Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Government tabled the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 in Parliament.

• The objective is to “decriminalize” 183 offences across 42 legislations and enhance the ease of living and doing business in India.
• Some Acts that are amended by the Bill include: the Indian Post Office Act, 1898,the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

What are the Highlights of the Bill?

• Decriminalizing Certain Offences:
  • Under the Bill, several offences with an imprisonment term in certain Acts have been decriminalised by imposing only a monetary penalty.
  • For example:
    • Under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, counterfeiting grade designation marks is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees. Grade designation mark indicates the quality of an article under the 1937 Act.
      • The Bill replaces this with a penalty of eight lakh rupees.
    • Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, disclosing personal information in breach of a lawful contract is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine of up to five lakh rupees, or both.
      • The Bill replaces this with a penalty of up to 25 lakh rupees.
    • In certain Acts, offences have been decriminalised by imposing a penalty instead of a fine.
      • For instance, under the Patents Act, 1970, a person selling a falsely represented article as patented in India is subject to a fine of up to one lakh rupees.
        • The Bill replaces the fine with a penalty, which may be up to ten lakh rupees. In case of a continuing claim, there shall be an additional penalty of one thousand rupees per day.
      • Revision of Fines and Penalties:
        • The Bill increases the fines and penalties for various offences in the specified Acts.
          • Further, these fines and penalties will be increased by 10%of the minimum amount every three years.
        • Appointing Adjudicating Officers:
          • As per the Bill, the central government may appoint one or more adjudicating officers for the purpose of determining penalties. The adjudicating officers may: (i) summon individuals for evidence, and (ii) conduct inquiries into violations of the respected Acts.
        • Appellate Mechanisms:
          • The Bill also specifies the appellate mechanisms for any person aggrieved by the order passed by an adjudicating officer.
            • For instance, in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, appeals may be filed with the National Green Tribunal within 60 days from the order.

Why has the Bill been Introduced?

• Rise in Criminal Cases:
  • For decades, scholars of law have been concerned that criminal law has grown unprincipledly.
  • As per the National Judicial Data Grid, of the 4.3 crore pending cases, nearly 3.2 crore cases are in relation to criminal proceedings.
• Political Motives:
  • As opposed to punishing wrongful conduct, criminalization often becomes a tool for governments to project a strong image.
  • Governments offer little in the way of justifications to support such decisions. This phenomenon has been termed “overcriminalisation” by scholars.
• Overcrowding of Prisons:
  • As per the National Crime Records Bureau’s Prison Statistics of 2021, a total of 5.54 lakh prisoners were confined in prisons against a capacity of 4.25 lakh.

What is the Scope of the Bill?

• The Bill might undertake ‘quasi-decriminalisation’.
• The Observer Research Foundation’s report titled Jailed for Doing Business found that there are more than 26,134 imprisonment clauses in a total of 843 economic legislations, rules and regulations which seek to regulate businesses and economic activities in India.
  • In this light, the number of offences deregulated under the Bill seems to be a mere drop in India’s regulatory framework.
• The regulatory offences to be considered for ‘decriminalisation’ need to be prioritised not only from the point of view of the ease of doing business but also from the points of view of the ills that plague our criminal justice system itself.
• The bill conforms to the understanding of the government that decriminalization should be limited to regulatory domains.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Parliamentary committees have concluded that drafting a National Tourism Policy will not lead to the development of the tourism industry in the country.

• The committee has suggested fast-tracking the creation of a National Tourism Council on the lines of the GST council to directly make recommendations to the Central and State governments on various issues of the tourism sector and its stakeholders.

What are the Concerns raised by the Committee?

• Inclusion in the Concurrent List:
  • The committee also sought to know the steps taken by the Tourism Ministry regarding its earlier recommendation of including tourism in the concurrent list.
    • The committee is of the view that inclusion of tourism in the concurrent list will help in simplifying the issues of the pandemic-hit Indian tourism sector since tourism is a multi-sectoral activity.
  • Industry Status to Hospitality Projects:
    • It also sought to know why some 20 States were yet to accord industry status to hospitality projects and asked the Ministry whether anything in this regard has been conveyed by these States to the Centre.
      • As of now eight States (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand) have accorded industry status to hospitality projects.
    • Regarding Sanctioned Projects:
      • It expressed concern that in projects sanctioned five years ago or before 2017-18, the progress rates achieved have been less than expected.
        • Projects Sanctioned: ‘Development at Hazratbal’ in Jammu and Kashmir and ‘Infrastructure Development at Puri, Shree Jagannath Dham – Ramachandi- Prachi River front at Deuli under Mega Circuit’ in Odisha.
        • The committee is of the view that projects taking longer than five years may incur high cost and schedule or time overruns, which will put extra financial burden and resource crunch on the Ministry and implementing agencies involved.

What are the Highlights of the Draft National Tourism Policy?

• Industry Status to Sector:
  • It mentions granting industry status to the tourism sector, as well as granting infrastructure status to hotels, in an effort to attract investment.
• Five Key Areas:
  • Five key areas would be given significant focus in the next 10 years— green tourism, digital tourism, destination management, skilling the hospitality sector and supporting tourism-related to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Advocacy for Appropriate Taxation and Subsidy Policies:
  • The Mission will advocate appropriate taxation and subsidy policies to encourage investment in sustainable tourism activities and discourage unsustainable tourism.
• Offers Framework Conditions:
  • The draft policy doesn’t deal with specific operational issues, but offers framework conditions to help the sector, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
  • The overall mission and vision are being laid out to improve the experience of tourists, foreign as well as local.

What is the Status of the Tourism Sector in India?

• About:
  • India ranks 6^thaccording to World Travel and Tourism Council in terms of Travel & Tourism total contribution to GDP in 2021.
  • India is currently ranked 54^th in World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (2021).
  • India has 40 sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List(32 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed) as of 2021.
    • Dholaviraand Ramappa Temple are the latest ones.
  • A total of 39 million jobs were created in the tourism sector in FY20, which represented 8% of the country’s employment. By 2029, it will account for 53 million jobs.

Recent Initiatives:

• Swadesh Darshan Scheme 
• Dekho Apna Desh Initiative
• National Green Tourism Mission
• PRASAD scheme
• Buddhist Conclave

What are the Challenges Related to the Tourism Sector in India?

• Lacking in Infrastructure:
  • Tourists in India still face many infrastructure related problems like inadequate roads, water, sewer, hotels and telecommunications etc.
• Safety and security:
  • Safety and security of tourists, especially of the foreign tourists, is a major hurdle to tourism development. Attacks on foreign nationals raise questions about India’s ability to welcome tourists from far away countries.
• Lack of skilled manpower:
  • Lack of skilled manpower is another challenge to the Tourism Industry in India.
• Absence of basic amenities:
  • Absence of basic amenities like drinking water, well maintained toilets, first aid, cafeteria etc. at tourist places.
• Seasonality:
  • Seasonality in Tourism, with the busy season being limited to six months from October to March and heavy rush in November and December.

Way Forward

• Considering India’s rich heritage and culture, an unmatched variety of cuisine tourism can be a vehicle for enhancing India’s soft power and attracting foreign revenue.
  • India’s philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ sees the world as one family. It gives India an unwavering belief in multilateralism.
• There is a need to focus on inclusive growth of tourism by creating opportunities for marginalised sections of society including people living in remote areas.
• An extensive market research and evaluation exercise can be undertaken in order to identify desired tourist destinations across the country and major markets and segments.

Question For Practice

Q.1 How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism? (UPSC 2019)

Q.2 The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate. (UPSC 2015)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Out of 185 countries in the world, 77 have laws that clearly criminalise marital rape while there are 34 countries that explicitly decriminalise marital rape, or in essence, offer immunity to men who perpetrate rape against their wives.

• India, is one of the 34 countries that have decriminalised marital rape.

What is Indian Law on Marital Rape?

• Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):
  • Section 375 of the IPC defines the acts that constitute rape by a man.
  • The provision, however, lays down two exceptions as well.
    • Apart from decriminalising marital rape, it mentions that medical procedures or interventions shall not constitute rape.
    • Exception 2 of Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code states that “sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, and if the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape”.
  • Domestic Violence Act, 2005:
    • It hints at marital rape by any form of sexual abuse in a live-in or marriage relationship.
    • However, it only provides for civil remedies. There is no way for marital rape victims in India to initiate criminal proceedings against their perpetrator.

What is the History of the Marital Rape Law in India?

• Judiciary:
  • The Delhi High Court has been hearing arguments in the case since 2015.
  • In January 2022, two judges of the Delhi High Court started to hear petitions filed by individuals and civil society organisations challenging the exemption.
  • By May 2022, they had arrived at a controversial split verdict. One judge was in favour of criminalising marital rape as it violated a woman’s right to consent, while the other was against it, saying marriage “necessarily” implied consent.
  • The matter was pushed to the Supreme Court.
• Supreme Court:
  • In September 2022, a Supreme Court ruling on women’s right to safe abortions regardless of marital status held that for the purposes of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, the definition of rape should include marital rape.
• Law Commission of India:
  • The need to remove the marital rape exception was rejected by the Law Commission of India in 2000, while considering several proposals to reform India’s laws on sexual violence.
• Justice JS Verma Committee:
  • In 2012, the Justice JS Verma Committee was tasked with proposing amendments to India’s rape laws.
  • While some of its recommendations helped shape the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act passed in 2013, some suggestions, including that on marital rape, were not acted on.
• Parliament:
  • The issue has been brought up in Parliament as well.
  • Upon being questioned in a Parliament session in 2015, the idea of criminalising marital rape was dismissed with the view that “marital rape cannot be applied in the country since marriage was treated as a sacrament or sacred in the Indian society”.
• Government’s Stand:
  • The Central Government initially defended the rape exception and later changed its stand and told the court that it was reviewing the law, and that “wider deliberations are required on the issue”.
  • The Delhi government argued in favour of retaining the marital rape exception.
    • The government’s arguments spanned from protecting men from possible misuse of the law by wives, to protecting the institution of marriage.

What are the Issues with Marital Rape Exception?

• Against Basic Rights of Women:
  • This exception clause violates the women’s fundamental right to equality, freedom of speech and expression, and most of all the right to life and personal liberty.
    • It also denies the agency over their own bodies to women.
  • Dismal State of Judicial System:
    • Some of the reasons for low rates of prosecution in the cases of marital rape in India include:
      • Low reporting of crimes due to societal conditioning and low legal awareness.
      • Inaccurate method of collection of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
      • Out of court settlements due to the lengthy process of justice/lack of admissible proof.

How did the Exception on Marital Rape find its way into the IPC?

• British Colonial Rule:
  • The IPC was implemented in India during British colonial rule in 1860.
    • Under the first version of the rules, the marital rape exception was applicable to women over 10 years of age which was raised to 15 in 1940.
  • 1847 Draft of Lord Macaulay:
    • In January 2022, it was argued by amicus curiae (friend of the court) that the IPC is based on the 1847 draft of Lord Macaulay, the chairman of the First Law Commission established in colonial-era India.
      • The exception in the draft decriminalised marital rape without any age limit.
    • The provision is an age-old idea that implies consent by married women and protects the conjugal rights of the husband.
    • The idea of implied consent comes from the Doctrine of Hale, given by Matthew Hale, the then British Chief Justice, in 1736.
      • It states that a husband cannot be guilty of rape, since “by their mutual matrimonial consent and contract the wife has given up herself in this kind to the husband”.
    • Doctrine of Coverture:
      • According to the Doctrine of Coverture, a woman has no individual legal identity after marriage.
      • Notably, the Doctrine of Coverture found a mention during the hearing when the Supreme Court of India struck down adultery as a criminal offence in 2018.
        • It was held that Section 497,that classified adultery as a crime, is based on the Doctrine of Coverture.
      • This doctrine, although not recognised by the Constitution, holds that a woman loses her identity and legal rights with marriage, is violative of her fundamental rights.

How is Marital Rape Treated around the World?

• About:
  • The United Nations has urged countries to end marital rape by closing legal loopholes, saying that “the home is one of the most dangerous places for women”.
• Countries that Criminalises Marital Rape:
  • United States–From 1993, Marital Rape was criminalised in all 50 states of the US but laws differ from state to state.
  • United Kingdom–Marital rape has also been criminalised in the UK and those found guilty could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
  • South Africa- Marital rape has been illegal since 1993 in South Africa.
  • Canada–Marital Rape is punishable in Canada.
• Countries that Decriminalises Marital Rape:
  • Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lesotho, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Tanzania expressly decriminalises marital rape of a woman or a girl by her husband.

What should be the Approach Moving Forward?

• Indian law now affords husbands and wives separate and independent legal identities, and much jurisprudence in the modern era is explicitly concerned with the protection of women.
  • Therefore, it is high time that the legislature should take cognisance of this legal infirmity and bring marital rape within the purview of rape laws by eliminating Section 375 (Exception 2) of IPC.
• There is a need for laws that clarify boundaries in how we relate to one another and uphold constitutional ideas of equality, dignity and bodily autonomy, alongside the unpleasant social realities about their limited use in practice.

Question For Practice

1. We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace. (UPSC 2014)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recommended a ban on the sale of single sticks of cigarettes, in its report about Cancer Management, Prevention and Diagnosis.

What is the Need for Imposing a Ban?

• Cancerous:
  • Oral cancer accounts for the highest proportion of cancer cases in the country.
  • Tobacco consumption accounts for nearly 50% of all cancers, collectively referred to as tobacco-related cancers.
• Singles Stick are more Alluring:
  • Single sticks are more economical to acquire than a full pack of cigarettes.
  • A ban on single-stick sales will compel a potential consumer to buy the entire pack which may not be particularly economical, thus curbing potential experimentation and the scope for regular intake.
  • Moreover, a potential ban will also mean that the consumer would have to carry around the packet.
• Some Reports concern over Usage:
  • The World Health Organisation (WHO)has observed that all forms of tobacco are harmful, and there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco.
    • It also states that smoking cigarettes is the most common way of tobacco use worldwide.
  • The medical journal, Lancet noted in June 2020, that by 2030, 7 million of annual deaths from smoking are expected to be from low and middle-income countries.
• Highly Addictive:
  • Nicotine in tobacco products is highly addictive, and without cessation support only 4% of users who attempt to quit tobacco consumption will succeed, according to the WHO.

What are the Key Recommendations?

• Containing the Sale of Tobacco:
  • National Health Policy (2017) endeavours a relative reduction in current tobacco use by 30% in 2025, making it imperative that the government take effective measures to contain the sale of tobacco
  • To this effect, it recommends that the government prohibit the sale of single sticks of cigarettes and lay stringent penalties and fines on offenders.
• Abolishment of Smoking Areas:
  • The government should abolish all designated smoking areas in airports, hotels and restaurants in addition to encouraging a smoke-free policy in organizations.
• Revive Tax Increases:
  • India has the lowest prices for tobacco products and thus making them more accessible and it must be looked at to increase taxes on them.
  • The revenue acquired from additional taxation can be used for cancer prevention and awareness.
• Prohibition on Gutka:
  • Sought a ban on gutka and pan masala alongside a prohibition on their direct and indirect advertisement.
  • This is based on the observation that, in India, more than 80% of tobacco consumption is in the form of chewing tobacco with or without areca nut, aggressively marketed as a mouth freshener.

How Efficacious Can a Ban Be?

• Not Feasible Pan India Ban:
  • It is not practical to enforce a pan-India ban on the sale of loose cigarettes. It’s not feasible at all because of the scale of such small shops and stalls that sell cigarettes and tobacco products.
• May Create Routes for Illegal Cigarettes:
  • Only 8 % of the total tobacco is consumed as legal cigarettes. The remaining is consumed through 29 tax evasion-prone products such as bidis, chewing tobacco, khaini and illegal cigarettes.
    • According to Euromonitor International, the volume of illegal cigarettes in India was estimated to be at 26.8 billion sticks in 2021.In fact, India is the 4^th largest illicit cigarette market in the world.
  • Banning things only leads to taking the illegal route to acquiring them. And some of the cigarettes in the illegal market may be of even inferior quality thereby causing more damage to the well-being of an individual.
• Absence of vendor Licensing Regime:
  • Nonetheless, the proposed move will reduce consumption and sales, but the ban will not be very effective if the vendor licensing regime is not instituted.
  • The government must also consider instituting vendor licensing.
  • Because cigarettes would not be available everywhere, the potential for recurrence of the consumption would be reduced.

What are the Tobacco Control Measures in India?

• International Convention:
  • Governments adopt and implement the tobacco control provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
  • It is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO.
  • It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005.
• Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003:
  • Replaced the Cigarettes Act of 1975 (largely limited to statutory warnings- ‘Cigarette Smoking is Injurious to Health’ to be displayed on cigarette packs and advertisements. It did not include non-cigarettes).
  • The 2003 Act also included cigars, bidis, cheroots, pipe tobacco, hookah, chewing tobacco, pan masala, and gutka.
• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), 2008:
  • Objective: To control tobacco consumption and minimize tobacco consumption related deaths
  • Activities: Training and capacity building; information, education, and communication (IEC) activities; tobacco control laws; reporting survey and surveillance and tobacco cessation
• Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2020:
  • It was mandated that the specified health warning shall cover at least 85% of the principal display area of the package.
  • Of this, 60% shall cover pictorial health warning and 25% shall cover textual health warning.
• mCessation Programme:
  • It is an initiative using mobile technology for tobacco cessation.
  • India launched mCessation using text messages in 2016 as part of the government’s Digital India initiative.
    • It uses two-way messaging between the individual seeking to quit tobacco use and programme specialists providing them dynamic support.
  • Prevention and Control of Pollution Act of 1981– Recognized smoking as an air pollutant.
  • Cable Television Networks Amendment Act of 2000-Prohibited the transmission of advertisements on tobacco and liquor in India.
  • The Government of India has issued regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006which lay down that tobacco or nicotine cannot be used as ingredients in food products.
  • 31^stMay is observed as ‘World No Tobacco Day’ every year to spread awareness about the deadly effects of tobacco consumption.

Way Forward

• There is a need for comprehensive tobacco control policy, accessible and affordable cessation services strengthening the implementation of COTPA, alternative opportunities for people engaged in tobacco cultivator, processing and manufacturing.
• The proportion of buying loose cigarettes decreased with increased levels of education and awareness. Enhancing public awareness through campaigns, educational programs in schools, strong and prominent graphic health warnings.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

Recently, the year-end-review of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology was released.

What are the Major Achievements of DST During 2022?

• India’s Ranking in Global S&T Indices:
  • India is now placed at 40^thposition among the top innovative economies globally as per Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022.
  • The country remains among the top 3 countries in scientific publications as per the National Science Foundation (NSF)database and also in terms of no of PhDs, in size of the Higher Education System, as well as in terms of number of Start-ups.
• Creating a Robust Start-up & Innovation Ecosystem:
  • DST has been a pioneer in establishing a network of Technology Business Incubators (TBI) and Science & Technology Entrepreneur’s Parks (STEP) across the country under the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) program.
  • New PRAYAS centres have been supported during 2022along with support to other ongoing PRAYAS centres across the country that are supporting young innovators to turn their ideas into prototypes.
• New Heights in Supercomputing Capacity:
  • New installations of high-performance computers at five institutes (IIT Kharagpur, NIT Trichy, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi).
• Development in Cyberphysical Domains:
  • The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in 2018 for a period of five years, to be implemented by the DST.
    • The Mission is being implemented through 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs)created at reputed academic institutes across the country.
  • Some of the new innovations include:
    • XraySetu: AI researchers at ARTPARK developed an AI-driven platform called XraySetu that helped Chest X-ray interpretation of images.
    • RAKSHAK:A team of scientists from IIT Bombay has developed a tapestry method for screening Covid-19 under Remedial Action, Knowledge Skimming, and Holistic Analysis of Covid-19 (RAKSHAK), an effort supported by the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Jodhpur.
  • India’s Position on International S&T Engagement:
    • India assumes the G20 Presidency recently and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in the country in 2023.
      • As part of the same, DST takes the responsibility of coordinating the activities of Science-20 (S20) and Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Engagement Groups during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
    • India joins hands with Finland to establish Virtual Network Centre in Quantum Computing to jointly develop 20 qubits superconducting-based Quantum Computer in 1st phase and further scale it up to 54 qubits in second phase.
  • Geospatial Data, Infrastructure & Technology:
    • Recently, the2^nd United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) on the theme “Geo-Enabling the Global Village: No one should be left behind” was held successfully in Hyderabad.
    • Survey of India (SoI) the National Survey and Mapping Organisation of the country has successfully carried out drone surveys of rural abadi areas of 2,00,000+ villages as part of the SVAMITVA (Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas).
    • Online maps portal provides various digital geospatial products (free as well as at fair & transparent price) to the users.
    • High-resolution mapping for major river basins is also being carried out to provide the high resolution GIS (Geographic Information System) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM)for improved flood hazard mapping and other planning purposes.
  • Accessible Scientific Infrastructure for All Stakeholders:
    • Four new Universities under ‘Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE)’and 65 Departments in various academic organizations and universities were supported under the Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST).
  • Solutions for Energy & Environment Challenges:
    • Afirst-of-its-kind Distributor System Operator (DSO) report has been prepared that can help in transforming the operational and financial state of the Indian power sector and boost private sector’s confidence attracting much-needed investment and innovation in the industry.
    • A real-time pollution monitoring photonic system, Air Unique Quality Monitoring System (AUM) has been developed which is capable of real-time remote monitoring of all air quality parameters, with high sensitivity and accuracy simultaneously, at a very high frequency of sampling.
    • The first Indigenously Designed High Ash Coal Gasification Based Methanol Production Plant has been opened in Hyderabad.
      • With this, Government owned engineering firm BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) has successfully demonstrated a facility to create methanol from high ash Indian coal.
    • Expansion to Newer Areas:
      • The Department has been implementing two National missions on Climate Change. Four new State Climate Change Cells (SCCCs) have been established in the States of Goa, UT of Chandigarh and Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
    • Career Opportunities for Women Scientists:
      • DST is encouraging meritorious girls to pursue higher education and career in underrepresented Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)areas, through its major initiative ‘Vigyan Jyoti’.
      • Women scientists under the Women Scientists Scheme-A (WOS-A) pursue research after breaking into careers in 5 subject areas of Basic and Applied Sciences.
      • The SERB-POWER mobility grantwas introduced to provide an opportunity for women scientists to visit leading institutions/universities across the globe for a period of 1-3 months
    • Conserving the Heritages:
      • Under the Science and Heritage Research Initiative (SHRI) programme of DST, the soundproofing qualities of the Pattamadai mat, a mat made by weaving or interlacing korai grass with cotton threads, has been explored for use in noise guarding classrooms as well as recording studios against external noise disturbances.
        • This can increase the demand for this traditional art of Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
      • Research Capabilities in State Universities & Colleges:
        • A dedicated scheme, State University Research Excellence (SERB-SURE)has been launched by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to create a robust R&D ecosystem in state universities and colleges including the private ones.
      • Good Laboratory Practice (GLP):
        • DST is implementing the National GLP Compliance Monitoring Programme for certification of Indian Test Facilities/laboratories, conducting non-clinical health and environment safety studies in accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles.
      • Policy Formulation in Key Areas
        • Brought out two guidelines during the year and two major policies are in the process of finalisation.
          • Scientific Research Infrastructure Sharing maintenance and Networks (SRIMAN)guidelines
          • Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR)Guidelines
          • Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy
          • National Geospatial Policy

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Chanda Kochhar (Ex-ICICI Bank CEO) serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of greed in the corporate world.

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that ICICI Bank had sanctioned credit of Rs 3,250 crore to the companies of the Videocon Group promoted by Dhoot in violation of the Banking Regulation Act, RBI guidelines, and credit policy of the bank.

What is Corporate Governance?

• About:
  • Corporate governance, which refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled, plays a crucial role in ensuring that businesses are run ethically and in the best interests of their stakeholders.
  • One of the key responsibilities of corporate governance is to prevent corporate greed and ensure that businesses are operated in a responsible and transparent manner.
  • By enforcing strong ethical standards and holding individuals accountable for their actions, corporate governance can help to curb greed and protect the interests of shareholders, customers, and the broader community.

Principles of Corporate Governance

• Fairness:
  • The board of directors must treat shareholders, employees, vendors, and communities fairly and with equal consideration.
• Transparency:
  • The board should provide timely, accurate, and clear information about such things as financial performance, conflicts of interest, and risks to shareholders and other stakeholders.
• Risk Management:
  • The board and management must determine risks of all kinds and how best to control them.They must act on those recommendations to manage them. They must inform all relevant parties about the existence and status of risks.
• Responsibility:
  • The board is responsible for the oversight of corporate matters and management activities.
  • It must be aware of and support the successful, ongoing performance of the company. Part of its responsibility is to recruit and hire a CEO. It must act in the best interests of a company and its investors.
• Accountability:
  • The board must explain the purpose of a company’s activities and the results of its conduct. It and company leadership are accountable for the assessment of a company’s capacity, potential, and performance. It must communicate issues of importance to shareholders.

What are the Ethical Issues with Corporate Governance in India?

• Conflict of Interest:
  • The challenge of managers potentially enriching themselves at the cost of shareholders e.g., the recent case of former ICICI bank head Chanda Kochar approved a loan to Videocon for a quid pro quo deal for her husband.
• Weak Board:
  • Lack of diversity of experience and background represents a major area of weakness for these boards. There have been questions about the board performing in the larger interests of the shareholders.
• Separation of Ownership and Management:
  • In case of family-run companies, the separation of ownership and management remains a key challenge in the majority of companies including some of India’s top ones.
• Independent Directors:
  • Independent directors are partisan and are not able to check promoters unethical practices.

What are the Related Initiatives?

• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is responsible for corporate governance initiatives in India. The corporate sector of India faced major changes in the 1990s after liberalization.
  • SEBI monitors and regulates corporate governance of listed companies in India through Clause 49.
• The Companies Act, 2013 provides a formal structure for corporate governance by enhancing disclosures, reporting and transparency through enhanced as well as new compliance norms.

How Corporate Governance in India can be Improved?

• Diverse Boards are better Boards:
  • In this context, ‘diverse’ is all-encompassing, including gender, ethnicity, skills and experience.
• Robust Risk Management Policies:
  • Adoption of effective and robust risk management policies for better decision making as it develops a deeper insight into the risk-reward trade-offs that all Corporations face.
• Effective Governance Infrastructure:
  • Since the board is ultimately responsible for all the actions and decisions of an organisation, it will need to have in place specific policies to guide organisational behaviour.
  • To ensure that the line of responsibility between board and management is clearly delineated, it is particularly important for the board to develop policies in relation to delegations.
• Evaluation of the Board’s Performance:
  • Boards should improve their governance processes by addressing weaknesses revealed in board evaluations.
• Communication:
  • Facilitating shareholder communication with the board is key. There is a need to provide a contact person with whom shareholders may discuss any issue.

Questions For Practice

Q1. In the light of the Satyam Scandal (2009), discuss the changes brought in corporate governance to ensure transparency and accountability. (UPSC 2015)

Q2. What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’? (UPSC 2016)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

India is entering 2023 with challenges and opportunities staring at it on the diplomatic and military fronts with the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s belligerence at India’s doorstep.

• With a highly infectious Covid-19 variant spreading across China, a level of uncertainty has again gripped the world. And an economic downturn looms large on the horizon.
• As the G20 Chair, India is looking forward to shaping conversations on issues confronting the world.
• As UN Security Council’s non-permanent member for 2 years, India sought to project its views and contribute to the global conversations.

What were the Major Concerns in 2022?

• Russia-Ukraine War:
  • The Russian invasion of Ukraine has upended the global order in place since World War II, impacted the world’s foodand energy security, and is pushing the global economy towards a
  • The nuclear rhetoric from Russian leaders has caused anxiety, while the strategic embrace of Russia and China is another worry.
• China’s Aggression:
  • The Ukraine war has also made the world sit up and look at China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific.
  • India too is facing that aggression on its border, with a skirmish in Arunachal Pradesh after the 2020 Galwan clashes that killed 20 Indian soldiers.
  • China’s belligerence can be seen in its recent activities in the South China Sea, where it has been observed to carry out construction on an island.
• Taliban Engagement:
  • Less than a year after Taliban’s recapturing of Afghanistan, India reopened its operations in the Indian embassy in Kabul and began the process of re-engaging by sending humanitarian aid in the form of food grains, vaccines, and essential medicines.
  • While India has made its red lines clear on the Menace of Extremism and Rights of Minorities and women, it has also signalled a long-term commitment to Afghanistan’s future.
    • India has made a commitment of USD 80 million — over and above its USD 3 billion commitment in the last two decades — for improving the lives of Afghans.
  • This means India is looking at the Taliban as a political actor, although it is influenced and even controlled by Pakistan’s military establishment.
• Neighbourhood in Crisis:
  • The Lankan economic and political crisis was a major challenge in the neighbourhood. India provided humanitarian aid, fuel, medicines, more than any other country in such a short period of time.
    • India is also helping Lanka negotiate an economic debt relief package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
    • With China as a rival in Sri Lanka, India wants a government that understands India’s security and strategic interests.
  • Engagement with Myanmar has continued in low-key visits and assistance to the military junta regime.
    • The key impact has been the influx of refugees from Myanmar to the north-eastern states through the porous borders and concern about non-state actors fomenting trouble in the north-east.

What are the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead?

• Handling China:
  • The recent Tawang Clash has shown that China is challenging the status quo, not just in eastern Ladakh but in other sectors.
  • It is clear that China is the biggest adversary unlike in the past where some gave them the benefit of doubt.
  • India’s strategic response has been guided by a thinking that one has to stand up to the bully, but that has come at a cost, with soldiers braving the harsh winter in eastern Ladakh for the third year in a row.
  • As China sees itself as a superpower and whose time has come, more clashes and competing interests with India are likely, which will have to be resolved through negotiations.
• Engaging with Russia:
  • Russia has been a reliable supplier of defence equipment for the past seven decades, and despite diversification to the US, France and Israel among others, it still dominates the field.
  • But it has been complicated by the Russia-Ukraine war, where the reliability of Russian equipment is being questioned and the supply chain is under strain.
  • For India, China has been the biggest worry and what concerns India is that Russia’s ties with China influences some of its decisions.
    • In the post Cold War-era, economic relations have formed the “new strategic basis” for Sino-Russian relations.
    • China is Russia’s biggest trading partner and the largest Asian investor in Russia.
    • The West’s approach towards Russia after the war has brought Moscow much closer to China. Delhi’s effort will be to engage with both Russia and the West, and put its strategic defence and national security interests first.
  • G20 as a Global Stage:
    • The hosting of the G20 summit will be one of the biggest portrayals of India’s rise at the global stage months ahead of the General Elections in 2024.
    • India has already positioned itself as the “voice of the Global South”— a reference to the developing and the less-developed countries — and will seek to put its priorities on the global forum.
    • In this context, India will also seek to bring Russian and Western interlocutors and leaders together and end the conflict in Europe.
    • If India manages to do so, it will claim a diplomatic win, which will go down well with its domestic constituency.
  • Ties with the West:
    • With India buying cheap oil and not joining the West against Russia, India will have to work to assuage the concerns of European and American partners.In fact, the G20 preparations will give some opportunity to do that.

Challenge in the Neighbourhood:

• Sri Lanka and Maldives:
  • While Sri Lanka will continue to demand India’s humanitarian, financial and political attention in the new year, India will also be part of political conversation in Maldives.
    • The Maldives is going to polls in September 2023, and an “India Out” campaign is likely to fire up the political debate. Delhi will be watching closely as political parties try to project India as the bully and a big brother.
  • Bangladesh:
    • Bangladesh also goes into election mode in 2023, with polls scheduled for January 2024 after an iron-fisted reign of Sheikh Hasina.
    • India will be looking at her prospects after a long and uninterrupted political journey that has brought security in India’s eastern states.
  • Nepal:
    • Nepal witnessed a dramatic turn of events, with rebel-turned-politician Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ becoming the Prime Minister and former PM K P Oli — a known India-baiter in recent years — holding the keys to the government.
    • This will pose a significant challenge for India, which has seen Beijing’s influence grow in Kathmandu in recent years.
  • Pakistan’s Crucial Year:
    • Elections in Pakistan are scheduled for later in 2023. This will again be a contest to observe how the new civilian government and the Army chief will shape their attitude towards India.
    • In India, with Lok Sabha polls due in 2024, how the Pakistan puzzle is raked up and managed might hold the key to the next steps in the relationship.

Way Forward

• India’s domestic efforts will need to be bolstered by smart partnerships with others.
• While building new friends, India needs to keep old partners like Russia by its side,engage all countries including China, and resolve outstanding matters with smaller neighbours which have hobbled foreign policy for decades.

Questions For Practice

Q1. In respect of India-Sri Lanka relations, discuss how domestic factors influence foreign policy. (UPSC 2013)

Q2. At the international level, bilateral relations between most nations are governed on the policy of promoting one’s own national interest without any regard for the interest of other nations. This leads to conflicts and tension between nations. How can ethical consideration help resolve such tensions? Discuss with specific examples. (UPSC 2015)

Q3. ‘The long-sustained image of India as a leader of the oppressed and marginalised nations has disappeared on account of its new found role in the emerging global order.’ Elaborate. (UPSC 2019)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has detected large-scale anomalies in the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

What are the CAG’s Concerns?

Irregularities in the Utilisation of Funds:

• At the time, the process to update the NRC was started in December 2014 with a deadline for completion in February 2015 and the project cost was pegged at Rs. 288.18 crores.
• There was, however, a five-fold increase in the cost by March 2022 due to additional time to complete it and changes in the update software.
• As for irregularities, the CAG found that the number of wages paid to the outsourced staff was 45.59%-64.27% less than what was approved by the NRC coordination committee.

Lack of Secure and Reliable Software:

• In the NRC update process, a highly secure and reliable software was required to be developed, however, lack of proper planning was observed in this regard to the extent of 215 software utilities were added in a haphazard manner to the core software.

What has the CAG Recommended?

• The country’s top auditor sought penal measures against Wipro Limited for violating the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and for paying data operators less than minimum wages.
• Information technology firm Wipro Limited was entrusted with one of the prime software installation companies by the NRC Directorate.
• Secondly, the report recommended action against the State Coordinator of National Registration (SCNR) for “excess, irregular and inadmissible payments”.
• The CAG also recommended fixing accountability of the SCNR as the principal employer for “not ensuring compliance with the Minimum Wage Act”.

What is the NRC Exercise?

• An NRC was first created in 1951 in Assam to identify those born in India and migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
• In 2013, the Supreme Court issued directions to the Centre and State to initiate an exercise in Assam to update the 1951 register.
• The order was based on a petition filed by an NGO named Assam Public Works.
• The first draft was released in 2018.
• The final list, published in 2019, included those who could establish their Indian citizenship by being residents or descendants of people living in Assam before March 25, 1971 (the cut-off date for deportation of foreigners as per the Assam Accord of August 1985).
• As many as 19.06 lakh people out of 3.3 crore applicants were excluded due to a lack of adequate documents to prove their citizenship. Several parties dismissed the final list as “faulty”.
• Three years later, the process is on pause as the Registrar General of India (RGI) is yet to notify the final list.

Question For Practice

1. Exercise of CAG’s powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and the States is derived from Article 149 of the Indian Constitution. Discuss whether audit of the Government’s policy implementation could amount to overstepping its own (CAG) jurisdiction. (UPSC 2016)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the year-end-review of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science & Technology was released.

What are the Key Achievements of CSIR?

First-Ever Biofuel-Powered Flight:

• CSIR facilitated India’s First-Ever Biofuel-Powered Flight paving the way for sustainable and alternative fuels when the first biofuel-powered flight was flagged off from Dehradun to Delhi.
• The bio-aviation fuel was produced indigenously by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) from Jatropha oil and was based on the patented technology of the institute.

Aroma Mission:

• CSIR launched the CSIR-Aroma Mission in 2016 which seeks to bring about transformative change in the aroma sector through interventions in agriculture, processing and product development for fuelling the growth of the aroma industry and boosting rural employment.

Indigenous Autoclave Technology:

• CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) has successfully developed state-of-art Indigenous Autoclave Technology for processing advanced lightweight composites that are integral to modern-day civil and military airframes.

Conversion of Plastic into Diesel:

• CSIR-IIP and GAIL (Petroleum Business Company) have developed a technology that can convert 1 tonne of plastic waste and other Polyolefin products into 850 litres of the cleanest grade of diesel.

Anaerobic Gas Lift Reactor (AGR):

• CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) has developed and patented a high-rate biomethanation technology known as AGR for the generation of biogas and bio manure from organic solid waste like poultry litter, food waste, press mud, cattle manure, Organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), sewage sludge etc.

RENEU Technology:

• CSIR- National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has developed this technology for the construction of wetlands that are sustainable wastewater treatment processes. Restoration of Nallah with Ecological Units (RENEU) was successfully implemented as a part of the National Mission to keep the Ganges clean for the pilgrims during the holy festival.

Drishti Transmissometer:

• CSIR-NAL has developed and transferred the technology of Drishti Transmissometer that has been deployed in many airports in India. The transmissometer is a visibility measuring system, useful for safe airport operations and landings.

Head-Up Display:

• A transfer agreement for the manufacturing of a new variant of Head-Up Display (HUD) for the Tejas Fighter Aircraft for commercial production has been signed between CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya:

• Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND 420) is India’s first home-grown high purity gold reference standard developed through a collaboration among the India Government Mint (IGM), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), CSIR-NPL and National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials.

Shale Gas:

• CSIR-CIMFR has discovered shale gas in two areas in the Gondwana basin in Central India and Godavari basin. The total shale gas discovered so far in the country in these two basins is estimated to be about 63 trillion Cubic Feet (TCF).
• It is considered as one of the best sources of non-conventional natural gas.

Portable Reading Machine (PRM):

• A reading device developed by CSIR-CSIO helps the visually impaired by reading the text aloud. The advanced reading machine named “Divya Nayan” is a stand-alone, PRM.

Dimethyl Ether:

• CSIR-NCL has set-up an indigenous process technology to create Dimethyl Ether (DME) from
• DME is a clean fuel with potential to replace diesel and will be a non-fossil additive to LPG gas. This will also help the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana program, by reducing LPG imports.

Earthquake Warning System:

• A first-of-its-kind earthquake warning system has been developed by CSIR-CSIO. The system can sense tremors, record them and generate an SMS to the concerned action points, in real-time.

Sindhu Sadhana:

• The first indigenously built research vessel Sindhu Sadhana to gather samples for genome mapping of microorganisms in the Indian Ocean.
• To understand the biochemistry and the response of the ocean to climate change, nutrient stress and increasing pollution.

Green Crackers:

• CSIR-NEERI developed Green Crackers in a bid to curb air pollution. A green logo and QR coding system were also launched to track manufacture & sale of counterfeit crackers.

Heeng Cultivation:

• For the first time, CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) introduced asafoetida (Heeng) cultivation in the Indian Himalayan region.

Kisan Sabha App:

• Kisan Sabha App has been developed by CSIR- Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to connect farmers to the supply chain and freight transportation management system.
• This portal acts as a one-stop solution for farmers, transporters, and other entities engaged in the agriculture Industry.

Ksheer Scanner:

• CSIR has developed a low-cost and portable Ksheer Scanner, a technology to detect adulterated milk.

Rice Variety:

• CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Rice Research at Hyderabad has released a new variety of rice that resists pests and is also beneficial for those with diabetes.
• The new Improved Samba Masuri (ISM) rice variety is resistant to Bacterial Blight (BB).

JIGYASA:

• It is one of the major initiatives taken up by CSIR at national level to widen and deepen CSIR’s Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) by connecting school students to scientists at CSIR.

Purple Revolution:

• CSIR enabled the famed Purple Revolution by introducing Lavender Cultivation in J&K benefiting farming families. India from being one of the importers of Lemongrass essential oil a few years back, now becomes one of the largest exporters in the world.
• Indigenous development of Tulip bulb production under the Floriculture mission helped reduce the import of planting material.

Gaon Ka Pani Gaon Mein:

• CSIR has led a Mission mode project for developing Village Level Water Management (VLWM) Plans for augmenting water resources in selected villages.
• Mission on High-Resolution Aquifer Mapping & Management in Arid Regions of North-Western India has also been launched and implemented in association with the Ministry of Jal Shakti under Jal Jeevan Mission.

India’s First Indigenously Developed Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus:

• The bus uses hydrogen fuel cells and air to generate electricity for power and can run for 600 km without stopping. The only emission from the bus is water, thus making it the most environment friendly mode of transportation.

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL):

• Recently, the Cabinet approved widening access of the TKDL database to users, besides patent offices, The opening up of the TKDL database to users will drive research & development, and innovation based on India’s valued heritage across diverse fields.

Steel Slag Roads:

• CSIR developed the steel slag valorisation technology to convert waste steel slag as road-making aggregates. Processed steel slag aggregates as developed through waste steel slag have been successfully utilized in the construction of India’s First Steel Slag Road in Surat.

Maiden Flight of HANSA NG:

• CSIR-NAL designed and developed Hansa NG aircraft which is an all composite two seat light trainer aircraft to be used as an ab-initio flying training aircraft for the flying clubs in India, with significant modifications on Hansa 3 aircraft to make it more useful as a trainer aircraft.
• HANSA-NG is an upgraded version of HANSA, which saw the first flight in 1993, and was certified in 2000.

3D-Printed Patient-Specific Medical Implants:

• CSIR-CSIO developed a technology for manufacturing patient-specific medical implants for several human body parts. The technology has been transferred to industry for commercial production and marketing of the product.

Connect Global Indian Scientific Community on Digital Mode:

• CSIR has developed a virtual platform – PRABHASS (Pravasi Bharatiya Academic and Scientific Sampark) Portal to connect with the global Indian S&T Diaspora for jointly addressing societal challenges/ problems.

CSIR ‘Skill India Initiative’:

• This initiative aims to equip young minds with the necessary technological skills through exposure to CSIR labs. More than 2 lakh people have been trained under the initiative.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Hunger has remained grisly in several parts of the world including India in 2022, so much so that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) called 2022 ‘The year of Unprecedented Hunger’.

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 307 crore people worldwide could not afford a healthy diet in 2020. India is home to almost a third of this global population.

What are the Highlights from Various Reports?

World Food Programme:

• The number of people facing acute food insecurity has almost tripled since 2019 and as many as 828 million people go to bed hungry every night, according to WFP (World Food Programme).
• Food security shot past pre-pandemic levels, especially in war-torn places and those wrecked by climate disasters.

The Future of Food and Agriculture by FAO:

• According to FAO’s report Future of Food and Agriculture — Drivers and triggers for transformation, the world will witness persistent food insecurity if agrifood systems remain the same.
• The world will witness persistent food insecurity, degrading resources and unsustainable economic growth in the future if agrifood systems remain the same.
• The world was “tremendously off track” to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including agrifood targets.
• By 2050, there will be 10 billion people in the world to feed and this will be an unprecedented challenge if significant attempts are not made to reverse current trends.

Global Hunger Index (GHI):

• India ranked an abysmal 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2022.
• Among the South Asian countries, India (107) is ranked below Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99).
• Globally, the progress against hunger has largely stagnated in recent years, with a global score of 18.2 in 2022 as compared to 19.1 in 2014, there is only a slight improvement. However, the 2022 GHI score is still considered “moderate”.

State Food Security Index (SFSI) by FSSAI:

• Tamil Nadu scored the highest among major states on all indicators, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• Tamil Nadu scored a total of 82.5 points on a scale of 100 where the indicators included human resource and institutional data, compliance, food testing infrastructure and surveillance, training and capacity building and lastly, consumer empowerment.
• Among Union Territories (UT), Jammu and Kashmir topped the list, performing better than the national capital with a score of 68.5, followed by National Capital Territory of Delhi (66) and Chandigarh (58).

Promises and Reality Report:

• More than 90 million eligible people have been excluded from legal entitlements under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS), India’s tool to combat food insecurity.
• The Census of India 2011 remains the source of data for arriving at the number of people to be covered by the scheme. As a consequence, subsequent years have seen the exclusion of a large chunk of the population.
• This in-built fallacy in the legal framework led to exclusion of at least 12% of the population from the legal entitlements in the most legitimised way.

What are the Suggestions given by the Various Reports?

Systemic Policy Changes:

• Systemic policy changes and global concerted efforts are necessary to alleviate the condition of these people and meet the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal of ‘Zero Hunger’ by 2030.

Sustainable Agricultural Systems:

• With the rapid growth of the human population, our demand for food has also risen.
• Agricultural systems will need to produce more food in a sustainable manner in the future to cope with this.

Population Decline of Insects:

• Without an abundance of insect pollinators, humans face the mind-boggling challenge of growing food and other agricultural products at scale.
• Insects are important because of their diversity, ecological role and influence on agriculture, human health and natural resources.
• They create the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystems, further, they cycle nutrients, pollinate plants, disperse seeds, maintain soil structure and fertility, control populations of other organisms and provide a major food source for other taxa.

Think Beyond Short Term Needs:

• Decision makers need to think beyond short-term needs. A lack of vision, piecemeal approaches and quick fixes will come at a high cost for everyone
• There is an urgent need to change course so that a more sustainable and resilient future for agrifood systems is created.

Viewing Nutrition Through Different Lenses:

• Better nutrition involves more than just food, it includes health, water, sanitation, gender perspectives, and social norms. Therefore, there is a need to look forward to comprehensive policy to fill the nutritional gap.

Bringing Social Audit Mechanism:

• States and Union Territories should compulsorily carry out the social audit of the mid-day meal scheme in every district, with the help of local authorities and simultaneously work on nutritional awareness.
• Use of information technology to improve program monitoring can be thought of too.

Re-orienting PDS:

• There is a need to be re-orient and an up-scale Public Distribution System to make it more transparent and reliable and ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of nutritious food, also making a positive impact on the purchasing power of the lower socio-economic segment of the population

Women-led SDG Mission:

• There is a need to redesign existing direct nutrition programs and linking it with women’s self-help groups can make India realise the Sustainable Development Goal- 2 to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

Reducing Waste, Reducing Hunger:

• India wastes about 7% of its total annual food production and almost 30% of the fruits and vegetables because of inadequate warehousing facilities and cold storages.
• According to the International Institute of Refrigeration, if developing countries had the same level of refrigeration infrastructure as developed countries, they would save 200 million tonnes of food or around 14% of their food supply, which can help in tackling hunger and malnutrition.

What are India’s Initiatives to Eradicate Hunger/Malnutrition?

• Eat Right India Movement
• POSHAN Abhiyan
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
• Food Fortification
• National Food Security Act, 2013
• Mission Indradhanush
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme
• Amendments in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955
• Make India Trans Fat free.
• International Year of Millets.
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

Question For Practice

Q.1 In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss. (UPSC 2015)

Q.2 What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India? (2021)

Q.3 What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent? (UPSC 2022)