1. The Guru who taught us to fear none, scare none READ MORE
2. Selective demolitions bring no glory to the nation READ MORE

1. Coastline of Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram may be under water by 2050 READ MORE
2. India headed for ‘large deficient’ rainfall to ‘no rain’ in pre-monsoon period READ MORE

1. Grand illusion of inclusive growth READ MORE
2. Selective demolitions bring no glory to the nation READ MORE

1. State of the state: When govts intervene in matters of personal and religious choice, social peace & livelihoods suffer READ MORE
2. CUET: Suitable for admissions or a half-baked policy? READ MORE
3. Foreign academic tie-ups: Ease of rules a step forward for higher education READ MORE
4. Speculation without data: Poverty estimates need govt surveys to resume READ MORE
5. Pegasus is seducing, but good intelligence isn’t just tech. India needs more than software READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. When the stars came out READ MORE
2. Sixth Scorpène submarine Vagsheer launched into water in Mumbai READ MORE
3. OIL commissions India’s first pure green hydrogen plant in Assam READ MORE
4. India to introduce special visa category for Ayush treatment READ MORE
5. Explained: Life and legend of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who stood up to the Mughals READ MORE
6. India, Finland to establish Virtual Network Centre on Quantum Computing READ MORE
7. Climate change triggering global collapse in insect numbers: Stressed farmland shows 63% decline — new research READ MORE
8. New research detects pre-eruption warning signals at Whakaari White Island and other active volcanoes READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Grand illusion of inclusive growth READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. State of the state: When govts intervene in matters of personal and religious choice, social peace & livelihoods suffer READ MORE
2. CUET: Suitable for admissions or a half-baked policy? READ MORE
3. Foreign academic tie-ups: Ease of rules a step forward for higher education READ MORE
4. Speculation without data: Poverty estimates need govt surveys to resume READ MORE
5. Pegasus is seducing, but good intelligence isn’t just tech. India needs more than software READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. UGC’s two degree decision and social justice READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Significant Deal: The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement with Australia sets an excellent example of how bilateral trade deals READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Give priority to tilting trains than K-Rail, says expert READ MORE
2. Freebies are a passport to fiscal disaster READ MORE
3. Ukraine, virus threaten economic recovery READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 

1. Coastline of Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram may be under water by 2050 READ MORE
2. India headed for ‘large deficient’ rainfall to ‘no rain’ in pre-monsoon period READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. The Guru who taught us to fear none, scare none READ MORE
2. Selective demolitions bring no glory to the nation READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘The culture of freebies could prove expensive for the economy, life quality and social cohesion in the long run’. Comment.
2. ‘Unless the institutional barriers at the ground level are removed, the life chances of the poor will not improve and there can be no inclusive growth’. In the light of the statement, discuss how these barriers can be removed so that an inclusive growth can be achieved?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The success of the manipulation depends on the level of conviction and force of the denial.
• India is a Union of states. It is not a confederation of states. It is not a question of holding together but of coming together.
• The issue of intergenerational equity leads to greater social inequalities because of expenditure priorities being distorted away from growth-enhancing items.
• There is no harm in being sometimes wrong — especially if one is promptly found out.
• Measuring aptitude and selecting students for higher education require deep deliberation. Systematic reforms in schooling, higher education and assessment paradigms would be needed in the long term.
• Instead of focusing on introducing periodical revisions, the emphasis should be on launching administrative reforms in GST, which will achieve goals, such as reducing disputes and increasing resources for the government.
• Initiatives such as the PLI scheme and the emphasis on using only trusted supply chains for the tech sector demonstrate the globalisation-oriented attitude of the government.
• True inclusive growth can happen not with distribution of free ration but by attacking social and economic discrimination that hinder our youth’s progress.
• Unless the barriers at the ground level are removed, the life chances of the poor will not improve and there can be no inclusive growth.
• Until authoritative, transparent and professional government data is once again the order of the day, any claims about poverty reduction will remain pure speculation.

50-WORD TALK

• UGC’s reforms to allow dual, joint degrees and easier collaboration with foreign universities increase options and opportunities to students in a cramped education system. Focus on learning, skilling and enjoying it should not be lost in the bargain though. Degrees should showcase knowledge and employability, not become trophies to collect.
• BJP-controlled Delhi civic body’s selective demolition drive in riot-hit Jahangirpuri was malicious, unlawful and aimed at more communal polarisation. For a party that takes credit for regularising Delhi’s 1,700 illegal colonies, BJP’s stand on Jahangirpuri demolition is rich. Bulldozer power is a terrible advertisement for democracy and rule of law.

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 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.

WORLD GEOGRAPHY: MINERAL RESOURCES

1. WHY RISE IN NICKEL PRICE DUE TO RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR CASTS A SHADOW ON THE SHIFT FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO EVS

THE CONTEXT: Between Western sanctions, a big bunch of export bans from Russia, and wildly fluctuating prices as a result of all the uncertainty, the Ukraine-Russia conflict has wreaked havoc on the global market for nickel — a key metal for industrial, military, construction, and transport goods.

THE EXPLANATION:

Nickel also happens to be essential raw material for rechargeable batteries, which are used in electric vehicles (EVs), sparking worries about the hoped-for move away from fossil fuels. Surging input prices, it is feared, could hinder ambitious EV-manufacturing plans.

• Russia accounts for about 11 per cent of the global supply of nickel ore, and 20 percent of the world’s top-grade or Class 1 nickel.
• Indonesia has about a third of the world’s nickel ores and is the biggest producer of the metal. In 2020, it produced 0.76 million tonnes of nickel, which is about a third of the global production followed by the Philippines (0.32 million tonnes) and Russia (0.28 million tonnes).
• But, a vast majority of Indonesia’s output comprises lower quality Class 2 nickel (NPI), which it exports to China for manufacturing stainless steel.
• In terms of Class 1 nickel, the McKinsey’s report cited earlier noted, Indonesia produced only 6.8 per cent compared to Russia’s 21.1 percent (in 2019).
• Part of the reason why EV manufacturers have been so dependent on Russia was that after 2012, when China started using NPI for stainless steel, the steel prices came down drastically. This incentivised producers like Indonesia to produce more and more of Class 2 nickel.

• According to projections by the intergovernmental organisation International Energy Agency (IEA), the “global EV stock across all transport modes (excluding two/three-wheelers) expands from over 11 million in 2020 to almost 145 million vehicles by 2030” — this represents an annual average growth rate of nearly 30 percent, with EVs estimated to account for about 7 percent of road vehicles by the start of the next decade.
• In this scenario, Indonesia has sensed the opportunity to channel some of its big nickel ores to the EV industry.
• While Indonesia is richer in a laterite called limonite — a good source for Class 2 nickel production — and does not have such abundant reserves of sulphur ores that are ideal for producing Class 1 nickel, it is devising workarounds to this issue.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY, AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2. INDIA’S FIRST PURE GREEN HYDROGEN PLANT COMMISSIONED IN ASSAM

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first Green Hydrogen Plant in Assam.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It is the first significant step towards Green Hydrogen Economy in India with the commissioning of India’s First 99.999% pure Green Hydrogen pilot plant, with an installed capacity of 10 kg per day at its Jorhat Pump Station in Assam.
• The plant is expected to increase its production of green hydrogen from 10kg from 30 kg per day in future.
• The plant also the first in India to use Anion Exchange Membrane Technology (AEM).
• In AEM technology the water is split into hydrogen and oxygen with an application of electric current, using a porous anion exchange membrane.

OTHER TYPES OF HYDROGEN

• Black hydrogen is produced by use of fossil fuel.
• Pink hydrogen is produced through electrolysis but using energy from nuclear power sources.
• Brown hydrogen is produced using coal where the emissions are released to the air.
• Grey hydrogen is produced from natural gas where the associated emissions are released to the air.
• Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas, where the emissions are captured using carbon capture and storage.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. ISRO, IISC RESEARCHERS DEVELOP A WAY TO MAKE BRICKS FROM MARTIAN SOIL

THE CONTEXT: Researchers from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a way to make bricks from Martian soil with the help of bacteria and urea.

THE EXPLANATION:

• These ‘space bricks’ can be used to construct building-like structures on Mars that could facilitate human settlement on the red planet.
• The team first made the slurry by mixing Martian soil with guar gum, a bacterium called Sporosarcina pasteurii, urea and nickel chloride (NiCl 2). “This slurry can be poured into moulds of any desired shape, and over a few days the bacteria convert the urea into crystals of calcium carbonate. These crystals, along with biopolymers secreted by the microbes, act as cement holding the soil particles together”.
• This method ensures that the bricks are less porous, which was a problem with other methods used to make Martian bricks. “The bacteria seep deep into the pore spaces, using their own proteins to bind the particles together, decreasing porosity and leading to stronger bricks”.
• Another challenge was the composition of Martian soil, which has a lot of iron that causes toxicity to organisms.

According to the sources, the team has also developed a lab-on-a-chip device that aims to measure bacterial activity in micro-gravity conditions. “The device is being developed keeping in mind our intention to perform experiments in micro-gravity conditions in the near future”.

With ISRO’s help, the team plans to send such devices into space, so that they can study the effect of low gravity on the bacterial growth.

4. LAUNCH OF SIXTH SCORPENE SUBMARINE ‘VAGSHEER’

THE CONTEXT: The sixth and last submarine of the Indian Navy’s Kalvari class submarines of Project 75 has been launched at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).

THE EXPLANATION:

• The first of the Project – 75 submarines was commissioned into the Navy in December 2017 and presently four submarines of this Project are in commission in the Indian Navy.
• The fifth submarine is progressing with the Sea Trials and is likely to be delivered this year. The sixth submarine will now commence setting to work of various equipment and their harbour trials. The crew will thereafter sail the submarine for the rigorous Sea Acceptance Trials after which the submarine would be delivered to the Indian Navy by late 2023.

VALUE ADDITION:

• VAGSHEER: Named after the sandfish, a deadly deep water sea predator of the Indian Ocean, the first submarine ‘Vagsheer’ was commissioned in December 1974. It was decommissioned in April 1997.
• The Scorpene-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines, featuring diesel propulsion and air-dependent propulsion.
• The submarine has four sub-types – CM-2000 conventional diesel-electric version, the AM-2000 air-independent propulsion derivative, the downsized CA-2000 coastal submarine and the enlarged S-BR for the Brazilian navy.
• The submarine can undertake several types of missions – anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.
• It has superior stealth features, including advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, a hydro-dynamically optimised shape, and the ability to launch crippling attacks using guided weapons. The features also give the submarine invulnerability, unmatched by most submarines.

PROJECT 75

• Project-75 (P-75) was conceptualised by former Prime Minister I K Gujral and faced many hurdles. The main objective of Project – 75 was to acquire 24 submarines. The project was approved by the Ministry of Defence in 1997.

History of Project – 75

• In 1998, India started negotiating with DCN. DCN is Direction des Constructions, a French defence contractor. India negotiated four Scorpene class submarines with DCN. Of these two were to be built in Mazagon Dock Limited.

Project – 75 upgraded after Kargil War

• After Kargil war in 1999, the Indian Government approved a 30-year submarine plan. The Project – 75 was brought under this new plan. Under the new plan, two parallel production lines of the submarines were called for. One was under the already running Project – 75 and the other was under Project – 75I (Project – 75 India).

Construction of Six Submarines

• In 2005, under Project – 75, India signed a transfer of technology contract with the French. Under this contract six submarines were to be constructed at the Mazagon Dock Limited. These submarines were to be delivered by 2012. The Scorpene class submarine was selected because of its capability to fire anti-ship missiles and air-independent propulsion.

Delivery of the submarines:

• INS Kalvari was the first submarine delivered under Project – 75. It was delivered in 2015.
• INS Khanderi was the second submarine. It was commissioned in 2019.
• INS Karanj was the third submarine. It was commissioned in March 2021.
• INS Vela was the fourth submarine. It was commissioned in November 2021.
• INS Vagir is the fifth submarine.
• INS Vasgheer is the sixth submarine.

5. INDIA & FINLAND DISCUSS POSSIBLE AREAS OF COOPERATION IN QUANTUM COMPUTING FOR THE VIRTUAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (COE)

THE CONTEXT: Delegates from India and Finland discussed possible areas of co-operation in quantum computing and a road map for the collaborative virtual Centre of Excellence (CoE) that has been planned to be set up.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to the DST, “the two countries are trying to get academic and industrial partners which can help develop quantum science and technology for the betterment of humankind in particular and the planet in general. India and Finland committed towards global excellence in this field to achieve the best possible technologies in the shortest possible time.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Quantum Computing?

Quantum Computing is the area of study focused on creating computer technology based on the principles of quantum theory which describes the nature and behaviour of matter and energy on the quantum (atomic and subatomic) level.

Why Quantum Computing?

Development of a quantum computer would mark a major leap forward in computing capability far greater than that of a modern-day supercomputer as the quantum computer has the enormous processing power and it can perform tasks using all possible permutations simultaneously = the performance gains are enormous.

For instance, to sort a billion numbers, a quantum computer would only need 3.5 million fewer steps than a conventional machine.

The following are the major advantages of Quantum Computers.

• Faster: It can perform any task faster as compared to a classical computer. Because atoms move faster in a quantum computer than a classical computer.
• Accurate: It’s highest level accuracy makes it suitable for national security and big data handling.
• Energy-efficient: It wastes less energy while working = it is cost-effective after implementation.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

6. INDIA POST PAYMENTS BANK LAUNCHES ‘FINCLUVATION’

THE CONTEXT: On the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of Indian Independence & ongoing Azadi ka Amrit Mahotasav, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a 100% government owned entity under Department of Posts (DoP) announced the launch of Fincluvation– a joint initiative to collaborate with Fintech Startup community to co-create and innovate solutions for financial inclusion.

THE EXPLANATION:

• “Fincluvation will be a permanent platform of IPPB to co-create inclusive financial solutions with participating start-ups. It invites startups to Participate, Ideate, Develop and Market intuitive and tailored products and services that can be taken to the customers. Startups are encouraged to develop solutions aligned with any of the following tracks-
• Creditization – Develop Innovative & Inclusive credit products aligned with the use cases of target customers and take them to their doorsteps through Postal network.
• Digitization – Bring convenience through convergence of traditional services with Digital Payment Technologies such as making the traditional Money Order service as Interoperable Banking service.
• Any Market-led solutions that can help solve any other problem relevant to IPPB and/or DoP in serving the target customers.
• Intersection of technology with financial services coupled with traditional distribution networks is opening up new set of business opportunities. Conventional model of technology procurement led product creation by banks often lacks value in user experience leaving huge gap between customer expectations and service delivery. Traditional technology firms fail to meet these expectations with a deficit of ownership in product creation.
• Fincluvation mentors will work closely with the startups to tweak products to the customer needs and align the go-to-market strategies with operating models of IPPB and DoP.

About India Post Payments Bank

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by Government of India.
• The bank has been set up with the vision to build the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man in India. The fundamental mandate of IPPB is to remove barriers for the unbanked and under-banked and reach the last mile leveraging a network comprising 160,000 post offices (145,000 in rural areas) and 400,000 postal employees. IPPB’s reach and its operating model is built on the key pillars of India Stack – enabling Paperless, Cashless and Presence-less banking in a simple and secure manner at the customers’ doorstep, through a CBS-integrated smartphone and biometric device.
• Leveraging frugal innovation and with a high focus on ease of banking for the masses, IPPB delivers simple and affordable banking solutions through intuitive interfaces available in 13 languages. IPPB is committed to provide a fillip to a less cash economy and contribute to the vision of Digital India.

THE DATA SHEET

DEFENCE MANUFACTURING

• The 65.5 percentage of the capital acquisition budget of the financial year 2021-22, utilised for making procurements from domestic sources, according to the Defence Ministry. The Ministry added that they had earmarked 64% of the capital acquisition budget for domestic industry and were able to ‘overachieve’ this target.
• In May 2020, the government announced increasing the foreign direct investments limit from 49% to 74% under the automatic route in the defence sector.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY: A GRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Q. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. 1. Kanpur – Nana Saheb
   2. Lucknow – Khan Bahadur Khan
   3. Bareilly – Begum Hazrat Mahal
   4. Bihar – Kunwar Singh

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 3 and 4 only

d) 1 and 4 only

ANSWER FOR 20TH APRIL 2022

Answer: B

Explanation:

• The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) is the leading UN entity on human rights.
• It represent the world’s commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• UN General Assembly established Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in December 1993.
• This was just a few months after the World Conference on Human Rights adopted the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action.
• The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations.
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is accountable to the Secretary-General and is responsible for all the activities of OHCHR, as well as for its administration.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and approved by the General Assembly, with due regard to geographical rotation for a fixed term of four years with a possibility of on renewal for another fixed term of four years.

[WpProQuiz 207]

CIVIL SERVICES DAY

THE CONTEXT: National Civil Services Day is observed on April 21 every year. On National Civil Services day, the officers of central and state governments are awarded by the Prime Minister of India for their extraordinary services in the field of public administration.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICES DAY

• On April 21, 1947, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Home Member of Parliament, inaugurated the All-India Services. Then, the previous Indian Civil Services under British India were changed to All India Services subject to complete Indian control.
• He gave a powerful speech at the All-India Administrative Service Training School at Metcalfe House, Delhi. In his speech he referred to civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’.

WHO IS THE FATHER OF CIVIL SERVICES IN INDIA?

• The present civil services of India are mainly based on the pattern of the former Indian Civil Service of British India. Warren Hastings laid the foundation of civil service and Charles Cornwallis reformed, modernised, and rationalised it. Hence, Charles Cornwallis is known as ‘the father of civil service in India’.

WHICH IS THE HIGHEST POST IN CIVIL SERVICES?

• The highest-ranking civil servant is the Cabinet Secretary.

FIRST CELEBRATION OF CIVIL SERVICES DAY IN INDIA

• The first celebration of Civil Services Day was held on April 21, 2006, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. On this day, the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence has been conferred to Public Administration to various officers to celebrate their work.

NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICES DAY AWARD

• On National Civil Services day, the ‘Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration’ is awarded. Many districts across the country participate in this award program.
• The award function is organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public grievances and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL SERVICES

• The civil service system is the backbone of the administrative machinery of the country. It is the permanent executive branch of the Republic of India.
• The policies and schemes are made by the government. The civil servants are the administrators.
• The civil servants are responsible for implementing all the government policies and schemes successfully up to the root level.
• It consists of (IAS) Indian Administrative Services, (IPS) Indian Police Services, (IFS) Indian Foreign Services, along with central Group A and Group B Services.

THE CONTEXT: The first United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) was held in September 2021 to find solutions and catalyze momentum to transform the way the world produces, consumes, and thinks about food and help address the rising hunger issues. The transformation of the food system is also considered essential in achieving the sustainable development agenda 2030 as 11 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) out of 17 are directly related to the food system. In this context, it is imperative to learn from the success of India. This article talks about the success of food security in India and how the developing world can learn from India.

WHAT IS A FOOD SYSTEM?

It is a framework that includes every aspect of feeding and nourishing people: from growing, harvesting, and processing to packaging, transporting, marketing, and consuming food. To be sustainable, a food system must provide enough nutritious food for all without compromising on feeding future generations.

WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY?

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Food security is the combination of the following three elements:

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 ACCESSIBILITY: 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, individual health, water and sanitation, feeding and sharing practices within the household.

REASONS FOR FOOD INSECURITY

CLIMATE CHANGE: Higher temperatures and unreliable rainfall make farming difficult. Climate change not only impacts crops but also livestock, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture, and can cause grave social and economic consequences in the form of reduced incomes, eroded livelihoods, trade disruption, and adverse health impacts.

CONFLICT: Food can be used as a weapon, with enemies cutting off food supplies in order to gain ground. Crops can also be destroyed during the conflict.

LACK OF ACCESS TO REMOTE AREAS: For the tribal communities, habitation in remote difficult terrains and the practice of subsistence farming have led to significant economic backwardness.

UNMONITORED NUTRITION PROGRAMMES: 

• Although a number of programmes with improving nutrition as their main component are planned in the country these are not properly implemented.
• Lack of coherent food and nutrition policies along with the absence of intersectoral coordination between various ministries.Inadequate distribution of food through public distribution mechanisms (PDS i.e. Public Distribution System).

SOCIAL ISSUES:

• An increase in rural-to-urban migration, a large proportion of informal workforce resulting in unplanned growth of slums which lack the basic health and hygiene facilities, insufficient housing, and increased food insecurity.
• Overpopulation, poverty, lack of education, and gender inequality.
• Deserving beneficiaries of the subsidy are excluded on the basis of non-ownership of below poverty line (BPL) status, as the criterion for identifying a household as BPL is arbitrary and varies from state to state.

CORRUPTION: Diverting the grains to the open market to get a better margin, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, and irregular opening of the shops add to the issue of food insecurity.

BIOFUELS: The growth of the biofuel market has reduced the land used for growing food crops.

CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING FOOD SECURITY

CLIMATE CHANGE AND UNSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: Climate change and unsustainable use of land and water resources are the most formidable challenges food systems face today. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has set the alarm bells ringing, highlighting the urgency to act now. Dietary diversity, nutrition, and related health outcomes are another area of concern as a focus on rice and wheat have created nutritional challenges of their own.

PREVALENCE OF UNDERNOURISHMENT: It is ironic that despite being a net exporter and food surplus country at the aggregate level, India has a 50% higher prevalence of undernutrition compared to the world average. The high prevalence of undernutrition in the country does not seem to be due to food shortages or the low availability of food. The Government of India and the States are seriously concerned about this paradoxical situation of being a food surplus and at the same time, having 15% of the population undernourished. They are trying to address other possible reasons for low nutrition through several nutritional interventions. As announced recently, the supply of fortified rice in PDS and Poshan Abhiyan is the two steps among many to address the challenge of undernutrition and malnutrition.

REDUCING FOOD WASTAGE: Reducing food wastage or loss of food is a mammoth challenge and is linked to the efficiency of the food supply chain.

FOOD SECURITY IN INDIA

• Food security concerns can be traced back to the experience of the Bengal Famine in 1943 during British colonial rule, during which about 2 million to 3 million people perished due to starvation
• Since independence, an initial rush to industrialize while ignoring agriculture, two successive droughts in the mid-1960s, and dependence on food aid from the United States exposed India’s vulnerability to several shocks in the food security
• The country went through a Green Revolution in the late 1960s and early 1970s, enabling it to overcome productivity stagnation and significantly improve food grain production. Despite its success, the Green Revolution is often criticized for being focused on only two cereals, wheat and rice; being confined to a few resources abundant regions in the north-western and southern parts of the country that benefited mostly rich farmers; and putting too much stress on the ecology of these regions, especially soil and water.

POSITIVE IMPACTS OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION

TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN CROP PRODUCE: It resulted in a grain output of 131 million tonnes in the year 1978-79 and established India as one of the world’s biggest agricultural producers. The crop area under high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice grew considerably during the Green Revolution.

REDUCED IMPORT OF FOOD-GRAINS: India became self-sufficient in food grains and had sufficient stock in the central pool, even, at times; India was in a position to export food grains. The per capita net availability of food grains has also increased.

BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS: The introduction of the Green Revolution helped the farmers in raising their level of income. Farmers plowed back their surplus income for improving agricultural productivity. The big farmers with more than 10 hectares of land particularly benefited from this revolution by investing large amounts of money in various inputs like HYV seeds, fertilizers, machines, etc. It also promoted capitalist farming.

INDUSTRIAL GROWTH: The Revolution brought about large-scale farm mechanization which created a demand for different types of machines like tractors, harvesters, threshers, combines, diesel engines, electric motors, pumping sets, etc. Besides, demand for chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, weedicides, etc. also increased considerably. Several agricultural products were also used as raw materials in various industries known as agro-based industries.

RURAL EMPLOYMENT: There was an appreciable increase in the demand for the labour force due to multiple cropping and the use of fertilizers. The Green Revolution created plenty of jobs not only for agricultural workers but also for industrial workers by creating related facilities such as factories and hydroelectric power stations.

• The Green Revolution was followed by the White Revolution, which was initiated by Operation Flood during the 1970s and 1980s. This national initiative has revolutionized liquid milk production and marketing in India, making it the largest producer of milk.
• Over the years the country saw many revolutions such as Yellow Revolution for Oilseeds, Silver Revolution for Eggs, and Pink Revolution for Meat production, taking the country one step ahead in ensuring food security.
• In the recent past, the government has adopted an integrated policy framework to facilitate agriculture productivity which;
• Focuses mainly on rationale distribution of cultivable land, improving the size of the farms, and providing security to the tenant cultivators apart from providing the farmers with improved technology for cultivation and improved inputs like irrigation facilities, availability of better quality seeds, fertilizers, and credits at lower interest rates.
• Aeroponics and hydroponics systems allow plants to be grown without soil. Plants were grown in this way taking in water and nutrients efficiently. These methods are used in the areas of poor soil quality and areas prone to soil erosion.
• Adoption of crops and techniques with lower water requirements, such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of rice production, contributes to resilience by enabling equal or better yields to be achieved with less water withdrawal.
• Crop diversification: Higher profitability and stability in production highlight the importance of crop diversification, e.g. legumes alternative to rice and wheat. The growing of non-cereal crops such as oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, etc needs to be encouraged.
• Strategies for better food storage are also implemented.

INDIA IS A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

LESSONS FROM INDIA’S TRYST WITH FOOD INSECURITY: The long journey from chronic food shortage to surplus food producer offers several interesting lessons for other developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America in the area of land reforms, public investments, institutional infrastructure, new regulatory systems, public support, and intervention in Agri markets and prices and Agri research and extension.

DIVERSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE: The period between 1991 and 2015, saw the diversification of agriculture beyond field crops and brought greater focus on the horticulture, dairy, animal husbandry, and fishery sectors. The learnings also encompassed elements of nutritional health, food safety and standards, sustainability, deployment of space technology, and the like.

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD: One of India’s greatest contributions to equity in food is its National Food Security Act 2013 which anchors the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), the Mid-Day meals (MDM), and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Today, India’s food safety nets collectively reach over a billion people.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Food safety nets and inclusion are linked with public procurement and buffer stock policy. This was visible during the global food crises 2008-2012 and more recently during the COVID-19 pandemic fallout, whereby vulnerable and marginalised families in India continued to be buffered against the food crisis by its robust TPDS and buffer stock of food grains.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

National Food Security Mission

• Increasing production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals (Maize and Barley), and Nutri-Cereals through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country;
• Restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level;
• Enhancing farm-level economy (i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence amongst the farmers.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

• Introduced with an aim to provide support to the agricultural sector in achieving 4% annual agriculture growth. RKVY scheme was launched in the year 2007 and was later rebranded as Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation (RAFTAAR).

Integrated Schemes on Oilseeds, Pulses, Palm oil, and Maize (ISOPOM)

• During the Tenth and Eleventh Plan, Government of India provided support for oil palm cultivation under the Centrally Sponsored Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm, and Maize.

eNAM: To promote uniformity in agriculture marketing by streamlining procedures across the integrated markets, removing information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, and promoting real-time price discovery based on actual demand and supply.

• The government has also taken significant steps to combat under- and malnutrition over the past two decades, through mid-day meals at schools.
• Anganwadi systems provide rations to pregnant and lactating mothers.
• Subsidised grain for those living below the poverty line through a public distribution system.
• Food fortification etc.

AVAILABILITY:

• AGRI REVOLUTIONS SUCH AS THE GREEN AND YELLOW REVOLUTION.
• BUILDING CAPACITY FOR STOCK THAT MIGHT BE UTILISED AT TIMES OF CRISIS.

ACCESSIBILITY:

• PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND RATION SHOPS
• TARGETED PDS AND MID DAY MEALS
• THE NATIONAL MATERNITY BENEFIT SCHEME
• THE NATIONAL FAMILY BENEFIT SCHEME

AFFORDABILITY:

• PROVIDING SUBSIDIES ON FOOD GRAINS AND GAS CYLINDERS FOR MARGINALISED SECTIONS OF SOCIETY.
• MORE PRODUCTION AND AVAILABILITY OF FOOD GRAINS WILL ALSO RESULT IN EASY AFFORDABILITY.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Sustainable Approaches: We must collaborate to invest, innovate, and create lasting solutions in sustainable agriculture contributing to equitable livelihood, food security, and nutrition which requires reimagining the food system towards the goal of balancing growth and sustainability, mitigating climate change, ensuring healthy, safe, quality, and affordable food, maintaining biodiversity, improving resilience, and offering an attractive income and work environment to smallholders and youth.
• Crop Diversification: Diversification of cropping patterns towards millets, pulses, oilseeds, and horticulture is needed for more equal distribution of water, and sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.
• Institutional Changes in Agri-Sector: Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) should help get better prices for inputs and outputs for smallholders. E-Choupal is an example of technology benefiting small farmers.
• Women’s empowerment is important, particularly for raising incomes and nutrition. Women’s cooperatives and groups like Kudumbashree in Kerala would be helpful.
• Sustainable Food Systems: Estimates show that the food sector emits around 30% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Sustainability has to be achieved in production, value chains, and consumption.
• Non-Agriculture Sector: The role of non-agriculture is equally important for sustainable food systems. Labour-intensive manufacturing and services can reduce pressure on agriculture as income from agriculture are not sufficient for smallholders and informal workers. Strengthening Rural Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and food processing is part of the solution.

THE CONCLUSION: Food security of a nation is ensured if all of its citizens have enough nutritious food available, all persons have the capacity to buy food of acceptable quality and there is no barrier to access to food. The right to food is a well-established principle of international human rights law. It has evolved to include an obligation for state parties to respect, protect, and fulfill their citizens’ right to food security. Developing Nations need to adopt a policy that brings together diverse issues such as inequality, food diversity, indigenous rights, and environmental justice to ensure sustainable food security.

Over the coming decades, a changing climate, growing global population, rising food prices, and environmental stressors will have significant yet uncertain impacts on food security. Adaptation strategies and policy responses to global change, including options for handling water allocation, land use patterns, food trade, post-harvest food processing, and food prices and safety are urgently needed. Food security includes analysis of cash transfers, promotion of sustainable agricultural technologies, building resilience to shocks, and managing trade-offs in food security, such as balancing the nutritional benefits of meat against the ecological costs of its production.

“Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2020

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

1. “Since independence India has traveled a long road to food security, still much needs to be done to ascertain nutritional security.” Elaborate.
2. “With an alarming escalation in global hunger unfolding, reaching the goal of an equitable livelihood is a necessity.” Elaborate.
3. “Food is peace”, highlighted the importance of addressing hunger to prevent conflicts and create stability.
4. “Given the rapidly growing population, resource constraints, and climate change concerns, it is imperative for developing countries to learn from India to make food security a core policy priority.” Elaborate