General Studies Paper 2

In News

• The recent easing of global prices has boosted fertilizer availability and cut the subsidy bill.

More about the news

• The easing of global fertiliser prices has enabled the following:
  • Improvement of overall availability significantly: 
    • No major shortage of any fertilizer has been reported during the ongoing rabi cropping season.
    • Augmented fertiliser availability, coupled with good soil moisture conditions, has helped boost area sown under rabi crops, especially wheat, mustard, maize and masur (red lentil).
  • World prices cooling off should translate into a reduction in the Centre’s fertiliser subsidy outgo.
• Worsening of nutrition imbalances:
  • The current fiscal has witnessed a worsening of nutrition imbalances. Consumption of both urea and DAP has shot up, with their sales for the year ending March 2023 likely to top 350 lt and 120 lt respectively.
  • Consumption pattern: Instead of balanced use of plant nutrients based on soil testing and specific crop requirement, Indian farmers are effectively applying just urea and DAP — both high-analysis fertilisers containing 46 per cent N and P respectively.

Government’s initiatives for promoting balanced use of Urea

• Nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime:

• • Government introduced a nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) regime in fertilisers with effect from April 2010, a key objective was to discourage farmers from applying too much urea, DAP and MOP.
    • Urea has 46% nitrogen (N), while DAP contains 46% phosphorus (P) plus 18% N and MOP has 60% potassium (K).

• Neem-coated Urea:

• • Government made the coating of urea with neem oil compulsory from 2015-16.
  • It was done to check illegal diversion of the heavily-subsidised fertiliser for non-agricultural uses, including by plywood, dye, cattle feed and synthetic milk makers.
  • Significance:
    • Neem oil supposedly also acted as a mild nitrification inhibitor, allowing a more gradual release of nitrogen.
    • Increased nitrogen use efficiency would, in turn, bring down the number of urea bags required per acre.

• The Soil Health Card Scheme: Soil health card provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

• • Objectives:
    • To issue soil health cards every two years to all farmers, so as to provide a basis to address nutrient deficiencies in fertilization practices.

• ‘One Nation, One Fertilizer’ scheme:

• • Under the scheme, all fertiliser companies, State Trading Entities (STEs) and Fertiliser Marketing Entities (FMEs) will be required to use a single “Bharat” brand for fertilisers and logo under the PMBJP.
    • The new “Bharat” brand name and PMBJP logo will cover two-thirds of the front of the fertiliser packet.

Reasons behind this imbalance

• Under-pricing of other fertilizers:
  • Government has fixed maximum retail prices of Urea & DAP. It has informally-fixed MRPs for NPKS complexes and muriate of potash (MOP).
  • Prices of other fertilizers compared to Urea & DAP are relatively higher. So farmers havelittle incentive to buy other fertilizers.
  • The fact that DAP does not contain K, S or other macro and micro nutrients wouldn’t matter to a majority of farmers.
  • For them, choice of fertilisers is primarily a function of prices.
• Subsidisation & political motives:
  • Under-pricing of urea (a historical phenomenon) and DAP (recent) is a product of subsidy-induced market distortions.
  • High government subsidies are behind the low pricing, and high sales, of these two fertilisers.
  • The compulsions of electoral politics have clearly trumped concerns over soil nutrient imbalances.
• Supply-side constraints:
  • India is facing a tight supply position in fertilisers, especially of phosphatic and potassic nutrients.
  • The challenges include securing supply from new sources, costlier raw material, and logistics.
  • The pandemic has impacted fertilizer production, import and transportation across the world.

Suggestions & way ahead

• Suggestions:
  • To restrict DAP use to rice and wheat.
    • All other crops can meet their P requirement through SSP and complexes.
  • To raise SSP’s acceptance by permitting sale only in granular, not powdered, form.
    • SSP powder is prone to adulteration with gypsum or clay.
    • Farmers can be assured of quality through granules, which will also promote slower release of P without drift during application.
  • The ultimate aim should be to cap urea, DAP and MOP consumption. India, the expert points out, cannot sustain imports leading to their increasing application. Farmers must, instead, be nudged to use more of low-analysis complex fertilisers and SSP.

General Studies Paper 3

In News

• According to recent data, the Centre’s ambitious National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) may miss the goal in FY23 by a wide margin.

More about the news

• About the shortfall:
  • After achieving the target for the first year rather comfortably, the Centre’s National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) may miss the goal asrailways, telecom and petroleum sector slip on their goals.
    • Telecom and petroleum sectors are seen the worst performers while mining would be doing the heavy lifting for the second consecutive year.
  • As against the FY23 NMP target to generate Rs 1.62 trillion in revenues and investments, officials indicated that the shortfall could be about Rs 50,000 crore.

Sector specific data & challenges

• Mining sector:
  • Previous year, a sum of about Rs 1 trillion was raised through the monetisation route as against the target of Rs 88,200 crore due to the mining sector.
• Railways:
  • Railways is the biggest component of the Rs 6 trillion NMP in the four years through FY25.
    • Railways collected just Rs 800 crore via monetisation through redevelopment of one railway station and some railway colonies in the last fiscal year as against the target of Rs 17,810 crore.
  • According to the NMP, railways need to monetise 120 stations, 30 trains and 1,400 km track, among others in FY23. But, it has achieved little so far.
• Telecom:
  • As against the target of Rs 20,180 crore, the department of telecom has not been able to monetise any of telecom assets so far and doubts have emerged if it could achieve anything.
    • The original plan was to mobilise Rs 15,780 crore by inviting private investors to bid for Bharat Broadband Network’s 300,000 km of optical fibre networks to upgrade, operate and maintain across the country, including states.
    • Another Rs 4,400 crore was estimated from BSNL/MTNL tower monetisation through rent-operate-transfer (ROT) concession model, but bids are yet to be called for these.
  • Natural gas and petroleum product pipelines:
    • Monetisation of natural gas and petroleum product pipelines were projected to fetch Rs 9,176 crore in FY23.
    • However, oil and gas companies have proposed alternate assets such as monetisation of oil fields (on the lines of mines monetisation) through private participation in exploration & with the inflow of technology.
  • Road Transport and Highways:
    • Monetisation by other sectors including road assets by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are on track.
      • NHAI is expected to meet its target of Rs 32,855 crore from the securitisation of toll receivables from expressways, Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) and Transfer-Operate-Transfer (ToT) models.

About National Monetisation Pipeline:

• About:
  • The pipeline has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, based on the mandate for ‘Asset Monetisation’ under Union Budget 2021-22.
  • NMP estimates aggregate monetisation potential of Rs 6.0 lakh crores through core assets of the Central Government, over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025.
  • It aims to unlock value in brownfield projects by engaging the private sector, transferring to them revenue rights and not ownership in the projects, and using the funds generated for infrastructure creation across the country.
• Framework:
  • The pipeline has been prepared based on inputs and consultations from respective line ministries and departments, along with the assessment of total asset base available therein.
    • Monetization through disinvestment and monetization of non-core assets have not been included in the NMP.
  • The framework for monetisation of core asset monetisation has three key imperatives:
    • Monetization of rights & not the ownership, assets headed back at the end of transaction life.
    • Brownfield de-risked assets, stable revenue streams.
    • Structured partnerships under defined contractual frameworks with strict KPIs & performance standards.
  • Significance:
    • Innovative way of Private Participation:
      • Private sector is well known for its efficiency and technology.
      • NMP will provide a way to exploit the strength of the Private sector for infrastructure creation without transfer of ownership.
    • Ensure Further investment in Infrastructure Building:
      • It will help to properly monetise under utilised brownfield projects
    • Other:
      • Revival of the economy and create sustainable demand.
      • Spillover effect of infrastructure is high on cycle of demand
      • It will create further value for infrastructure creation in the country
      • It will enable high economic growth and seamlessly integrating the rural and semi-urban areas for overall public welfare.
    • Challenges:
      • The NMP framework lacks following:
        • Lack of identifiable revenue streams in various assets,
        • Level of capacity utilisation in gas and petroleum pipeline networks,
        • Absence of Dispute resolution mechanism, etc.
      • Analysts also point to issues such as the lack of independent sectoral regulators as potential impediments.

Way Ahead

• Asset Monetisation needs to be viewed not just as a funding mechanism, but as an overall paradigm shift in infrastructure operations, augmentation and maintenance considering the private sector’s resource efficiencies and its ability to dynamically adapt to the evolving global and economic reality.
• New models like Infrastructure Investment Trusts & Real Estate Investment Trusts will enable not just financial and strategic investors but also common people to participate in this asset class thereby opening new avenues for investment.

General Studies Paper 4

Why in News?

Recently, a report titled “Global glacier change in the 21^st century: Every increase in temperature matters”, which states half the Earth’s glaciers may disappear by 2100.

• The researchers used two decades of satellite data to map the planet’s glaciers with greater precision than ever before.
• The United Nation’s (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s sixth assessment report released in 2022 also warned that we are running out of time to attain the 1.5°C target.

What are the Findings?

• Glaciers Melting at Unprecedented Rate:
  • Glaciers are receding at unprecedented rates due to climate change and rising temperatures.
    • The amount of ice lost by glaciers between 1994 and 2017 was around 30 trillion tones and they are now melting at a pace of 1.2 trillion tonnes each year.
    • The glaciers in the Alps, Iceland and Alaska are some of those that are melting at the quickest rates.
  • Half the Earth’s glaciers are destined to vanish by 2100, even if we adhere to the Paris Climate Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
  • A minimum of 50 % of the loss will occur within the next 30 years. 68% of glaciers will vanish if global warming continues at the current rate of 2.7°C.
  • If this happens, by the end of the following century, there would be practically no glaciers left in central Europe, western Canada and the United States.
    • Some of these glaciers can be saved from extinction by reducing global warming, the researchers noted.
    • Glaciers, which hold 70 % of the Earth’s freshwater, currently encompass around 10 % of the planet’s land area.
  • Increasing Risk of Disaster:
    • Melting glaciers raise sea levels dramatically, jeopardizing up to two billion people’s access to water and increasing the risk of natural disasters and extreme weather events like floods.
    • Global sea level rose by 21 % between 2000 and 2019. This was solely due to meltwater from melting glaciers and ice sheets.
  • Recommendations:
    • The rapidly increasing glacier mass losses as global temperature increases beyond 1.5C stresses the urgency of establishing more ambitious climate pledges to preserve the glaciers in these mountainous regions.

Question For Practice

Q.1 Describe the major outcomes of the 26^th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? ( UPSC 2021)

Q.2 ‘Climate Change’ is a global problem. How will India be affected by climate change? How Himalayan and coastal states of India will be affected by climate change? (UPSC 2017)

General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Recently, the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications has formulated the Indian Telegraph (Infrastructure Safety) Rules, 2022.

• The Central government has envisioned fulfilling the communication needs of the citizens and enterprises through establishment of a resilient, secure, accessible and affordable Digital Communications Infrastructure and Services.

What is the Indian Telegraph (Infrastructure Safety) Rules, 2022?

• Under the Rules, any person who wishes to exercise a legal right to dig or excavate any property which is likely to cause damage to a telegraph infrastructure must give notice to the licensee.
• The person digging or excavating shall take appropriate action on precautionary measures provided by the licensee.
• Any person, who has dug or excavated any property causing damage to a telegraph infrastructure, will be liable to pay the damage charges to the telegraph authority.
• Once the asset owner agencies map their underlying assets with GIS coordinates on PM GatiShakti National Master Plan platform, it will also be possible to know the presence of underlying utility assets, at the point of interest, before start of excavation.

What are the Associated Advantages?

• Many utilities can be saved from unwanted cuts and wasteful costs towards
  • Thus, saving thousands of crores for businesses and associated tax loss to Government.
• Inconvenience caused to citizens because of frequent breakdown may be reduced due to better synergy between the agencies.

What is PM Gati Shakti -National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity?

• Aim:
  • To ensure integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure projects in the next four years, with focus on expediting works on the ground, saving costs and creating jobs.
  • Besides cutting logistics costs, the scheme is also aimed at increasing cargohandling capacity and reducing the turnaround time at ports to boost trade.
  • It will help in fulfilling the ambitious targets set by the government for 2024-25,including expanding the length of the national highway network to 2 lakh kms, creation of more than 200 new airports, heliports and water aerodromes.
• PM Gati Shakti is based on Six Pillars:
  • Comprehensiveness:It will include all the existing and planned initiatives of various Ministries and Departments with one centralized portal. Each and every Department will now have visibility of each other’s activities providing critical data while planning & execution of projects in a comprehensive manner.
  • Prioritization:Through this, different Departments will be able to prioritize their projects through cross-sectoral interactions.
  • Optimization:The National Master Plan will assist different ministries in planning for projects after identification of critical gaps. For the transportation of the goods from one place to another, the plan will help in selecting the most optimum route in terms of time and cost.
  • Synchronization:Individual Ministries and Departments often work in silos. There is lack of coordination in planning and implementation of the project resulting in delays. PM Gati Shakti will help in synchronizing the activities of each department, as well as of different layers of governance, in a holistic manner by ensuring coordination of work between them.
  • Analytical:The plan will provide the entire data at one place with GIS based spatial planning and analytical tools having 200+ layers, enabling better visibility to the executing agency.
  • Dynamic:All Ministries and Departments will now be able to visualize, review and monitor the progress of cross-sectoral projects, through the GIS platform, as the satellite imagery will give on-ground progress periodically and progress of the projects will be updated on a regular basis on the portal. It will help in identifying the vital interventions for enhancing and updating the master plan.
• Gati Shakti Digital Platform:
  • It involves the creation of a common umbrella platform through which infrastructure projects can be planned and implemented in an efficacious manner by way of coordination between various ministries/departments on a real-time basis.
  • It is essentially a digital platform to bring 16 Ministries including Railways and Roadways together.

Question For Practice

1. The Gati-Shakti Yojana needs meticulous co-ordination between the government and the private sector to achieve the goal of connectivity. Discuss. (2022)

General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

India is on a drive to induct Unmanned Combat Systems (UCS) into the military. In August, 2022 it inducted “Swarm Drones” into its mechanized forces, reiterating the importance of autonomous systems in creating a “future-proof” Indian Navy (IN).

• Despite their growing usage in armed conflict, artificially intelligent unmanned combat systems raise questions of law, ethics and accountability.

What are Unmanned Combat Systems?

• About:
  • Unmanned Combat Systems (UCS) are going to be the new age weapons overturning the rules of future war and have been the focus of research and development of military powers.
  • There are no generally accepted definitions for these so-called boasted core weapons of the 21^st
  • UCS from the research heading, is an integrated combat system comprising unmanned combat platforms, task payloads, command and control (C2) systems and network systems.
  • For field applications, they can be categorized into,
    • Deep space unmanned systems
    • Unmanned aerial vehicle systems
    • Ground unmanned systems
    • Surface unmanned systems
    • Underwater unmanned systems
  • Significance:
    • Faced with the increasingly complex international situation and brutal military wars, the lives and safety of combat soldiers are greatly threatened.
    • At this time, the unmanned combat System is becoming increasingly important and has gradually become an important attack and defense force on the information battlefield.
    • The biggest feature of the ground unmanned combat platform is that it can carry certain weapons and equipment under the premise of unmanned participation, and be remotely controlled through the configured wireless communication equipment to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, electronic interference, and direct combat.
    • UCS has a higher degree of automation, good remote control, strong digital communication ability and anti-interference, excellent target detection and recognition ability, good concealment, and strong adaptability to the ground environment.

What are the Ethical Concerns Raised by AI Warfare?

• Risk of Shared Liability:
  • AI Warfare enhances the risk of shared liability between networked systems, particularly when weapon algorithms are sourced from abroad, and when the satellite and link systems that enable combat solutions are not under the control of the user.
• Confidence Undermining:
  • AI is characterized by a predisposition to certain kinds of data. Biases in the collection of data, in the set of instructions for data analysis, and in the selection of probabilistic outcomes muddle rational decision-making, undermining confidence in automated combat solutions.
• Inconsistent with Laws of War:
  • AI may automate weapon systems in ways that are inconsistent with the laws of war.
• Cannot Make Informed Decision:
  • A system of targeting human beings based on probabilistic assessments by computers that act merely on machine-learned experiences, they contend, is problematic because the computer neither has access to all relevant data to make an informed decision nor recognises that it needs more information to come up with an optimal solution.
  • If it erroneously used force in a theater of conflict, there is no one to be held accountable, as blame can’t be pinned on a machine.

What are Swarm Drones?

About:

• Swarm Drones are a collection of small and lightweight aerial vehicles that can be controlled from the same station.
• These drones are equipped with advanced communication systems which enables them to be controlled as a collective.
• Furthermore, through communication systems, swarm drones can also communicate with each other to create different flying formations for surveillance and attack modes.
• Such drones can also carry a variety of payloads in a single mission and organize a collaborative attack against an enemy unit.
• Backed by swarming algorithms and Artificial Intelligence software, Swarm Drones can operate autonomously with minimum human intervention
  • The AI software can also be used to identify targets and expedite response in case of a surprise operation.

Advantages:

• All Weather Operations:Swarm Drone System can be deployed at high altitudes, rough-weather conditions
• High Speed and Agility:Drones are powered by advanced motors and can fly at a speed of 100 km per hour giving it high speed and agility for military operations.
• Employed for Different Missions: Drones can be deployed by the armed forces for different types of offensive and defensive operations as they can carry out strikes against tanks, infantry combat vehicles, ammunition holding areas, fuel dumps and terror launch pads.
• ATR Feature:Swarm Drones are backed by Artificial Intelligence and are equipped with the Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) feature, which can enable them to automatically recognise targets. ATR is capable of identifying tanks, guns, vehicles and humans and displaying them on the operators’ screen to minimize the chances of a miss hit.

Way Forward

• All parties to an armed conflict that any use of armed drones during the conduct of hostilities must comply with relevant IHL (International humanitarian law). principles.
• Hence, before deploying any armed drones, parties to the conflict must ensure that the armed drone is and can be directed against a military objective and will not cause excessive civilian harm.
• In order to foster transparency and accountability for drone strikes, parties need to properly articulate their policies governing the use of drones, including how the likelihood for civilian harm is assessed, and provide for remedies for victims.
• All parties to the armed conflict that beyond compliance with IHL, parties need to consider the humanitarian impact of their use of armed drones for the civilian population, including the disruption of civilian infrastructure and mental health trauma.
• It is worth acknowledging that AI in warfare is not just a matter of combat effectiveness but also of warfighting ethics. AI-infused unmanned systems on the maritime battlefront pose a degree of danger, making it incumbent upon the military to deploy its assets in ways that are consistent with national and international law.

General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

The Kerala High Court has reiterated that government employees who participate in general strikes, affecting the normal life of the public and Public Exchequer, are not entitled to be protected under Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution and are also a violation of the provisions of the Kerala Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1960.

What is Right to Strike?

• About:
  • Strike is the collective refusal by employees to work under the conditions required by employers. Strikes arise for a number of reasons, though principally in response to economic conditions (defined as an economic strike and meant to improve wages and benefits) or labour practices (intended to improve work conditions).
  • In each country whether it is democratic, capitalist, socialist, give the right to strike to the workers. But this right must be the weapon of last resort because if this right is misused, it will create a problem in the production and financial profit of the industry.
  • This would ultimately affect the economy of the country.
  • In India, the right to protest is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.
  • But right to strike is not a fundamental right but a legal right and with this right statutory restriction is attached in the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947.
    • The Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 is subsumed under The Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
  • Position in India:
    • In India, unlike America, the right to strike is not expressly recognized by the law.
    • The trade union Act, 1926 for the first time provided limited right to strike by legalizing certain activities of a registered trade union in furtherance of a trade dispute which otherwise breach of common economic law.
    • Nowadays a right to strike is recognized only to a limited extent permissible under the limits laid down by the law itself, as a legitimate weapon of Trade Unions.
    • The right to strike in the Indian constitution set up is not an absolute right but it flows from the fundamental right to form a union.
    • As every other fundamental right is subject to reasonable restrictions, the same is also the case to form trade unions to give a call to the workers to go on strike and the state can impose reasonable restrictions.
  • Right to strike under International Convention:
    • Right to strike has also been recognised by the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
      • India is a founder member of the ILO.

What are the Important Supreme Court Judgements related to Right to Strike?

• The Supreme Court in Delhi Police v. Union of India (1986) upheld the restrictions to form association by the members of the non-gazetted police force after the Police Forces (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1966, and the Rules as amended by Amendment Rules, 1970, came into effect.
• In K. Rangarajan v. Government of Tamil Nadu (2003), the Supreme Court held that the employees have no fundamental right to resort to strike. Further, there is prohibition to go on strike under the Tamil Nadu Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1973.

General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court reserved for judgment a batch of petitions seeking to strike down a Tamil Nadu law which protects Jallikuttu by claiming that the bull-taming sport is a cultural heritage of the State and is protected under Article 29 (1) of the Constitution.

• While these practices may be deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of certain communities, they are often controversial and have been criticized by animal welfare advocates.

What is Jallikattu?

• Jallikattu is a traditional sport that is popular in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• The sport involves releasing a wild bull into a crowd of people, and the participants attempt to grab the bull’s hump and ride it for as long as possible, or attempt to bring it under control.
• It is celebrated in the month of January, during the Tamil harvest festival, Pongal.

What are the Associated Concerns?

• The primary question involved was whether Jallikattu should be granted constitutional protection as a collective cultural right under Article 29 (1).
  • Article 29 (1)is a fundamental right guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution to protect the educational and cultural rights of citizens.
• The court examined if the laws “perpetuate cruelty to animals” or were actually a means to ensure “the survival and well-being of the native breed of bulls”.
• The five-judge Bench heard parties on whether the new Jallikattu laws were “relatable” to Article 48 of the Constitution, which urged the state to endeavour to organize agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines.
• The Constitution Bench also looked into whether Jallikattu and bullock-cart races laws of Karnataka and Maharashtra would actually sub-serve the objective of “prevention” of cruelty to animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960.

What are the Associated Legal Interventions?

• In 2011, the Centre added bulls to the list of animals whose training and exhibition is prohibited.
• The Supreme Court banned Jallikattu through a judgment in May 2014 in the Animal Welfare Board of India vs A. Nagaraja case on the grounds of cruelty to animals.
• In 2018,the Supreme Court referred the Jallikattu case to a Constitution Bench, where it is pending now.
• The bone of contention is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act of 2017and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Conduct of Jallikattu) Rules of 2017, which had re-opened the gates for the conduct of the popular bull-taming sport in the name of culture and tradition despite a 2014 ban by the Supreme Court.

What were the Arguments adduced for and against Jallikattu?

• Argument in Favour:
  • In Tamil Nadu, jallikattu is both a religious and cultural event celebrated by the people of the State and its influence extends beyond the confines of caste and creed.
  • “A practice which is centuries-old and symbolic of a community’s identity can be regulated and reformed as the human race evolves rather than being completely obliterated,” the State government submitted.
  • It added that any ban on such a practice would be viewed as “hostile to culture and against the sensitivities of the community”.
  • Describing jallikattu as “a tool for conserving this precious indigenous breed of livestock,” the government argued that the traditional event did not violate principles of compassion and humanity.
  • It contended that the traditional and cultural significance of the event and its intertwining with the sociocultural milieu was being taught in high school curriculum so that “the significance is maintained beyond generations.”
• Arguments in Opposition:
  • The petitioners’ line of argument was that animal life was inextricably connected to the lives of humans. Liberty was “inherent in every living being, whether it be in any form of life,” an aspect that had been recognized by the
  • The Tamil Nadu law was brought to circumvent the ban on jallikattu imposed by the Supreme Court.
  • Deaths and injurieshave been caused to humans as well as bulls which had taken place in several districts of the State while conducting
  • The petitioners contended that contrary to the arguments advanced by Tamil Nadu , several tamers pounced on bulls.
  • According to them, “extreme cruelty” was inflicted on the animals.
  • There was no material to justify jallikattu as a part of culture.
  • The critics had equated the event with practices such as sati and dowry, which were also once recognized as part of culture and stopped through legislation.

What is the Position in Other States for Similar Sports?

• Karnatakatoo passed a law to save a similar sport, called
• Except in Tamil Naduand Karnataka, where bull-taming and racing continue to be organized, these sports remain banned in all other states including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra due to the 2014 ban order from the Supreme Court.

Question For Practice

1. What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of Secularism? (2019)

General Studies Paper 2

Why in News?

Ahead of Odisha State Pollution Control Board’s (OSPCB) hearing on Environment Clearance of Mali Parwat Bauxite Mining Lease, local people have started protests demanding permanent cancellation of the lease.

What is the Issue?

• Background:
  • The opposition to the mining activities in Maliparbat dates back to 2003, when a public hearing was organized by the Odisha SPCB for environmental clearance.
  • After a lease was granted to Hindalco in 2007, villagers had alleged that their grievances and objections to the project were ignored.
  • According to activists, the company’s Environment Impact Assessment report mentioned that there was no water-body in Maliparvat.
  • Villagers had, however, argued that 36 perennial streams flow down from the Maliparvat, which was the source of water for villagers for their agricultural and drinking purposes and the bauxite mining project should be cancelled.
  • Till 2011 the company failed to carry out mining and subsequently, its environmental clearance expired. But, in 2012-2014 it started mining illegally without going in for renewal of environmental clearance.
  • The industry has got afresh lease for 50 years for which the public hearing was necessitated.
• Concerns:
  • Tribals residing in nearby villages have alleged that mining activities in Maliparbat would affect around 42 villages under Sorishapodar, Dalaiguda and Pakhajhola panchayats.
  • Environmentalists have also said that mining can deplete water sources from around 32 perennial streamsand four canals in Maliparbat, adversely affecting the livelihoods of the tribals.
    • The Mali and forest area are inhabited by members of Kondha, Paraja and Gadaba tribes.

What is the Environment Impact Assessment?

• It can be defined as the study for predicting the effect of a proposed activity/project on the environment.
• It is statutory under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 for some projects.
• Process:
  • Screening based upon scales of investment, type of development, and location of the development is done to see whether a project requires an environmental clearance as per the statutory notifications.
  • Scoping is a process of detailing the Terms of Reference (ToR) of EIA, that is the main issues or problems in the development of a project.
  • Impact Prediction involves mapping the environmental consequences of the significant aspects of the project and its alternatives.
• The public mandatorily needs to be informed and consulted on the proposed development after the completion of the EIA report.

What is Bauxite?

• About:
  • Bauxite is an ore of aluminium. It is a rock consisting mainly of hydrated aluminium oxides.
  • The deposits of Bauxite are mainly associated with laterites and occur as capping on hills and plateaus, except in coastal areas of Gujarat and Goa.
  • Bauxite is primarily used to produce alumina through the Bayer process.
  • Like many metals, world demand for aluminium, and therefore bauxite, has grown substantially over the past several years in response to economic growth in emerging Asian economies.
• World Distribution:
  • Reserves:As per 2015 data, world bauxite reserves are estimated at 30 billion tonnes and are located mainly in Guinea (25%), Australia (20%), Vietnam (12%), Brazil (9%), Jamaica (7%), Indonesia (4%) and China (3%).
  • Australia continued to be the major producer and accounted for about 29% share in the total production, followed by China (19%), Guinea (18%), Brazil (10%) and India (7%).
• Distribution in India:
  • Reserves:By States, Odisha alone accounts for 51% of country’s resources of bauxite followed by Andhra Pradesh (16%), Gujarat (9%), Jharkhand (6%), Maharashtra (5%) and Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh (4% each) in 2019. Major bauxite resources are concentrated in the East Coast bauxite deposits in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Production:In terms of production, in 2020, Odisha accounted for 71% of the total output followed by Gujarat (9%) and Jharkhand (6%).

Question For Practice

1. Which of the following minerals are found in a natural way in the State of Chhattisgarh?

General Studies Paper 3

Under the Honey Mission, 1 lakh and 75 thousand bee boxes have been distributed so far by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) after providing beekeeping training to 17 thousand 500 beneficiaries across the country.

• As per the National Horticulture Board (NHB), Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka were the top ten honey-producing states in 2021-22.

What is Honey Mission?

• It was launched in 2017 in line with the ‘Sweet Revolution’.
• Under the mission, the KVIC under Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises provides the farmers or beekeepers –
  • Practical training about the examination of honeybee colonies,
  • Identification and management of bee enemies and diseases along with the management of bee colonies in all seasons.
  • Acquaintance with apicultural equipment’s and
  • Honey extraction and wax purification.

What is Sweet Revolution?

• About:
  • It is an ambitious initiative of the Government of India for promoting apiculture, popularly known as ‘beekeeping’.
    • To provide a booster shot to Sweet Revolution,the government launched the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission in 2020 (a central sector scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat scheme.
  • Aim:
    • It aims to accelerate the production of quality honey and other related products.
      • The demand for good quality honey has grown over the years as it is considered a naturally nutritious product.
      • Other apiculture products such as royal jelly, beeswax, pollens, etc., are also used extensively in different sectors like pharmaceuticals, food, beverage, beauty, and others.
    • Significance:
      • Technology intervention through this mission will ensure bee conservation, prevent diseases or the loss of bee colonies and provide quality and quantity of apiculture products.
        • Farming practices will yield superior-quality honey and other products for the domestic as well as international market.
      • Beekeeping is a low investment and highly skilled enterprise model, in which technology application has emerged as a great enabler for socio-economic growth.
        • Scaling up beekeeping will double farmers’ income, generate employment, ensure food security and bee conservation, and increase crop productivity.

What is KVIC?

• KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
• The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
• It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Question For Practice

1. Assess the role of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers? ( UPSC 2018)

General Studies Paper 3

Why in News?

The Union Government has approved a Rs 19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen mission that aims to make India a ‘global hub’ for using, producing and exporting green hydrogen.

What is the National Green Hydrogen Mission?

• About:
  • It is a program to incentivise the commercial production of green hydrogen and make India a net exporter of the fuel.
  • The Mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen.
• Sub Schemes:
  • Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT):
    • It will fund the domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and produce green hydrogen.
  • Green Hydrogen Hubs:
    • States and regions capable of supporting large scale production and/or utilization of hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.
  • Objective:
    • Developing green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum, alongside adding renewable energy capacity of about 125 GW (gigawatt) in India by 2030.
    • It aims to entail over Rs 8 lakh crore of total investments and is expected to generate six lakh jobs.
    • It will also lead toa cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports by over Rs 1 lakh crore and an abatement of nearly 50 MT of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Nodal Ministry:
    • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
  • Significance:
    • It will help entail the decarbonisation of the industrial, mobility and energy sectors ; reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and feedstock; developing indigenous manufacturing capabilities; creating employment opportunities; and developing new technologies such as efficient fuel cells.
  • Potential:
    • India has a favourable geographic location and abundance of sunlight and wind for the production of green hydrogen.
    • Green hydrogen technologies are being promoted in sectors where direct electrification isn’t feasible.
    • Heavy duty, long-range transport, some industrial sectors and long-term storage in the power sector are some of these sectors.
    • The nascent stage of this industry allows for the creation of regional hubs that export high-value green products and engineering, procurement and construction services.

What are the Challenges?

• In Nascent Stages Globally:
  • Green hydrogen development is still in the nascent stages globally and while India can take the lead in being a major producer, it doesn’t have the necessary infrastructure yet to execute all these intermediary steps.
• Economic Sustainability:
  • One of the biggest challenges faced by the industry for using hydrogen commercially is the economic sustainability of extracting green hydrogen.
  • For transportation fuel cells, hydrogen must be cost-competitive with conventional fuels and technologies on a per-mile basis.

What is Green Hydrogen?

• About:
  • Hydrogen is a key industrial fuel that has a variety of applications including the production of ammonia (a key fertilizer), steel, refineries and electricity.
  • However, all of the hydrogen manufactured now is the so-called ‘black or brown’ hydrogen because they are produced from coal.
  • Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. But pure, or the elemental hydrogen, is very scarce. It almost always exists in compounds like with oxygen to form H2O, or water.
  • But when electric current is passed through water, it splits it into elemental oxygen and hydrogen through electrolysis. And if the electricity used for this process comes from a renewable source like wind or solar then the hydrogen thus produced is referred to as green hydrogen.
  • Colors attached to hydrogen indicate the source of electricity used to derive the hydrogen molecule. For instance, if coal is used, it is referred to as brown hydrogen.
• Current Production:
  • Green hydrogen currently accounts for less than 1% of global hydrogen production due to it being expensive to produce.
  • A kilogram of black hydrogen costs USD 0.9-1.5 to produce while grey hydrogen costs USD 1.7-2.3 and blue hydrogen can cost anywhere from USD 1.3-3.6. However, green hydrogen costs USD 3.5-5.5 per kg, according to a 2020 analysis by the Council for Energy, Environment and Water.
• Need for Producing Green Hydrogen:
  • Hydrogen is a great source of energy because of its high energy content per unit of weight, which is why it is used as rocket fuel.
  • Green hydrogen in particular is one of the cleanest sources of energy with close to zero emission. It can be used in fuel cells for cars or in energy-guzzling industries like fertilizers and steel manufacturing.
  • Countries across the world are working on building green hydrogen capacity as it can ensure energy security and also help in cutting carbon emission.
  • Green hydrogen has become a global buzzword, especially as the world is facing its biggest-ever energy crisis and the threat of climate change is turning into a reality.

What are the other Initiatives Related to Renewable energy?

• Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
• International Solar Alliance.
• PM- KUSUM.
• National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy.
• Rooftop Solar Scheme.

Way Forward

• There is a need to announce incentives to convince enough users of industrial hydrogen to adopt green hydrogen.
• India needs to develop supply chains in the form of pipelines, tankers, intermediate storage and last leg distribution networks as well as put in place an effective skill development programme to ensure that lakhs of workers can be suitably trained to adapt to a viable green hydrogen economy.
• India has the potential to bring down the cost of green hydrogen by using low-cost renewable generating plants and cost-curtailment experience gained through solar and wind reverse auctions.
  • Huge market potential, owing to the young demography and thriving economy, will be a long-term benefit for the government while pushing the application of hydrogen-based technologies.