policies, procedures, and practices established by the government to ensure that data is effectively managed and protected throughout its lifecycle.
    • This includes defining standards for data collection, storage, usage, and sharing to ensure the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of data.

    DEPA and Related Concerns

    The launch of India’s Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA), a consent management tool, has generated both excitement and concern among stakeholders.

    1. Potential: DEPA has the potential to improve data protection and privacy for citizens by giving them greater control over the use and sharing of their personal information. By allowing individuals to easily manage and control their data consents, DEPA could help to build trust in digital technologies and data governance.
    2. Concerns:
    • There are risks associated with DEPA, particularly in terms of security and privacy. If the consent management tool is not properly implemented or managed, there is a risk that personal information could be misused or misappropriated.
    • The implementation of DEPA may be inconsistent across different sectors and jurisdictions, which could undermine its effectiveness and create confusion among citizens.
    1. What needs to be done?
    • In order to realise the potential benefits of DEPA and minimise the risks, it is important that the tool is implemented in a transparent, consistent, and secure manner.
    • This will require close collaboration between the government, the private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders and the development of clear and effective regulations and standards.

    Advancements in Other Sectors and related concerns

    • Digital Payments: Significant progress in financial inclusion and promotion of digital transactions through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other options.
    • Digital tech in Healthcare: Use of digital technologies can enhance access to health-care services and empower farmers
    • Security and privacy: There are concerns that relate to security and privacy on the one hand and on infrastructure, connectivity and the availability of a skilled human workforce on the other hand.
    • Data Misuse: There are also concerns around the potential misuse of data and information in these sectors. For example, in the health sector, there is a risk that sensitive medical information could be misused or exploited for commercial purposes, while in agriculture, there is a risk that market information could be manipulated for the benefit of certain actors.
    • Ownership and governance of data: Another issue is that of ownership and governance of data generated and collected in health and agriculture. What are the rights of data providers? And what are the responsibilities towards them? The state has to play a key role in addressing and resolving such issues.

    What is Data sovereignty?

    • It is a principle that a country has the right to control the collection, storage, and use of data within its borders and citizens’ rights to informational self-determination over their data
    • It is closely related to issues of privacy, security, and national sovereignty, and is increasingly important in the age of digital globalization and the proliferation of cloud computing services.

    Data sharing governance and India’s opportunity

    India Data Management Office (IDMO):

    • India’s establishment of an IDMO is a step forward in the country’s journey towards data sharing and data governance.
    • The IDMO is expected to oversee and coordinate the implementation of India’s digital strategies and data governance framework, and to ensure that these efforts are aligned with the country’s values and priorities.
    • It will also work to promote the development and implementation of open-source solutions, which will help to ensure that underlying data architectures are a social public good, and to promote digital technologies to become accessible and affordable for all.
    • Again, this is a great opportunity for India to develop solutions that can be adopted and adapted in other countries. Open source and open innovation models can be important alternatives to proprietary solutions that are governed by big tech companies.

    Conclusion

    • India’s digital strategies and data governance have made significant progress in recent years, but there are important concerns and issues to address. It is crucial to find a middle way between restrictive data sovereignty and limitless data flow, navigate complex issues of privacy, and invest in necessary infrastructure and skills to ensure responsible and accountable data governance.
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  • Foreign Policy Watch: India-China

    India-China: Border Management Mechanism

    op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood – Relations

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: India-China border issues and management

    Central Idea

    • India and China appear to be moving towards a new modus vivendi to maintain peace and tranquillity along their disputed 4,000 kilometre border. They are discussing measures to ease the border situation, including creating no-patrol zones along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and upgrading the border management mechanism.

    Older arrangements and need for new measures

    • Blockades: In 2020, the older arrangements, shaped by the agreements of 1993, 1996, 2005 and 2013, came apart in Ladakh after the Chinese massed troops in Tibet and established blockades at six points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to prevent Indian troops from patrolling the border.
    • Clashes: A clash at Galwan in June 2020 led to the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers, the first such losses on the LAC since 1975. The Sino-Indian clash, in December 2022, at Yangtse, north-east of Tawang, suggests that new measures may be needed across the LAC, and not just in Ladakh.

    Attempts to Ease the Border Situation

    • Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC): Important discussions that took place between Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, met in Beijing for the 26th Meeting of the Working WMCC on China-India Border Affairs, on February 22, 2023. This was the first in-person meeting of the WMCC that had held the previous 11 rounds since the 2020 events by video conference.
    • Other Measures: Discussions have taken up the issue of upgrading the border management means to replace the WMCC with a mechanism that will have both military and civilian officers. The no-patrol zones could lead to a package settlement in the two remaining areas of Depsang and Charding Nala.
    • Confidence-building Measures: The entire range of confidence-building measures since 1993 was premised on the belief that both sides largely accepted the lay of the LAC, though they had differences that related to some 18-20 points on it. The 1993 and 1996 agreements specifically spoke about the importance of identifying and resolving these differences.
    • No-patrol zones: The no-patrol zones could be confined to the places where the two sides have overlapping claims. Chinese journalist-scholar Qian Feng suggested that the concept of the zone of actual control could replace the “line of actual control” in some areas that had no obvious geomorphological features or population.

    The Idea of Shifting the Goalposts

    • The idea of creating no-patrol zones is an echo of the original proposal by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai following a similar set of circumstances experienced today.
    • In October 1959, an Indian police party was ambushed at Kongka La leading to the deaths of 10 personnel and the capture of another dozen.
    • Zhou proposed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in a letter of November 7, 1959, that both sides withdraw 20 kilometers from the so-called McMahon Line, as well as the line up to which each side exercises control in the west.

    Conclusion

    • Creating no-patrol zones along the LAC could be a possible solution to the border conflict, as well as upgrading the border management mechanism to include both military and civilian officers.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the recent developments in the India-China border conflict and the measures being taken to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border

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  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    The Decolonization Drive: Monuments of National Importance Reflects Bharat’s history

    op-ed snap | | Mains Paper 1: Modern Indian History

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Monuments of National Importance

    Mains level: Monuments of National Importance, Shedding the colonial legacy, Promoting India's rich heritage rationally

    Central Idea

    • The decolonization drive started by the present government in India to change the British mindset of those responsible for writing history books, which led to the neglect of important monuments and archaeological sites. The Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance, which he sees as a significant step in the right direction for the preservation and designation of monuments that reflect Bharat’s history. There are some anomalies in the list of monuments of national importance and suggests changes in the way India looks at the preservation of monuments.

    What are the recommendations given by the report?

    • Rationalise and evolve criteria for India’s list of monuments: The report underlined the urgent need to rationalise India’s list of monuments of national importance and recommended that the ASI should evolve substantive criteria and a detailed procedure for declaring monuments to be of national importance.
    • Book of detailed information: ASI should publish a book of notifications with detailed information about each MNI’s provenance, hand over protection and upkeep of monuments of local importance to respective states and denotify to the extent possible, all standalone antiquities like cannons and statues.
    • Funds: Allocation of funds for the preservation of MNI should be increased and ASI should retain the proceeds generated from revenue streams like tickets, events, fees and other sources.

    Neglect of Monuments and Archaeological Sites in Post-Independence India

    • Inadequate efforts: After India’s independence, little effort was made to correct the British mindset of those responsible for writing history books, which resulted in the neglect of monuments and archaeological sites.
    • British view of India: History books continued to teach the history of India’s defeats and its enemies’ victories, which perpetuated the British view of India.

    The Decolonization Drive under the present Government

    • National Heroes: The present government led by PM Modi started the decolonisation drive to bring out the sagas of King Suheldev, Rani Durgavati, and Lachit Barphukan, among others.
    • For example: The government highlighted the story of the founder-king of Delhi, Anangpal Tomar, and declared the neglected Anang Tal as a monument of national importance.
    • Names, sites, insignia of national importance: The government also held national and international events at the Sindhu-Saraswati site of Dholavira and unveiled a new Shivaji-era inspired naval insignia.

    Significance of this Report

    • The Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance is a significant step in the right direction.
    • The report will bring a whiff of fresh thinking in the direction of preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history.
    • All the recommendations made by the report can be implemented without amending the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act and need only executive orders.

    Anomalies in the List of Monuments of National Importance

    • There are some anomalies in the list of monuments of national importance.
    • There is not a single monument connected with the struggles of Dalits and B R Ambedkar’s life that has been declared a national monument.
    • Some monuments, like Tota-Maina ki Qabar and Dadi Poti ka Gumbad, have no history, and nobody knows whether they should be declared as Monuments of National Importance.
    • Therefore, all agencies working on monuments be unshackled from the British slave mindset and given into the hands of those who know their subject.

    Conclusion

    • There is hope that the Bibek Debroy-Sanjeev Sanyal report will bring a whiff of fresh thinking in the direction of preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history. There is the need for an Archaeological Foundation to preserve the civilizational and revolutionary monuments of India.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the recommendations given by the Economic Advisory Council’s report on Monuments of National Importance and its significance in preserving and designating monuments that reflect Bharat’s history.

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  • Agricultural Sector and Marketing Reforms – eNAM, Model APMC Act, Eco Survey Reco, etc.

    Operation Greens Scheme: TOP Farmers Protests And A Way Ahead

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Agriculture and related issues

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Operation Greens Scheme

    Mains level: Operation Greens Scheme; TOP farmers concerns and solution

    Central Idea

    • The Operation Greens scheme aimed to develop a value chain for reducing extreme price fluctuations in the three basic vegetables (tomatoes, onions, and potatoes), enhance farmers’ realizations, and improve their share of the consumer rupee. However, the scheme has not been successful in achieving its goals, as seen by the recent protests against low prices by onion and potato farmers.

    What is Operation Greens scheme?

    pib] Operation Greens Scheme - Civilsdaily

    • The Operation Greens scheme is a government initiative launched in the 2018-19 Union budget by the present government.
    • It aims to develop a value chain for reducing extreme price fluctuations in the three basic vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (TOP).
    • The scheme was later expanded to 22 perishable crops in the 2021-22 budget.
    • The government hopes that by developing a sustainable value chain for these perishable commodities, farmers will benefit from better price realization, while consumers will have access to quality products at reasonable prices.

    Aim & Objectives:

    • To enhance value realization of TOP farmers; reduction in post-harvest losses; price stabilization for producer and consumers and increase in food processing capacities and value addition.
    • Price stabilisation for producers and consumers by proper production planning in the TOP clusters and introduction of dual-use varieties.
    • Reducing post-harvest losses by creation of farm gate infrastructure, development of suitable agro-logistics, creation of appropriate storage capacity linking consumption centres.
    • Increasing food processing capacities and value addition in the TOP value chain with firm linkages with production clusters.
    • Setting up a market intelligence network to collect and collate real-time data on demand and supply and price of TOP crops.

    Components:

    • Short-term intervention by way of providing transportation and storage subsidy @ 50% and
    • long-term intervention through value addition projects in identified production clusters with Grant-in-aid @ 35% to 70% of the eligible project cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 crore per project

    Limited Success of Operation Greens Scheme

    • Retail tomato prices: Tomato prices in wholesale markets have dropped significantly, but retail prices have not reduced much, indicating limited success.
    • Low Onion price: Onion and potato farmers are protesting against low prices, highlighting the scheme’s lack of effectiveness.
    • For instance: There are protests by Maharashtra’s onion growers against low prices, including relay hunger fasts, stoppage of auctions at major mandis, and a 200-km march to Mumbai. Similarly, potato farmers in Uttar Pradesh have demanded that the government procure their tuber at Rs 10 per kg, as against the ruling Rs 6-6.5/kg market price at Agra.

    Reasons behind its limited success

    • Problem Not with Lack of Storage or Processing Capacity: UP alone has an abundance of cold stores with ample capacity to store perishable goods like potatoes. Maharashtra’s growers have built enough kandha chawls to store onions for 4-6 months. Despite the creation of storage capacity, price volatility persists in milk and cane payment arrears to farmers.
    • Price Volatility: The prices of TOP crops have been volatile, which has adversely affected both farmers and consumers. The prices of these commodities tend to fluctuate sharply due to seasonality, weather conditions, and other factors, resulting in uncertainty and instability in the market.
    • Implementation Issues: The scheme’s implementation has been marred by delays, bureaucratic hurdles, and lack of coordination among various stakeholders, which has resulted in low participation and limited success.
    • Lack of Market Linkages: Another reason for limited success is the lack of market linkages between producers and consumers. The farmers are unable to access markets directly, which leads to dependence on intermediaries who manipulate prices, resulting in price volatility.

    Need for Price or Income Assurance for Farmers

    • Investment: Investment in farm-gate, agri-logistics, and storage-cum-processing infrastructure needs to be encouraged.
    • Assurance: Price or income assurance for farmers is necessary, especially for horticulture, dairy, and poultry producers who do not enjoy minimum support price benefits.
    • Diversification: The future for Indian agriculture lies in crop diversification, which will spur greater consumption of foods incorporating proteins (pulses, milk, eggs, and meat) and micro-nutrients (fruits and vegetables), instead of only calories and carbohydrates.
    • Deficiency price payments: The deficiency price payments or per-hectare direct income transfers could be the way forward.

    Conclusion

    • It is evident that the limited success of the Operation Greens scheme underscores the urgent need for a more comprehensive approach to address the challenges faced by TOP farmers. A more holistic approach is required that prioritizes farmer empowerment, investment in infrastructure, and promotion of crop diversification. By adopting such an approach, the government can not only mitigate the impact of price volatility on farmers but also achieve its broader goal of building a sustainable and resilient agricultural sector that benefits both producers and consumers alike.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is Operation Greens scheme? Analyse its limited success in achieving its objectives and Suggest measures to improve the scheme’s effectiveness.

     

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  • Hunger and Nutrition Issues – GHI, GNI, etc.

    Undernutrition: Healthy Human Capital Is The Real Wealth

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Stunting, wasting, Human capital Index

    Mains level: Undernutrition a significant challenge

    “Healthy women and children are pillars of a flourishing society”

    Central Idea

    • Undernutrition is a serious public health issue leading to adverse health consequences and affecting the economy, especially in India. Early stimulation and nutrition interventions in infants and young children lead to improved outcomes in adult life. India ranks poorly on the Human Capital Index and has high levels of stunting, anaemia, and malnutrition. Evidence suggests investing in maternal and early-life nutrition leads to high returns on investment.

    Undernutrition leads to adverse health consequences and affects the economy

    • Child deaths: Undernutrition leads to 3.1 million child deaths annually, which accounts for 45 percent of all child deaths.
    • High levels of stunting In India: India has unacceptably high levels of stunting (35.5 percent), despite marginal improvement over the years.
    • Stunting affects per capita income: Two-thirds of India’s current workforce is stunted, which has enormous economic costs in terms of a decrease in per capita income. The average reduction in per capita income for developing countries is at 7 percent, with a high of 13 percent for India due to the high rates of stunting.
    • Wasting in India: The economic losses incurred by India due to wasting are estimated at more than US $48 billion in terms of lifetime lost productivity.
    • Anaemia: Another compounding factor is anaemia among young women, at 57 percent, which has lasting effects on their future pregnancies and childbirth. The situation further worsens when infants are fed inadequate diets, and there is inadequate sanitation and hygiene.

    Investing in the well-being of women and children is an effective strategy

    • Investing in early childhood: Evidence suggests that every additional dollar invested in quality early childhood programs yields a return of between US$6 and US$17.
    • Better income in future: Early stimulation in infants is known to increase their future earnings by 25 percent. Stunting in childhood leads to impaired brain development, lower cognitive skills and education, leading to lower incomes in the future.
    • For instance: According to estimates, children who are stunted earn 20 percent less as adults than children who are not stunted.

    Increased investment in human capital brings economic growth

    • Human capital is the real wealth: The human capital is the wealth of nations and is dependent on the health, nutrition, skills, and knowledge of people.
    • Effective strategy: Evidence suggests investing in the well-being of women and children as an effective strategy for improved outcomes for children.
    • India’s ranking in Human capital Index: India ranks 116 out of 174 countries as per the Human Capital Index, with a score of 0.49 that indicates a child born in India will be 49 percent productive if provided with complete education and good health.
    • Education: Education to children plays a pivotal role in amassing human capital, improving productivity, and economic development. It has been advocated to target the 1000 days’ period from conception to two years of age for improving birth and nutrition outcomes.

    Coupling nutrition-specific interventions with nutrition-sensitive programs

    • Nutrition-sensitive interventions: Nutrition-sensitive interventions like water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) focus on the underlying determinants as poor sanitation can lead to stunting.
    • Integrated water and sanitation improvement program: Evidence suggests both short term and long-term reductions in diarrhoea episodes (3-50 percent) through an integrated water and sanitation improvement program in rural India. WASH can bring significant gains in tackling childhood undernutrition and are important determinants of stunting.
    • Nutrition of pregnant women and young children: Studies suggest long term benefits on adult human capital and health by improving the nutrition of pregnant women and young children.
    • For instance: The first 1000 days of life is the time for rapid growth and development, and lack of good nutrition can lead to lifelong adverse consequences. This period is a critical window of opportunity as stunting sets in during this period and aggravates by the age of two years.

    Disparities in Undernutrition Prevalence

    • Data (NFHS 5) reveals that India has more stunted children in rural areas as compared to urban areas, possibly due to socio-economic variance.
    • Stunting prevalence varies depending on mother’s education and household income,
    • There is wide variation among regions, with high rates of stunting in states of Meghalaya (46.5 percent) and Bihar (42.9 percent) while states like Sikkim and Puducherry have lowest at 22.3 percent and 20 percent respectively.
    • Notable inter-state and inter-district variation in terms of stunting prevalence.

    Way ahead

    • Investing in healthcare facilities is crucial for enhancing productivity, economic growth, and security in India.
    • Addressing undernutrition is necessary for producing and maintaining a healthy, highly skilled workforce in India.
    • Cost-effective investments in child health, nutrition, and education are necessary for improving public health and achieving economic growth in India.

    Conclusion

    • Healthy human capital is the true wealth of any nation. In India, undernutrition is a significant public health concern that not only affects the well-being of women and children but also has adverse economic implications. Therefore, addressing undernutrition is critical for creating a healthy, skilled workforce, ensuring economic growth and security in India.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is India’s ranking on the Human Capital Index, and how does investing in the well-being of women and children contribute to economic growth?

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  • Industrial Sector Updates – Industrial Policy, Ease of Doing Business, etc.

    National Champions Model for Infrastructure Development: Pros and Cons

    op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Investment Models

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: National Champions Model for Infrastructure Development, Advantages and disadvantages

    National

    Central Idea

    • Emerging economies struggle to provide functional and efficient infrastructure. Infrastructure has become a national aspiration good, a mechanism for job creation, and a necessity. The two biggest constraints on infrastructure provision are cost and public good component. This national champion’s model aims to incentivize private sector participation in infrastructure investments, but it also has its own set of challenges and limitations.

    Traditional Financing Approaches and their Limitations

    • The traditional approach to financing infrastructure has relied on tax revenues or government borrowing.
    • However, this creates a vicious trap as poorer economies generate less tax revenue, which limits infrastructure investment, leading to a further spinoff that affects the growth of the economy and keeps the country poor.
    • Increasing public borrowing domestically tends to crowd out private investment, exacerbating the problem.

    National

    The Public-Private Partnership Model and its Problems

    • The Indian government tried to incentivize private sector participation in infrastructure investment by introducing the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in the early 2000s.
    • While the PPP model led to the construction of a lot of infrastructure, it ended in an avalanche of non-performing assets with public sector banks, private sector bankruptcies, accusations of widespread corruption, and a change in government in 2014.

    National

    The National Champions Model and its Innovations

    • The present government has modified the PPP approach by assigning the bulk of infrastructure provisioning for roads, ports, airports, energy, and communications to a few chosen industrial houses.
    • This is the national champions model where the government picks a few large conglomerates to implement its development priorities.
    • This model incentivizes national champions to build projects by providing subsidies to cover the costs.
    • New aspects of the National Champions Model:
    1. National champions need control over existing projects with strong cash flows to incentivize investment in projects with low returns and negative cash flows.
    2. Public association of champions with the government’s national development policy generates a competitive advantage for the champions in getting domestic and foreign contracts.
    3. Access to some cash-rich projects allows national champions to borrow from external credit markets by using these entities as collateral, which lowers the cost of finance of other.

    Benefits of National Champions Model

    • Economic growth: National champions can contribute to economic growth by generating revenue, creating jobs, and investing in research and development.
    • Strategic importance: The model can help ensure that the country has a strong presence in strategically important industries, such as defense or energy, which can be critical to national security.
    • Export competitiveness: National champions can become leaders in their respective markets and compete effectively in global markets, which can increase exports and improve the country’s trade balance.
    • Innovation: National champions can invest heavily in research and development, leading to technological advancements that can benefit the broader economy.
    • Access to capital: National champions may be able to access capital more easily than smaller companies, allowing them to make larger investments and pursue growth opportunities.

    The Problems with the National Champions Model

    • Too big to fail: Market and regulatory treatment of conglomerates as too big to fail. This means that these companies are so large and important to the economy that their failure could cause widespread harm to the financial system and the economy as a whole. This opens the door to market hysteria, delayed discovery of problems, and spillovers of sectoral problems into systemic shocks. The recent troubles of the Adani companies in India highlight the potential risks associated with this approach.
    • Encouraging market concentration that can be bad for efficiency and productivity: Concentrated markets reduce competition and can lead to higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation. When firms have market power, they have less incentive to improve their products or services, reduce costs, or innovate. This can result in lower overall productivity in the economy.
    • The risk of turning the country into an industrial oligarchy: An industrial oligarchy is where a small group of powerful and influential conglomerates control a large portion of the economy. This can have negative consequences for economic growth, social mobility, and political stability. An oligarchy may be resistant to change and less responsive to the needs and aspirations of the broader population.
    • Uneven playing field: The optics of an uneven playing field in terms of market access and selective regulatory forbearance that can become a significant deterrent for foreign investors.

    National

    Conclusion

    • While infrastructure is a necessary condition for growth, it is not a sufficient one. Effective demand is the problem, as seen in the power sector, where the inability of the power distribution companies to recover payments was the issue. India is at an inflection point in its development path, and the national champions model has its pros and cons that needs to be analyzed before its consideration.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is National Champions Model for Infrastructure development in India? Discuss its advantages and disadvantages.

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  • Child Rights – POSCO, Child Labour Laws, NAPC, etc.

    Child Marriage And The Role of Education: Analysis

    op-ed snap | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted For The Vulnerable Sections

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Child marriage, Reasons, Challenges and solutions

    Marriage

    Central Idea

    • When the Assam government launched a massive crackdown on child marriage, social activists pointed out that the root of the problem, i.e., limited access to education among women, is not being sufficiently addressed. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data show that higher education levels could play a greater role than wealth in delaying a woman’s marriage. The data also reflect wide variations between the marital age of rural and urban women, and Dalit and upper-caste women.

    Does education or wealth play a greater role in determining when a woman gets married?

    • Education is significant: Education has a longer history of being significant in delaying a woman’s marriage.
    • For instance: Depending on National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, education has had a steady influence, while poverty has had an increasing influence over time.
    • Poverty: Poverty is the greatest determinant of early marriage as the poor do not want to wait due to the increasing demand for dowry. Wealthier people are no longer marrying their daughters early.

    What role does marriage play in India?

    Marriage plays a significant role in India as it serves multiple purposes.

    • Most significant institution: It is considered the most significant institution for daughters as it fulfills the family’s responsibility towards them. For sons, the responsibility is to settle them in a job, which will hopefully lead to marriage.
    • Social identity: Marriage is crucial for social identity, and a woman who remains single is an anomaly because almost everyone gets married.
    • Sexual respectability: marriage is essential for sexual respectability as those who wish to have social respect have sexual relationships within marriage.
    • Legitimate children: Marriage provides the option to have children, and having a child without a husband is completely unacceptable in the Indian context.

    Marriage

    What advantages that families see in getting women married earlier instead of educating them further?

    • Dowry: This dowry can be a significant financial burden for families, and getting their daughters married early may be seen as a way to reduce this expense. The more educated a girl, the more the boy has to be educated too and the higher the dowry.
    • Transfer of responsibility: Families feel there is the responsibility of protecting her sexually before marriage. And that responsibility gets transferred to the boy’s family. After marriage, the girl goes to live with her husband’s family, so why spend on her education?
    • Maintenance of caste and community lines: In some cultures, marrying within one’s own caste and community is essential to maintain social status and cultural traditions. Early marriage may be seen as a way to ensure that women are married within their caste and community and preserve cultural practices.

    Marriage

    Women are increasingly getting access to education. Does this result in more empowerment? 

    1. Advantages of Women’s Access to Education:
    • Education provides women with knowledge and skills that lead to greater empowerment and the ability to make informed decisions about their lives.
    • Educated women are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher wages, and have better health outcomes.
    • Access to education can challenge traditional gender norms and stereotypes, creating new opportunities for women and girls.
    • Education can increase women’s bargaining power within their families and communities, allowing them to negotiate for better living conditions, higher earnings, and greater autonomy.
    1. Challenges in Women’s Employment
    • The female labor force participation rate is low at 25%, and job losses have been especially harmful to women.
    • Despite increased access to education, there is a high proportion of educated but unemployed women.
    • Women who enter the corporate sector often face hostility or are unable to balance domestic expectations with work demands.
    • The conjugal contract between men and women remains largely unchanged, with women assuming the majority of domestic burdens and men often having power over family decisions.
    1. Impact of Age of Marriage
    • Increasing the age of marriage may not automatically lead to greater empowerment, autonomy, or freedom for women.
    • While delaying marriage may provide women with more opportunities to pursue education and careers, there is still a significant gender gap in employment and earnings.
    • Low and declining employment rates may also result in a greater burden on marriage as a means of economic security.

    Why women in SC/ST/OBC communities get married at  younger age than even those in rural India?

    • Socio-economic factors: Women in SC/ST/OBC communities tend to get married at younger ages than even those in rural areas due to a combination of social and economic factors.
    • Sense of social disadvantage: Families who belong to these groups experience a sense of social disadvantage in the marriage market, but they are also often poor, with lower wealth quintiles being disproportionately populated by SC, ST, and OBCs.
    • Caste and poverty: There is a fair deal of correlation between caste and poverty in these communities, with many lacking decent work and being vulnerable to violence from those higher in the hierarchy.
    • Vulnerability: Girls from these communities are even more vulnerable to such issues, with Dalit girls being particularly susceptible to sexual predators as young upper-caste men feel that they have a right of access.
    • Marriage as protection: Marriage can be seen as a form of protection for girls from these communities, but the issue of early marriage is complex and influenced by a range of factors.

    Marriage

    Conclusion

    • The issue of child marriage in India is complex and deeply rooted in societal norms, poverty, and caste systems. Despite the progress in education and women’s empowerment, there are still challenges. The issue of child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the underlying societal and economic factors that perpetuate the practice.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the role of education and wealth in determining the age at which women get married in India.

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  • Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

    Paramilitary Forces: Addressing Concerns and Demands

    op-ed snap | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Various Security Forces, Agencies & Their Mandates

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Para Forces

    Mains level: Paramilitary Forces and their mandate, challenges

    Paramilitary

    Central Idea

    • Last month, India observed the day of remembrance for the Pulwama attack that took place on February 14, 2019, which resulted in the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The lesson learned is that there is an urgent need to address the grievances of paramilitary forces in terms of training, morale, and parity with regular armed forces to ensure the effectiveness of these forces in maintaining internal security.

    Background

    • The Forgotten Dantewada Attack: An earlier attack on April 6, 2010, in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed by left-wing extremists in Dantewada, has faded away from public attention despite being the deadliest attack on security forces in any counter-insurgency or anti-terrorist operations in independent India.
    • The Pulwama attack: The attack on February 14, 2019, claimed the lives of 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), India’s largest paramilitary force. The Pulwama attack resulted in an unprecedented public outcry and evoked emotional responses across all sections of society. It is important to remember this incident to prevent a repeat in the future.

    Paramilitary

    Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

    • Motto: “Service and Loyalty”
    • Logo: The CRPF logo features a crossed rifle and a light machine gun over a map of India, with a laurel wreath and the words “Central Reserve Police Force” written in both Hindi and English. The crossed rifles and the light machine gun represent the CRPF’s role in maintaining internal security, while the map of India signifies its national duty.
    • Establishment: CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Force of India. It was established in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police (CRP) to assist British rulers in managing unrest and law and order issues. After India gained independence in 1947, it became the Central Reserve Police Force.
    • Responsibility: The CRPF is primarily responsible for maintaining internal security, counter-terrorism operations, and assisting the state police in maintaining law and order. It also assists in disaster management and protects vital installations.
    • Personnel and deployment: With more than 300,000 personnel, the CRPF is one of the most significant components of India’s internal security apparatus. It operates in a variety of environments, including urban, jungle, and mountainous terrain. The CRPF has also been deployed in international peacekeeping operations, such as in Haiti, Sudan, and Congo.

    Challenges Faced by Paramilitary Forces

    • Security threats: Paramilitary forces are often deployed in areas where there are security threats such as terrorist attacks, insurgencies, and border conflicts. These threats pose a significant risk to the lives of the personnel, and they have to be constantly vigilant to prevent any untoward incidents.
    • Pay and benefits: The Indian Army personnel receive higher pay, better benefits, and retirement benefits compared to paramilitary forces. The Indian Army also has a well-established pension system, while paramilitary forces have a Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
    • Inadequate infrastructure: These forces often operate in remote areas with inadequate infrastructure, including basic facilities such as food, water, and shelter. This makes it challenging for the personnel to carry out their duties effectively, especially during long deployments.
    • Inadequate training: Proper training is essential for paramilitary personnel to carry out their duties effectively. However, due to budget constraints and a lack of resources, training is often inadequate, which can lead to inefficiencies and mistakes during operations.
    • De-induction of Army: The deinduction of the Indian Army from certain areas has led to the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and other paramilitary forces being tasked with carrying out hard duties, leading to overstretched personnel and compromised training.
    • Stress and mental health: The nature of the job is often stressful, and paramilitary personnel are frequently exposed to traumatic situations that can have long-term effects on their mental health. Unfortunately, mental health resources are often limited, and the stigma surrounding mental health issues can prevent personnel from seeking help.
    • Lack of modern equipment: Paramilitary forces require modern equipment and weapons to carry out their duties effectively. However, due to budget constraints and bureaucratic red tape, acquiring such equipment is often delayed, which puts the personnel at risk.

    Paramilitary

    Need for Parity and Better Treatment

    • Armed Forces of the union category: The Delhi High Court order of December 2022 that recognised the paramilitary as a force under the category of ‘Armed Forces of the union’ and underscores the need to address the genuine grievances of the paramilitary personnel.
    • Service facilities: The paramilitary force faces discrimination in matters ranging from pension to service facilities.
    • Old pension scheme: Former personnel and their families have demanded the old pension scheme for serving members of the paramilitary force.
    • Training: The training and morale of paramilitary personnel must be taken care of to maintain optimum performance and effectiveness.

    Paramilitary

    Other key paramilitary and special forces in India

    • National Security Guard (NSG): NSG is a federal contingency force tasked with counter-terrorism and special operations. It was established in 1984 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Border Security Force (BSF): BSF is a border guarding force responsible for guarding India’s land borders during peace time and preventing trans-border crimes. It was established in 1965 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): SSB is a border guarding force tasked with guarding India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan. It was established in 1963 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): ITBP is a specialized mountain force responsible for guarding India’s borders with China. It was established in 1962 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Assam Rifles: Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force responsible for maintaining law and order in the northeast region of India. It was established in 1835 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    Conclusion

    • The observance of Pulwama day should serve as a reminder to avoid a repeat of the tragedy and calls for analysing the lessons learnt and taking corrective measures. It is important to listen to the genuine grievances of the paramilitary personnel to maintain their morale and enhance the security environment of the nation.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the challenges faced by paramilitary forces In India? What needs to be done to maintain their morale and to ensure the effectiveness of these forces in maintaining internal security?

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  • LGBT Rights – Transgender Bill, Sec. 377, etc.

    Same-sex marriage: Petitions For Legal Recognition

    op-ed snap | Indian Society | Mains Paper 1: Salient features of Indian Society

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Same-sex marriage, Issues, constitutional provisions , Read the attached article

    same-sex

    Central idea

    • Recently, the Supreme Court referred a batch of petitions seeking the legal recognition of same-sex marriages to a Constitution Bench. The Union government has opposed the petitions. Law Minister Kiren said that marriage is a matter of policy to be decided by Parliament and the executive alone.

    What is mean by Same-sex marriage?

    • Same-sex marriage is the legal recognition of a marriage between two individuals of the same sex.
    • It grants same-sex couples the same legal and social recognition, rights, and privileges that are traditionally associated with marriage, including property rights, inheritance rights, and the ability to make decisions for each other in medical emergencies.
    • The recognition of same-sex marriage varies around the world, with some countries legalizing it while others do not.
    • The issue has been the subject of much debate and controversy, with arguments for and against same-sex marriage based on religious, cultural, social, and legal considerations.

    Same-sex marriage in India

    • Same-sex marriage is currently not legally recognized in India.
    • Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality, was struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, which was a landmark decision for LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
    • However, there is still no law that allows same-sex couples to legally marry or have any legal recognition of their relationships.

    Government’s argument

    • In its affidavit to the Supreme Court, the government argued that the traditional concept of marriage, consisting of a biological man, woman and child, cannot be disrupted.
    • It claimed that recognising same-sex marriages could cause havoc in the system of personal laws.
    • As different from many liberal democracies, in India, aspects of marriage, succession and adoption are governed by religious personal laws.

    What petitioners are claiming?

    1. Same-sex marriage as a matter of rights
    • Any social policy is liable to judicial interference if rights are violated.
    • The petitioners rely on the rights to equality and non-discrimination as laid out in Articles 14 and 15.
    • The Constitution prohibits the state from discriminating on the basis of sex.
    • Sex has been interpreted by the Supreme Court in Navtej Singh Johar (2018) to include sexual orientation. Granting the right to marry to heterosexual couples and not to homosexual couples clearly discriminates on the basis of their sexual orientation.
    1. Same-sex marriage is a matter of privacy
    • Right to privacy: Supreme Court recognised this right to be part of the right to life and liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution in the celebrated Puttaswamy (2017) verdict.
    • What court said on privacy: Privacy includes at its core the preservation of personal intimacies, the sanctity of family life, marriage, procreation, the home and sexual orientation.
    • State currently denies this right: The right to privacy entails the right of the citizens to make decisions about their family life and marriage. The state currently denies same-sex couples this right.
    • The Special Marriage Act: The Special Marriage Act is a secular law which works alongside religious personal laws. Same-sex marriages can be recognised under the Special Marriage Act. The Act already speaks of marriages between any two persons which are solemnised under it. Any two persons can include two persons of the same sex.

    Special Marriage Act

    • The Special Marriage Act is a law in India that allows individuals of different religions or nationalities to marry each other.
    • It was enacted in 1954 and came into effect from 1955.
    • The Special Marriage Act allows for inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, and couples who register under this act are not required to change their religion or follow any religious rites or rituals.
    • The act also provides for divorce on certain grounds and maintenance to the spouse and children.

    Consider the situation in the United States

    • In Obergefell v Hodges (2015), the Supreme Court of the United States held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage.
    • Thirty-one out of the 50 states in the United States have marriage laws that define marriage as between a man and a woman.

    Conclusion

    • The debate on legal recognition of same-sex marriages in India continues to be a contentious issue, with the government and petitioners presenting opposing views. However, given the complex social, cultural, and legal considerations, any decision regarding same-sex marriage should be carefully evaluated to ensure that it is inclusive and respects individual rights. Ultimately, it is important to arrive at a balanced and just solution that upholds the principles of equality and non-discrimination for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation.

    Mains Question

    Q. What do you understand by same-sex marriage? Describe same sex marriage situation in India by highlighting both the arguments.

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  • Women empowerment issues – Jobs,Reservation and education

    Women Leadership: Conditions To Unleash Her Potential

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NA

    Mains level: Women empowerment, Reforms to thrive Women leadership

    Women

    Central Idea

    • Today the world is home to a transformative generation of 900 million adolescent girls and young women poised to shape the future of work and growth. If this cohort of young women could be equipped with the right resources and opportunities to nurture the 21st century skills, they would become the largest segment of women leaders, change-makers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in history.

    Women In India

    • India is home to one of the largest generations of girls and young women, has made significant progress across various domains, such as education, health, digital and financial inclusion, and leadership building, to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5, which envisions a more gender-equal world by 2030.
    • To unleash the gender dividend and create conditions for female leadership to flourish, women at all levels of society must have inclusion in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT), bodily autonomy and safety, shared responsibility within the household, and equal participation in decision-making spaces.

    Women

    What are the necessary conditions that must be in place for Women leadership to thrive?

    1. Cultivating Agency:
    • Given the socio-economic barriers that adolescent girls confront from their earliest years that the work to cultivate their agency must begin early.
    • India’s initiatives across various domains, such as education, health, digital and financial inclusion, and leadership building, to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5, which envisions a more gender-equal world by 2030.
    1. Inclusion in ICT:
    • Inclusion in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for women at all levels of society is very important.
    • As access to digital technology increasingly becomes an arena of opportunity and basic service, EdTech can bridge the accessibility gap in education through hybrid learning models, even where girls’ access to schooling is restricted by harmful norms.
    1. STEM Education:
    • The prevailing stereotypes that characterize STEM education as a traditionally masculine domain, even though over 43% of Indian STEM graduates are women.
    • The gender norms that disproportionately allocate domestic and care responsibilities to women, representation of men as leaders of STEM, finance, and entrepreneurial fields in the public perception, and institutional mechanisms are some of the barriers that explain why increased women’s representation in STEM education does not translate into work participation.
    • There is need of inclusion of grade-appropriate STEM, financial education, and entrepreneurship syllabi into the educational curriculum for girls to counter these stereotypes actively.
    1. Bodily Autonomy and Safety
    • Empowering women to make decisions about their bodies and be free from all forms of violence and harassment is very important.
    • These basic conditions are critical to enable women and young girls to chart the trajectory of their personal and professional lives.
    1. Sport for Leadership
    • The sporting activities can promote leadership, self-sufficiency, and teamwork. The inclusion of adolescent girls and young women in sports can build their self-confidence, strengthen self-belief, and impart the nuances of teamwork.
    • The National Sports Policy and inclusion programs for children from vulnerable communities, which have seen remarkable success.
    1. Redistribute Care Work
    • The backbone of thriving families, communities, and economies largely falls on women, increasing in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • It is crucial to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care and domestic work, so that women may enjoy economic opportunities and outcomes on an equal footing to men.
    • The policies that provide services, social protection and basic infrastructure, promote sharing of domestic and care work between men and women, and create more paid jobs in the care economy, which are urgently needed to accelerate progress on women’s economic empowerment.

    Do you know?  STEM education

    • STEM education refers to a curriculum that focuses on four academic disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
    • STEM education is designed to promote and enhance the critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills of students, while also encouraging their creativity and innovation.
    • The curriculum typically integrates these four subjects to show how they are interconnected and applicable to real-world problems.
    • STEM education is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, as technology continues to advance and the demand for skilled workers in these fields grows.

    Women

    Conclusion

    • Nurturing the leadership abilities of adolescent girls and young women is crucial for breaking down restrictive gender norms and barriers and accelerating progress across the Sustainable Development Goals. By working together to empower girls and women, we can create a more gender equal world and unlock the full potential of the next generation of female leaders.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the necessary conditions that must be established for female leadership to flourish in India?

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