General Studies Paper 2

Context: The historic India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which came into force on May 1st, 2022, has recently completed one successful year.

India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA):

• About: A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)was signed between India and UAE a year ago to strengthen the trade ties between the two nations.
• Aim: The agreement aimed to increase the total value of bilateral trade in goods to over US$100 billion and trade in services to over US$ 15 billion within five years.

Significance:

• Keeping in mind that the gems and jewellery sector contributes a substantial portion of India’s exports to the UAE the agreement is expected to significantly benefit this sector by providing tariff concessions.
• Overall, India is expected to benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE on over 97 percent of its tariff lines which account for 99 percent of Indian exports to the UAE in value terms, particularly from labor-intensive sectors such as:
  • Gems and jewelry, textiles, leather, footwear, sports goods, plastics, furniture, agricultural and wood products, engineering products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and automobiles.
• With regards to trade in services,Indian service providers have enhanced access to around 111 sub-sectors from the 11 broad service sectors.

Review of the 1st year of India-UAE CEPA

• Trade success:
  • According to the reports, this was the Fastest Executed Bilateral Agreement where imports and exports increased between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • The agreement also boosted trade which benefited the domestic market. Labour-intensive sectors also boomed as a result of this tie-up.
• Increase in India’s exports:
  • India’s global export rose by 5.3 percent and exports to UAE increased by 11.8 percent.
  • While the export of commodities like jewelry, car, and beauty products rose, in particular – aircrafts, spacecrafts and exports of parts increased as UAE is a transit hub between Asia and Europe and Americas.
• Increase in UAE’s exports:
  • Similarly, imports also increased from the UAE by 18.8 percent.
  • The nation’s non-oil imports from UAE increased by 4.1 percent and global imports increased by 7.8 percent.
• Certificate of Origin:
  • The report further stated that CEPA ranked second in issuing Certificate of Origin– a document that confirms the ‘nationality’ of a product and serves as a declaration to satisfy customs or trade requirements– in the last 11 months.
• Below expectation export commodities:
  • On the other hand, the export of commodities such as iron, steel, and apparel did not grow as expected.

India-UAE Relations

• Evolution of relations:
  • Beginning of diplomatic relations:
    • India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) established diplomatic relations in 1972.
    • UAE opened its Embassy in Delhi in 1972& India opened its Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 1973.
  • 2015:
    • The traditionally strong bilateral relations enjoyed by India & UAE received an impetus with the visit of PM Modi to UAE on 16-17 August 2015 which marked the beginning of a new strategic partnership between the two countries.
  • The ‘Order of Zayed’:
    • Modi’s last visit to the UAE was in August 2019, when he received the UAE’s highest award, ‘Order of Zayed’.
  • 2022:
    • In February 2022 both sides signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
    • The Dubai-based DP World and India’s National Skills Development Council signed an agreement to set up a Skill India Centre in Varanasi to train local youth in logistics, port operations and allied areas so that they can pursue overseas employment.
  • Trade:
    • Bilateral trade in FY 2021-22was about US$ 72 billion.
    • UAE is India’s third largest trade partner and second largest export destination.
    • UAE’s FDI in India has increased over the past few years and currently stands at over $12 billion.
  • Defence and Security Cooperation:
    • Bilateral Defence Interaction between India and UAE has been steadily growing in accordance with other aspects of the bilateral relationship.
      • The ships of the Navies of both countries have regularly made port calls enhancing bilateral defence co-operation.
      • India and UAE signed a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017, and hold annual defence dialogues.
      • More recently, UAE is a key part of the Indian Ocean Region dialogue.
      • Both sides take part in military exercises with each other and there have been several Military chiefs visits.
    • Technology partnerships:
      • India and the UAE have signed a number of digital innovation, technology partnerships, and also plans for ISRO and UAESA to cooperate on missions like the Red Moon mission.
      • The Emirates has offered“golden visa” residency permits for doctors, engineers, PhD scholars and specialists in high-end technology fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, virology and epidemiology, and brought over the former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan to their space agency.
    • Cultural Relations:
      • The importance given to Indian culture by the UAE was further highlighted in April, 2019 when India participated as the Guest of Honour Country in Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2019.
      • Indian cinema/ TV / radio channels are easily available and have good viewership; major theatres/cinema halls in the UAE screen commercial Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil films.
      • The Emirati community also participates in our annual International Day of Yoga events and various schools of yoga & meditation centres are running successfully in the UAE.

Way ahead

• India and UAE continue to forge closer partnership in these areas, building on their close and friendly relations and historical people-to-people connect. India-UAE has a strong energy partnership which is now acquiring a new focus on renewable energy.
• It will take a sustained public diplomacy effort to further improve the relations.

General Studies Paper 3

Context: There’s a growing trend of countries sidestepping the US dollar (de-dollarisation) and choosing to use their own local currencies for bilateral trade.What is de-dollarisation?

De-dollarisation is a term that refers to the process whereby countries tend to reduce their reliance on the US dollar as a reserve currency, medium of exchange, and also a unit of account.

Why is the US dollar used so widely? 

• Dominance of Dollar: After World War II,the US dollar replaced the British pound as the dominating currency worldwide. In 1944, the Bretton Woods Agreement established the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. The original Bretton Woods Agreement is dead, but the dollar remains the international reserve currency.
• Trade deficit of US:  S. has been running a persistent trade deficit for decades now (in fact the last time the U.S. ran a trade surplus was way back in 1975). Theexcess dollars that the rest of the world accumulates due to the U.S. ‘s trade deficit has been invested in U.S. assets such as in debt securities issued by the US government.
• Popularity of U.S. assets among investors: The high level of trust that global investors have in the S. financial markets,perhaps owing to the ‘rule of law’ in the U.S., is considered to be a major reason why investors prefer to invest in U.S. assets.

What is Reserve Currency?

• Reserve currencies are foreign currencies held by central banks and other monetary authorities to facilitate international transactions, stabilize exchange rates, and bolster financial confidence.
• These currencies are typically characterized by their stability, liquidity, and wide acceptance in global markets, which make them attractive for holding and conducting international transactions.
• A reserve currency is also used by central banks to prepare for international debt obligations and to influence their domestic exchange rate.

Global Efforts Towards Dedollarization

• In recent years, several countries and regions have embarked on the path towards dedollarization, driven by a combination of geopolitical, economic, and strategic considerations. 
• Notable examples include China, Russia, Brazil and the European Union, each of which has taken steps to reduce their reliance on the US dollar in international transactions and financial markets.

Why are de-dollarisation attempts being made? 

• Sanctions by U.S.: The U.S. imposed several sanctions that restricted the use of the U.S. dollar to purchase oil and other goods from Russia, and this has been seen by many countries as an attempt to weaponise the dollar.
• Power to control transactions by U.S.:Since international transactions carried out in the U.S. dollar are cleared by American banks, this gives the U.S. government significant power to oversee and control these transactions.
• To end U.S Hegemony:Some countries, like China and Russia, have sought to diminish the influence of the US dollar as a means of countering perceived American hegemony and mitigating the impact of US sanctions.
• To Promote their own currency: Other countries, particularly those in the Eurozone, have pursued dedollarisation to promote the international use of their currency, the euro, in a bid to enhance their global economic standing and secure greater financial autonomy.

Challenges Towards Dedollarisation

• Threat to Global Financial Stability: As countries reduce their reliance on the US dollar, adjustments in the composition of global reserve assets may lead to shifts in capital flows and changes in asset prices.In the absence of adequate policy coordination and risk management, these fluctuations could create financial instability.
• Alternative currency:Creating a viable alternative to the US dollar presents a formidable challenge. To achieve the requisite degree of stability, liquidity, and acceptability, an alternative reserve currency must be underpinned by a robust economy, deep and liquid financial markets, and sound monetary and fiscal policy frameworks. Currently, no single currency fully meets these criteria, although the euro and the Chinese yuan have made strides in this regard.
• Increased volatility in Exchange rates: Dedollarisation could result in increased volatility in currency exchange rates, particularly during the initial phases of transition. This, in turn, could impact trade, investment, and capital flows,particularly for countries with less developed financial markets or limited policy tools to manage exchange rate volatility.

Should India Focus on De-dollarisation?

• Benefits:It could reduce the vulnerability to fluctuations in US monetary policy and enhance monetary autonomy, enabling them to better tailor policy actions to the domestic economic conditions. 
  • Moreover, the diversification of reserve currencies could provide a buffer against currency fluctuations and capital flow reversals, reducing the likelihood of financial crises and improving overall financial stability.
• Challenges:As developing countries transition away from the US dollar, they may face heightened exchange rate volatility, which could impact trade, investment, and capital flows.
  • Additionally, the development of deep and liquid domestic financial markets – a prerequisite for currency internationalisation – could prove to be a formidable challenge for countries with less developed financial systems.
  • Furthermore, the potential costs associated with the transition, such as adjustments to existing trade and financial arrangements, may be significant and could strain limited resources.

Way Ahead

• In light of these considerations, developing countries like India should adopt a prudent and measured approach towards dedollarisation. Policymakers must strike a delicate balance between the potential benefits of reducing reliance on the US dollar and the risks and costs associated with such a transition.
• While dedollarisation presents opportunities for a more diversified and resilient global financial system, it also poses significant challenges that must be carefully managed to ensure the preservation of global financial stability and sustained economic growth.
• Developing countries such as India must carefully weigh the potential benefits and risks associated with this transition.

General Studies Paper 3

Context: The annual State of World Population report 2023 by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) stated that India’s population is expected to surpass that of China by the middle of this year at the latest.

History of India’s population

Population vs Economic development

• Starting point of this debate is Thomas Malthus’ argument in 1798.
  • Malthusianism is the theory that population growth is potentially exponential while the growth of the food supply or other resources is linear, which eventually reduces living standards to the point of triggering a population decline. This event, called a Malthusian catastrophe.
  • Since then, however, the world population has grown eight times to reach 8 billion.
• During the 1950s and 60s, “the general view of economists was that high birth rates and rapid population growth in poor countries would divert scarce capital away from savings and investment, thereby placing a drag on economic development.
• However, between the 1970s and 1990s, several studies “failed to detect a robust relationship between national population growth rates and per capita income growth”
• The global view reverted in the 1990s when researchers again found a clear “negative association between population growth and economic performance”.
  • During this time, World was also introduced to the concept of “demographic dividend” i.e., high economic growth when there is a bulge in the working-age population (roughly speaking, population between 15 and 65 years).

In Indian Context

• Opportunities for India:
  • Theory of demographic transition suggests that population growth is linked to overall levels of economic development as more people are able to produce more goods.
  • The rising young population (>66 % population in 15-59 age) provides India with a great opportunity for growth, peppered with the possibility of path-breaking innovation.
  • India’s population heterogeneity ensures that this window of demographic dividend becomes available at different times in different States.
  • Farming and industry will be able to benefit from economies of scale.
  • It will lead to higher tax revenues which can be spent on public goods, such as health care and environmental projects.
  • The size of the population is intimately connected to the global power dynamics shaping the relationship between nations and regions.
• Issues with population:
  • The increase in the working-age population may lead to rising unemployment, fueling economic and social risks.
  • High population growth also affects the faster depletion of resources.
  • The 65+ category is going to grow quite fast i.e., increase from 8.6% now to 13% by 2030.
  • If India is unable to reap demographic dividend, it will become a demographic disaster.

Lessons for India  

• India’s fertility rate (the number of children per woman) is already below the replacement rate of 2.1 but the population will peak by 2064.
• The bigger challenge now is to figure out how to best use India’s demographic dividend because despite China growing at remarkably high over the past four decades it may become old before becoming rich.
• Countries like Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea have already shown us how demographic dividend can be reaped to achieve incredible economic growth by:
  • Increasing women’s participation in the workforce. As of 2022,29.4 % of women were working or looking for work, down from 34.1% in 2003-04.
  • Investing more in children and adolescents, particularly in nutrition and learning during early childhood.
  • A greater focus needs to be on transitioning from secondary education to universal skilling and entrepreneurship, as done in South Korea.
  • Health investments – Evidence suggests that better health facilitates improved economic production.
  • Making reproductive healthcare services accessible on a rights-based approach. We need to provide universal access to high-quality primary healthcare.
  • India needs to address the diversity between States. Southern States, which are advanced in demographic transition, already have a higher percentage of older people.
  • A new federal approach to governance reforms for demographic dividend will need to be put in place for policy coordination between States on various emerging population issues such as migration, ageing, skilling, female workforce participation and urbanization.

Conclusion

• India has a window of opportunity to reap the benefits of demographic dividend until 2040s otherwise it could become demographic liability or demographic disaster.

General Studies Paper 3

Context: Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its State of the Global Climate 2022 report which pointed out that the Paris Agreement on Climate Change has been ineffective in fulfilling its agenda.

The Paris Agreement that serves as the centre point of ongoing global negotiation on climate change was inked in 2015.

What has the Report Highlighted on Performance of Paris Agreement?

Inability to Achieve Climate Related Goals:

• After signing of the Agreement, the last eight years (2015-2022) have consecutively been the warmest years on record globally.
• The situation could have been far worse if the La Nina weather event had not occurred in the past three years, which has a cooling effect on the weather system.
• Globally updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to limit global warming to 1.5°C have failed even to achieve 2°C target.
• The Paris Agreement has not been able to equitably phase out fossil fuels predominantly responsible for the climate crisis.
• Neither the NDCs nor the disaster risk reduction and climate risk management plans are in place to combat climate-induced extreme weather phenomena.

Suggestions:

• To complement the Paris Agreement, a new global framework in the form of a Fossil Fuel Treaty should be introduced.
• Most industrialised and emission-belching countries should be made to follow the Paris Agreement’s commitments.
• Accelerated climate action with deeper, faster emissions cuts is needed as tools, the knowledge, and the solutions are available.
• There is a need to undertake massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis.

General Studies Paper 2

Context: The article explains the dilemma posed by Ukraine war for India foreign policy makers.

What is the Russian stand regarding the Ukraine war?

• As per Putin, the Ukrainian nation does not exist, and it is an inalienable part of Russia’s history, culture and spiritual space.” Such claims are made by hegemonic states to hide their intentions for dominance.
• Putin has accused the US and Europe of bad faith. Gorbachev was given assurance that NATO would advance “not an inch eastward”. This undertaking was allegedly violated when NATO included 10 former Warsaw Pact members.

How has conflict posed a dilemma for New Delhi?

• It remains engaged with Russia and China in the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), while also partnering with the US in the Quad and Malabar groupings. India simultaneously holds presidencies of the G20 and SCO. India will need a “tightrope walk” while maintaining “strategic autonomy”.
• The increasing closeness of Moscow with Beijing gives Beijing great leverage. It impacts Russia’s capacity to pursue independent relations with other states, especially India.
• There is a rapid decline in Russia’s capability as a defence supplier. It should be a cause of worry for India.
• The Quad and Malabar groupings show the convergence of US and Indian strategic interests. But their overall impact has been underwhelming. China sees this grouping as a potential impediment to its hegemonic grand plan. The Quad members except the US have also shown nervousness in their responses to China. Quad meetings have empahasised that the grouping has no security implications and is not an “Asian NATO”.

What are prospects of Indo-US cooperation in assisting India in improving the security scenario of India?

• In September 2021, Australia, the UK and US announced the formation of a trilateral security pact, AUKUS. Under it, the US and Britain will share many advanced technologies with Australia and would also assist it in acquiring a nuclear attack submarine force.
• AUKUS shows that there is complete absence of any similar offer of training, military technology or hardware, by the US to India. This is despite the strategic partnership and Indo-US civil nuclear deal and a host of defence-related agreements.
• An Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) was announced in May 2022 by Joe Biden. It remains to be seen if iCET results in significant sales or transfer of technology to India or ends up like other Indo-US agreements.

What are the options for India to increase independence in defence supplies?

• Weak performance of India’s military-industrial complex has made it import-dependent for weaponry.
• While “atmanirbharta” is a good. But technology has long gestation periods. India should draw useful lessons from China.
• China has employed reverse engineering, coercion, and even blatant theft to acquire military technology from the USSR and the West.

General Studies Paper 2

Context: Recently, China’s legislature approved sweeping amendments to China’s anti-espionage law, broadening the scope of what may be defined as activities related to spying and national security.

China’s anti-espionage law

• The recent amendments are to China’s 2014 anti-espionage law. 
  • Article 1 of the law says the idea behind the legislation is “to prevent, stop and punish espionage conduct and maintain national security.”
• China broadened the law’s scope, with one of the changes declaring that “all documents, data, materials, and items related to national security and interests” will be protected on par with what is deemed state secrets.
• The transfer of any information deemed by authorities to be in the interest of what they define to be “national security” will now be considered an act of espionage.
• The latest change “improves the regulations on cyber espionage” and “clearly defines cyberattacks, intrusions, interference, control and destruction” as espionage.
• Other changes would include “clarifying the responsibility of national security organs in guiding and arranging publicity as well as provisions to strengthen the protection of personal information in counter-espionage work.

Objectives

• The amendments come amid a string of high-profile cases involving journalists, foreign executives, as well as international companies in China, who have come under the lens of authorities on national security grounds.
• The expanded law follows the Xi Jinping government’s increasing focus on “security” and a recent policy shift now emphasises the dual importance of “development and security”, rather than a focus solely on economic development.

Repercussions 

• The amended law is likely to have a chilling impact both within China and beyond.
• Chinese journalists, academics, and executives who frequently engage with foreign counterparts are likely to think twice before doing so, at least without explicit government sanction
• Unrestricted engagement between Chinese and foreign scholars, which has already become limited in the Xi Jinping era, is likely to become even rarer.

Impacts on India: Indian companies with a presence in China, particularly in sectors deemed to be sensitive such as pharma and IT, will likely need to review their exposure to risks under the expanded law and broadened definitions of “national security”, particularly amid deteriorating relations between the neighbours.

General Studies Paper 2

Context:  A report by Finland based group cited that India is leader of five countries named as the “Laundromat” countries.

• European Countries that imposed crude oil sanctions on Russia oil are using India, others as ‘laundromats’ for refined products.
• The report accused Indian sellers and European buyers of possibly “circumventing sanctions”by selling crude products from a refinery in Gujarat that is co-owned by Russian oil company Rosneft.

What are ‘Laundromat’ Countries?

• The so-called “laundromat” countries are countries that buy Russian oil and sell processed products to European countries, thus sidestepping European sanctions against Russian Oil.
• The five countries (India, China, Turkey, UAE and Singapore) are identified as ‘laundromats’ for Western countries by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
• The five countries are responsible for 70 percent of Russia’s crude oil exports, the study highlighted.

Process of Circumventing sanctions (White-washing of Russian Oil)

• European countries are simply substituting oil products they previously bought directly from Russia, with the same products now “whitewashed” in third countries and bought from them at a premium.

Price Cap Coalition

• A coalition of G7 countries, the European Union and Australia have agreed to prohibit the import of crude oil and petroleum products of Russian origin, supported by a broad range of companies involved in the transport of oil.
• The G7 Oil Price Cap for crude oil of US$60 per barrel came into effect 5 December 2022.
• India’s stand is to remain non-committal on any such pricing cap arrangement.

General Studies Paper 2

Context: The Meitei community in Manipur has intended to file contempt proceedings against the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

About the Issue

• The Meitei community has been seeking the Scheduled Tribe status for decades. Recently, the Manipur High Court ordered the State government to recommend the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list, following which the HAC passed a resolution opposing the high court’s order and called for the Union government and the State government to appeal it.

Procedure for Inclusion into the ST List

• As per the procedure for inclusion of a community in the ST list, any such recommendation must originate with a proposal from the concerned State or UT government. 
• This proposal is then sent by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI). Once the Office of the RGI concurs to the inclusion, the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes must also do the same.
• Only then is the proposal sent to the Cabinet, following which a Bill needs to be passed in Parliament permitting the President of India to notify the inclusion.
• HAC is of the opinion that the inclusion of Meitei community into the Scheduled Tribes should be appealed keeping in mind the sentiments, interests and rights of existing Scheduled Tribes of Manipur.
• Meitei community has said that the HAC has no jurisdiction to pass such a resolution without the Speaker’s permission and this amounts to criminal contempt. 

About Meitei community

• Manipur’s two major tribal communities– Naga and Kuki – live in the hill districts, which account for about 90% of the state’s area.
  • But these 10 districts send only20 legislators to the 60-member legislative assembly since they are more sparsely populated than the Valley.
• The Meiteis account for roughly 64.6% of the state’s population and are largely concentrated in the Imphal Valley.
• They are currently categorised as OBCs or SCs, the Meitei people dominate in more than half the State’s Assembly constituencies. A majority of them identify as Hindu while about 8% are Muslim.

Article 371C Special provision with respect to the State of Manipur

• Article 371C was not a part of the Constitution of India 1950. It was inserted by the Constitution (Twenty-seventh Amendment) Act, 1971,following the formation of the new state of Manipur.
• Under Article 371C of the Constitution of India a special provision with respect to the State of Manipur was made providing for:
  • (i) constitution and functions of a committee of the Legislative Assembly of the State consisting of members of that Assembly elected from the Hill Areas of that State,
  • (ii) for the modifications to be made in the rules of business of the Government and
  • (iii) modifications in the rules of procedure of the Legislative Assembly of the State and
  • (iv) for any special responsibility of the Governor in order to secure the proper functioning of such a committee.
• It protects the tribal areas, restricts the people from the Valley or outsiders from buying and acquiring land in the hill districts.

Demand of Meitei Community

• The community argued that they had been listed as one of the tribes of Manipur before it merged with India in 1949 but that they lost this tag when the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 was drafted. Claiming that they had thus been left out of the ST list, they had persisted with their demands.
• Manipur’s Geography: The state’s geography is divided between a central valley that accounts for about 10% of the landmass of Manipur and is home primarily to the Meitei and Meitei Pangals who constitute roughly 64.6% of the state’s population. 
  • The remaining 90% of the geographical area comprises hills, surrounding the valley, that are home to the recognised tribes, about 4% of the population.
  • The geography, protections extended to the hill areas, and restrictions on the buying of land there have been central to the anxieties of the Meity community pressing for this demand.
• Opposition by ST Communities of Manipur:The ST communities of Manipur have been consistently opposing the inclusion fearing the loss of job opportunities and other affirmative actions granted to STs by the Constitution of India to a much-advanced community like the Meitei.
  • Other arguments against the demand have been that the Manipuri language of the Meiteis is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and that sections of the predominantly Hindu Meitei community are already classified as Scheduled Caste (SC) or Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and have access to the opportunities associated with that.

General Studies Paper 3

Context: Recently, many dog bite incidents spotlighted the link between urban solid waste management and stray dog attacks in Indian cities.

About Linkages between waste management and stray dog attacks

• The “carrying capacity” — the ability of a city to support a species — is determined by the availability of food and shelter.
• Free-ranging dogs are scavengers that forage around for food, eventually gravitating toward exposed garbage dumping sites.
• Dogs congregate around urban dumps, such as landfills or garbage dumps, due to feeding opportunities.
• Free-roaming dogs move towards densely-populated areas in cities, such as urban slums which are usually located next to garbage dumping sites and landfills.
• The proximity of residential areas to dumping sites and the rise in dog attacks speak to “core issues of unplanned and unregulated urban development.

Data Analysis

• A population boom in Indian cities has contributed to a staggering rise in solid waste.
• The estimates by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India show that only 75-80% of the total municipal wasteis collected, and only 22-28% of it is processed.
  • The rest is dumped across cities, becoming food for stray dogs or clogging sewage systems.
• Cities have also witnessed a sharp increase in the stray dog population, which as per the official 2019 livestock census stood at 1.5 crores.

Issues and Challenges

• The existing systems for solid waste collection and disposal are chequered, with poor implementation and underfunding.
• Most metro cities are littered with garbage bins that are either old, damaged, or insufficient in containing solid wastes
• Urban local bodies are struggling to implement and sustain rules under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, such as the door-to-door collection of segregated waste.
• Development of cities,managing solid waste has become a daunting challenge,” and the “unconfined and unmanaged leftovers” end up aiding the proliferation of stray dogs.
• Tepid animal birth control programmes and insufficient rescue centres, in conjunction with poor waste management, result in a proliferation of street animals in India.
• India also shoulders the highest rabies burden in the world, accounting for a third of global deaths caused due to the disease.
• Frequent reports of dogs chasing people down the road, attacking and even “mauling” people to death have made the management of stray dogs an administrative and legal issue.

Measures and Initiatives of India

• India’s response to the “stray dog menace” has relied upon the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, through which municipal bodies trap, sterilise and release dogs to slow down the dog population.
• The second anchor is rabies control measures, including vaccination drives.
• Other measures include mass culling of dogs in States like Kerala or imposing bans on the entry of stray dogs in colonies or feeding them in public.
• In November 2022, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court ruled that people interested in feeding strays should first formally adopt them and feed them in their own homes, directing the municipality to impose a fine of ?200 on anyone found feeding dogs in public places.

Suggestion and Measures 

• Taking measures to curb exposed garbage is the first step to addressing stray dog bites.
  • Responsible waste management is the solution to this issue
• Proper management of refuse [solid waste] and a tolerant attitude towards dogs can ensure their peaceful co-existence with us.
• The cities need to learn to manage solid waste better, rabies vaccines, and dog sterilisation .
• All the waste collected should be transported to designated landfill sites.

General Studies Paper 2

Context: The Prime Minister recently addressed the first meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors under India’s G20 Presidency.  He expressed concern that “progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) seems to be slowing down”.

Sustainable Development Goals

• The United Nations Document “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
  • This agenda contains 17 goals and 169 targets.
• The agenda is built on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were adopted in 2000 and were to be achieved by 2015.
• SDGs provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
• They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

India’s current SDG progress card

• About:
  • A recent study assesses India’s progress on 33 welfare indicators, covering nine SDGs and providing a mixed picture of positive and concerning trends.
• Improvements:
  • India is‘On-Target’ to meeting 14 of the 33 SDGs, including indicators for
    • Neonatal and under-five mortality,
    • Full vaccination, improved sanitation, and
    • Electricity access,
    • All of which have substantially improved in the last five years.
  • Skewed nature:
    • Unfortunately, the national ‘On-Target’ designation does not apply equally across all districts.
    • While neonatal and under-five mortality are currently both ‘On-Target’ for the country, 286 and 208 districts (out of 707 districts), respectively, are not.
    • Similarly, significant progress on access to improved sanitation excludes 129 districts that are not on course to meet this SDG indicator.
  • Following Indicators have improved across a vast majority of the districts between the years 2016 and 2021. They are:
    • Eliminating adolescent pregnancy,
    • Reducing multidimensional poverty, and
    • Women having bank accounts.
  • Concerns:
    • Of concern, for 19 of the 33 SDG indicators, the current pace of improvement is not enough to meet SDG targets.
    • Despite a national policy push for clean fuel for cooking, more than two-thirds (479) of districts remain ‘Off-Target’.
    • Similarly,some 415 and 278 districts are ‘Off-Target’ for improved water and handwashing facilities, respectively.
  • Heightened concern:
    • Of heightened concern are:
      • SDG indicators for women’s well-being and
      • Gender inequality.
    • Girl child marriage:
      • No district in India has yet succeeded in eliminating the practice of girl child marriage before the legal age of 18 years.
        • At the current pace, more than three-fourths (539) of districts will not be able to reduce the prevalence of girl child marriage to the SDG target of 0.5% by 2030.
      • Teenage pregnancy:
        • Unsurprisingly, other critical and related indicators such as teenage pregnancy (15-19 years) and partner violence (physical and sexual) that may be tracked back to child marriage are issues that India needs to escalate as priorities.
      • Mobile phone access for women:
        • Despite the overall expansion of mobile phone access in India (93% of households), only 56% women report owning a mobile phone, with 567 districts remaining ‘Off-Target’.

Strategy to apply

• Need of policy response:
  • Designing and implementing a policy response to a pressing issue is best viewed as an “optimisation problem” relying on political will, responsive administration, adequate resources, and sound data.
• Mission oriented outlook:
  • Strong and sustained political leadership supported by a responsive administrative structure at all levels, from national to the district level, is critical for the success.
  • Creating a mission-oriented ethos that is assessment-oriented and which provides adequate support for accomplishing India’s district-level SDGs is now urgently needed.
• Learning from COVID strategy:
  • India’s lessons from ‘dealing with COVID’ strategy that can inform and optimise India’s approach to its SDG targets.
  • Integrated digital platform:
    • India’s success with COVID-19 was largely possible both because of the existing digital infrastructure,as well as new, indigenous initiatives such as the Co-WIN data platform, and the Aarogya Setu application.
    • Following these examples, India must put in place a coordinated, public data platform for population health management, by consolidating its many siloed platforms into an integrated digital resource for district administrators, as well as State and national policy makers.
  • Relief packages:
    • A targeted SDG strategy delivered at scale must be executed with the same timeliness of India’s COVID-19 relief package.

Way ahead

• India needs to innovate a new policy path in order to meet the aspirations of its people in the decade ahead — there is no historical precedent for a democratic and economically open nation on how to deliver development to a billion-plus people in a manner that is healthy and sustainable.
• In successfully delivering a real-time response to the COVID-19 pandemic, India has proved that it is possible to deliver at scale in such an ambitious and comprehensive manner.
• To succeed in meeting its SDG targets, especially those related to population health and well-being, basic quality infrastructure, and gender equality, a similar concerted, pioneering, nation-wide effort would be the need of the hour.