Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the year-end-review of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) & Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen (SBM – G) for the year 2022 was released.

What are the Key Achievements of the JJM?

• Coverage Under Jal Jeevan Mission: 
  • As on 21st December 2022, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 10.76 Crore (55.62 %) of rural households are being provided with tap water connection in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality on a regular basis.
  • Four States namely Goa, Telangana, Gujarat, and Haryana and 3 Union Territories of Puducherry, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, reported as “Har Ghar Jal”, i.e. Every rural household has provision of tap water supply.
  • Goa becomes the First ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Certified State & Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu becomes the First ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Certified Union Territory (UT) in India in August, 2022.
  • Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh becomes the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified district in India in July, 2022.
  • Har Ghar Jal Certification: 
• Once a village is declared as “Har Ghar Jal”, the Gram Panchayat of that village conducts a special Gram Sabha and passes a resolution with the concurrence of all the village members that all the households, schools, Anganwadi, and public institutions in their village have functional tap connection and thus declare themselves as “Har Ghar Jal Certified”.

Coverage of Potable Tap Water to JE-AES Affected Districts:

• The government of India accords priority to Japanese Encephalitis (JE)-Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) affected Districts to ensure potable tap water supply in all the households under Jal Jeevan Mission.
• In 61 districts affected with JE/AES across 5 states, tap water connection increased from 8 lakh (2.69%) to 147.14 lakh (49.29%) households, resulting in improvement in the health profile of the rural population of these areas.

Status of Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance:

• There are a total of 2,074 water testing laboratories in the country. Of these, 1,005 are National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)

Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs):

• The States/ UTs are extending support to the Panchayats by engaging Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs) to facilitate constitution of Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC), under participatory rural appraisal for community mobilization, support in preparing Village Action Plan and carry out activities post infrastructure construction.
• About 14 thousand ISAs have been engaged, which are actively working in the field.

National WASH Expert:

• National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Quality has been entrusted with the task of empanelment and deployment of National WASH Experts for ground truthing and technical assistance to States in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• During 2022, 62 teams have visited around 1,035 villages for ground truthing of the implementation work done under JJM.

Use of Technologies for Drinking Water Supply and Water Quality:

• JJM focuses on various technologies for the community-led implementation of:
• Source sustainability measures such as aquifer recharge, rainwater harvesting, increased storage capacity of water bodies, reservoirs, desilting, etc. to improve the lifespan of water supply systems.
• Technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), remote sensing, and design software have been used in building climate resilience through water accounting, water quality control, water use efficiency, water resource planning, and impact assessment.

Grievance Redressal Mechanism:

• Grievance Redressal Cell has been constituted in the Department to address the grievances related to the water supply. People are lodging their complaint through the Centralized Public grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).

Jeevan Survekshan (JJS) Toolkit:

• The Vice President of India launched ‘Jal Jeevan Survekshan’ toolkit and dashboard on 21st October, 2022.
• The purpose of Jal Jeevan Survekshan 2023 is to incentivize States/ Districts functionaries to strive for better performances and improved water service delivery in rural areas.

What are the Key Achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)?

About SBM (G):

• Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, was launched by Prime Minister 2nd October, 2014, with the main aim to make the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2nd October, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by providing access to toilets to all the rural households in the country.
• All the villages in the country had declared themselves ODF by 2nd October, 2019.

Achievements:

• Around 25 lakhs villages declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus between 1st January, 2022 to 20th December, 2022.
• To prioritize Liquid Waste Management “Sujlam” campaign was launched.
• Under Sujlam 1.0 and Sujlam 2.0 campaigns, more than 23 lakh soak pits were constructed.
• Under the “GOBARdhan” initiative of SBM(G), 96 community/cluster level Biogas Plants have been established since January 2022.
• GOBARdhan’s objective is to ensure cleanliness in villages and generate wealth and energy by converting bio-waste including animal waste, agri-residue into bio-slurry and biogas and to improve the lives of villagers.
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) is also coordinating the implementation of GOBARdhan: Waste to Wealth initiative involving various Departments/ Ministries to provide an enabling environment for the Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector.

Retrofit to Twin Pit Abhiyan:

• Retrofit to Twin Pit Abhiyan was launched by Union Minister of Jal Shakti on 2nd October 2022.
• The campaign will promote the safe disposal of faecal sludge through a simple on-site methodology of retrofitting single pit toilet to twin pit toilet.
• During the first phase of the Campaign from 2nd October – 19th November 2022, States have completed the baseline assessment of 97% villages.

Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023 (SSG 2023):

• DDWS has launched Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2023 on 2nd November 2022 with an objective to create healthy competition amongst States, Districts and Gram Panchayats and to ascertain progress of SBM-G Phase II.
• Under SSG 2023, assessment will be undertaken at Gram Panchayat and District level.
• To make SSG 2023 more participatory, Gram Panchayats will undertake village self-assessment on ODF Plus parameters

Question For Practice

1. “To ensure effective implementation of policies addressing the water, sanitation and hygiene needs the identification of the beneficiary segments is to be synchronized with anticipated outcomes.” Examine the statement in the context of the WASH scheme. (150 words) (UPSC 2017)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” was sworn in as Nepal’s new Prime Minister.

• It is believed that Deuba’s predecessor – KP Sharma Oli was pro-China, and the coming together of Communist forces is a turning back of the clock for India.
• After the bitterness in ties during Oli’s terms in office from 2015-2016 and 2018-2021, India-Nepal relations had improved after Deuba became PM in 2021.

What are the Areas of Cooperation Between the Two Countries?

Trade and Economy:

• India remains Nepal’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade crossing USD 7 billion in FY 2019-20.
• India provides transit for almost the entire third country trade of Nepal.
• Indian firms are among the largest investors in Nepal, accounting for more than 33% of the total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Nepal, worth nearly USD 500 million.

Connectivity:

• Nepal being a landlocked country is surrounded by India from three sides and one side is open towards Tibet which has very limited vehicular access.
• India-Nepal has undertaken various connectivity programs to enhance people-to-people linkages and promote economic growth and development.
• India is looking to develop the inland waterways for the movement of cargo, within the framework of trade and transit arrangements, providing additional access to sea for Nepal calling it linking Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) with Sagar (Indian Ocean).

Defence Cooperation:

• Bilateral defence cooperation includes assistance to the Nepalese Army in its modernisation through the provision of equipment and training.
• The Gorkha Regiments of the Indian Army are raised partly by recruitment from hill districts of Nepal.
• India from 2011, every year undertakes a joint military exercise with Nepal known as Surya Kiran.

Humanitarian Assistance:

• Nepal lies in the sensitive ecological fragile zone which is prone to earthquakes and floods causing massive damage to both life and money, whereby it remains the biggest recipient of India’s humanitarian assistance.

Multilateral Partnership:

• India and Nepal share multiple multilateral forums such as BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), Non Aligned Movement, and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) etc.

What are the Challenges?

Territorial Disputes:

• One of the main challenges in the Indo-Nepal ties is the Kalapani boundary issue. These boundaries had been fixed in 1816 by the British, and India inherited the areas over which the British had exercised territorial control in 1947.

Issues with Peace and Friendship Treaty:

• The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship was sought by the Nepali authorities in 1949 to continue the special links they had with British India and to provide them an open border and the right to work in India.
• But today, it is viewed as a sign of an unequal relationship, and an Indian imposition.

China’s Intervention:

• In recent years, Nepal has drifted away from India’s influence, and China has gradually filled the space with investments, aid and loans.
• China considers Nepal a key partner in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and wants to invest in Nepal’s infrastructure as part of its grand plans to boost global trade

Internal Security:

• It is a major concern for India as the Indo-Nepal border is virtually open and lightly policed which is exploited by terrorist outfits and insurgent groups from North Eastern part of India e.g., supply of trained cadres, fake Indian currency.

Way Forward

• The need today is to avoid rhetoric on territorial nationalism and lay the groundwork for quiet dialogue where both sides display sensitivity as they explore what is feasible. India needs to be a sensitive and generous partner for the neighbourhood first policy to take root.
• India should engage more proactively with Nepal in terms of people-to-people engagement, bureaucratic engagement as well as political interactions.
• The Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) signed between India and Nepal needs more attention from Nepal’s side.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

The Indian economy is projected to record relatively healthy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.9% in 2022-23 and inflation has started moderating.

• In 2020, the main event was the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic that determined the shape of India’s economy.
• In 2021, it was the vicious second wave of Covid that shaped our economy and recovery.
• In 2022, it was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that largely determined the fate of India’s economy.
• As a result, issues such as inflation, rupee’s exchange rate and India’s forex reserves dominated more than the routine concerns about GDP growth.

What are the Recap Highlights?

 Inflation:

• Headline Retail inflation was already above 6% when 2022 started.
• The inflation situation flared up after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• In April 2022, retail inflation hit an eight-year high. By the time RBI decided to raise Repo Rates in a hurriedly convened MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting in May 2022.
• The US and the actions of the US Federal Reserve were cited as prime factors for global inflation.

Rupee’s Exchange Rate and Forex Reserves:

• Many of India’s macroeconomic indicators started getting adversely affected because of higher crude oil prices.
• Trade deficits started rising as the financial year started and there were concerns about India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD), Forex Reserves and Balance of Payment.
• Eventually, the rupee hit the politically sensitive 80-to-a-dollar mark. But the rupee was not the only currency losing ground against the dollar. Dollar had risen against the euro to achieve parity.

All-round Monetary Tightening:

• By the middle of the year, central banks across the world started raising interest rates in order to reduce liquidity and contain inflation.

GDP Growth Slides:

• India had grown by almost 9% in the previous financial year (2021-22) that ended in March 2022.
• In September 2022 India had overtaken the UK to become the world’s 5th largest economy.
• India’s growth rate is expected to slow down from almost 9% last financial year (2021-22) to under 7% in the current year (2022-23) and further to around 6% (or possibly lower) in the next financial year (2023-24).

Budget, Unemployment and Poverty:

• In the run-up to the Union Budget, the key concern was to figure out whether the government can come up with a plan to boost employment in the country. That’s because India had historically high levels of labour market stress even before Covid and the pandemic had just made matters worse.
• In the Budget 2022-23, Indian bet on significantly ramping up capital expenditure to start a virtuous cycle of growth.
• But experts argued that while this strategy had obvious benefits in normal times, India’s economy was still scarred by Covid and it was unclear if the Budget will do enough to boost employment.

How is the Global Economic Outlook for 2023?

Growth Forecast:

• In its ‘State of the Economy’ update, the Reserve Bank of India warned of “a darkening global outlook”, and emerging market economies (EMEs) appear to be “more vulnerable”.
• The expectation that global growth could average around 3% in 2022 seems to be a commendable achievement.

Inflation:

• Global food, energy and other commodity prices may have eased moderately over the past few months, but inflation continues to stay high.
• Global inflation, according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), is forecast to decline from 8.8% in 2022 to 6.5% in 2023 to 4.1% by 2024 — still high by most yardsticks.
• The problem going into 2023 is the implications of stubbornly high inflation for the US Federal Reserve, especially the fact that the American labour market remains red hot, defying the impact of the Fed’s monetary tightening.

Impact of US Fed Rate Hikes:

• The difference between interest rates in the US and countries such as India widens every time the Fed raises policy rates, thus making the latter less attractive for the currency carry trade;
• Higher returns in US debt markets could trigger a churn in emerging market equities, tempering foreign investor enthusiasm.
• Currency markets would be potentially impacted by the outflow of funds to the US; sustained rate hikes by the Fed would also mean a lower impetus to growth in the US, which could be bad news for global growth, especially when China is facing a new Covid outbreak.

What are the Prospects of the Indian Economy 2023?

Positives:

• The near-term growth outlook for the Indian economy is supported by domestic drivers, some of which are reflected in the buoyant trends in high frequency indicators.
• There has been significant deleveraging over the last five years, with the corporate debt-to-GDP at its lowest in nearly a decade and a half, and bank books have shed much of the legacy bad loans.
• The lower the debt-to-GDP ratio, the more likely the country will pay back its debt and the lower its risk of default, which could cause financial stability in the domestic and international markets.
• Waning input cost pressures, surging corporate sales, and a turn-up in investments in fixed assets seem to be heralding the beginning of an upturn in the Capex Cycle, which could potentially contribute to a reboot of India’s growth momentum.
• Bank credit has been growing in double digits for eight months now, reflecting in part an uptick in investment appetite.
• The China-plus-one strategy being adopted by most multinational companies could be an opportunity, given that China is vacating large amounts of space in low-skilled, unskilled labour intensive manufacturing such as textiles, shoes, leather, and ceramics, and India has a chance to fill part of this vacuum.
• Agriculture has been a sustained driver for overall GDP growth, with the rabi outlook showing good prospects for wheat production with higher support prices, adequate reservoir levels, and climatic factors supporting higher acreage.

Negatives:

• The Ukraine war drags on, threatening an energy-linked downturn in the European Union, India’s biggest export market.
• The US continues to grapple with cooling inflation pressure, and a let-up in the Fed’s rate hikes is unlikely until well into the second half of the year.
• 2023 will see higher protectionism worldwide, greater fervour for de-globalisation, and more economic balkanisation: a worrying prospect for countries such as India that are keen to tap exports as a driver for growth.
• Given that no country in the world has grown at over 7% for a decade without strong export growth, the protectionist mood around the world is a major dampener for emerging economies.
• In India, manufacturing continues to be wobbly. Factory output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), slumped to a 26-month low in the festive month of October, 2022. Core sector growth for October was just 0.1%, the lowest for 20 months. That has led to a rapid downward revision of India’s growth projections by analysts for the next fiscal.
• Capacity utilisation — the ratio of actual output to the potential output that can be produced under normal conditions — has shown a minor uptick but continues to hover around the 75% mark.
• Unless this goes up on a sustained basis, private investments are unlikely to pick up perceptibly.
• There is continuing distress among the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) firms, reflecting the deep cleavages in industrial recovery where the bigger companies are doing far better than the smaller firms.
• Capital expenditure of the states has remained weak. Investments by states typically tend to have a higher multiplier effect.
• India’s significant dependence on imported energy, at 4% of the country’s GDP, is a challenge that shows up on the balance of payments side. A current account deficit of well over 3% is projected for FY23.
• The buoyancy in farm output notwithstanding, rural wages contracted for the ninth consecutive month in September, pointing to continuing distress in the hinterland.

Question For Practice

1. Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments. (UPSC 2019)
2. Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V-shaped recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer. (UPSC 2021)

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the President of India amended the regulations governing eSports and requested that the Sports Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology include “eSports in multi-sport events.”

• The President is empowered under Article 77 (3) of the Constitution to make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.
• According to a gazette notification, E-Sports will now be a part of the “multisports event” category in India.

What is E-Sports?

About:

• Esports (Electronic Sports) is a competitive sport where gamers use their physical and mental abilities to compete in various games in a virtual, electronic environment.Example: Counter Strike, League of Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, DOTA 2.
• There had been a growing demand for Esports to be included in the curriculum of multi-discipline events after it was included in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
• This, however, boosted E-sport enthusiasts and has come as a shot in the arm for Esports enthusiasts in India.
• India won a bronze medal in 2018 Asian Games, where esports was included as a demonstration title.
• It has received its sporting recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is the apex body of sports along with Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Commonwealth Games etc.
• IOC organised Virtual Olympic Series (Esports Tournament), before the Tokyo Olympics 2020;
• Esports has been included in OCA events since 2007. Esports is a medal sports in Asian Games 2022.
• In a similar effort to popularise e-Sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Singapore will host the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in June, 2023.

Nodal Ministry:

• E-Sports will be taken care of by the Department of Sports under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• While ‘Online Gaming’ will be overseen by MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).

Recognition of E-Sport as a Sport:

• By now, countries such as the US, Finland, and even the somewhat reticent Germany have acknowledged esports as a sport.
• The very first few nations (along with South Korea) to recognise esports as a sport were China and South Africa. Russia, Italy, Denmark, and Nepal have also joined.
• Ukraine officially recognized esports as a sport in September of 2020.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the year-end-review of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment for the year 2022 was released.

What are Key Achievements of the Department?

• Reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS):
  • Articles 15(6) and 16(6)were inserted in the Constitution vide the Constitution 103^rdAmendment Act 2019.
    • These Articles enable the States to provide upto 10% reservation for the EWS in Government jobs and Government Educational Institutions.
  • The Supreme Court of India, in November 2022, has upheld the validity of the Constitution 103rd Amendment Act 2019.

Nasha Mukht Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA):

• NMBA was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and is being implemented in 372 most vulnerable districts based on the findings of the first Comprehensive National Survey and inputs from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
• It intends to reach out to the masses and spread awareness about substance use with focus on higher educational Institution, university campuses & schools, reaching out & identifying dependent population.
• Achievements:
  • Around 3 crore people have been sensitized on substance use including 3 Crore Youth and 2 Crore Women.
  • Events like ‘Nashe se Azaadi- A National Youth and Students Interaction Programme’,‘Naya Bharat, Nasha Mukt Bharat’, ‘NMBA Interaction with NCC’ are regularly organized to engage and connect with youth and other stakeholders.
  • National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR)is a scheme under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments, UT Administration, NGOs/VOs and Government Hospitals for different programmes for Drug Demand Reduction for Awareness Generation, Capacity Building, Counselling, Treatment and rehabilitation.

Pre & Post Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Castes:

• National Overseas Scholarship Scheme:
  • Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (DoSJE) is implementing the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS)for Scheduled Caste etc. under which financial assistance is provided to selected students from Scheduled Castes, De notified, Nomadic & Semi – Nomadic Tribes, landless agricultural laborers and traditional artisan categories, for pursuing Masters and PhD level courses abroad.
  • Number of seats under NOS has been increased from 100 to 125 with effect from 2021-22.
• National Fellowships for SC Students (NFSC):
  • The objective of the Scheme is to provide fellowships in the form of financial assistance to students belonging to Scheduled Caste category to pursue higher studies leading to M. Phil., Ph.D. in Science, Humanities and Social Science streams, in Indian Universities/Institutions/Colleges recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC).

Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM AJAY):

• It has been framed after merging the three erstwhile schemes namely:
  • Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
  • Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP)
  • Babu Jagjivan Ram Chatrawas Yojana (BJRCY)
• Developments:
  • Grants-in-Aid Component (Erstwhile SCA to SCSP):
    • The financial Assistance has been enhanced from Rs.10,000/- to Rs. 50,000/- or 50% of the asset cost, whichever is lesser for beneficiary/ household.
    • Web based portal has been developed for submission, appraisal, and approval and monitoring of Annual Action Plan through portal.

National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC):

• NBCFDC was incorporated under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956 in 1992 (now section 8 of Companies Act 2013) as a Company not for profit with an objective to promote economic and developmental activities for the benefit of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
• Achievements:
  • During the year 2022 (Jan-Nov 2022), NBCFDC disbursed funds of Rs. 418 Crores for more than 1.2 lakh beneficiaries.

Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF):

• DAF has launched a new scheme  Ambedkar Centre of Excellence (DACE),which has been implemented in 30 Central Universities throughout the country, for coaching of Scheduled Caste students for Civil Services Examination (CSE).
• Ambedkar Medical Scheme was implemented successfully with 173 beneficiaries.
• Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration through inter Caste Marriages benefitted 218 beneficiaries.

Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESHTA):

• The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment implements the Central Sector Scheme of “Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary and other Organizations working for Scheduled Castes” under which financial assistance is provided to the NGOs for projects related to the Education sector to Scheduled Caste students.
• The scheme has been revised with effect from 2022-23 as(SHRESHTA) and a new component under Mode-I has been added to the Scheme, under which every year a specified number of meritorious SC students in the country will be selected for quality residential education in top-class residential High Schools through a nation-wide entrance test conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA).

Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM DAKSH) Scheme:

• Under the PM DAKSH Scheme, skills are provided to marginalized persons covering SCs, OBCs, EBCs, DNTs, Sanitation workers including waste pickers, through Corporations (NSFDC, NBCFDC and NSKFDC) under the Department of SJE.
• Under it, NSFDC’s target is to provide skill training of 20,600 during 2022-23.
• Achievements:
  • During 2022, NBCFDC has sanctioned skill development training programmes for 19553 trainees.

National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE):

• Achievements of NAMASTE:
  • Coverage of 3944 manual scavengers/dependants under various Skill Development Training programmes.
  • Covered 8396 sanitation workers under RPL/Upskilling training programme.
  • Provided assistance of Rs. 8.17 crore to 445 manual scavengers/dependants for general self-employment programme.

Transgender:

• A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with National Health Authority in 2022 for providing a comprehensive Medical package to Transgender Persons in convergence with Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
• The Comprehensive Package would cover all aspects of transition related healthcare for Transgender persons. It will also (not exhaustive) provide coverage for hormone therapy, gender reassignment surgery inclusive of post operation formalities which can be redeemed at all private and government healthcare facilities.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

The Parliamentary panel on Social Justice and Empowerment has asked the government to expedite categorisation of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes under either the SC/ST/OBC lists. Delay would increase their suffering and deprive them of welfare schemes.

Who are Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes?

• These are communities that are the most vulnerable and deprived.
• DNTs (Denotified) are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminals’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
  • These Acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in l952, and these communities were “De-Notified”.
• A few of these communities which were listed as de-notified were also nomadic.
  • Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are defined as those who move from one place to another rather than living in one place all the time.
• Historically, Nomadic Tribes and De-notified Tribes never had access to private land or home ownership.
• While most DNTs are spread across the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, some DNTs are not covered in any of the SC, ST or OBC categories.
• Many commissions and committees constituted since Independence have referred to the problems of these communities.
  • These include the Criminal Tribes Inquiry Committee, 1947constituted in the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh),
  • Ananthasayanam Ayyangar Committee in 1949(it was based on the report of this committee the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed),
  • Kaka Kalelkar Commission (also called first OBC Commission) constituted in 1953.
  • The B P Mandal Commission constituted in 1980also made some recommendations on the issue.
  • The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC), 2002held that DNTs have been wrongly stigmatised as crime prone and subjected to high handed treatment as well as exploitation by the representatives of law and order and general society.
    • The NCRWC was established under the chairmanship of Justice M N Venkatachaliah.
  • It has been estimated that South Asia has the world’s largest nomadic population.
    • In India, roughly 10% of the population is Denotified and Nomadic.
    • While the number of Denotified Tribes is about 150, the population of Nomadic Tribes consists of about 500 different communities.

What are the Challenges Faced by Nomadic Tribes?

• Lack of Basic Infrastructure Facilities: Like drinking water, shelter, and sanitation facilities are not available to the communities. Healthcare and education facilities are also not available.
• Bad Treatment by Local Administration: Due to the stigma of Criminals bestowed upon them in the past, they are still treated as criminals and tortured by the local administration and police.
• Lack of Social Security Cover: Since they are on move frequently, they do not have a permanent settlement. As a result, they lack social security cover and are not issued Ration Cards, adhar Card, and hence, they are not getting benefits under the government welfare schemes.
• The caste categorization is not very clear for these communities, in some states some of the communities are included under the SC category, in some other states they are included under OBCs.
  • However, most of the groups from these communities do not have caste certificates and hence are not able to avail the benefits of government welfare programs.

What are the Related Developmental Efforts Regarding?

• Ambedkar Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNTs:
  • This Centrally Sponsored Scheme was launched in 2014-15 for the welfare of those DNT students who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC.
  • The scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship for DNT students is helpful in spreading education amongst DNT children especially the girl child.
• Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls:
  • This Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in 2014-15, is implemented through State Governments/UT Administrations/Central Universities.
  • The aim of the scheme is to provide hostel facilities to those DNT students; who are not covered under SC, ST or OBC; to enable them to pursue higher education.
• Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs:
  • It aims to provide free competitive exam coaching, health insurance, housing assistance, and livelihood initiatives.
  • It ensures expenditure of Rs. 200 crores to be spent over five years beginning 2021-22.
  • The DWBDNCs (Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities) has been tasked with the implementation of this scheme.
• DWBDNC:
  • DWBDNC was established under the Societies Registration Act, 1860under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the purpose of implementing welfare programmes.
  • The DWBDNC was constituted on 21st February 2019, under the chairmanship of Bhiku Ramji Idate.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

In many of the world’s top economies, including the United States, the biggest and most consequential, there are fears of recession as the new year approaches.

• The US does look headed for a recession —a key pointer is the inversion of US treasury yields.

What is a Recession?

• A recession typically involves the overall output in an economy contracting for at least two consecutive quarters, along with job losses and reduction in overall demand.
• The US National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)decides whether the economy is in a recession based on its assessment of the depth, diffusion, and duration of the impact on the economy.
  • Sometimes, the duration may not be long but the decline could be very severe — as it happened in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Or, the depth and diffusion may be relatively less but the downturn may last long — as is expected in the United Kingdom in the wake of the economic crisis.

What are US Treasuries?

• In any economy, the safest loans are those that are given to governments — entities that will always be there, and which typically do not default on their debt.
• Governments need to borrow money because their tax revenues more often than not aren’t enough to finance all their spending.
• The instrument by which the government borrows from the market is called a government bond.
• In India they are called G-secs, in the UK they are called gilts, and in the US, they are called

What is the Yield of a Treasury?

• Unlike a bank loan, on which the interest rate varies with time, a government bond comes with pre-determined “coupon” payment.
• So, the US government may “float” a 10-year bond with a face value of USD100 and coupon payment of USD 5. This means, if you lend USD100 to the US government by buying this bond, you would get USD 5 each year for the next 10 years plus the whole sum of USD100 at the end of 10 years. This would imply a yield of 5%.
• But if for some reason one sold this bond to another investor, the yield will change depending on the price at which the bond is sold. If the price increases — say, the bond is sold for USD110 — the yield will fall because the annual return (USD5) remains the same. And if the price falls, the yield will rise.

What is the Yield Curve?

• Governments borrow for durations ranging from 1 month to 30 years.
• Typically, yields are higher for longer tenures because one is lending money for longer.
• If the yields for different tenures of bonds are mapped, it will give an upward-sloping curve.
• The curves can be flat or steep depending on the money available in the market and the expected overall economic activity. When investors feel buoyant about the economy, they pull money out of long-term bonds and put it into short-term riskier assets such as stock markets. As prices of long-term bonds fall, their yields rise — and the yield curve steepens.

What is Yield Inversion?

• Yield inversion happens when yields for shorter duration bonds are higher than the yields on longer duration bonds. If investors suspect that the economy is heading for trouble, they will pull out money from short-term risky assets (such as stock markets) and put it in long-term bonds. This causes the prices of the long-term bonds to rise and their yields to fall. This process first leads to flattening and eventually the inversion of the yield curve.
• Yield inversion has long been a reliable predictor of recession in the US — and US treasuries have been witnessing yield inversion for a while now.
• The spread between the yields of 10-year and 3-month treasuries has turned negative.

Why does this matter to India?

• Rising interest rates are likely to make theUS dollar even more strong against the rupee. Indian imports will become costlier as a result, and could fuel domestic inflation.
• Higher returns in the US may also lead to some rebalancing of the investments coming to India.
• Indian exports may benefit due to a weaker rupee but a recession will dampen the demand for Indian exports.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

Farmers in Madhya Pradesh who follow regenerative farming methods find that they reduce the need for frequent irrigation, which conserves water and energy.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

• Background:
  • The Green Revolution of the 1960s pulled India from the brink of starvation, but the revolution also made India the world’s biggest extractor of groundwater.
    • According to the UN’s World Water Development Report, 2022, India extracts 251 cubic km or more than a quarter of the world’s groundwater withdrawal each year; 90 % of this water is used for agriculture.
  • Currently, there is severe and widespread deficiency of organic carbon and micronutrients in Indian soils.
  • If agriculture is to continue to feed the country’s undernourished population — 224.5 million, according to the UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, 2022 —and drive its economy, it needs to work in harmony with nature, not against it.
  • Farmers, activists and agricultural research organisations across the world are thus developing methods of chemical-less farming which uses natural inputs and cultivation practices such as crop rotation and diversification, which fall under the wider umbrella of regenerative agriculture.
• About Regenerative Agriculture:
  • Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming system that focuses on soil health, food quality, biodiversity improvement, water quality and air quality through methods such as reducing the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, reducing tillage, integrating livestock and using cover crops.
  • It adheres to the following principles:
    • Minimize soil distribution through conservation tillage
    • Diversify crops to replenish nutrients and disrupt pest and disease lifecycles
    • Retain soil cover using cover crops
    • Integrate livestock, which adds manure to the soil and serves as a source of carbon sinks.

What are the Advantages of Regenerative Agriculture?

• Improves Soil Health:
  • It goes a step ahead of sustainable agriculture and aspires not only to maintain the resources like soil and water but also to improve them.
    • According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, healthy soil helps in better water storage, transmission, filtering and reduces agricultural run-off.
  • Water conservation:
    • Healthy soil helps in improving water-use efficiency by better water storage, transmission, filtering and reduces agricultural run-off.
      • Studies have established that 1% increase in soil organic matter per 0.4 hectare increases water storage potential by more than 75,000 litres.
    • Energy Conservation:
      • Regenerative Agriculture practices conserve energy used by irrigation aids such as pumps.

What are Indian Efforts to Promote Regenerative Agriculture?

• The National Project on Organic Farming:
  • The National Project on Organic Farming is the country’s longest experiment on the practice, ongoing since 2004 and conducted by ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming System Research, Meerut.
• Systematic Rice Intensification:
  • A method in which seeds are spaced at wider distances and organic manure is applied to improve yields.
• Zero-Budget Natural Farming:
  • It is also known as Subhash Palekar Natural Farming and emphasises on preparing and using inputs made from crop residue, cow dung and urine, fruits, among other things.
• Samaj Pragati Sahyog:
  • It is a grassroots organisation that promotes natural methods to control agricultural pests such as composting and recycling of crop residues, use of farm yard manure, cattle urine and application of tank silt, has also made efforts to this end.
    • It has conducted field trials with 1,000 farmers on more than 2,000 ha of land in four districts of Madhya Pradesh and one district of Maharashtra in 2016-18, to measure the water saved.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

On the geopolitical and diplomatic stage, 2022 was a difficult year, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

How did India handle the Ukraine Crisis?

• Following Non-Alignment Policy:
  • The war in Ukraine saw the government spell out its version of “non-alignment”, as it sought to keep a balance in the growing polarisation between the U.S. and the European Union on one side, and Russia on the other.
  • On one side the Indian Prime Minister made his discomfort with the war clear directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin with the words “This era is not for war” and on the other hand refused to accept western sanctions, growing military and oil trade with Russia, and seeking rupee-based payment mechanisms to facilitate them.
• Refusing to Vote on the Resolution:
  • Most significantly, in more than a dozen resolutions at the United Nation Security Council (UNSC), United Nations General Assembly (UNGA),International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Human Rights Commission, and other multilateral platforms seeking to censure Russia for the invasion and humanitarian crisis, India chose to abstain.
    • The Indian Foreign Policy said that India’s policy was guided by its national interests, telling those who expected India to take sides, “Tough luck if our policies do not meet your expectations”.

What were the Other Highlights in Foreign Policy in 2022?

• Returning to Free Trade Agreements (FTAs):
  • In 2022, India returned to FTAs, after a break of several years when India had called for a review of all FTAs, scrapped all Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and walked out of the 15-nation Asian Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
  • In 2022, India signed trade agreements with the UAE and Australia, and hopes to progress on talks with the EU, Gulf Cooperation Council and Canada for others.
• Joining US led IPEF:
  • India also joined the S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF), although it later decided to stay out of trade talks.

What about Ties with Neighbours?

• Sri Lanka:
  • India’s foreign policy was marked by economic assistance to Sri Lanka in the midst of its collapse.
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal:
  • Foreign policy of India is marked by regional trade and energy agreements with Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal that could see a South Asian energy grid emerge.
• Central Asian countries:
  • India has also strengthened ties with Central Asian countries on connectivity.
    • India has restarted efforts to revive the much-delayed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project.
    • India also discussed the best use of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
    • Steps have also been taken to operationalize the Chabahar port in Iran which can provide a secure, viable and unhindered access to the sea for the Central Asian countries.
    • In addition, the Ashgabat Agreement on International Transport and Transit Corridor (ITTC) was discussed to enhance connectivity between India and Central Asian countries.
  • Afghanistan and Myanmar:
    • The government kept channels open with repressive regimes like Afghanistan’s Taliban and the Myanmar Junta, opening a “technical mission” in Kabul and sending the foreign secretary to Myanmar to discuss border cooperation.
    • Earlier in December, 2022 India abstained on a UNSC vote calling for Myanmar to end violence and release political prisoners.
  • Iran and Pakistan:
    • With Iran too, where protests against the killing of an activist have brought thousands onto the streets, India has steered clear of any criticism.
    • However, ties with Pakistan remain flat, with a big showdown at the UN in December, 2022 between the foreign ministers of the two nations.

What Progress has been made in the LAC-China Standoff?

• Despite a visit to Delhi by China’s Foreign Minister and disengagement at some stand-off points, tensions at the Line of Actual Control remained high, and an unsuccessful Chinese PLA attempt to take Indian posts at Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh ended the year, signalling more violent clashes in 2023.
• In spite of the fraught state of relations, India is due to host the Chinese President twice in 2023, at the G-20and SCO summits, opening up the possibility for talks to end the standoff.

What are the Current Challenges in India’s Foreign Policy?

• Pakistan-China Strategic Nexus:
  • The most formidable threat India faces today is from the Pakistan-China strategic nexus that seeks to change the status quoat the contested borders and undermine India’s strategic security.
  • China’s aggressive actions since May 2020 to change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control have severely damaged Sino-Indian relations.
• China’s Expansion:
  • For India, the issue of how to balance China’s forays into South Asia and the Indian Ocean region is another concern.
  • Under the rubric of China’s much touted Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it is developing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan (through the Indian territory in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), building China-Nepal Economic Corridor, China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and dual use infrastructure in the littorals of the Indian Ocean.
• Balancing Big Power Relations:
  • India’s strategic autonomy precludes New Delhi to join any military alliance or strategic partnership that is inimical to another country or group of countries.
  • Traditionally, the West has perceived India closer to the Soviet Union / Russia. These perceptions are accentuated with India actively participating in SCO, BRICS and Russia-India-China (RIC) forum.
  • For India to balance an assertive China, it has to rely on external balancing in the Indo-Pacific to overcome the security dilemmas posed by the Pakistan-China hybrid threats.
  • India’s participation in QUAD, signing of foundational agreements with US, Japan, France, UK and Indonesia should be seen from that perspective.
• Refugee Crisis:In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has been one of the largest recipients of refugees in the world.
  • The challenge here is tobalance protection of human rights and national interest. As the Rohingya crisis unfolds, there is still a lot that India can do to facilitate the finding of long-term solutions.
  • These actions will be key in determining India’s regional and global standing on human rights.

Way Forward

• India should look forward to creating an external environment which is conducive for an inclusive development of India so that the benefits of growth can reach the poorest of the poor in the country.
  • And ensure that India’s voice is heard on global forums and that India is able to influence world opinion on issues of global dimensions such as terrorism, climate change, disarmament, reforms of institutions of global governance.
• As rightly said by Mahatma Gandhi, politics without principles and ethics would be disastrous. India should move towards collective development with an ethical persuasion reclaiming its moral leadership in the world at large.
• As we live in a dynamic world, India’s foreign policy is therefore geared up to be proactive, flexible, and pragmatic in order to respond quickly to changing situations.

Question For Practice

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 3

Why in News?

• The Centre has told the Supreme Court that a ban imposed by certain coastal States on purse seine fishing, which is known to disadvantage endangered species, is not justified.

What are the Issues?

• Currently, bans on purse seine fishing are implemented in the territorial waters of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Odisha, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands up to 12 nautical miles.
• While States such as Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, West Bengal have not imposed any such ban.

What is Purse Seine Fishing?

• About:
  • A purse seine is made of a long wall of netting framed with floating and leadline and having purse rings hanging from the lower edge of the gear, through which runs a purse line made from steel wire or rope which allow the pursing of the net.
  • The technique has been widely deployed on India’s western coasts.

• Advantages:
  • Purse-seine fishing in open water is considered to be an efficient form of fishing.
  • It has no contact with the seabed and can have low levels of by catch.
  • It can also be used to catch fish congregating around fish aggregating devices
  • It is used in the open ocean to target dense schools of single-species pelagic (midwater) fish like tuna and mackerel.

What are the Concerns?

• In some States, this technique linked to concerns about the decreasing stock of small, pelagic shoaling fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies and trevally on the western coasts.
• The scientific community argues that climatic conditions, including the El Nino phenomenon, are responsible for the declining catch of such fish in the last ten years.
• However, fishermen using traditional methods have placed the blame squarely on the rise of purse seine fishing, and fear a further fall in the availability of these small fish if the ban is lifted.
  • They have also demanded that, as the Centre has supported the lifting of the ban, it should publish the expert committee report it has based its stance on.
• A major concern is the dwindling availability of oil sardines, a favourite of Kerala fish eaters.
  • In 2021, Kerala recorded a catch of just 3,297 tonnes of sardine, a sharp decrease from the haul of 3.9 lakh tonnes in 2012.
• Purse seine is a non-targeted fishing gear and catches all sorts of fishes which come in the way of the net, including juveniles. Hence, they are very much detrimental to marine resources.

What is the Union Government’s Argument Against Ban?

• The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has recommended the lifting of the ban on purse seine fishing on a report submitted by an expert committee.
• The expert panel has said that this mode of fishing “per se has not resulted in any serious resource depletion so far, given the available evidence”.
• The expert panel has recommended purse seiners to fish in territorial waters and the Indian Exclusive Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) subject to certain conditions.
• The committee has also suggested the framing of a “national management plan on purse seine fisheries.

What is the Jurisdiction of Fishing?

• Fishing is a state subject and the management plan for marine fisheries in territorial waters is the job of the State.
• State subject consists of 61 subjects (originally 66 subjects).
  • These are of local importance such as, local government, public order and police, agriculture, forest, public health and sanitation, fisheries, education, State taxes and duties. The states under normal circumstances have exclusive power to make laws on subjects mentioned in the State List.