MULTI-DIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX- THE NITI AAYOG REPORT

THE CONTEXT: Niti Aayog in its report on multi-dimensional poverty in India attempted for the first time to look at the poverty issue through a holistic perspective rather than the sole prism of income. This article lets us understand the state of multi-dimensional poverty in India and how India can overcome it.

METHODOLOGY OF THE REPORT

DIMENSION: Health

WEIGHT: 1/3

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Nutrition (1/6)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is considered deprived if any child between the ages of 0 to 59 months, or woman between the ages of 15 to 49 years, or man between the ages of 15 to 54 years -for whom nutritional information is available- is found to be undernourished.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Child Adolescent Mortality (1/12)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if any child or adolescent under 18 years of age has died in the household in the five-year period preceding the survey.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Maternal Health (1/12)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if any woman in the household who has given birth in the 5 years preceding the survey has not received at least 4 antenatal care visits for the most recent birth or has not received assistance from trained skilled medical personnel during the most recent childbirth.

DIMENSION: Education

WEIGHT: 1/3

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Years of Schooling (1/6)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if not even one member of the household aged 10 years or older has completed six years of schooling.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): School Attendance (1/6)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if any school-aged child is not attending school up to the age at which he/she would complete class 8.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Cooking Fuel (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if the primary source of cooking fuel is dung, agricultural crops, shrubs, wood, charcoal or coal.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Sanitation (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: The household has unimproved or no sanitation facility or it is improved but shared with other households.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Drinking-Water (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if it does not have access to improved drinking water or safe drinking water is more than a 30-minute walk from home (as a round trip).

DIMENSION: Standard of Living

WEIGHT: 1/3

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Electricity (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if it has no electricity.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Housing (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: A household is deprived if it has inadequate housing: the floor is made of natural materials, or the roof or walls are made of rudimentary materials.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Ownership of Assets (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: The household is deprived if it does not own more than one of these assets: radio, Tv, telephone, computer, animal cart, bicycle, motorbike, or refrigerator; and does not own a car or truck.

INDICATOR (WEIGHT): Bank Account (1/21)

DEPRIVED OF: No household member has a bank account or a post office account.

FINDINGS OF THE REPORT

Poverty Levels: Bihar has the highest levels of poverty in the country followed by Jharkhand and UP. Kerala has the lowest level of poverty followed by Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Goa, and Sikkim.
Malnutrition: Bihar has the highest level of malnourished population followed by Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

PROBLEMS WITH THE REPORT

Old Data: The report was created using the data of NFHS-4 which was conducted between 2015 and 2016 and thus doesn’t include the impact of recent government policies on poverty alleviation.
Focus on Subsistence: The indicators focus on minimum need and not a life that can uphold human dignity. For example, a household is deprived of electricity if it has no electricity. So, if the household gets electricity for just an hour then also it will not be counted as deprived.

USES OF THE REPORT

Sensitization of Agencies: The report will sensitize government, researchers, civil society, citizens, and other stakeholders on the need for and importance of MPI as a powerful policy instrument.
Policy Formulation: MPI can be used as a useful input for the design and development of policies schemes, budget allocations, and target setting. This can help India target SDG’s in a better manner.
District Levels: At the district levels, MPI could help decide the priority of execution and delivery.

THE WAY FORWARD

Trend Analysis: Conducting NFHS every three years and then subsequent MPI revision will reduce the lag in the reflection of development outcomes and provide the required trend of poverty alleviations.
Reform Action Plans for the State/UTs: NITI Aayog has prepared a template for the reform action plan through consultations with central ministries, now the states need to modify it taking into account their realities, development challenges, and priorities.
Sharing of Good Practices: A dashboard needs to be created for sharing best practices between the states for overcoming poverty.

THE CONCLUSION: Poverty alleviation is the biggest goal of Indian governance and the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index by Niti Aayog is a step in the right direction for identifying the magnitude of the problem and for finding the key areas that require attention for poverty alleviation.

PUBLIC ADMIN. (PAPER-II) QUESTION PAPER: UPSC Mains-2021

Section-A

Q1. Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
(a) The preamble to the constitution of India provides a foundational framework of ideals and values for the Indian administration. Discuss.
(b) Examine the extent to which the ideal of Constitutionalism as ‘government by limited powers’ has been a functional reality in India.
(c) Red-tapism is a major obstacle to the implementation of ‘good governance’. Comment.
(d) The role and status of the Speaker in [the] parliamentary system have their foundation in the Speaker’s stance on neutrality. Comment.
(e) The Union government develops and practices strategies to [an] administer increasing number of existing local government services by sidelining local initiatives and discretion. Examine.
Q2. (a) Kautilya envisages protection, welfare and prosperity of the State and its people as the utmost concern of a ruler. In this context, discuss the significance of Kautilya’s emphasis on governing, accountability and justice in contemporary India. 20
(b) District Collector is the most important functionary in district administration in India. In light of the above statement, discuss the multidimensional responsibilities of District Collector in effecting coordinated developmental administration in India. 20
(c) The role of the Governor is of a sagacious counsellor, mediator and arbitrator rather than that of an active politician. In this context, examine the role of the Governor in state politics in India. 10
Q3. (a) Recruitment is the cornerstone of the whole public personnel structure and it revolves around the problem of attracting the best. Discuss the essential elements of a good recruitment system. 20
(b) Traditionally structured administrative systems have outlived their utility. Discuss as how administrative reforms can revamp, restructure and redesign the existing governmental structure to meet the new challenges faced by the Indian administration set-up. 20
(c) The government policy of large scale privatization of the key sectors of the economy may affect India’s economic health. Comment. 10
Q4. (a) As a constitutionally mandated body the Finance Commission stands at the centre of fiscal federalism. Evaluate the role of [the] Finance Commission in ensuring just and equitable resources sharing among the states and the union. 20
(b) Recent market approaches to public services present serious challenges to traditional and state-sponsored public service values. Evaluate the statement in the context of Indian administration. 20
(c) The increasing criminalization of politics is a major threat to the basic fabric of Indian democracy. Comment. 10

Section-B

Q.5. Answer the following in 150 words each: 10×5=50
(a) No rural development strategy can succeed unless it is complemented by appropriate Panchayati Raj Institutions. Examine the statement. 10
(b) NITI Aayog has been constituted to implement the goal of co-operative federalism. Discuss. 10
(c) Responsibility and accountability are two major goals of Good Governance. Discuss the statement in the context of Indian administration. 10
(d) The Prime Minister’s Office has become a powerful institution in itself by virtue of its role in decision- making on strategic issues of utmost importance. Examine the statement. 10
(e) Well planned and goal-oriented training programmes are the backbone of civil service system in India. Examine the statement. 10
Q.6. (a) Budget proposals in the Parliament/State Legislatures fail to ensure their effective scrutiny. Identify the factors which constrain effective scrutiny of the budget proposals. 20
(b) 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts aimed at making the third tier of government more powerful and effective for democratic decentralization. Critically examine the extent to which this goal has been transformed into reality. 20
(c) National Human Rights Commission is handicapped by its jurisdictional limitations of not being able to investigate the cases of violation of human rights by the armed forces. Discuss. 10
Q.7. (a) Contemporary urbanism advocates the integration of diverse modes of urban planning and management concerns. Discuss the above statement in light of urban development in India. 20
(b) Rural development programmes are designed to facilitate multifaceted growth of rural poor. Evaluate the role of some key rural development programmes in India in this context. 20
(c) Police- Public relations in India need to be improved. Suggest measures to strengthen relations between police and public. 10
Q.8. (a) In the past two decades India’s public policy on Disaster Management has shifted its focus from rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts to holistic management of disaster. Analyze. 20
(b) The institutional legacy of ‘well- entrenched state’ affected the post- reforms promises in India. Explain the statement in the light of economic reforms in India. 20
(c) Do you agree with the view that the civil service in India is losing its neutral and anonymous character? Argue your case. 10

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PUBLIC ADMIN. (PAPER-I) QUESTION PAPER : UPSC CSE Mains-2021

Section-A
Q1. Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10*5
(a) “Governance is about managing self-organizing networks.” Elaborate
(b) “Two dimensional taxonomy was used by Herbert Simon to describe the degree to which decisions are programmed or non-programmed.” Explain.
(c) Examine the approach of public service motivation as an inducement to bring the desired level of efficiency in public service delivery.
(d) In theory, the ‘civil society organizations’ promote cooperation between people and public service organizations, but in practice, their activities restrict the promotion of government programmes. Analyze.
(e) Fayol and Taylor had different management perspectives, while having similar goal of organizational efficiency. Comment.
Q2. (a) Behavioral approach has been questioned on the basis of its utility in the analysis of administrative problems. Discuss the weaknesses of the approach and the shifts made therein. 20
(b) Public Administration has been viewed as a socially embedded process of collective relationship, dialogue and action. Examine the statement in light of the consensus achieved in the Third Minnowbrook Conference. 15
(c) Public-private Partnership phenomenon has been transformed into a type of governance scheme or mechanism. Discuss its capacity to overcome future challenges. 15
Q3. (a) Integration of different streams of administrative thought to propound a universal administration theory is hindered by the impact of culture. Critically examine. 20
(b) Judicial review, prevention of misuse or abuse of administrative power and provision of suitable remedies are the basic principles of administrative law. Justify as how various organs of the State are able to uphold these principles. 15
(c) Regulation is an old but increasingly necessary mode of social coordination and political intervention into societal processes. Examine it in the context of globalization. 15
Q4. (a) The new public service model approaches governance on the premises of an active and involved citizenship, wherein the role of public officials is to facilitate opportunities for citizens’ engagement in governance. Explain. 20
(b) Neo-Weberian State involves changing the model of operation of administrative structures into a model focused on meeting citizens’ needs. Discuss. 15
(c) Nothing in public administration is more important, interesting or mysterious than leadership. Analyze the statement in the context of strategic leadership. 15
Section-B
Q 5. Answer the following in 150 words each: 10*5 = 50
(a) The approach to the study of administration in its environmental context is especially more useful for developing countries. Comment.
(b) Gender equality and women’s rights have laid down a strong foundation of development. Elaborate.
(c) Performance appraisal needs to be seen beyond the mere suitability of the official for vertical promotion. Explain.
(d) It is widely agreed that the government ought to provide the goods that market fails to provide or does not provide efficiently. Argue.
(e) MIS has evolved and gone far beyond its traditional advantages due to technological advancements. Comment.
Q.6. (a) Emphasis on cost control and reducing public expenditure has diverted the focus of government budgets from the basic objectives of reallocation of resources, bringing economic stability and promoting social equity. Examine. 20
(b) In modern context, Riggsian terms have not altogether disappeared, but have emerged in different forms with newer meanings. Discuss. 15
(c) A striking feature of economic development is an apparent symbiotic evolution of strong States and strong market economies. Analyze. 15
Q.7. (a) Policy problems are increasingly tending towards being wicked. Discuss the capacity and preparedness of the State to tackle such problems. 20
(b) Zero- based budgeting was intended to get away from incrementalism, but ended up being the most incremental of any budgetary approach. Discuss. 15
(c) ICT has immense potential to transform governance and empower citizens. Examine. 15
Q.8. (a) The successful attainment of SDGs objectives largely depends upon the wisdom, experience and farsightedness of the actors involved and their willingness to cooperate in the implementation process. Analyze. 20
(b) Groups work to elevate issues on the policy agenda or seek to deny other groups to place issues. In this background, discuss the role of interest groups in agenda setting in the developing countries. 15
(c) Civil servants generally tend to exhibit the values and ethical framework of the political executives under whom they function. Explain. 15

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NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY – 5

THE CONTEXT: The data of Phase II of NFHS 5 was recently released by the government. The data of Phase I was released last year in December 2020. This marks the completion of NFHS 5 and thus in this article, we will learn about the findings of the survey and what they mean for India’s development.

ABOUT THE SURVEY

Objective: The main objective of successive rounds of the NFHS is to provide reliable and comparable data relating to health and family welfare and other emerging issues.
Sample Size: The NFHS-5 survey work has been conducted in around 6.1 lakh sample households from 707 districts of the country; covering 724,115 women and 101,839 men to provide disaggregated estimates up to district level.
Indicators: It is based on 131 indicators with most of them being the same as that of NFHS 4.
New Areas: It includes some new areas such as death registration, pre-school education, expanded domains of child immunization, components of micro-nutrients to children, menstrual hygiene, frequency of alcohol and tobacco use, additional components of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), expanded age ranges for measuring hypertension and diabetes among all aged 15 years and above.

FINDINGS OF THE REPORT

1. POSITIVE FINDINGS:

Parameter: TOTAL FERTILITY LEVELS (TFR)
Finding: The Total Fertility Rates (TFR), the average number of children per woman has further declined from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national level and all 14States/UT’s ranging from 1.4 in Chandigarh to 2.4 in Uttar Pradesh.
Parameter: OVERALL CONTRACEPTIVE PREVALENCE RATE (CPR)
Finding: Overall Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has increased substantially from 54% to 67% at the all-India level.
Parameter: SEX RATIO AT BIRTH
Finding: For the first time in India, between 2019-21, there were 1,020 adult women per 1,000 men at birth.
Parameter: UNMET NEEDS OF FAMILY PLANNING
Finding: Unmet needs of family Planning have witnessed a significant decline from13 percent to 9 percent at the all-India level.
Parameter: FULL IMMUNISATION DRIVE
Finding: Full immunization drives among children aged 12-23 months has recorded a substantial improvement from 62 percent to 76 percent at the all-India level.
Parameter: INSTITUTIONAL BIRTHS
Finding: Institutional births have increased substantially from 79 percent to 89 percent at all-India levels.
Parameter: CHILD NUTRITION
Finding: Child Nutrition indicators show a slight improvement at the all-India level as Stunting has declined from 38 percent to 36 percent, wasting from 21 percent to 19 percent, and underweight from 36 percent to 32 percent at all India levels.
Parameter: EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
Finding: Exclusive breastfeeding to children under age 6 months has shown an improvement in the all-India level from 55 percent in 2015-16 to 64 percent in 2019-21.
Parameter: WOMEN OPERATING BANK ACCOUNTS
Finding: Women operating bank accounts have improved from 53 percent to 79 percent at the all-India level.

2. NEGATIVE FINDINGS:

Parameter: ANAEMIA AMONG CHILDREN AND WOMEN
Finding: More than half of the children and women (including pregnant women) are anemic in all the phase-II States/UTs and all-India levels compared to NFHS4.
Parameter: FAMILY PLANNING
Finding: Female sterilization continues to dominate as the method of contraception in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, and Maharashtra.

PROBLEMS WITH THE REPORT

Clarity of Terms: Various terms lacked clarity which create doubt over the meaning of the data. For example, improved drinking water sources failed to differentiate between piped water, public tap, dug well, rainwater, etc.
The anomaly with Phase 1: In Phase 1, several states showed a worsening in nutrition indicators while in Phase 2, no state showed worsening. Experts have questioned it alleging that the COVID-19 might have led to undercounting of incidences.
Blanket Approach: On the micronutrients aspect, the study uses a blanket approach despite dietary variation across the nation.

THE WAY FORWARD

Making Health Services Accessible and Equitable: The survey showcases the widespread inequity in the health services and thus policy intervention is required to make them accessible to the poor. Ayushman Bharat Scheme is a step in this direction but more needs to be done.
Gender Equity: The survey highlights the gender inequity in education and nutrition. These need to be corrected through affirmative action for women’s rights.
Education as change catalyst: Sex education and health education need to be taught at school especially with regards to women’s health issues and sexual health so as to create a behavior change in the family regarding the sexual rights of women.
Food Fortification: Food fortification needs to be encouraged so as to battle malnutrition in women and children.

THE CONCLUSION: A nation’s growth is determined by the health levels of its population. The NFHS data while showing good improvement on various issues also showcase the glaring inequity and disparities in Indian society. These need to be tackled with affirmative action by the state along with the support of the private sector.

PDS, NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT, AND COVID-19

THE CONTEXT: Introduced in 2013, the National Food Security Act (NFSA) brought about fundamental reforms in the public distribution system (PDS) and most importantly, declared a legal ‘right to food’. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the already vulnerable food security mechanism in India. This article would discuss the nature of issues in PDS/Food security, possible improvements in the delivery of food, and GOI’s steps towards ensuring food security in India, especially in the pandemic and further.

NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT (NFSA)

Introduced in 2013, the National Food Security Act (NFSA), the largest food-based social safety-net program in the world, covers 800 million individuals (75% of the rural population, and 50% of the urban population) and costs Rs. 4,400 billion (as of 2017).
Objective: To provide for food and nutritional security in the human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantities of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.
Coverage: 75% of the rural population and up to 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
The Public Distribution System (PDS) is the apparatus for implementing the NFSA through its nationwide network of fair-price shops (FPS), making highly subsidized foodgrains available to citizens.
The NFSA categorized households into two groups: NFSA-priority households (NFSA-PHH) and AAY. The allowance of foodgrains was set at 5 kilograms (kg) per person for the PHH category, and 35 kg per household for AAY. Prices were fixed at Rs. 3, 2, and 1 per kg for rice, wheat, and coarse grains, respectively.
Currently, about 23 crore ration cards have been issued to nearly 80 crore beneficiaries of NFSA in all states and UTs.

NEED FOR FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

The latest Global Hunger Index 2020 study does not make for cheery reading for India. The study has placed India 94th out of 107 countries in terms of hunger, locating it in the ‘severe’ hunger category. This puts India alongside the poorest African nations.
Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential because of chronic undernutrition or stunting. India currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the world: around 195 million.
According to FAO estimates in ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World” report, about 8% of the population is undernourished in India.
Agricultural productivity in India is sufficient but not on par with the global average: According to World Bank figures, cereal yield in India is estimated to be 2,992 kg per hectare as against 7,318.4 kg per hectare in North America.

FOOD SECURITY

Food availability: food must be available in sufficient quantities and on a consistent basis. It considers stock and production in a given area and the capacity to bring in food from elsewhere, through trade or aid.
Food access: people must be able to regularly acquire adequate quantities of food, through purchase, home production, barter, gifts, borrowing, or food aid.
Food utilization: Consumed food must have a positive nutritional impact on people. It entails cooking, storage and hygiene practices, individuals’ health, water and sanitation, feeding and sharing practices within the household.

REASONS FOR POOR FOOD SECURITY STATUS IN INDIA

Poor Maternal health:

South Asian babies show very high levels of wasting very early in their lives, within the first six months. This reflects the poor state of maternal health.
Almost 42% of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 have a low body mass index (BMI), while 54% have anemia.
Almost 27% of girls are married before they reach the legal age of 18 years, and 8% of adolescents have begun childbearing in their teens.
Almost half of all women have no access to any sort of contraception.

Poor sanitation:

Poor sanitation, leading to diarrhea, is another major cause of child wasting and stunting. At the time of the last NFHS, almost 40% of households were still practicing open defecation.

Poverty:

International Food Policy Research Institute’s recent findings say that three out of four rural Indians cannot afford a balanced, nutritious diet.
The emaciated rural livelihoods sector and lack of income opportunities other than the farm sector have contributed heavily to the growing joblessness in rural areas. (The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18 revealed that rural unemployment stood at a concerning 6.1 percent, which was the highest since 1972-73.)
The existing deprivation has been aggravated by the pandemic, with food inflation. This has adverse effects on their capacity to buy adequate food.

Dietary habits:

Indian diets typically involve copious consumption of staples such as rice and wheat, with limited dietary diversification toward micronutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and animal products.
“Hidden hunger,” or micronutrient deficiency, that inhibits proper growth and development of the human mind and body, affects a large section of the Indian population.

Policy failures:

The national food security approach has been hung up in a ‘defeat the famine’ mode, which aims to provide gross calorie availability via the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The MGNREGS continue to be the lone rural job program that, too, had been weakened over the years through great delays in payments and non-payments, low wages, and reduced scope of employment.
The public distribution system (PDS) fair price shops often fail to function due to supply delays.
While this stable and subsidized policy has helped counter the problem of absolute hunger, it limits the food choices and does not provide the needed nutrients and micro-nutrients.

THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT (NFSA) & PDS DURING COVID-19

Providing food to all:

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PDS was entrusted with meeting the food security needs, expanding its portfolio, and providing free grains.

Government support during Covid-19 pandemic

In March 2020, the government announced free foodgrains and cash payments to women, senior citizens, and farmers as part of the PMGKY. According to various estimates, an overwhelming 98% did receive free foodgrains, that is, 5 kg rice or wheat and 1 kg pulses. However, in numerous cases, household members had been left unaccounted for in the PDS food relief, which is important when there is per capita allotment.
On May 14th, 2020, Finance Minister stated that 100 percent of ration cardholders will be covered in the One Nation One Ration Card scheme by March 2021. In the present system, a ration cardholder can buy food grains only from a Fair Price Shops (FPS) that has been assigned to her in the locality in which she lives. However, under the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ system, the beneficiary will be able to buy subsidized food grains from any FPS across the country.

CHALLENGES NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT (NFSA) & PDS

Limited access to ration cards:

The delay in the rollout of NFSA cards was due to a delay in incorporating the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) for the selection of eligible households, exclusion errors, and widespread lack of awareness about NFSA provisions and eligibility requirements.
Those in charge of this paperwork were under-informed and not capable of discharging these responsibilities efficiently. Moreover, with the transition to per-capita entitlements, regular, and reliable updating of ration cards became necessary and this proved cumbersome.

Quantity and price of foodgrains:

With per-capita entitlement, bigger families gained in terms of the number of grains received while smaller families lost out. Even after 8 years since the introduction of the NFSA, many remain unaware of specific entitlements, both in terms of quantity and price (30% in Bihar, 22% in East UP, and 17% in Odisha).
Unaware households are prone to entitlement snatching and lower fetching of entitlements. These beneficiaries report lower quantities or higher prices than mandated.

Gaps in food delivery:

Over the years, the PDS delivery system has been known to be susceptible to leakages due to maladministration and, in some cases, outright theft.
Pre-NFSA, beneficiaries stated that they had faced the problem of long waiting times at FPS, no electronic weighing machines (EWM), inferior grain quality, and delayed opening of FPS.

Recent issues:

Issues during Pandemic:

One primary issue is that ON-ORC requires a complex technology backbone that brings over 750 million beneficiaries, 5,33,000 ration shops, and 54 million tonnes of food grain annually on a single platform.
The government was also unable to honour the ‘pulse of choice’ pledge because of supply constraints.

Tweaking the NFSA:

NITI Aayog, through a discussion paper, has recommended reducing the rural and urban coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, to 60% and 40%, respectively.
It has also proposed a revision of beneficiaries as per the latest population which is currently being done through Census- 2011. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, it will be a double burden (Unemployment and Food insecurity issues) on the poor sections of the society.

NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT (NFSA) & PDS: THE WAY FORWARD

Learning from other low-income societies with successful micro-nutrient-based interventions, we need to redefine the scope and mechanism of the PDS programs to extend beyond funneling cheap or free grains and generate higher fidelity using the vast local network.
Promising lessons can be seen in Mexico’s distribution system of nutrition pouches and the SMS-based digital PDS in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh where the distribution involves pulses and millets in addition to rice and salt.
Focusing on EUP, Bihar, and Odisha, we study PDS in the post-NFSA scenario. There is evidence of some positive movements like coverage of households, but there is considerable scope for improvement in other areas. There are areas beyond prices and quantities of grains that need to be addressed, such as the quality, variety of grains, and quality of services at FPS, that result in differential access even post-NFSA.
The differential experiences with PDS are not accidental and are likely a result of poor design, and a lack of sensitivity to the demand side of the programs in keeping with community needs and preferences. Thus, more targeted and inclusive penetration is desired which can be achieved with the cooperative efforts of state governments and local NGOs.

THE CONCLUSION: During Covid-19, PDS seems to have delivered but issues with eligibility and lack of commodity choices remain even with the NFSA. One overlooked advantage of the PDS is how it helps shelter households from price risk when prices are high, the value of the in-kind transfer of rice is also higher. Thus, in the Indian case, the NFSA cannot be tweaked against the favour of vulnerable sections. NFSA combined with the PDS, end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), hence the effective implementation of these schemes becomes even more crucial in the COVID-19 aftermath.

Today’s Important Articles for Geography (15-01-2022)

Loss of natural forests: India’s green cover up, but there are some setbacks READ MORE
World Ocean Temperatures in 2021 Were Hottest on Record READ MORE
India’s climate policies misplaced. Carbon inequality must be addressed within country too READ MORE

Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (15-01-2022)

Searching for antidote to communal hate READ MORE
The Dynamics of Lower-caste Politics READ MORE

Today’s Important Articles for Pub Ad (15-01-2022)

Stepping up: The Govt and the SC are on same page on the need to bring about criminal law reforms READ MORE
Worrisome cracks: The system for evaluating judges is opaque READ MORE

Ethics Through Current Developments (15-01-2022)

People Versus Power READ MORE
Before Changing the World, Change Yourself! READ MORE

WSDP Bulletin (15-01-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

Registration of political parties under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 – Public Notice Period – regarding READ MORE
Banks’ investment portfolio: RBI pitches for new classification, valuation norms READ MORE
Polish scientists ‘discover gene that more than doubles risk of severe Covid, even death’ READ MORE
High coal prices to intensify India’s efforts to curb imports, lift domestic supplies READ MORE
Animal biodiversity loss limits plants’ ability to adapt to climate change globally: Experts READ MORE
India-China trade grows to record $125 billion in 2021 despite tensions in eastern Ladakh READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

Loss of natural forests: India’s green cover up, but there are some setbacks READ MORE
Searching for antidote to communal hate READ MORE
The Dynamics of Lower-caste Politics READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

Stepping up: The Govt and the SC are on same page on the need to bring about criminal law reforms READ MORE
Worrisome cracks: The system for evaluating judges is opaque READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Liberal economics creates illiberal societies: A new form of ‘Gandhian’ democratic socialism powered by cooperative economic enterprises is required READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

Iran, the world and India READ MORE
In 2022, India should keep an eye on Indo-Pacific READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

MSP is necessary to make farming viable READ MORE
Mahatma Gandhi an ecological economist? READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

World Ocean Temperatures in 2021 Were Hottest on Record READ MORE
India’s climate policies misplaced. Carbon inequality must be addressed within country too READ MORE

SCIENCE

A four-point action plan for quantum technologies READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

The National Disaster Management Plan, 2019 READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

People Versus Power READ MORE
Before Changing the World, Change Yourself! READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

‘Indo-pacific region will present strategic and economic opportunities that India must not miss’. Discuss how India can become an important player in Indo-Pacific to grab these opportunities?
‘The moral superiority of democratic arrangement in the ordering of society is premised on the accountability of power towards the securing of common good’. Discuss the statement.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

Let us not look back in anger, nor go forward in fear, but around in awareness.
Indo-pacific region will present strategic and economic opportunities that India must not miss.
A legal guarantee will only assure the farmers that they will not be bankrupted.
The MSP framework smartly on diversified crops, on a decentralised basis while we develop the markets. A legal guarantee will only assure the farmers that they will not be bankrupted.
Vaccination need not be mandatory but the unvaccinated cannot expect the same privileges if they pose a risk to the freedom and livelihood of others. Choices have consequences and vaccination cannot be an exception to this.
Adequate attention to those who can contribute to developing quantum technology must be the government’s top priority.
As Indians always pride themselves on ‘unity in diversity’, it would be a travesty of justice, equity and fair play to hear the open call being given for the extermination of minority groups.
Gandhi’s ideas could not be more relevant than today when India is witnessing jobless growth and facing the worst unemployment crisis.
Prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment is also a lowcost effective public health measure, as this contributes to prevention of domestic violence and mental illness, and supports education and developmental outcomes for children.
The moral superiority of democratic arrangement in the ordering of society is premised on the accountability of power towards the securing of common good.

Things to Remember:

For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JANUARY 14, 2022)

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA & UK FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

THE CONTEXT:The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, launched the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom.

THE EXPLANATION:

The FTA is expected to facilitate the target of doubling bilateral trade between India and United Kingdom by 2030, set by the Prime Ministers of both the nations.
According to the agreements, the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on Pharma could provide additional market access. There is also great potential for increasing exports in service sectors like IT/ITES, Nursing, education, healthcare, including AYUSH and audio-visual services. India would also be seeking special arrangements for movement of its people.
India-UK FTA will also contribute to integrating value chains and help augment our mutual efforts to strengthen the resilience of supply chains. Reminding that the leaders of both nations had envisioned launching the FTA Negotiations in early 2022.

What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

Key features of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) :

The member nations of FTAs explicitly identify the duties and tariffs that are to be imposed on member countries when it comes to imports and exports.
FTAs typically cover trades in (a) merchandise — such as agricultural or industrial products (b)services — such as banking, construction, trading and so forth (c) intellectual property rights (IPRs),(d) investment (e) government procurement (f) competition policy and so on.
FTAs additionally, for the most part, provide criterion called the ‘Rules of Origin (ROO)’, required for the determination of product’s country of origin for the imposition of the preferential tariff on international trade.
FTAs act as an exception to the Most Favoured Nation principle adopted by WTO (World Trade Organisation).

India-UK bilateral trade

Bilateral trade between India and UK stood at 3 billion in the year 2020. It was lesser than trade of 23.3 billion pounds in 2019. India and UK have also launched a new Enhanced Trade Partnership. It opened ways for future Free Trade Agreement.
Currently, India is the largest market with which the UK has committed to negotiating any trade deal. India is the second largest investor in the UK economy.
About 842 Indian companies in the UK, are employing more than 110,000 people. Combined revenue of Indian companies has increased by 87% in the last five years.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. THE WEF GLOBAL RISKS REPORT 2022

THE CONTEXT:According to Global Risks Report 2022, stated the environmental factors like human environmental damage and natural resource crisis were also believed to be among the top 10 risks in the period.

THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

The annual report was based on a survey of 1,000 global experts and leaders in business, government and civil society on their perception of long-term risks to the world. Views of over 12,000 leaders from 124 countries who identified their national short-term risks were also analysed.
Also the report highlighted global economy is to shrink by 2.3% by 2024. However, in developing countries this is to be 5.5%. In rich countries, it will be 0.9%
The Climate action failure, extreme weather events and biodiversity loss were perceived by experts as the biggest threats for the global population over the next decade.
Since 2020, the pandemic has compounded the threats of social cohesion erosion, livelihood crises and climate action failure the most, the highest number of experts signalled.
As many as 23 per cent respondents felt that mental health deterioration and extreme weather events were exacerbated by the pandemic that is in its third year now.
The global economic gap will widen by 2024, when the developing countries will have fallen 5.5 per cent below their pre-pandemic expected GDP growth and advanced economies would have surpassed the same by almost 0.9 per cent, they underlined.
Digital inequality and cyber security failure also feature among the critical short- and medium-term threats, the analysis pointed out.

TOP 10 GLOBAL RISKS BY SEVERITY OVER NEXT 10 YEARS

About the Report:

The Global Risks Report series tracks global risks perceptions among risk experts and world leaders in business, government, and civil society. It examines risks across five categories: economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal, and technological. It publishes annually by WEF.

About WEF:

World Economic Forum (WEF) is a non-profit organisation that was founded in January 1971. WEF is based in Cologny-Geneva, Switzerland, and was formed with an initiative to improve the states of the world. This organisation was formerly known as the European Management Forum.

Other reports are published by WEF are:

Global Risks Report
Fostering Effective Energy Transition
Social Mobility Index
Global Gender Gap Report
Global Risks Report
Regional Risks for Doing Business
Global Competitiveness Report
Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report

3. INDIA STATE OF FOREST REPORT 2021

THE CONTEXT:The India State of Forest Report 2021 has found the country’s forest cover has increased by 1,540 sq km since 2019. But a decline in the Northeast, and degradation of natural forests are a concern.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021. The report showed a continuing increase in forest cover across the country, but experts flagged some of its other aspects as causes for concern, such as a decline in forest cover in the Northeast, and a degradation of natural forests.

ISFR 2021: KEY FINDINGS

ISFR 2021 has found that the forest and tree cover in the country continues to increase with an additional cover of 1,540 square kilometres over the past two years.
India’s forest cover is now 7,13,789 square kilometres,21.71% of the country’s geographical area, an increase from 67% in 2019. Tree cover has increased by 721 sq km.
The states that have shown the highest increase in forest cover are Telangana (3.07%), Andhra Pradesh (2.22%) and Odisha (1.04%).
Five states in the Northeast – Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland have all shown loss in forest cover.
Mangroves have shown an increase of 17 sq km. India’s total mangrove cover is now 4,992 sq km.
The survey has found that 46 % of the forest cover is prone to forest fires. Out of this, 2.81 % is extremely prone, 7.85% is very highly prone and 11.51 % is highly prone
The total carbon stock in country’s forests is estimated at 7,204 million tonnes, an increase of 79.4 million tonnes since 2019.
Bamboo forests have grown from 13,882 million culms (stems) in 2019 to 53,336 million culms in 2021.

What kind of forests are growing?

Three categories of forests are surveyed –
- Very dense forests (canopy density over 70%),
- Moderately dense forests (40-70%) and
- Open forests (10-40%)
Scrubs (canopy density less than 10%) are also surveyed but not categorised as forests.
Very dense forests have increased by 501 sq km. This is a healthy sign but pertains to forests that are protected and reserve forests with active conservation activities.

What explains the decline in the Northeastern states?

The Northeast states account for 98% of total geographical area but 23.75% of total forest cover. The forest cover in the region has shown an overall decline of 1,020 sq km in forest cover.
While states in the Northeast continue to have some of the largest forested areas, such as Mizoram (84.5% of its total geographical area is forests) or Arunachal Pradesh (79.3%), the two states have respectively lost 1.03% and 0.39% of their forest cover, while Manipur has lost 1.48 %, Meghalaya 0.43%, and Nagaland 1.88%.

What else does the report cover?

ISFR 2021 has some new features. It has for the first time assessed forest cover in tiger reserves,tiger corridors and the Gir forest which houses the Asiatic lion.
The forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves. Forest cover has increased in 20 tiger reserves in these 10 years, and decreased in 32. Buxa, Anamalai and Indravati reserves have shown an increase in forest cover while the highest losses have been found in Kawal, Bhadra and the Sunderbans reserves.
Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.

What impact has climate change had?

The report estimates that by 2030, 45-64% of forests in India will experience the effects of climate change and rising temperatures, and forests in all states (except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable climate hot spots.
Ladakh (forest cover 0.1-0.2%) is likely to be the most affected. India’s forests are already showing shifting trends of vegetation types, such as Sikkim which has shown a shift in its vegetation pattern for 124 endemic species.
In 2019-20, 2 lakh forest fire hotspots were detected by the SNPP_VIIRS sensor, which increased to 3.4 lakh in 2020-21. The highest numbers of fires were detected in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

How comprehensive a picture does the survey present?

According to the experts, the survey results could be misleading as it includes plantations – such as coffee, coconuts or mango and other orchards – under forest cover.
These plantations are distinctly different from natural forests where one hectare would be home to hundreds of species of trees, plants and fauna, whereas such plantations house only one species of tree.
They also stated that the forest survey is carried out as an assessment of India’s biodiversity, but such an overarching survey does not meet that objective.

4. LADAKH, J&K, HIMACHAL MAY WITNESS RISE IN HIGH TEMP IN 2030, 2050 AND 2085: GOVT REPORT

THE CONTEXT: According to the forest Survey of India report, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely to witness an increase in high temperature over periods of 2030, 2050 and 2085.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) in collaboration with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Goa has performed a study based on ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’.
According to the India State of Forests Report (ISFR) 2021, the collaborative study was carried out with the objective to map climatic hotspots over the forest cover in India, using computer model-based projection of temperature and rainfall data, for the future time periods i.e. year 2030, 2050 and 2085.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

By analysing scenarios in the study periods that is 2030, 2050, 2085, it has been observed that Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are projected to witness high temperature increase, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands, West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are projected to witness the least temperature rise over these periods.
According to the report, North-Eastern states and Upper Malabar coast of India are projected to experience highest increase in rainfall,whereas, part of North-Eastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, North-Western parts of the country namely Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are projected to experience least increase and sometimes even decline in rainfall.

IPCC REFERENCE REPORT:

According to the IPCC report released in 2021, the mean global temperatures have already risen by a little more than 1 degrees Celsius as compared to pre-industrial times.
India aims to achieve the target of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
Under the current assessment, the total carbon stock in the country’s forest is estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes and there is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment of 2019.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) represents the largest pool of carbon stock in forests, which has been estimated at 4,010.2 million tonnes. The SOC contributes 56% to the total forest carbon stock of the country.
The report shows that Arunachal Pradesh has the maximum carbon stock of 1023.84 million tonnes (mt) followed by Madhya Pradesh 609.25 mt, Chhattisgarh 496.44 mt And Maharashtra 451.61 mt.
“The per hectare carbon stock among different states, UTs indicates that Jammu and Kashmiris contributing maximum per hectare carbon stock of 173.41 tonnes per hectare followed by Himachal Pradesh with 167.10 tonnes per hectare, Sikkim 166.24 tonnes per hectare and Andaman and Nicobar Islands 162.86 tonnes per hectare”.

THE COVID CORNER

5. THE WHO RECOMMENDS ELI LILLY, GSK-VIR’S DRUGS FOR COVID-19

THE CONTEXT:A World Health Organisation (WHO) panel recommended use of two drugs by Eli Lilly, and GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology for Covid-19 patients, adding treatment options as the fast-spreading Omicron variant renders many ineffective.

THE EXPLANATION:

WHO data shows Omicron, which is evading protection provided by many vaccines and therapies, has been identified in 149 countries. It is quickly replacing Delta as the dominant variant in several nations, forcing governments and scientists to bolster defences with testing, shots and therapies.
The panel strongly recommended Lilly’s baricitinib, sold under brand name Olumiant, for patients with severe Covid-19 in combination with corticosteroids, while conditionally endorsed GSK-Vir’santibody therapy for non-severe patients at the highest risk of hospitalisation.
GSK-Vir’s monoclonal antibody therapy is the only one that has shown effectiveness against Omicron in lab tests, while similar treatments from Eli Lilly and Co and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals offered lower protection in such tests.
The drug reduces the need for ventilation and had been found to improve patients’ chances of survival with no sign of an increase in adverse reactions.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 14^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Which of the following are correctly matched?

Nuakhai – Andhra Pradesh
Wangala – Garo, Meghalaya
Bihu – Assam
Onam – Kerala

Select the correct answer using code given below:

a) 1, 2 and 3 only

b) 2, 3 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) All of them

ANSWER FOR 13^TH JANUARY 2022.

Answer: D

Explanation:

CPI for Industrial Workers (IW): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
CPI for Rural Labourer (RL): Compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and

Employment.

CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined): Compiled by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Ethics Through Current Developments (14-01-2022)

Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity: In service of God and humans READ MORE
Basic Principles of True Success READ MORE

Today’s Important Articles for Geography (14-01-2022)

Explained: Takeaways from Forest Report READ MORE
Global warming: Arctic lightning strikes up drastically in 2021 READ MORE
Ladakh, J&K, Himachal May Witness Rise in High Temp in 2030, 2050 and 2085: Govt Report READ MORE

Today’s Important Articles for Sociology (14-01-2022)

Women vs the marriage fatwa: Children become adults at 18. Deciding when to marry is the basic human right of all adults READ MORE
Liberal economics creates illiberal societies: A new form of ‘Gandhian’ democratic socialism powered by cooperative economic enterprises is required READ MORE

Today’s Important Articles for Pub Ad (14-01-2022)

Time to eradicate the rot in immoral political system READ MORE
How civil servants tackle retirement phobia—take up service extensions and live in luxury READ MORE
We Cannot Forget That India Is a Union of States READ MORE

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (JANUARY 13, 2022)

THE POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. THE EMERGENCE OF LOK ADALAT

THE CONTEXT: According to National Legal Services Authority, that it is committed to deliver prompt and inexpensive justice to the citizens. Recently, it has decided to lay more emphasis on contribution of National Lok Adalat in effectively reducing the number of pending cases through Alternative Dispute Mechanisms.

THE STATUS OF LOK ADALAT:

To achieve this goal, the Legal Services Authorities shifted to dynamic preparation strategies for organization of the Lok Adalats. As a preparatory measure, NALSA started organization of prior consultative and review meetings with all the State Legal Services Authorities to guide them towards the maximum disposal during such Lok Adalats.

The empirical Data:

A cumulative effect of all the preparatory and mobilization measures resulted in extraordinary disposal figures during the year 2021. Across the country, a total number of 1,27,87,329 cases were disposed of in four National Lok Adalats, which included a huge number of pending cases i.e., 55,81,117 and a record number of pre-litigation cases i.e., 72,06,212. Through these activities the Legal Services Authorities disposed off a large number of cases giving relief to the common citizens by ending or preventing long lasting legal battles.
The second in line were the Revenue cases consisting of 11,59,794 pre-litigation and 14,99,558 pending cases. Apart from these, the other disposed of cases were cheque bounce cases under NI Act, Bank Recovery Cases, Motor Accident Claims, Labour Disputes, matrimonial cases, etc.

Technological Advancements:

In June 2020, the Legal Services Authorities integrated technology with the conventional modes of dispute settlement and introduced virtual Lok Adalats also called as ‘E-Lok Adalats’. Since then, all the Lok Adalats including National Lok Adalats are organized through virtual and hybrid modes.
Due to these technological advancements, Lok Adalats have reached to the doorsteps of the parties. The parties are now able to join the Lok Adalat proceedings from their homes or workplaces, saving them the hassle of travelling and reserving a full day for an affair, which gets over within minutes.
The other major factor in the success of Lok Adalats was the formulation of decisive strategies at the National level. Under these strategies, the State Legal Services Authorities were instructed to conduct meetings with various stakeholder across every level with an objective to ensure their full cooperation and coordination. The authorities were guided to follow a litigant friendly approach as well as to persuade such litigants to settle the cases involving settled propositions of law.

Value Addition:

About Lok Adalat

Lok Adalat is a system of alternative dispute resolution developed in India. It roughly means “People’s Court”, which is established through Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 which came into force on 9th November 1995.
Article 39 A of the Constitution provides for free legal aid to the poor and weaker sections of the society, to promote justice on the basis of equal opportunity. Article 14 and Article 22 (1), obligates State to ensure equality before law.
They are held periodically for exercising such jurisdiction as they determine. The first Lok Adalat was held on March 14, 1982, in Gujarat.

What is an ADR?

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is designed to settle disputes outside of the courtroom with the help of an impartial third party. The latter means the decision is final and enforceable, while the former implies that the arbitrator’s ruling is advisory and only set in stone if both parties agree to it.
The ADR techniques mainly include arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and negotiation. In India, Lok Adalat stands as another additional form of ADR mechanism, which combines different techniques like conciliation, mediation, and negotiation.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. THE WORLD’S SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION

THE CONTEXT: Scientists are warning that we are in the early throes of another such annihilation event. Unlike any other, this sixth mass die-off — or Anthropocene extinction — is the only one caused by humans, and climate change, habitat destruction, pollution and industrial agriculture all play a hand.

THE EXPLANATION:

In mass extinctions, at least three-quarters of all species cease to exist within about 3 million years. Some scientists believe that at our current rate, could be on track to lose that number within a few centuries.
Over the next few decades alone, at least 1 million species are at risk of being wiped out. That’s according to an estimate in a landmark report published in 2019 — but many scientists say it could well be an undercount.
Trying to predict the results of a complete collapse in biodiversity is almost a black art — ecosystems are incredibly complex.
However, that there are several clear predictions should extinctions continue at this rate.

LOSS OF FOOD SECURITY

Bees play a vital role in ensuring our food security
About one-third of the world’s food supply relies on pollinators such as bees, and, if they die out, agricultural yields could plummet.
Some crop pests may thrive as predators drop off, further impacting monoculture harvests.
And millions of people rely on wild species for nutrition and their livelihoods, particularly on coastal and inland fisheries, which are especially vulnerable to disappearing.
According to Scientist, this lack of food security, which will also be connected to increased drought and flooding, will hit poorer regions hardest — particularly sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.

SOIL FERTILITY

The quality of soil is also expected to deteriorate if critical microorganisms die off. Though underrepresented in the data, some researchers believe they are potentially vanishing at a faster rate than other species. Their disappearance could lead to worsening erosion, which in turn results in more floods, as well as poorer fertility, which again impacts crop growth.
Healthy soils rely on microorganisms that some scientists say are dying out at rapid rates.

ATER SHORTAGES AND NATURAL DISASTERS

A lot of the world’s fresh water comes from wetlands that purify and redistribute this life source. The Himalayan water tower for example, which is fed by rivers and wetlands, supplies about two billion people. If systems like these collapse, as a result of impacts including algae blooms and receding vegetation, humanity could lose a lot of water for drinking and agricultural use.
As forests recede, rainfall patterns are likely to shift as evapotranspiration — the process in which moisture is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration — is affected, further drying out the landscape, as has been seen in the Amazon.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 10 million hectares (24 million acres) of forest were cut down annually from 2015. The Amazon rainforest is under threat from deforestation. And with the loss of trees and vegetation — fundamental regulators of atmospheric carbon dioxide — climate change is expected to worsen, triggering more extreme weather events. Drier conditions and unhealthy forests also increase the risk of wildfire.
Meanwhile, crop failures and other ecological threats will likely trigger mass migrations as people escape famine and conflict over dwindling resources.

THE SOCIAL AND HEALTH ISSUES

3. THE KALA AZAR DEATH IN JHARKHAND

THE CONTEXT: For the first time in eight years, Jharkhand reported a death due to kala azar in the state, even as the total cases continue to decline. While 752 cases were identified as positive in 2015, the number of provisional cases last year till November 2021 was 242, as per data on the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control portal.

THE EXPLANATION:

In Jharkhand, it is endemic to four districts, especially their rural areas: Sahebganj, Godda, Dumka and Pakur, covering 33 blocks. The disease is considered endemic if there is more than one case per 10,000 population.
Jharkhand, in fact, has managed to ensure an uninterrupted decline in cases – 25% on an average annually – despite two waves of Covid-19. “Cases have declined, but the transmission cannot be reduced abruptly.
Data regarding kala azar in the state is available since 2014. However, even in 2015, when Jharkhand reported a high of 1,358 cases, no deaths were seen.

About the Kala Azar Disease:

Kala azar (meaning black death) or Visceral leishmaniasis is the second largest parasitic killer in the world—only malaria is more deadly. Along with Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, kala azar is one of the most dangerous neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Initiatives were taken by Government of India

WHO has set the target for GOI to eliminate it by 2017. A centrally sponsored kala-azar control programme had been launched for endemic states in the year 1990-91.
National roadmap for Kala-azar has been circulated in all states.
Treatment of the patient with single day single dose AmBisome injection has improved treatment compliance.
Regular supply of diagnostic kit.
300 being given to ASHA worker or health volunteer to bring cases suspected with Kala-azar and ensures their full treatment.

THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

4. THE GRIME-EATING BACTERIA TO RESTORE CLASSICAL ART (BIO CLEANING & BIO RESTORATION)

THE CONTEXT: Scientists from Italy are using grime-eating bacteria to restore classical art. Art restorers have usually employed chemical agents and, more recently laser techniques, to remove dirt, oil, glue, or pollutants from monuments, stone works, and paintings.

THE EXPLANATION:

Since the 1980s, when researchers first used the bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris to clean a marble monument at the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, US, the role of micro-organisms has been recognised in protecting the artistic heritage of humanity.

Calling in the bugs

The New York Times, which first reported the initially secret restoration in Florence, said the team washed the hair of one of the marble statues with Pseudomonas stutzeri CONC11 bacterium isolated from the waste of a tannery near Naples, and cleaned the residue of casting molds, glue, and oil using Rhodococcus sp. ZCONT, another strain that came from soil contaminated with diesel.

Cleaning of Taj Mahal:

Researchers from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, and Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and the Archaeological Survey of India is learning the way to exploring the option of employing bio-restoration at the Taj.
According to the researchers, “first they need to study the marble to understand if it is just dust and particulate carbon causing the dark colour or if there is a biofilm formation.”

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY 13^TH JANUARY 2022

Q1. Which of the following is not compiled by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment?

a) CPI for Industrial Workers (IW)

b) CPI for Agricultural Labourer (AL)

c) CPI for Rural Labourer (RL)

d) CPI (Rural/Urban/Combined)

ANSWER FOR 12^TH JANUARY 2022.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Henley Passport Index ranks world’s passports according to the
number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa.
Statement 2 is correct: Ranking is based on data from International Air Transport Association
(IATA).
Statement 3 is incorrect: India is ranked 83rd in its 2022 index, climbing seven places from 90th rank last year.

WSDP Bulletin (14-01-2022)

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

Forest, tree cover in India up by 2,261 sq km in two years READ MORE
News Analysis | Not possible to demilitarise Siachen READ MORE
WHO recommends Eli Lilly, GSK-Vir’s drugs, widening Covid-19 treatment pool READ MORE
High coal prices to intensify India’s efforts to curb imports, lift domestic supplies READ MORE
RBI Governor-headed FSDC sub-committee reviews economic situation READ MORE
Environmental crises pose biggest threats to global population over next decade: WEF Global Risks Report 2022 READ MORE