General Studies Paper 2

• Context: According to a recent report titled ‘Making the Digital Ecosystem Disabled Friendly, WhatsApp has been ranked India’s most accessible app for persons with disabilities,which evaluated the most popular apps across categories like messaging, online payments, transport, e-commerce   and food delivery.
• According to the World Health Organization,  about 16% of the global population is disabled. Based on that figure, there are at least 192 million disabled Indians.
• Also, India had 750 million Internet/smartphone users in 2020, including 120 million people with disabilities.
• Despite technology’s tremendous potential to level the playing field for the disabled, it can also reinforce barriers if it is not designed with their needs in mind.
  

Challenges with the Digital Ecosystem for Disabled in India:

• Lack of Accessibility:
  • Many websites, apps, and online resources are not designed with accessibility in mind, making it difficult for people with disabilities to access them.
  • This includes barriers to using assistive technologies like screen readers, magnifiers, or voice recognition software, which makes it hard for people with visual, auditory, or motor disabilities to access the digital content.
• Limited Availability of Assistive Technologies:
  • Many people with disabilities in India do not have access to the necessary assistive technologies to access digital content. The cost of these devices is often prohibitive, and there is also a lack of awareness about their availability and benefits.
• Limited Awareness:
  • Many people with disabilities in India are not aware of the available digital resources or how to access them.
  • For instance, there is a lack of information on the accessibility features of various digital platforms, apps, and websites.
• Language Barriers:
  • There is a significant language barrier in India, with a vast population speaking different regional languages.
  • Many digital resources are available only in English or Hindi, making it difficult for people who speak other languages to access them.
• Limited User Testing:
  • User testing for people with disabilities is often limited or non-existent. Therefore, the accessibility features and overall usability of digital resources for people with disabilities are not adequately assessed.

What is the State of Digital Accessibility Rights in India?

• Legal Efforts:
  • India signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007.
  • To ensure compliance with the UNCRPD, India enacted the  (Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016)  to replace the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
    • The RPWDA adopts the same definition of universal design as in the UNCRPD and places obligations on the appropriate government to ensure universal design for everyday electronic goods and equipment and consumer goods.
  • During Covid-19 Period, the Supreme Court directed the government to conduct a disability audit for the CoWIN website and the Aarogya Setu app.
  • National Policy on Electronic Accessibility, 2013:
    • It seeks to remove discrimination by focusing on awareness, capacity building, institutional training and research and development.
  • Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Guidelines:
    • The guidelines released by the National Disaster Management Authority  in 2019 provide accessible information on the websites in the situation of risk, armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters to help persons with disabilities.
  • Judicial Efforts:
    • Thee-Committee, which is a governing body set up by the Supreme Court to oversee the digitization of Indian courts, has been making changes to court websites to ensure that they are accessible to PwDs.
    • For instance, it has ensured that all High Court websites have accessible captchas by including audio captchas in addition to visual captchas.
    • The e-Committee has also ensured that these websites are accessible in terms of text colour, contrast, text size,and mostly in terms of screen reader access as well.
    • The e-Committee runs training programmes for lawyers to make filings accessible.

Way Forward:

• Accessibility Standards:
  • India can implement accessibility standards to ensure that digital products and services are accessible to persons with disabilities.
  • The accessibility standards should be based on international standards such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)  or Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) standards.
• Inclusive Design:
  • Inclusive design can ensure that digital products and services are designed to be accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities.
  • Inclusive design involves designing with the user in mind, taking into consideration their abilities, needs, and limitations.
• Assistive Technology:
  • India can encourage the development and use of assistive technology to help persons with disabilities access digital products and services.
  • Assistive technology includes software, hardware, and devices that help persons with disabilities to interact with digital products and services.
• Training and Awareness:
  • India can provide training and awareness to digital product and service providers,developers, and designers on accessibility and inclusive design. This can help ensure that accessibility and inclusive design are integrated into the design and development process.
• Collaborations:
  • India can collaborate with organizations, researchers, and experts in the field of disability and accessibility to develop innovative solutions to make digital products and services accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Government Policies:
  • The Indian government can create policies that incentivize companies to implement accessibility standards and inclusive design in their digital products and services.The government can also create policies that require digital products and services to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Use of AI:
  • Currently technology is used to automate a large number of accessibility tests,and combine that with in-depth manual testing to provide comprehensive accessibility feedback to developers.
  • Developers and companies can now use AI to automate accessibility testing and analyze feedback from users with disabilities to provide actionable insights.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: India and Nepal recently agreed to strengthen their economic and development cooperation for the benefit of the two countries and region as a whole.
• India’s Foreign Secretary recently met his Nepalese counterpart holding discussions on strengthening the comprehensive bilateral relations.
  • The visit is in continuation of the regular exchange of visits between the two friendly neighbours.
• Issues of discussion:
  • Various aspects of Nepal-India relations including the power sector cooperation, trade, transit, education, culture, healthcare and connectivity infrastructure were discussed during the meeting.
  • Issues such as increasing development assistance to Nepal, boosting investment, resolving problems surfacing in connectivity, and bilateral trade as well as the promotion of power trade were mainly featured during the meeting.
• Provision of international air route:
  • Nepal urged India to provide an international air route for the effective operation of the newly opened Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara International Airport.
• Proposal of a common voice of the South Asian nations: 
  • Nepal also proposed to form a mechanism for a common voice of the South Asian nations in the international forums regarding climate change issues.

India-Nepal Relations

• India & Nepal share close and friendly relations characterised by age-old historical and cultural linkages, open borders and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts.
  • Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old “Roti Beti” relationship.
• Sharing borders:
  • The country shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states — Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
  • Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services.
• Trade and economic ties: 
  • India remains Nepal’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade crossing US$ 7 billion in FY 2019-20. India provides transit for almost the entire third-country trade of Nepal.
    • India’s export to Nepal has grown over 8 times in the past 10 years while exports from Nepal have almost doubled. Despite the difficulties due to the pandemic, India ensured uninterrupted flow of trade and supplies to Nepal.
    • Nepal is India’s 11th largest export destination, up from 28th position in 2014.
    • In FY  2021-22, it constituted 2.34% of India’s exports. Infact exports from India constitute almost 22% of Nepal’s GDP.
  • Development Partnership: 
    • Financial and technical assistance:
      • GoI provides substantial financial and technical assistance to Nepal for the implementation of large development and infrastructure and connectivity projects,  as well as small development projects/high-impact community development projects in key areas of education, health, irrigation, rural infrastructure, livelihood development, etc. all across the country.
    • The ‘New Partnership in Agriculture’:
      • It was announced in April 2018, which focuses on collaborative projects in Agriculture, Education and R&D.
    • Cross-border railway links:
      • India is providing financial and technical assistance for construction of two broad gauge cross-border railway links viz Jayanagar-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar.
    • India-Nepal Rail Services Agreement (RSA):
      • India and Nepal signed a Letter of Exchange (LoE) to the India-Nepal Rail Services Agreement (RSA), which enabled all authorised cargo train operators including private container train operators to carry Nepal’s container and other freight.
    • Mahakali River bridge:
      • Recently, a MoU was signed between India and Nepal for the construction of a motorable bridge across the Mahakali River connecting Dharchula (India) with Darchula (Nepal), under Indian grant assistance.
    • Operation Maitri & post-earthquake reconstruction assistance:
      • In the wake of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, GoI was the first responder and carried out its largest disaster relief operation abroad (Operation Maitri).
      • India extended US$ 1 billion to Nepal as part of its long-term assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction in housing, education, health and culture heritage sectors.

Issues between India & Nepal

• Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950:
  • On 31 July 1950, India and Nepal signed a treaty of peace and friendship in an effort to “strengthen and develop these ties and to perpetuate peace between the two countries”.
    • As time passed, Nepal believed the treaty was “incompatible with national self-respect”.
  • Madhesi Issue:
    • India’s entrenched interests in Nepal suffered a setback in 2015, when a blockade at the borders ensued following protests by Madhesis and some other ethnic groups against marginalisation of their interests in the newly-passed Nepalese Constitution.
  • Kalapani dispute:  
    • The area is in India’s control but Nepal claims the region because of historical and cartographic reasons. The area is the largest territorial dispute between Nepal and India consisting of at least 37,000 hectares of land in the High Himalayas.
  • Susta Border dispute:
    • Susta is a disputed territory between Nepal and India. It is administered by India as part of West Champaran district of Bihar.
    • Nepal claims the area a part of West Nawalparasi District under Susta rural municipality, alleging that over 14,860 hectares of Nepali land in Susta has been encroached upon by India.

Way ahead

• There are several irritants that have developed, straining this relationship, and for now there seems to be a concerted attempt by both governments to return to bonhomie, with the Indian government seeking to utilise “religious diplomacy” as a means to emphasise the special relationship.
• India-Nepal relations need to graduate to a more meaningful partnership on economic and geopolitical issues, with the Indian government continuing to retain a substantial role in partnering the Nepali regime in development projects.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: India is quickly emerging as one of the leading players in the global e-commerce industry  E-commerce is dramatically opening up the global market for Indian entrepreneurs at scale and this has changed the fate of ‘Made in India’
• After experiencing the convenience of online shopping during the pandemic,  customers continue to favour digital shelves. There are an estimated 2.14 billion online shoppers globally and the number continues to grow rapidly.
• This presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses in India to start thinking about the global opportunity more seriously.With wider availability of the internet, rising e-commerce marketplaces, manufacturing on demand, easier access to capital, and variable models for logistics and shipping, Indian entrepreneurs can plug themselves into global supply chains and create strong export businesses.
• However, there are bottlenecks related to logistics, cross-border payments, compliance requirements and more. It will take a lot of work to expand the export opportunities for millions of small businesses across the country.

What is the State of Exports from India?

• India’s manufacturing sector has grown 3 times over the last three decades in FY22with contributions from traditional sectors like petrochemicals, steel, cement, and automobiles, as well as new sunshine areas like electronics, toys, and others.
  • Manufacturing Production in India increased 2.60% in December of 2022 over the same month in the previous year.
• There’s also been a steady spike in other categories like bed linens, jewellery, toys, coffee, butter, honey, millets, musical instruments, and more, which is boosting overall exports.
• The export of India’s toy story has grown at nearly 30% CAGR over the last seven years.
• Export of butter and dairy spreads from India has risen at a 25% CAGR.
• The rise of the Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) revolution in India has also been seen where new-age brands from different corners of India are serving customers across the country and the world.
  • Industry estimates suggest that there are over 800 successful D2C brands in India today,with a sector valuation of over USD40 billion.
• India’s merchandise trade crossed the USD1-trillion mark in calendar year 2022 with the share of exports at USD450 billion and imports at USD723 billion.
  • Outbound shipments grew 13.7% year-on-year (YoY) in 2022, while imports rose by 21% in comparison to 2021.

Challenges with E-Commerce Exports in India:

• Infrastructural Barriers:
  • Lack of proper infrastructure, such as warehousing and transportation, makes it difficult for e-commerce businesses to scale and reach a larger audience.
• Payment and Financial Services:
  • Access to payment and financial services, especially for small businesses, is still a major challenge.
• Lack of Trust:
  • Customers are often hesitant to make online purchases from unfamiliar websites,which can limit the growth of e-commerce exports.
• Shipping and Delivery:
  • Shipping and delivery of products to foreign countries can be expensive and time-consuming,leading to dissatisfaction among customers.
• Customs and Duties:
  • Complex customs and duties regulations can make exporting goods challenging and time-consuming.
• Cybersecurity:
  • E-commerce websites are vulnerable to  cyber attacks, which can lead to loss of sensitive information and negatively impact the reputation of the business.
• Lack of Standardization:
  • Lack of standardization in terms of product quality, delivery, and customer service can make it difficult for e-commerce businesses to gain a competitive edge.
• Competition from International Players:
  • Competition from well-established international e-commerce companies can make it difficult for Indian companies to grow and succeed in the global market.

How India can Lead the E-commerce Export Market?

• Creating more Awareness:
  • Creating awareness about e-commerce exports is crucial in promoting and increasing the growth of this industry.
  • One effective strategy for creating more awareness about e-commerce exports on the ground is through:
    • Education and training can help in gaining a better understanding of the benefits and opportunities offered by e-commerce exports.
    • Networking events which can serve as a platform for businesses and individuals to connect and share ideas.
    • Marketing campaigns can also play a crucial role in creating awareness about e-commerce exports.
  • Improving Infrastructure:
    • India needs to invest in better infrastructure facilities such as roads, ports, and warehouses to make it easier for e-commerce companies to export their products.
  • Simplifying Export Regulations:
    • The government can simplify the export regulations and procedures to make it easier for e-commerce companies to start exporting.
  • Encouraging Foreign Investment:
    • The government can encourage foreign investment in the e-commerce sector to bring in more resources and expertise to help companies grow.
  • Developing a Strong Logistics Network:
    • A strong logistics network is crucial for e-commerce exports, and India needs to develop this network to ensure that products reach their destination on time.
  • Promoting Digitalization:
    • The government can encourage digitalization in the e-commerce sector to make it easier for companies to connect with customers and suppliers and streamline their operations.
  • Offering Incentives:
    • The government can offer incentives to e-commerce companies that are focused on exports, such as tax breaks, subsidies, and grants, to encourage them to grow and expand their operations.
  • Building Strong Partnerships:
    • The government can build strong partnerships with other countries and organizations to help Indian e-commerce companies access new markets and find new customers.

General Studies Paper 3

• The Union Budget 2023-24  has given a new push for clean energy. Apart from providing INR 35,000 crore for priority capital investments towards energy transition and net zero objectives, the Budget has earmarked INR 10,000 crore for establishing 500 new ‘Waste to Wealth‘ plants under GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) scheme for promoting circular economy  Of the 500 new plants announced, 200 will be Compressed Biogas Plants (CBG), including 75 in cities and the remaining 300 will be community or cluster-based plants. Biogas is an environment friendly solution to ensure energy security as well as a small step towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Bio-gas:

• Biogas is a mixture of Methane (CH₄), Carbon-dioxide (CO₂) and small quantities of other gases. It is produced by anaerobic fermentation of organic matter in an oxygen-free environment. The precise composition of biogas depends on the type of feedstock and the production method used. The organic matter to produce biogas can be biodegradable waste such as agricultural waste, animal waste like dung and segregated organic fraction of municipal solid waste.
• Compressed Biogas (CBG): Biogas can be purified and upgraded up to 98% of purity to make it suitable to be used as a green fuel for transportation or filling of cylinders. The process relies on a high pressure of ~250 bar and hence is called Compressed Biogas (CBG).
• Bio-Methane: It is also known as ‘renewable natural gas’. It is a near-pure source of methane produced either by ‘upgrading’ biogas or through the gasification of solid biomass followed by Methanation. Upgradation refers to a process that removes any CO₂and other contaminants present in the biogas.

Initiatives taken by the Government with respect to Biogas:

• First, Under the Sustainable Alternative to More Affordable Transportation(SATAT) programme (launched 2018), the Government of India has been encouraging private businesses to establish Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants and provide CBG to oil marketing companies so that it can be sold as an automotive and industrial fuel.
• Second, Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources (GOBAR)-Dhanwas launched by the Government of India in April 2018 as a part of the biodegradable waste management component under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin.
• Third, the Waste to Energy Division of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE)  has notified a five-year-long National Bioenergy Programme(2021-22 to 2025-26).
• Fourth, the Government of India and NITI Aayog have devised road maps to speed up the country’s transition to environmentally friendly fuels and to boost the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, and methanol.

Advantages of Biogas:

• Environment Friendly: It is a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source. Less energy is required to produce Biogas compared to extracting natural gas.
• Moreover, Methane has higher greenhouse/warming potentialthan carbon-dioxide. Hence, capturing and combusting methane to produce carbon-dioxide reduces the overall global warming, compared to a situation where methane is allowed to escape to the atmosphere.
• Energy Diversification: Biogas production reduces reliance on fossil fuels such as oil and coal.
• Renewable: The raw materials used in biogas production are renewable, as trees and crops will continue to grow. Manure, food scraps, and crop residue are always available raw materials, making it a highly sustainable option.
• Reduce Soil and Water Pollution: Producing biogas from waste reduces dumping of wastes in landfills. Overflowing landfills not only emit foul odours, but also allow toxic liquids to enter underground water sources. As a result, another advantage of biogas is that it may improve water quality. Furthermore, anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and parasites, making it effective in reducing the prevalence of waterborne diseases.
• Similarly, waste collection and management improve dramatically in areas with biogas plants. This, in turn, leads to improvements in the environment, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Organic Fertilizers: The byproduct of the biogas generation process is enriched organic digestate, which is an excellent supplement to or replacement for chemical fertilisers. The fertiliser discharge from the digester can accelerate plant growth and resistance to diseases, whereas commercial fertilisers contain chemicals that are toxic and can cause food poisoning, besides other harmful effects.
• Promotes Circular Economy: It is a simple and low-cost technology that promotes a circular economy. The technology used to generate biogas is relatively inexpensive. It is simple to set up and requires little investment when used on a small scale. Small biodigesters can be used at home, utilising kitchen waste and animal manure. After a while, a household system pays for itself, and the materials used in generation are completely free.
• Biogas can also be compressed to the quality of natural gas and used to power automobiles in large plants. Such plants require little capital investment and create green jobs.
• Healthy Alternative for Cooking Fuel: Biogas generators relieve women and children of the laborious task of gathering firewood. As a result, more time is available for other productive activities. More importantly, cooking on a biogas rather than an open fire keeps the family safe from smoke in the This aids in the prevention of deadly respiratory diseases.
• Achieving SDGs: According to the Linköping University’s Biogas Research Center report, Biogas contributes to all 17 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Challenges in Production and Use of Biogas:

• Lack of Technological Advances: According to some experts, the systems used to produce biogas are inefficient. There is lack of a new technology that can simplify the process, make it accessible, and reduce the cost of doing so. This means that large-scale production to meet the needs of a large population is still impossible. Although current biogas plants can meet some energy needs, many governments are unwilling to invest in the sector.
• Impurities: Impurities remain in biogas after refinement and compression. Use of Biogas in automobiles can corrode the engine’s metal parts. Corrosion would result in higher maintenance costs. The gaseous mixture is far more appropriate for kitchen stoves, water boilers, and lamps.
• Temperature Limitation: Biogas generation, like other renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind), is influenced by the weather. The ideal temperature for bacteria to digest waste is around 37°C. Digesters in cold climates require heat energy to maintain a constant biogas supply. Hence its use is limited to warm regions.
• Suitability for Metropolitan Areas: Another disadvantage is that industrial biogas plants only make sense where raw materials (food waste, manure) are abundant. As a result, biogas generation is much better suited to rural and suburban areas. The material used in biogas generation emit bad smells. Hence it is necessary that the plants are sufficiently far from the inhabited areas
• To power a 1MW power plant, at least 300 hectares of land is required, as minimum usable area. Large quantities of land must therefore be available, which poses a challenge in urban areas.
• Transport: If the plant is located far away, suitable means of transport will be needed to transport the raw materials and the final product. This will add to costs and emissions.

Conclusion

• Biogas can prove to be a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. It is an ideal source to ensure energy security in the rural areas. It can also contribute to decarbonization of the agriculture sector  through conversion of methane. There is a need to invest in new technologies that can help scale up the use of Biogas in urban areas. This can help in achieving the climate targets in the long run.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: A sharp decline in poverty levels, now down to about 16% of the population, is witnessed in India due to the emergence of the middle class at the national level. According to an estimate, about one-third of the population is estimated to have entered the middle-class.
• This is because of government’s systematic approach to increase middle-class wellbeing in the past. According to the author, these initiatives can be articulated through the 4S framework: Sampannata, Surakshit Bhavishya, Shreshtha Jeevan and Saralta.

What are the 4S framework for middle class prosperity?

Sampannata: Enrichment through inflation control and loans

• Between 2014 and 2022, annual inflation was 4. 6%. Despite multiple global crises, the CPI was at 5. 7% in December 2022, which was much lower than many G20 countries.
• This ensured
• a)greater liquidity for the middle-class,
• b) lower EMIs resulted in decline in loan rates. For example, student loan rates were priced about 8% in 2022 from around 14% in 2014,
• c) middle-class families found lower EMIs easier to purchase more houses, cars and also take more loans for the higher education,
• d) one-nation one-tax initiative of GST has led to gross savings of an estimated Rs 18 lakh-crore, which works out to an annual household saving of Rs 12,000,
• e) 120 million of 380 million beneficiaries of the PM Mudra Yojana were middle-class individuals.

Surakshit Bhavishya: Securing a healthy future

• This includes significant government efforts to provide affordable healthcare and quality education. Steps in this direction include
• a)353 new universities in the last nine years,
• b) Opening up of 15 new AIIMS and 261 new medical colleges,
• c) 41 Indian universities featured in global rankings in 2023 compared to just nine in 2014,
• d) 50-90% cheaper generic medicines available at 9,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras,
• e) 87 crore free screenings is done at 1. 5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Centres.

Shreshta Jeevan: A better life

• -By 2022, India built 1. 65 lakh kms of national highways and had the second largest road network in the world, after the US, due to a tenfold increase in capital expenditure on roads and bridges,
• -India now has metro connectivity in 20 cities. India is now a year away from having the third largest metro network globally.
• -India has the highest per capita mobile data consumption rate and among the lowest cost of data per GB in the world.
• Nearly 80% of India’s 120 crore mobile phone users and 80 crore internet users are expected to receive 5G connectivity within a year. If done it will be the world’s fastest 5G roll-out.
• -Apart from that, visible improvements is seen in housing, transportation, tap water connections, and waste management. On an average, power is now available for 22 hours against 12. 5 hours in 2015.

Saralta: Hassle-free existence

• -India’s cashless digital payment ecosystem is hailed as among the best in the world. UPI accounted for 65% of the total digital transactions in 2021-22.
• -DigiLocker facility for paperless certificate authentication has been embraced by the middle-class.
• Overall, India’s rising global profile in a multitude of areas has inculcated a new sense of pride among Indian middleclass. Indian government remains committed to boosting prosperity for the middle-class through the 4S framework, providing an alternative development model to the world.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: The Supreme Court has issued notices on a petition highlighting the  vacant posts of Deputy Speakers  in Lok Sabha and five state assemblies for years.
• A Bench sought responses on a PIL that contends that not  electing a Deputy Speaker to the 17th (present) Lok Sabha, is “against the letter and spirit of the Constitution”.

Constitutional provisions regarding Deputy Speaker:

• Article 93 of the Constitution of India establishes the post of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and Articles 94-96 detail their appointment, removal, and powers.
• In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker serves as the Speaker and wields the full powers of the Speaker.
• Deputy Speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker and is directly responsible to the House.
• Article 178 of the Constitution establishes the post of Deputy Speakeof assemblies and Articles 179-181 deal with their powers and appointment or resignation.

Is it mandatory to have a Deputy Speaker?

• Constitutional experts point out that both Articles 93 and 178 use the word “shall”, indicating that the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker is mandatory under the Constitution.

Do the powers of the Speaker extend to the Deputy Speaker as well?

• Article 95(1) says: “While the office of Speaker is vacant, the duties of the office shall be performed by the Deputy Speaker”.
• The Deputy Speaker has the same powers as the Speaker when presiding over a sitting of the House. All references to the Speaker in the Rules are deemed to be references to the Deputy Speaker when he presides.

What is the position of the Union government on the current vacancy in the post of Deputy Speaker?

• The Treasury benches have maintained there is no “immediate requirement” for a Deputy Speaker as “bills are being passed and discussions are being held” as normal in the House. A Minister argued that “there is a panel of nine members — senior, experienced and selected from different parties — who can act as chairpersons to assist the Speaker to run the House”.

Can the courts intervene in cases of a delay in electing the Deputy Speaker?

• Article 122(1) says: “The validity of any proceedings in Parliament shall not be called in question on the ground of any alleged irregularity of procedure.”
• However, experts said that the courts do have jurisdiction to at least inquire into why there has been no election to the post of Deputy Speaker since the Constitution does envisage an election“as soon as may be”.

General Studies Paper 1

• Context: On December 24, 2009, a tunnel boring machine in Joshimath, Uttarakhand,hit an aquifer about 3kms from Selang village. Resulted in the loss of nearly 800 liters of water per

Land subsidence:

• It is the sinking of the ground because of underground material movement.
• Subsidence can be caused by gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, USA)).
• The causes for subsidence generally are:
  • Natural causes– earthquakes, glacial isostatic adjustment, soil compaction, erosion, sinkhole formation, etc.
  • Resource extraction– extracting resources such as oil, water, minerals, natural gas, etc. from the ground by mining, fracking or pumping.
  • Construction of infrastructure– excess infrastructure load above the carrying capacity of the soil.

Joshimath or Jyotirmath:

• It is a temple town and a municipality in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
• The math or monasteryis one of the four cardinal institutions founded by Adi Shankaracharya in the four corners of India.
• The cantonment at Joshimath is one of the closest to the China border.
• Joshimath has no systemto manage wastewater.
• Ongoing infrastructure projects(the Tapovan Vishnugad dam and the Helang-Marwari bypass road) may also worsen the situation.

The problem in hilly urban India:

• An estimated 12.6% of India’s land areais prone to landslides, especially in Sikkim, West Bengal and Uttarakhand.
• According to the National Institute of Disaster Management (and highlighted in the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy, September 2019): Urban policy is making landslides worse .
• Land use planning in India’s Himalayan towns and the Western Ghats is often ill-conceived, adding to slope instability.
• Tunneling constructionis weakening rock formations.

What steps need to be taken?

• Acquiring credible datais the first step toward enhancing urban resilience with regard to land subsidence.
• The overall landslide risk needs to be mapped at the granular level.
• The Geological Survey of India has conducted a national mapping exercise (1:50,000 scale, with each centimeter denoting approximately 5(zero point five)km).
  • Urban policymakers need to take this further, with additional detail and localisation (1:1,000 scale).
• Areas with high landslide risk should not be allowed to expand large infrastructure
  • there must be a push to reduce human interventions and adhere to carrying capacity.
• Any site development in hazardous zones needs assessment by a geologist (with respect to soil suitability and slope stability) and an evaluation of its potential impact on buildings that are nearby.
• Corrective measures (retention walls), with steps to prohibit construction in hazardous areas.

Case of Aizawl, Mizoram:

• It is in ‘Seismic Zone V’, and built on very steep slope
• An earthquake with a magnitude greater than 7 on the Richter scale would easily trigger over 1,000 landslides and cause large-scale damage to buildings.
• The city has developed a landslide action plan (with a push to reach 1:500 scale),
• Updated regulations to guide construction activities in hazardous zones.
• The city’s landslide policy committee is cross-disciplinary in nature, seeking inputs from civic society and university students, with a push to continually update risk zones.

Case of Gangtok, Sikkim:

• The Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has helped set up a real-time landslide monitoring and early warning system, with sensors assessing the impact of rainfall infiltration, water movement and slope instability.

 Flood risks of Indian cities:

• In August 2019, Palava City (Phase I and II) in Dombivli, Maharashtra experienced heavy flooding, leaving residents stranded.
• Seasonal rain is now increasing in intensity.
  • Reason for the flooding:
    • The township, spread over 4,500 acres, was built on the flood plains of the Mothali river.
    • When planned townships are approved, with a distinct lack of concern for natural hazards, such incidents are bound to occur.
  • Floods in Panjim, Goa, in July 2021,led to local rivers swelling and homes being flooded, leaving urban settlements along the Mandovi affected.
    • Issue:
      • The city, built on marshlands, was once home to mangroves and fertile fields, which helped bolster its flood resilience.
    • Delhi: An estimated 9,350 households live in the Yamuna floodplains
    • UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of March 2022: highlighted the risk Kolkata faces due to a rise in sea levels.

Measures for Flood-proofing India’s cities:

• Urban planners will have to step back from filling up water bodies, canals and drains.
  • Focus on enhancing sewerage and stormwater drain networks.
• Existing sewerage networks need to be reworked and expanded to enable wastewater drainage in low-lying urban geographies.
• Rivers that overflow need to be desilted regularly along with a push for coastal walls in areas at risk from sea rise.
• Greater spending on flood-resilient architecture(river embankments, flood shelters in coastal areas and flood warning systems) is necessary.
• Protecting “blue infra” areas,, places that act as natural sponges for absorbing surface runoff, allowing groundwater to be recharged, is a must.
• Urban authorities will need to invest in simulation capacity to determine flooding hotspots and flood risk maps.

Way Forward

• The combination of poor urban planning and climate change will mean that many of India’s cities could face devastating flooding.
• Cities need to incorporate environmental planning and enhance natural open spaces.
• Urban master plans need to consider the impact of climate change and extreme weather;
  • Bengaluru needs to think of 125 mm per hour peak rainfall in the future, as against the current 75 mm.
• Urban authorities in India should assess and update disaster risk and preparedness planning.
  • Early warning systems will also be critical.
• Each city needs to have a disaster management framework in place,with large arterial roads that allow people and goods to move freely.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: The  agriculture sector  in India has experienced buoyant growth in the past two years.
• India’s agricultural exports are poised to scale a new peak in the financial year ending March 31, 2023. But so are imports, bringing down the overall farm trade surplus.

What are the Agri-Stats?

• The value of farm exports in April-December 2022 was 7.9% higher(USD 39 Billion) than the USD 36.2 bn for the corresponding period of the previous year.
• However,imports have grown 15.4% (USD 27.8 bn) in Apr-Dec 2022, over the USD 24.1 bn for Apr-Dec 2021.
• As a result, there has been a further shrinking of the surplus on the farm trade account.
• The two big contributors to India’sagri-export growth have been Rice and Sugar.
  • Rice:India in 2021-22 shipped out an all-time-high 21.21 million tonnes (mt) of rice valued at USD 9.66 billion.
    • That included 17.26 mt of non-basmati and 3.95 mt of basmati rice.
  • Sugar:Sugar exports hit a record value of USD 4.60 billion in 2021-22, as against USD 2.79 billion in last fiscal.
    • This fiscal has seen a further surge of 43.6%, from USD 2.78 billion in April-December 2021 to USD 3.99 billion in April-December 2022.
  • However, exports of some big-ticket items have faltered or slowed, such as spices, wheat, buffalo meat etc.

What about the Imports?

• Vegetable Oil:
  • According to the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India,India’s total edible oil imports rose from 13.13 mt in 2020-21 to 14.03 mt in the 2021-22 oil year (Nov-Oct), and increased further by 9% from 2.36 mt in Nov-Dec 2021 to 3.08 mt in Nov-Dec 2022.
• Cotton:
  • India has turned from a net exporter to a net importer of cotton.
  • Exports collapsed to USD 512.04 million in April-December, 2022 (from USD 1.97 billion in April-December 2021) and imports have also soared from USD 414.59 million to USD 1.32 billion for the same period.
• Cashew:
  • During April-December 2022, imports have posted a 64.6% rise to USD 1.64 billionfrom USD 996.49 million in April-December 2021, even as exports of cashew products have plummeted from USD 344.61 million to USD 259.71 million for the same period.

How India’s Farm Performance is Linked to International Commodity Prices?

• The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Food Price Index  — having a base value of 100 for the 2014-16 period — averaged 122.5 points in 2012-13 and 119.1 points in 2013-14.
  • Those were the years when India’s agri-exports were at USD 42-43 billion.
• As the index crashed to 90-95 points in 2015-16 and 2016-17, so did exports to USD 33-34 billion.
• The FAO index peaked at 159.7 points in March 2022, just after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since then,it has fallen every month, with the latest reading of 131.2 points for January 2023 the lowest after the 129.2 points of September 2021.
  • More than a general export slowdown, it’s the growth in imports that should be cause for concern.
• Going by past correlation i.e.,when the index was high, exports were high, and when it was low, exports were low. Currently, the index has been falling, which may lead to a slowdown in India’s farm exports and an increase in imports.
• In the event, the focus of policymakers too, may have to shift from being pro-consumer (to the extent of banning/ restricting exports) to pro-producer(providing tariff protection against unbridled imports).

Way Forward

• Clearly, the effects of not allowing new genetic modification (GM) technologies after the first-generation Bt cotton are showing, and impacting exports as well. Aproactive approach is required in edible oils as well, where planting of GM hybrid mustard has been permitted with great reluctance — and which is now a matter before the Supreme Court.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: Artificial intelligence (AI) programs involving Natural Language Processing (NLP) have caused a shift in the way people use web searches. AI-driven search engines may lead to radical changes in the way search is monetised via advertising, and it could challenge Google’s dominant search engine.

What is ChatGPT?

• ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot developed by the AI startup Open AI. The technology functions by leveraging extensive data to learn how to respond to user prompt in a human-like manner, providing information similar to a search engine. 

What is a Chatbot?

• A chatbot is a software that simulates human-like conversations with users via chat. 
• A chatGPT-based chatbot can help rural India in several ways: 
• Providing access to information: E.g. healthcare, education, agriculture, and government schemes.
  • In a recent demo, the Chatbot seamlessly responded to a query on PM Awas Yojana– made through a voice note.
• Improving access to services: E.g. banking, insurance, and healthcare. This can help bridge the gap between urban and rural areas and improve the quality of life for rural residents.
• Providing language support: It supports multiple languages. More languages are being integrated through Bhashini Daan Mission.
• Enhancing financial inclusion By promoting financial literacy and encouraging savings among rural residents.

Steps to overcome limitations:

• Government is yet to build a National Digital public platform for Indian languages
• Reducing the  digital divide in rural India
• Enabling access to affordable technology
• Reducing behavioural resistance to new technologies

Conclusion:

• A chatGPT-based chatbot can help to improve the quality of life for rural residents by providing access to information and services that are otherwise difficult to obtain.

BHASHINI Mission

• Under Bhashini Mission, a team at MeitY is currently building a WhatsApp-based chatbot that relies on information generated by ChatGPT to return appropriate responses to queries.
• BHASHINI Mission is a local language translation mission that aims to enable easy access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access, and help the creation of content in Indian languages.
• It will also provide AI-based resources to Indian MSMEs, startups and innovators in the public domain

What is Bhasha Daan?

• It is an ambitious project which aims to crowdsource voice datasets in multiple Indian languages as part of Project BHASHINI.
• On the project’s website, people can contribute in three key ways:
• By recording their voice samples in multiple Indian languages
• By typing out a sentence being played
• By translating text from one language into another.

How AI-driven search engines are different from Conventional engines?

• Conventional engines list only relevant links. But the AI-driven search engines such as ChatGPT and Bard are different from Conventional engines as a)They have behavioural sense and they offer more “human” filtering of search results, b) They present search results in an essay format rather than just displaying links, c) They have the ability to write essays or even poetry on demand. AI-assisted fiction is another possibility that may change the publishing industry.
• They also have other applications such as one can use ChatGPT to write software code to perform various functions, or perhaps using NLP to build an autonomous driving application.

Challenges with AI-driven search engines:

• The AI-driven search engines have the following concerns, a)Though their searches are plausible and comprehensive, they are not necessarily accurate, b) There is a possibility that they will over-reach assertions. Conspiracy theories and opinions can be presented as facts if they are stated by “authorities”. For instance, Bard asserted the James Webb Space Telescope  was the first telescope to take pictures of an exoplanet, which is wrong, c) Their ability to write essays and poems might create a new kind of plagiarism.

What do AI-driven search engines mean as a business activity?

• NLP-based searches could lead to an entirely new revenue model for one of the Web’s biggest market segments. Advertising revenue share might move to new players, or perhaps create some entirely different revenue model.
• Google has been dominating search and it has built an empire around the cash cow of resulting advertising revenues. This is finally being challenged now with AI-driven search engines.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: The Union Budget 2023-24 has been presented in the Parliament. In 2005, the Government had started releasing a Gender Budget along with the Union budget. Gender Budgeting is a strategy to ensure that promises on gender equality show up in public budget allocations as well. However, achieving gender equality through Gender Budgeting has remained a challenge. The share of Gender Budget (in total Government Budget) has remained low despite growing at an annualized rate 13% since inception. With some reforms in the implementation, the Government can improve the efficacy of Gender Budgeting in terms of outcomes.

Gender Budgeting (GB):

• Gender Budgeting is the use of fiscal policies and public financial management tools to promote gender equality. It is an exercise that applies a ‘Gendered-lens‘ to the allocation and tracking of public funds. This is done in order to ensure that governments are acutely aware of the impact of their choices on gender outcomes. Gender Budgeting is not limited to funding explicit gender equality initiatives. It also entails analyzing fiscal policies and budgetary decisions to understand their impact on gender equality and using this information to design and implement more effective gender policies. It translates the gender commitments into fiscal commitments.
• The ‘Gender Budgeting Handbook, 2015’ released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development notes that Gender Budgeting is a tool for gender mainstreaming. It observes that, “Gender Budgeting is concerned with gender-sensitive formulation of legislation, policies, plans, programmes and schemes; allocation and collection of resources; implementation and execution; monitoring, review, audit and impact assessment of programmes and schemes; and follow-up corrective action to address gender disparities.” It is not only about the Budget and it is not just a one-time activity. It is a continuous process that must be applied to all levels and stages of the policy process.
• Evolution of Gender Budgeting: It was first introduced in 1984 in Australia to evaluate the impact of the national budget on women and girls. The approach was adopted by other countries including Canada, South Africa and Philippines etc. In 1995, the United Nation’s Beijing Platform for Action called for integrating a gender perspective into government budget processes.
• In 2015, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) called for adequate resources and tools to track budget allocations for gender equality (SDG indicator 5.c.1). The Addis Ababa Action Agenda for Development (2015) recognized the importance of tracking resource allocations for gender equality and strengthening capacity for Gender Budgeting.
• In 2020, G20-Women, an official engagement group to the G20, called for greater investment in GB to ensure that fiscal policies advance gender equality in the short and long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Status of Gender Budgeting in India:

• The Government of India had adopted Gender Budgeting in 2005-06.
• In India, Gender Budgeting comprises two parts: (a)Part A reflects Women-Specific Schemese., those which have 100% allocation for women; (b) Part B reflects Pro-Women Schemes i.e., those where at least 30% of the allocation is for women.
• The gender budgeting framework has helped the gender-neutral ministries to design new programs for women.
• Gender Budgeting Cells (GBC): The Government has mandated the establishment of Gender Budgeting Cells in all Ministries and Departments as an institutional mechanism to implement Gender Budgeting. The GBCs conduct gender-based impact analyses, beneficiary needs assessments, and beneficiary incidence analyses and determine the room for re-prioritizing public expenditures and better implementation.
• Role of The Ministry of Women and Child Development in Gender Budgeting: The Ministry has made consistent efforts to support the institutionalization of GB at the State/UT level. The Ministry also provides financial support to Government training institutions for capacity building of Government officials to enhance Gender Budgeting in States/UTs.
• Role of States/UTs in Gender Budgeting: In a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha (March 2021), the Government responded that 27 States/UTs have adopted Gender Budgeting and have taken various steps to address gender gaps and advance gender equality. Goa, Haryana, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Telangana, Chandigarh, Ladakh, Puducherry haven’t adopted GB yet.
• These steps take by States include identification of a nodal Department for Gender Budgeting, constitution of Gender Budgeting Cells, formulation of State Women/Girls Policy, creation of Gender Data Bank and adding Gender Budget Statement in the State Budget. Additionally, 21 States/UTs have established designated State Nodal Centres for sustained capacity building efforts on GB.
• Budgetary Allocations: India’s Gender Budget has allocated INR 2.23 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2023-24. This is ~30% higher than Budgetary allocation in 2022-23 (INR 1.71 lakh crore, Budget estimate) but only ~2% than actual allocation (INR 2.18 lakh crore, Revised Estimate).
• Part A of the Gender Budget has allotted over INR 88,000 crore in FY2023-24. It is dominated by the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(both Urban and Rural housing). These two schemes attracted 90% of the total funding for Part A of the Gender Budget. Part B has received INR 1.35 lakh crore. Part B comprise several schemes pertaining to rural development, health, education and women empowerment.
• Important women-centric schemes include: (a)Safe City Project, an initiative under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme for ensuring safety of women and children; (b) SAMBAL, a sub-scheme comprising of old schemes like One Stop Centre, Women Helpline and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao; (c) SAMARTHYA, includes women empowerment programmes like Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and Swadhar Greh. SAMBAL and SAMARTHYA are part of the larger umbrella scheme ‘Mission Shakti‘, an integrated women empowerment programme.

Benefits of Gender Budgeting:

• Understanding Impact of Budget: Gender Budgeting approach leads to better informed policy choices. This approach makes the policy makers more aware of the potential impact of policy decisions on gender.
• Better Utilisation of Resources: It can support efforts to not only design, but re-design fiscal policies, adjusting resources to better address persistent gender gaps.
• Achievement of Gender Equality Goals: It leads to greater focus on achieving gender equality goals. A focused approach leads to better results. An IMF Working paper on the impact of Gender Budgeting in G20 countries notes that Gender Budgeting leads to more programmes incorporating gender related goals. Every country analysed in the research paper had some positive outcome in terms of gender equality.
• Wider Societal Outcomes: There are many other factors that impact the achievement of gender equality, including societal attitudes and behaviours. Gender Budgeting practices can make a difference in the way governments consider policy in respect to gender and lead to more conscious and better-informed decision making.

Challenges in Gender Budgeting:

• Low Allocation: Despite increase in allocation in absolute terms, the share of Gender Budget in overall Union Budget has always remained less than 6%. The highest allocation was in 2011-12 at 5.8%.
• Skewed Allocation: The Gender Budget consists of two parts based on fund allocation. Part A with 100% allocation for women has lower share in the Gender Budget. The highest share for Part A was 46% in FY2021-22. Since 2005-06, the share of Part A was less than 30% of the overall Gender Budget for 12 years.
• Technical Challenges: Implementation of Gender Budgeting faces several challenges like lack of guidance, coordination, expertise among personnel, and low quality of gender impact assessments (GIAs).
• Absence of Gender Disaggregated Data: Lack of gender disaggregated data make it difficult to formulate effective policies. Additionally, it limits the ability to accurately measure the effectiveness of the Gender Budgeting policies and initiatives. IMF paper notes that Governments often point out to their inability to track gender-sensitive policies over their implementation cycle, due to lack of budget classifications or failure to incorporate gender classifiers in the financial management information systems (FMIS).
• Skewed Implementation: Many sectors/schemes that can have impact on women, do not practice Gender Budgeting. NITI Aayog paper on Gender Mainstreaming (June 2022) has noted that only 62 out of 119 centrally-sponsored schemes are practising GB. The paper noted that the record of Ministers associated with Environment and Climate Change, Urban Transformation, Skill etc. have done poorly.
• Under-Reporting: The Gender Budget does not take into account some of the major schemes that benefit women. For instance, the Jal JeevanMission (JJM) aims to provide household tap connections to all rural households by 2024. Tap water can particularly improve women’s quality of life because it is mostly women and girls who gather water in households that do not have regular water access. Yet, none of the allocations in the JJM have been reported in the Gender Budget.
• Moreover, the schemes that allocate less than 30% funds for women, are not covered in Part B of the Gender Budget.
• In addition, there is lack of clarity on the way schemes allocate at least 30% of their funds for women. For instance, the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin(PMAY-G) accounted for 24% of the Gender Budget in 2023-24 and was placed in Part A of the GB because the scheme encourages houses to be owned by women and thereby might benefit women. On the other hand, only 27% of the funds allocated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) accounted for Part B of the GB, despite women being 55% of MGNREGS workers
• Lack of Accountability: There is no mandate to have a minimum allocation with respect to Gender Budget. In the absence of any accountability mechanisms regarding Gender Budgeting, monitoring and implementation continue to be inadequate.

Way forward to make Gender Budgeting more effective:

• First, NITI Aayog has recommended that a Gender Budgeting Act can mainstream gender-based budgeting across all Ministries and States/UTs. The Act can also mandate all data collecting institutions to analyse and publish gender-disaggregated statistics. This can make the process of GB more scientific.
• Second, the NITI Aayog has also recommended that the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MWCD) should encourage State Governments to increase budgetary allocation towards womenand child development, protection and welfare schemes to ensure improved fund availability and utilisation of schemes. It has also emphasised on the need of finalising the National Policy for Women with revision in 2016 Draft Policy.
• Third, there is a need to have uniform guidelines regarding Gender Budgeting. Evidence from the IMF survey shows that without guidelines or a common methodology for impact assessments, it is difficult for line Ministries to implement a common approach to GB analysis.
• Fourth, the tools to monitor implementation and collect data must be improved. Better data can help in deeper analysis that can help in accurate measurement of outcomes and designing targeted initiatives for gender equality.
• Fifth, the IMF recommends that fiscal policies should focus on areas where gender gaps persist. Gender Impact Assessments(GIAs) should be undertaken to help understand the gender impact of current and alternative policies. The analysis can be utilized to better redesign the policy interventions.

Conclusion

• Gender Budgeting is one of the most potent tools for gender mainstreaming and achieving gender equality. India has been one of the early adopters of Gender Budgeting. Yet the process faces several challenges. The next step should be to plug these gaps and make the process more effective. As India enters the phase of Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister has highlighted the importance of the role of Nari Shaktiin achieving the goal of developed economy by 2047. This should be actioned through more responsive and effective Gender Budgeting.