THE POLITY

1. HOW SIKKIM BECAME A PART OF INDIA

THE CONTEXT:  A turning point in the history of Sikkim involves the appointment of John Claude White, a civil servant in British India who in 1889 was appointed the Political Officer of Sikkim, which by then was a British Protectorate under the Treaty of Tumlong signed in March, 1861.

THE EXPLANATION:

It was on May 16, 1975 that Sikkim became 22nd state of the Union of India. While in many modern narratives, the tale of the former kingdom under the Namgyal dynasty acquiring Indian statehood begins in decades close to the 1970s, the real story, according to experts, can only be understood by tracing the events back to 1640s when Namgyal rule was first established.

ATTACKS DURING NAMGYAL RULE

• Beginning with Phuntsog Namgyal, the first chogyal (monarch), the Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim until 1975. At one point, the kingdom of Sikkim included the Chumbi valley and Darjeeling; the former being part of China now.
• In the early 1700s, the region saw a series of conflicts between Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, which resulted in a shrinking of Sikkim’s territorial boundaries.

BRITISH EXPANSION

• When the British arrived, their expansion plans in the Indian subcontinent included controlling the Himalayan states.
• The kingdom of Nepal, meanwhile, continued with its attempts to expand its territory. This resulted in the Anglo-Nepalese war (November, 1814 to March, 1816), also known as the Gorkha war, which was fought between the Gorkhali army and the East India Company. Both sides had ambitious expansion plans for the strategically important mountainous north of the Indian subcontinent.
• In 1814, Sikkim allied with the East India Company in the latter’s campaign against Nepal. The Company won and restored to Sikkim some of the territories that Nepal had wrested from it in 1780.

THE TURNING POINT

• A turning point in the history of Sikkim involves the appointment of John Claude White, a civil servant in British India who in 1889 was appointed the Political Officer of Sikkim, which by then was a British Protectorate under the Treaty of Tumlong signed in March, 1861.
• As with most of the Indian subcontinent that the British had under their administrative control, the kingdom of Sikkim, although a protectorate, had little choice in the administration of its own kingdom.

SCENARIO AFTER 1947

• Three years after India’s Independence in 1947, Sikkim became a protectorate of India. In 1950, a treaty was signed between the then Sikkim monarch Tashi Namgyal and India’s then Political Officer in Sikkim, Harishwar Dayal. A clause in the treaty read: “Sikkim shall continue to be a Protectorate of India and, subject to the provisions of this Treaty, shall enjoy autonomy in regard to its internal affairs.”
• Geopolitical changes during that time put Sikkim in a delicate position. China’s invasion of Tibet in 1949 and Nepal’s attacks on Sikkim throughout the kingdom’s history were cited as reasons why the kingdom needed the support and protection of a powerful ally.
• Further, the talk of persecution of Tibetans after China’s arrival at the scene generated fear of the possibility of Sikkim suffering a similar fate.

DISCONTENT AGAINST MONARCHY

• The period between the 1950s and the 1970s marked growing discontent in Sikkim. Primarily, there was anger against the monarchy because of growing inequality and feudal control.
• In December 1947, political groups came together and formed the Sikkim State Congress, a political party that supported the merging of Sikkim with the Union of India.
• Three years later, the Sikkim National Party was formed that supported the monarchy and independence of the kingdom. A democratic system would have meant a reduction in powers held by the monarch in Sikkim and some researchers believe that the last monarch, Palden Thondup Namgyal, attempted to reduce civil and political liberties.
• Anti-monarchy protests grew in 1973, following which the royal palace was surrounded by thousands of protesters.
• Indian troops arrived after the monarch was left with no choice but to ask New Delhi to send assistance. Finally, a tripartite agreement was signed in the same year between the chogyal, the Indian government, and three major political parties, so that major political reforms could be introduced.

1974 ELECTIONS

• A year later, in 1974, elections were held, where the Sikkim State Congress led by KaziLhendupDorji won, defeating pro-independence parties. That year, a new constitution was adopted, which restricted the role of the monarch to a titular post, which Palden Thondup Namgyal bitterly resented.
• In the same year, India upgraded Sikkim’s status from protectorate to “associated state”, allotting to it one seat each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Opposed to the move, the monarch attempted to bring international attention to it soon after.

DECISION TO JOIN INDIA

• A referendum was held in 1975 where an overwhelming majority voted in favour of abolishing the monarchy and joining India.
• A total 59,637 voted in favour of abolishing the monarchy and joining India, with only 1,496 voting against.
• Sikkim’s new parliament, led by KaziLhendupDorjee, proposed a bill for Sikkim to become an Indian state, which was accepted by the Indian government.

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2. THE REPO RATE IN INDIA

THE CONTEXT: On May 4, the Reserve Bank of India, in a surprise move, announced that the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had held an ‘off-cycle’ meeting at which it had decided unanimously to raise the “policy repo rate by 40 basis points to 4.40%, with immediate effect”.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The repo rate is one of several direct and indirect instruments that are used by the RBI for implementing monetary policy. Specifically, the RBI defines the repo rate as the fixed interest rate at which it provides overnight liquidity to banks against the collateral of government and other approved securities under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF).
• Since this is the rate of interest that the RBI charges commercial banks such as State Bank of India and ICICI Bank when it lends them money, it serves as a key benchmark for the lenders to in turn price the loans they offer to their borrowers.
• Besides the direct loan pricing relationship, the repo rate also functions as a monetary tool by helping to regulate the availability of liquidity or funds in the banking system. For instance, when the repo rate is decreased, banks may find an incentive to sell securities back to the government in return for cash. This increases the money supply available to the general economy. Conversely, when the repo rate is increased, lenders would end up thinking twice before borrowing from the central bank at the repo window thus, reducing the availability of money supply in the economy.
• Since inflation is, in large measure, caused by more money chasing the same quantity of goods and services available in an economy, central banks tend to target regulation of money supply as a means to slow inflation.
• Inflation can broadly be: mainly demand driven price gains, or a result of supply side factors that in turn push up the costs of inputs used by producers of goods and providers of services, thus spurring inflation, or most often caused by a combination of both demand and supply side pressures.
• Changes to the repo rate to influence interest rates and the availability of money supply primarily work only on the demand side by making credit more expensive and savings more attractive and therefore dissuading consumption. However, they do little to address the supply side factors, be it the high price of commodities such as crude oil or metals or imported food items such as edible oils.

There is also another aspect to consider. Repo rate increases impact the real economy with a lag.

• In February 2021, the RBI in its annual ‘Report on Currency and Finance’ observed that “the challenge for an efficient operating procedure [of monetary policy] is to minimise the transmission lag from changes in the policy rate to the operating target”, which in this case is the mandate to keep medium-term inflation anchored at 4%, and bound within a tolerance range of 2% to 6%.
• The RBI noted in the report that there were several channels of transmission, ‘the interest rate channel; the credit or bank lending channel; the exchange rate channel operating through relative prices of tradables and non-tradables; the asset price channel impacting wealth/income accruing from holdings of financial assets; and the expectations channel encapsulating the perceptions of households and businesses on the state of the economy and its outlook’.
• “These conduits of transmission intertwine and operate in conjunction and are difficult to disentangle,” the central bank added, underscoring the challenges monetary authorities face in ensuring that changes to the repo rate actually help in achieving the policy objective.

3. WHAT IS FAIR AND AVERAGE QUALITY WHEAT, THE NORMS FOR     WHICH HAVE BEEN RELAXED BY GOVT?

THE CONTEXT: The relaxation of procurement parameters to “reduce the hardship of farmers and avoid distress sale of wheat” does not mean the quality of the grain is bad.

THE EXPLANATION: 

• The Centre on May 15)relaxed the Fair and Average Quality (FAQ) norms for wheat in the ongoing rabi marketing season in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh by a factor of three, raising the permissible limit of “shrivelled and broken grains” to 18% from the existing 6%.
• Unseasonal heat in March, when the rabi crop goes through its grain-filling stage, has led to shrivelling, making the grain unfit for procurement as per the usual quality norms.
• Every year, before procurement begins in this region in April, the Storage and Research (S&R) division of the Department of Food & Public Distribution in the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, notifies specifications to ensure the quality of the procured wheat.
• This year, wheat containing up to 0.75% foreign matter, 2% damaged grain, 4% slightly damaged grain, 6% shrivelled and broken grain, and 12% moisture was cleared for procurement.
• The specifications are implemented at the time of procurement by qualified personnel from the quality control wing of the central government’s nodal agency for procurement, the Food Corporation of India (FCI). According to FCI, fair and average quality (FAQ) wheat is one that meets all all-down specifications.

Grain that looks good

• FAQ wheat is fully developed, and has a proper shine or lustre. The main varieties are golden or pale yellow in colour, the grain is not dark, and does not have any streaks. It is properly dry, and meets all nutritional conditions, the values of which are tested in the lab in case of doubt.
• The inspector added that FCI’s QC wing conducts physical and chemical analyses during the procurement process, and on the stored crop to ensure quality standards and parameters are met.

PREVIOUS RELAXATIONS

• The government has in the past relaxed norms for moisture content and loss of lustre following heavy rain during the harvesting season, when ripe crops were flattened, and the grain turned blackish. This is for the first time, however, that such a major relaxation has been allowed for shrivelled grain, FCI officials said. The officials said they could not recall a previous relaxation for the shrivelled grain of more than perhaps 1-2%.

Is the wheat bad?

• The relaxation of procurement parameters to “reduce the hardship of farmers and avoid distress sale of wheat” does not mean the quality of the grain is bad. “The grains are smaller in size, but there is no loss of quality.
• The quality control wings of both FCI and the government have carried out several tests on the shrivelled grain, and found only weight loss, not a loss of quality,” a senior FCI officer said, adding that this wheat will now be called “Under Relaxed Specifications (URS) wheat” instead of FAQ.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

4. INDIA’S 52ND TIGER RESERVE, RAMGARH VISHDHARI NOTIFIED

THE CONTEXT: Ramgarh Vishdhari, spread across Bundi, Bhilwara and Kota districts in Rajasthan, will be a major corridor connecting tigers of Ranthambore and Mukundra reserves.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary was notified as a tiger reserve May 16, 2022, after a nod by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in July 2021.
• It is now India’s 52nd tiger reserve and Rajasthan’s fourth, after Ranthambore, Sariska and Mukundra.
• There were an estimated 2,967 tigers in India in 2019, according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
• The population in this area will probably never be very high because it is a small area. But since it is an important area for tiger connectivity, the conservation efforts and funding that will be deployed there now will benefit the population of the big cats.

5. NEED TO TRIPLE INVESTMENTS FOR RESTORING DEGRADED LAND BY 2030: SEOUL DECLARATION

THE CONTEXT:The investment in forest and landscape restoration globally must be tripled by 2030 to implement global commitments and meet internationally agreed goals and targets, according to the recently adopted Seoul Declaration.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Declaration focuses on identifying key areas that can help combat multiple crises humanity faces. It was adopted May 5, 2022.
• The Seoul Forest Declaration sends a powerful message that forests, forestry and forest stakeholders offer major solutions to the challenges the world currently faces, but action is needed now.
• We must now scale up political will and increase financial and technical investments. The Declaration will add to the sense of urgency to accelerate action, strengthen partnerships and enhance cross-sectoral collaboration
• Forests transcend political, social and environmental boundaries and are vital for biodiversity and the carbon, water and energy cycles at a planetary scale. The responsibility over forests should be shared and integrated across institutions, sectors and stakeholders in order to achieve a sustainable future.
• It added that forest-based solutions must be inclusive of the perspectives of family farmers, smallholders, forest communities, indigenous peoples, women and youth and respectful of their rights.
• The solutions must empower them to participate equitably in decision-making and sustainable forest value chains.
• The Declaration, signed by 141 participant countries, also urged the use of innovative technology and mechanisms to enable evidence-based forest and landscape decision-making and effective forest communication.
• New partnerships such as the Assuring the Future of Forests with Integrated Risk Management (AFFIRM) Mechanism, the Sustaining an Abundance of Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) initiative and the Platform for REDD+ Capacity Building were also undertaken at the Congress to boost international participation and cooperation.
• The Declaration also pointed out that the health of forests and humans was closely related and forest degradation can have “serious negative impacts on human health and well-being”.
• It stated that forests must be maintained in a healthy and productive state to reduce the risk of future pandemics and to provide other essential benefits for the physical and mental health of mankind.
• The Declaration added that the full potential of sustainably produced wood can be utilized to transform the building sector, along with providing renewable energy and innovative new materials as wood was “renewable, recyclable and incredibly versatile.”
• The Declaration added that the outcomes of the 15th WFC, including it as well as the Youth Call for Action and the Ministerial Call on Sustainable Wood, should be transmitted to the next Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to other important forest-related fora.

THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

6. SCIENTISTS DISCOVER FOSSIL OF PRE-HISTORIC GIANT SNAKE IN LADAKH

THE CONTEXT: Scientists have discovered the fossil of a Madtsoiidae snake in the Himalayan mountains in Ladakh, which sheds fresh light on the prevalence and existence of this rare serpent species in the Indian subcontinent.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Madtsoiidae is an extinct group of medium-sized to gigantic snakes, firstly appeared during the later part of the Cretaceous period, that began 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago. They are thought to grow up to 30 feet in length.
• Research by scientists indicates their prevalence in the Indian subcontinent for a much longer time than previously thought. Also, global climatic shifts and the prominent biotic reorganisation across the Eocene-Oligocene boundary did not cause the extinction of this important group of snakes in India.
• The study was undertaken by researchers from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar and Comenius University, Slovakia. The newly discovered specimen has been housed in the repository of Wadia Institute, according to a statement issued today by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Eocene–Oligocene, which took place about 34 million years ago, was the time of major climatic change on Earth due to shifts in volcanic and meteorite activity, and is marked by large-scale extinction and floral and faunal turnover.
• Madtsoiidae were mostly found in the Gondwanan landmasses, an ancient super continent that broke up about 180 million years ago and eventually split into landmasses that are today known as Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula.
• From fossil records, the whole group disappeared in the mid-Paleogene period, ranging between 66 million to 23 million years ago, across most Gondwanan continents except for Australia where it survived with its last known classification of Wonambi till the late Pleistocene period from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTION FOR 17th MAY 2022

Q.  If the Repo rate is increased by RBI, then which of the following can be the consequence of this step?

1. Money supply in the economy will increase.
2. Inflation may come down.
3. Private consumption will increase.
4. Increase in the production of goods and services.

ANSWER FOR THE 15^TH AND 16^{TH OF} MAY

Answer: D

• Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect: Indian Constitution provides for the establishment of the Election Commission with the composition of the Chief Election Commissioner and as many Election Commissioners as President may fix from time to time. It is not necessarily a multi-member body.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: CEC and ECs have equal powers and equal salary, allowances which are similar to a judge of a Supreme Court.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Constitution has not debarred CEC and ECs from any further appointment by the government after their retirement.

1. Enlightened Revolutionary READ MORE   
2. The Morality Clock READ MORE
3. Baba Gulam Mohammad Jaula’s Vision of Hindu-Muslim Unity Will Always Inspire READ MORE

1. Explained: What are urban heat islands, and why are they worsening during summers? READ MORE
2. Climate and Us | Plan for the vulnerable: India’s heat emergency must be humane READ MORE

1. The overcrowding of India’s mental health centres are disaster waiting to happen. Bring in reform READ MORE
2. ‘Green growth’ can help African countries address socio-economic inequalities: Report READ MORE

1. The technical higher education market dissected: The AICTE should place the safeguarding of students’ interests before the commercialisation of education READ MORE  
2. Data protection bill: Decoding the penalty clause READ MORE
3. Sedition law review litmus test for govt, courts READ MORE
4. INDIA SLIPS ON FREEDOM OF PRESS INDEX READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. The repo rate in India READ MORE
2. India, France carry out second joint patrol in Southern Indian Ocean READ MORE
3. Explained: How Sikkim became a part of India READ MORE
4. Explained: What is fair and average quality wheat, the norms for which have been relaxed by govt? READ MORE
5. Explained: What is the Places of Worship Act, and what are its provisions? READ MORE
6. India’s 52nd tiger reserve, Ramgarh Vishdhari notified READ MORE
7. Need to triple investments for restoring degraded land by 2030: Seoul Declaration READ MORE
8. Scientists discover fossil of pre-historic giant snake in Ladakh READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. The technical higher education market dissected: The AICTE should place the safeguarding of students’ interests before the commercialisation of education READ MORE  
2. Data protection bill: Decoding the penalty clause READ MORE
3. Sedition law review litmus test for govt, courts READ MORE
4. INDIA SLIPS ON FREEDOM OF PRESS INDEX READ MORE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. The overcrowding of India’s mental health centres are disaster waiting to happen. Bring in reform READ MORE
2. ‘Green growth’ can help African countries address socio-economic inequalities: Report READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. Stronger India-Nepal ties a must to face emerging challenges says PM READ MORE
2. A war that is shrinking India’s geopolitical options: The main worry now is about how to manage a China that is attempting to consolidate the region under its influence READ MORE
3. For a better, South Asian neighbourhood READ MORE
4. Hotspots in the neighbourhood: Instability in Sri Lanka, Pakistan & Afghanistan consequential to national security READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Against the grain READ MORE
2. Is our nation ready for Industry 4.0? READ MORE
3. India’s abrupt wheat ban is yet another instance of shoddy policymaking that disregards consequences READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Explained: What are urban heat islands, and why are they worsening during summers? READ MORE
2. Climate and Us | Plan for the vulnerable: India’s heat emergency must be humane READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Delhi fire: No regard for laws, safety norms READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Enlightened Revolutionary READ MORE   
2. The Morality Clock READ MORE
3. Baba Gulam Mohammad Jaula’s Vision of Hindu-Muslim Unity Will Always Inspire READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. “The essence of democracy is criticism of the government.” With reference to this statement, examine the validity of sedition law in present day India.
2. Ukraine conflict, developments in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan underline need to reframe regional ties of India’s with its neighboring count. Discuss why India needs to work with the logic of geography in Indian Subcontinent?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The influence of teachers extends beyond the classroom, well into the future.
• Climate change is the result of a deadly calculus: human lives are worth risking and even losing over the profits of global corporations.
• India’s biggest dilemma today is not whether or not to continue its engagement with Russia. That it would engage Russia in the immediate to medium term is clear.
• Ukraine conflict, developments in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan underline need to reframe regional ties, work with the logic of geography in Subcontinent.
• Data protection bill is one piece of legislation that India should get right by all means, lest we legalise snooping and profiling by the government.
• It’s high time that much more attention is paid to the issue of building regulations and safety norms to ensure that cities are safe for their citizens.
• India will have to follow a policy of proactivism to prevent another arena for geopolitical confrontation.
• In spite of low automation and a young workforce, absolute job losses will be the second highest in the world due to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
• The World Health Organization, for which it could have been a showcase of its international role, seemed consistently in a subsidiary role of gathering secondary data and disseminating basic safety guidelines.

50-WORD TALK

• Modi government’s knee-jerk decision to ban wheat exports sends all the wrong signals except to one constituency of consumers. It particularly risks exposing the government’s commitment to the prosperity of farmers as mere lip service. Food inflation is a problem but bans aren’t the solution. Creative thinking is obviously lacking.

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.

[WpProQuiz 224]

THE CONTEXT: On 17 March 2022, the Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj released the Disaster Management Plan of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (DMP-MoPR) with the idea of monitoring, mitigating, and even developing the preparedness at the grass-root level. This article analyzes the role, responsibilities, and issues faced by the PRIs in crisis times and disaster management.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN OF MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (DMP-MoPR)

ABOUT DMP-MoPR:

• Under the Plan, every Indian village would have a “Village Disaster Management Plan” and every Panchayat would have its Disaster Management Plan.
• The aim is to build disaster resilience at the grassroots level among the Panchayats and establish a framework to align the disaster management measures in rural areas to that of the National Disaster Management Authority.
• It incorporates many innovations in addition to being in compliance with Disaster Management Act 2005, National Disaster Management Policy 2009, and guidelines issued by National Disaster Management Authority.
• It has been prepared with a larger perspective of community-based planning starting from Village to the District Panchayat level.

ISSUES COVERED:

• It comprehensively covers areas such as:
• Institutional arrangement for Disaster Management.
• Hazard Risk, Vulnerability, and Capacity Analysis.
• Coherence of Disaster Risk Management across Resilient Development and Climate Change Action.
• Disaster Specific Preventive and Mitigation Measures-Responsibility Framework.
• Mainstreaming of Community Based Disaster Management Plan of Villages and Panchayats and so on.

NEED FOR THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN AT THE VILLAGE AND PANCHAYAT LEVEL

VULNERABILITY TO DISASTERS:

• India is the 7th most disaster-prone country in the world according to the “Global Climate Risk Index 2021” released by German watch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany).

INEFFICIENT SOPS:

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are virtually non-existent and even where such SOPs exist, the authorities concerned are unfamiliar with them.

LACK OF COORDINATION:

• The States also suffer from inadequate coordination among various government departments and other stakeholders.
• The Indian system for disaster management also suffers from the absence of an institutional framework at the Center/State/District level.

POOR WARNING AND RELIEF SYSTEMS:

• India lacks a proper early warning system.
• Slow response from relief agencies, lack of trained/dedicated search and rescue teams, and poor community empowerment are other important challenges.

ROLE OF PRIs IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

HANDLING DISASTERS AT THE GRASS-ROOT LEVEL:

• The devolution of power and responsibilities to the panchayats will result in flexible and committed responses at the grass-root level in the case of natural calamities.
• Effective and Strong PRIs, working in harmony with the state government, will help tackle the disaster through early warning systems.
• Local population has insights of topography and acquired wisdom of generations to deal with any such kind of crisis situation. Such knowledge can be harnessed at a larger level for the common good.
• Community actions have a significant role in disaster response. For instance:
• The socio-demographic variables and self-satisfaction of community resilience in the context of the Kerala floods of 2018 (the fishermen who were prominent amongst the first responders during this flood).
• Odisha has recurrently been in the news in recent years for the exemplary way in which it has managed to cope with the disasters that have struck its coast and affected its people. Community-based disaster risk reduction is at the very heart of Odisha’s approach to disaster management.

ENSURING BETTER RELIEF OPERATIONS:

• Local bodies being nearer to the people are in a better position to undertake relief tasks as they are more familiar with the requirements of the local people.
• This ensures total transparency in working and usage of funds in every disaster situation.
• They can also be relied upon for undertaking day-to-day running of civic services, providing shelter and medical assistance to affected people, etc.

SPREADING AWARENESS AND GAINING COOPERATION:

• Local government institutions have grass-root level contact with people and they can help effectively in spreading awareness and ensure people’s participation in fighting the crisis.
• They are also ideal channels for NGOs and other agencies’ participation in the rescue and relief operations.

PAST EXPERIENCES – PRIS’ RESPONSE DURING COVID-19:

Amid the peak months of the pandemic, the PRIs played a remarkable role by providing essential leadership at the local level.

• Performed Regulatory and Welfare Functions: PRIs set up containment zones, arranged transport, identified buildings for quarantining people, and provisioned food for the incoming migrants.
• Effective implementation of welfare schemes like MGNREGA and the National Rural Livelihood Mission quickened the pace of recovery while ensuring support to the vulnerable population.
• Made Effective Collaborations: During the pandemic, gram sabhas resolved to adhere to Covid-19 norms. Also, regular engagement with frontline workers like ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers through committees further assisted in handling the pandemic at local levels.
• Organised Local Monitoring Bodies: PRIs organised community-based surveillance systems involving village elders, the youth, and self-help groups (SHGs) to keep a strict vigil in quarantine centres and monitor symptoms in households.

ISSUES FACED BY PRIs

UNCLEAR DOMAINS OF PANCHAYATS:

• Though PRIs are a three-tier integrated arrangement of the village, block, and district levels, they have remained largely ineffective as a consequence of ambiguous jurisdictions and unclear linkages.
• Even in respect of the National Disaster Management Act 2005, the powers and responsibilities of panchayats are inadequately defined and left to be determined by respective state governments.

INCOMPLETE AUTONOMY:

• Panchayats lack systems, resources, and capacities to act independently due to numerous constraints imposed by district administrations and state governments.
• Instead of becoming institutions of local self-governance, as envisaged by the constitution, panchayats mostly act as field implementers of decisions made by state and central governments.

UNAVAILABILITY OF FUNDS:

• The Panchayats are not given enough funds and are bypassed by State-controlled line departments that continue to implement programmes falling within the rightful domain of the former.

INTERFERENCE FROM MPS AND MLAS:

• The interference of area MPs and MLAs in the functioning of panchayats adversely affects the performance of Panchayats.

SIGNIFICANCE OF DMP-MoPR

HELPFUL IN MANAGING DISASTERS COMPREHENSIVELY:

• The convergent and collective actions to envision, plan and implement community-based disaster management plans, would be a game-changer in managing disasters comprehensively.
• All stakeholders including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayats, etc. would participate in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the plan.
• The involvement of the community is the key factor in any disaster preparedness strategy and active participation of the community is vital to carry out and sustain the activities relating to disaster management in rural areas.

ENSURE PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PROCESS:

• This plan would be extremely useful for ensuring a participatory planning process for DMPs which is integrated with the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for addressing disasters across the country and initiate a new era of community-based disaster management, convergence, and collective action with programs and schemes of different Ministries / Departments.

THE ANALYSIS:

• Panchayat- level and village-level Disaster Management Plans, envisage mitigating the challenges in the event of a disaster, at the grassroots and foundational level and it is imperative to keep disaster management plans in mind while making a master plan for the holistic development of Panchayats.
• Most appropriate institution: The Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI), the representative body of the people, is the most appropriate institution from the village to the district level in view of its proximity, universal coverage, and enlisting people’s participation in an institutionalised manner. Their close involvement will make people more prepared for countering natural disasters as well as involve them in all possible precautionary and protective activities so that the impact of the disasters is mitigated and the people are able to save their lives and property.
• Social mobilisation: The PRIs can act as catalysts to the social mobilisation process and tap the traditional wisdom of the local communities to complement the modern practices in disaster mitigation efforts.
• Integration: PRIs will also provide a base for integration of various concerns of the community with that of the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) which are engaged in various developmental activities at the grassroots level.
• Leadership Role: The Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members can play a role of leadership in Disaster management at all stages. Right from the preparatory stage up to the handling of the long-term development activities for risk reduction.
• Though the idea behind such an initiative is commendable the scarcity of resources, deprived authority to make decisions, and lack of guidance, information, and leadership qualities among the locals might prove to be an impediment.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Resource Availability and Self-Reliance: Local governance, local leaders, and local communities, when empowered can respond to any disaster rapidly and effectively. The local bodies require information and guidance and must-have resources, capacities, and systems in place to act with confidence, without waiting for instructions from above.
• The shift in Disaster Management Paradigm: There is an urgent need for a shift from risk mitigation cum relief-centric approach in disaster management into an integrated plan for economic development with social justice.
• Early warning systems, preparedness, preventive measures, and awareness among people are as much an important part of disaster management as is recovery planning, rehabilitation and other relief measures, which should be focused along with assigning roles to individual members and providing them with the necessary skills can make such programmes more meaningful.
• Collective Participation: Conducting regular, location-specific disaster-management programmes for the community and organising platforms for sharing best practices will strengthen individual and institutional capacities, which can even be replicated in other parts of the country facing similar issues.
• It is imperative to make disaster resilience an inherent part of the community culture now more than ever.

THE CONCLUSION: India has been vulnerable, in varying degrees, to too many natural as well as human-made disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions. Different parts of the country are highly vulnerable to cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides, etc. Considering the important role that local communities can play in reducing vulnerabilities and early recovery, DMP-MoPR will initiate a new era of community-based disaster management and collective action.

Mains Practice Questions:

1. “Disaster Management Plan framed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj would contribute to the efforts of the government in bringing convergence in disaster management and planning in rural areas.” Elaborate.
2. “The convergent and collective actions to envision, plan and implement community-based disaster management plans, would be a game-changer for the country in managing disasters comprehensively.” Critically evaluate the above-given statement in the context of autonomy and powers of the Panchayati Raj institutions.

ADD TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE

INDIA’S EFFORTS IN MANAGING DISASTER

THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA:

It was the impact of the Tsunami in 2004 that catalysed the approach of the lawmakers in India to legislate on disaster management and the Disaster Management Act was passed in 2005. The institutional structure for disaster management is hierarchical and functions at three levels – centre, state, and district. It is a multi-stakeholder setup and draws the involvement of various relevant ministries, government departments, and administrative bodies.

The Act provides for the constitution of the following institutions at the national, state, and district levels:

1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

• Responsible for laying down the policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster management and for ensuring timely and effective response to the disaster.
• It consists of not more than nine members with Prime Minister as its ex-officio chairperson.

2. State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)

• A state Disaster Management Authority is established by every state government.
• The Chief Minister of the state is the chairperson of SDMA. There are a maximum of 9 members other than the chairperson.

3. District Disaster Management Authority

• The DDMA are set up by the state government via a notification in the state budget. It consists of Chairperson and seven members. The collector District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner would be the chairman.
• The DDMA works as a district planning, coordinating, and implementing body for disaster management.
• It will coordinate with the upper two tiers of the structure and will plan the implementation of the prevention, mitigation, and preparedness at the local level.

4. National Institute of Disaster Management

• It is responsible for planning and promoting training and research in the area of disaster management.
• It is a premier national organization working for human resource development at the national level in the area of disaster management.

5. National Disaster Response Force

• Specialist response force to a threatening disaster situation or disaster. The general superintendence, direction, and control of the Force shall be vested and exercised by NDMA.
• Presently it has the strength of 10 battalions positioned at different locations in the country to provide timely response to any crisis situation.

MANAGING CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED DISASTERS:

• Globally, disasters in the last two decades have predominantly been climate-related disasters, of which floods are the most frequently occurring type of disaster and storms are the second most deadly type of disaster followed by earthquakes.
• India has adopted the Sendai Framework for DRR, the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, all of which make clear the connections between DRR, Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and sustainable development.
• India participates in several multilateral organisations that address these and other issues that benefit from multinational coordination.

CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:

• As part of its neighbourhood development efforts, India also contributes to regional disaster preparedness and capacity-building efforts.
• Within the context of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), India has hosted DM Exercises that allow NDRF to demonstrate to counterparts from partner states the techniques developed to respond to various disasters.
• Other NDRF and Indian Armed Forces exercises have brought India’s first responders into contact with those from states in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

INDIA’S ROLE AS A FOREIGN DISASTER RELIEF:

• India is also an emerging donor that has provided a substantial amount of foreign disaster relief, as well as foreign development assistance, to other countries.
• India’s foreign humanitarian assistance has increasingly included its military assets, primarily deploying naval ships or aircraft to deliver relief.
• In line with its diplomatic policy of “Neighbourhood First,” many of the recipient countries have been in the region of South and Southeast Asia.
• In the last two decades, India has given foreign humanitarian assistance bilaterally to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and others.
• Few Egs:
• 2004 Tsunami relief.
• 2015 Nepal earthquake relief.
• One of the components in Mission SAGAR.
• Vaccine diplomacy.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE