TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: India, a significant importer of lithium, would be strategically aligning with Argentina’s CAMYEN mining company to secure lithium supplies and diminish its annual import bill from China, which stands at ₹24,000 crores.

EXPLANATION:

• This initiative is a pivotal step toward bolstering self-reliance in critical mineral supply chains, crucial for the nation’s burgeoning green energy transition.
• The collaboration seeks to tap into Argentina’s lithium resources to meet the escalating demand driven by sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage solutions.

India’s Lithium Dependency and Green Energy Transition:

• India’s reliance on lithium imports, primarily from China, amounts to ₹24,000 crores annually, making it imperative for the country to diversify its sources.
• Lithium holds paramount significance in India’s shift towards green energy initiatives, especially in facilitating the adoption of electric vehicles.
• It serves as a vital component in energy storage solutions for various industries.

Strategic Collaboration with Argentina’s CAMYEN:

• India’s strategic move involves partnering with CAMYEN, a state mining company based in Catamarca, Argentina, to secure lithium
• While the collaboration is in its final stages, certain procedural requirements and the necessity of Cabinet approval still need to be addressed, causing a potential delay of at least six months before finalization.

Lithium Demand and Trade Statistics:

• India’s lithium imports, tracked through various categories like lithium ion and lithium products, have been substantial, with import data indicating significant shipments until October 2023.
• The forecasted surge in EV demand is projected to escalate the requirement for lithium-ion batteries, potentially leading to a 250 GWh demand increase by FY33.

India’s Lithium Reserves and Prospecting Efforts:

• India has identified reserves in regions like Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir and Katghora in Chhattisgarh, initiating auctions for commercial availability.
• To secure supplies, India’s KABIL, a joint venture comprising NALCO, Hindustan Copper, and Mineral Exploration Corporation, has engaged in collaboration with Argentina-based companies and is exploring prospects for setting up extraction projects.

Future Lithium Demand and Global Scenario:

• Forecasts indicate a steep rise in global lithium demand by 2030, reaching 2.4 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent, driven largely by the escalating battery demand for EVs.
• Argentina, being a key player in lithium reserves along with Chile and Bolivia, holds a prominent position in the global supply chain for lithium, contributing to the burgeoning market.

Way Forward and Global Lithium Demand Forecast:

• With increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries in various sectors, including automotive and energy storage, India’s strategic collaborations and efforts to diversify its lithium supply chain are crucial for long-term sustainable growth.
• In essence, India’s initiatives to secure lithium supplies from Argentina represent a significant step towards reducing dependency on Chinese imports, fostering self-reliance, and catering to the burgeoning demand for lithium in its green energy transition.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/lithium-supply-strategy-indias-initiative-with-argentinas-camyen-gains-traction/article67597909.ece

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: In a recent Swiss study, researchers mixed Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) into soil, prior to sowing, at 800 trial plots on 54 maize farms.

EXPLANATION:

• The findings from the large-scale field study on mycorrhizal fungi and their impact on maize crop yields bring forth a revolutionary stride in sustainable agriculture and food production methods.
• The study focused on the integration of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) into soil prior to maize sowing.
• These fungi naturally inhabit healthy soil and establish a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, forming arbuscules that enhance the root system’s surface area.
• This process significantly amplifies nutrient uptake, thereby promoting improved crop health and yield.

Yield Enhancement and Soil Health:

• A remarkable outcome of the study was the substantial yield improvement, up to 40%, witnessed in a quarter of the trial plots.
• However, intriguingly, about one-third of the plots did not exhibit substantial yield increases.
• This observation prompted researchers to investigate further, revealing that the fungi’s efficacy was optimal in soils already harbouring high concentrations of fungal pathogens.
• This discovery implies that AMF serve as a defense mechanism, protecting crops from pathogenic attacks and subsequently maintaining yields in fields prone to such threats.

Role of Fungi in Nutrient Uptake and Pathogen Defense:

• The AMF not only enhance nutrient absorption but also act as a frontline defense against soil-borne pathogens that can significantly diminish crop yields.
• Their presence in fields with pathogen contamination helped sustain yields that would have otherwise suffered, while their impact was less pronounced in fields without such threats.
• This dual role—facilitating nutrient uptake and defending against pathogens—positions these fungi as essential contributors to crop health and productivity.

Predictive Analysis and Soil Microbiome Indicators:

• A significant aspect of this study was the utilization of soil microbiome indicators to predict plant growth variations with an impressive 86% accuracy before sowing.
• This predictive ability enables the targeted application of AMF in fields where they are most likely to be effective, laying the foundation for the development of reliable agricultural methodologies.

Implications for Sustainable Agriculture:

• This breakthrough in utilizing AMF to enhance crop yields without relying on intensive pesticide and fertilizer use holds tremendous promise for sustainable agriculture.
• Considering the alarming degradation of global soil reported by the United Nations, this discovery signifies a potential solution to address food production challenges without exacerbating soil degradation.

Challenges and Future Prospects:

• Despite the promising outcomes, challenges persist in efficiently implementing this technique on a larger commercial scale.
• Addressing how to effectively disseminate and apply these fungi remains a significant consideration for future agricultural practices.
• In conclusion, the study’s findings underscore the transformative potential of mycorrhizal fungi in revolutionizing agricultural practices, offering a glimpse into a more sustainable future for global food production.

SOURCE: https://newatlas.com/science/fungi-boost-crop-yield/

THE CONTEXT: Disability as an identity and entity exists at the intersection of multiple vulnerabilities social, economic and gender with each facet requiring careful consideration when conceptualising action for equity. Globally, 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability, of them, 80% live in developing countries and further, 70% of them live in rural areas. People with disabilities face unjustifiable discrimination, and consequently exclusion and they are often not at the receiving ends.

CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE DISABLED:

• Article 41 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP): Itstates that the State shall make effective provisions for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, within the limits of its economic capacity and development.
• Seventh Schedule of the constitution: The subject of ‘relief of the disabled and unemployable’is specified in the state list of the Seventh Schedule of the constitution.

ISSUES :

• Discriminatory approach: Current systems are designed for persons without disabilities and end up being exclusionary to people with disabilities. This leads disabled persons experiencing higher instances of poverty, lack of access to education and opportunities, informality and other forms of social and economic discrimination.
• Inadequate representation: Disabled people are not represented enough at all three levels of governance. This often leads to their isolation and decrease in financial resources.
• Limited economic opportunities: The current employment scenario is limited, providing fewer jobs for persons with disabilities. It perpetuates stereotypes that create further barriers for people with disabilities to access the labour market.
• Not aligned with UN treaty: Discrimination is also in direct contravention of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It advocates changing attitudes and perceptions towards persons with disabilities and viewing inclusion from a social development dimension.
• Greater challenges in rural areas: Majority of persons with disabilities live in rural areas. Rural areas also have high agricultural dependence and face the heightened risk of climate calamities which put rural people at the frontlines of these challenges.
• Exclusion from government schemes: Some developmental schemes, too, exclude them. They are viewed as objects of charity and not as persons with agency with an ability to participate in decision-making processes.

STEPS TAKEN IN THIS REGARD:

• Accessible India Campaign (AIC): It is the nationwide flagship campaign of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The aim of the Campaign is to make a barrier-free and conducive environment for Divyangjans (Persons with Disabilities – PwDs) all over the country.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: It is the disability legislation passed to fulfil its obligation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which India ratified in 2007. It provides a Unique id for persons with disabilities (UDID) card. Under the act, disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept. The types of disabilities have been increased from the existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government has been given the power to add more types of disabilities.
• Ratification of UN treaty: India signed theUnited Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability and subsequently ratified it on October 1, 2007.

About United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

• The Convention was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2006 and it came into force on in May 2008.
• Parties to the convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy full equality under the law.
• It is intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
• The convention is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The SPARK project

• The ILO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the Women’s Development Corporation in Maharashtra, are implementing the Sparking Disability Inclusive Rural Transformation (SPARK) project.
• Through this project, persons with disabilities were put in the lead, being identified from the villages, and trained as Disability Inclusion Facilitators (DIFs).
• The DIFs engage with the community, persons with disabilities, caregivers of persons with disabilities, women from self-help groups and other stakeholders to raise awareness about disability inclusion and barriers to inclusion.
• The DIFs identify women with disabilities and mainstream them in existing self-help groups for social and economic development, where these women have been able to access funds to start an enterprise.
• The SPARK project has been able to bring an attitudinal shift towards persons with disabilities, right from the societal to administrative levels.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Increasing representation: Representation plays an important role in furthering the interests of the marginalised community. Our Constitution makers have also recognised this when they provided for reservation for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes in the legislature. Therefore, there is a need to increase the representation of disabled in the law making process as well.
• Inclusive policies: Disability inclusion is rooted in assuring the rights of persons with disabilities and recognising the economic benefits of inclusion. There needs to be more inclusive opportunities and employment in both urban and rural areas for the disabled persons. The inclusion of persons with disabilities into the economy can help boost global GDP between 3% to 7%, as per the study by the International Labour Organization (ILO), “The price of exclusion: The economic consequences of excluding people with disabilities from the world of work”.
• Public Awareness: Governments, voluntary organisations, and professional associationsshould consider running social campaigns that change attitudes on stigmatised issues related to person with disabilities.
• Bottom up approach: A bottom-up approach to disability inclusion is crucial to build productive pathways out of poverty and ensure that persons with disabilities are recognised as active members of society and the economy.
• Benefits outreach to disabled: There is a need to ensure last-mile connectivity of the benefits enumerated for people with disabilities by the government. It can be done by capacity-building of community leaders who can advocate for this at the grass-roots level. This is especially important in rural areas, where persons with disabilities tend to face greater challenges when compared to their urban counterparts, with even more limited access to education and employment.
• Role of private sector: The private sector holds a key in promoting the employment of persons with disabilities. Private sector can play important role in building the confidence of companies to hire and retain workers with disabilities. Engagement of employers’ federations and trade unions can have great potential to promote the employment of persons with disabilities.

THE CONCLUSION:

The goal of social justice cannot be achieved without the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of development.  There needs to be more inclusive opportunities to ensure socio economic justice to disabled persons. This can be done by creating awareness and sensitization at the community level and capacity building of government frontline workers and professionals to make lives of disabled persons easier.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1 Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness. (2021)

Q.2 “Micro-Finance as an anti-poverty vaccine is aimed at asset creation and income security of the rural poor in India”. Evaluate the role of Self-Help Groups in achieving the twin objectives along with empowering women in rural India. (2020)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q.1 Despite several steps taken for the betterment of persons with disabilities they still face considerable barriers in access to basic resources. Suggest measures to facilitate inclusivity and empowerment of persons with disabilities in India.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/india-disability-inclusion-and-the-power-of-by/article67601986.ece

TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Astronomers have identified the object AzTECC71 as a dusty star-forming galaxy, which has reappeared as a faint yet distinct galaxy in an image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

EXPLANATION:

• This ghostly object was first detected as a glowing blob from ground-based telescopes, then vanished in images from the Hubble Space Telescope, and has now reappeared in the JWST image.
• The galaxy is shrouded in a dusty veil, making it hard to see through, and is located nearly 1 billion years after the Big Bang.

Significance of the Discovery:

• The reemergence of this ghostlike galaxy is significant as it sheds light on the presence of heavily dust-obscured, hidden populations of galaxies in the early universe.
• The discovery challenges the previous notion that such galaxies were extremely rare in the early universe.
• The findings suggest that these galaxies might be three to 10 times as common as expected, indicating that the early universe was much dustier than previously thought.

The COSMOS-Web Project:

• The COSMOS-Web collaboration, co-led by an associate professor at UT Austin, aims to map up to 1 million galaxies from a part of the sky the size of three full moons.
• The project received 250 hours of observing time in JWST’s first year and has been studying the earliest structures of the universe.
• The team has identified more than a dozen additional candidates in the first half of COSMOS-Web data that have yet to be described in the scientific literature.

Characteristics of Dusty Star-Forming Galaxies

• Dusty star-forming galaxies are hard to see in optical light because much of the light from their stars is absorbed by a veil of dust and then re-emitted at redder wavelengths.
• Before JWST, astronomers sometimes referred to them as “Hubble-dark galaxies,” in reference to the previously most-sensitive space telescope.
• The JWST’s sensitivity allows it to study the optical and infrared properties of these heavily dust-obscured galaxies, providing new insights into their nature and evolution.

Observations and Findings

• The galaxy AzTECC71 was first detected as an indistinct blob of dust emission by a camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii.
• The COSMOS-Web team later spotted the object in data collected by another team using the ALMA telescope in Chile, which has higher spatial resolution and can see in the infrared.
• When they looked in the JWST data in the infrared at a wavelength of 4.44 microns, they found a faint galaxy in exactly the same place.
• In shorter wavelengths of light, below 2.7 microns, it was invisible.
• The team estimates that the galaxy is being viewed at a redshift of about 6, which translates to about 900 million years after the Big Bang.

Conclusion:

• The reemergence of the ghostlike dusty galaxy AzTECC71 in the JWST image provides valuable insights into the prevalence of heavily dust-obscured galaxies in the early universe.
• The discovery has the potential to reshape our understanding of the early universe and the history of galaxy evolution.

SOURCE: https://phys.org/news/2023-12-ghostlike-dusty-galaxy-reappears-james.amp#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17014931407534&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: Nomads and Denotified tribes in India are an invisible and marginalized section of society, facing numerous challenges due to historical and contemporary factors.

EXPLANATION:

Background: Historical Context of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes

• During British colonial rule, nomadic tribes were unjustly labelled as ‘born criminals,’ marginalizing them within society.
• Traditional roles of these communities in providing services and contributing to India’s cultural heritage disrupted by societal perceptions and legislative acts.

Invisibility and Visibility: A Perspective

• Invisibility defined as a complex and relative phenomenon linked to terms like ‘neglected,’ ‘marginalized,’ and ‘hidden.’
• Perspectives shaping visibility – civil society, intellectual class, policymakers, and marginalized groups neglected on social, epistemic, and policy levels.

Nomadic and Denotified Communities: Historical Impact and Marginalization

• Pre-Colonial Contributions: Traditionally, these communities contributed services in transportation, entertainment, healthcare, and livelihood support.
• Colonial Legislation Impact: Criminal Tribes Act (1871) stigmatized nearly 200 communities as ‘born criminals.’
• Economic Reasons Behind Stigmatization: Ayyangar Committee (1950) highlighted economic motives behind branding certain groups as ‘born criminals.’
• Effects of Colonial Legislation: Acts such as Criminal Tribes Act (1871-1947), Forest Act (1865, 1878, 1927), and Salt Act (1835) marginalized nomadic communities.
• Disruption in Livelihoods: Legislation impacting access to natural resources like water, forest, and land led to livelihood challenges.

Socio-economic Invisibility

• Nomads and denotified tribes are on the periphery of all forms of modern development.
• They lack basic documents to receive state assistance, basic amenities such as drinking water, toilet and bathroom facilities, electricity, modern education, and healthcare services.
• They are commonly found living in makeshift and tent settlements on the outskirts of villages and towns.
• Following Independence, some nomadic and denotified communities were included in the constitutional categories of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Castes (OBCs).
• However, the socio-economic profile of these communities shows that they lag behind the general population in terms of education, employment, and other development indicators.
  • More than half is illiterate among nomadic and denotified groups in Haryana compared to the state average.
  • Higher illiteracy rates and lower work participation in urban settings among these communities.

Conclusion

• Need for Attention and Support:
  • Emphasis on addressing lack of basic amenities and assets for marginalized groups, especially in urban areas.
  • Urgent requirement for focused policies to uplift the historically and presently marginalized segments of society.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/governance/nomads-and-denotified-tribes-are-the-invisible-people-of-india-93113

TAG: GS 1: GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a cyclonic storm, Cyclone Michaung, over the southwest Bay of Bengal.

EXPLANATION:

• It is likely to make landfall in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in coming days.
• As a result, the government agency has issued an ‘orange’ alert over Tamil Nadu, as well as coastal and interior Andhra Pradesh for two days.
• It is essential for the residents of these areas to take necessary precautions and stay updated with the latest information and alerts from the relevant authorities.
• Cyclone Michaung is the fourth tropical cyclone of the year over the Bay of Bengal.

What is a Cyclone?

• A cyclone is a large-scale system of air that rotates around the center of a low-pressure area.
• It is usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.
• According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a cyclone is characterized by inward spiralling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Types of Cyclones

• The NDMA classifies cyclones broadly into two categories:
  • extratropical cyclones
  • tropical cyclones

Extratropical Cyclones

• Also known as mid-latitude cyclones, extratropical cyclones occur outside the tropics and have cold air at their core.
• They derive their energy from the release of potential energy when cold and warm air masses interact.
• These cyclones always have one or more fronts connected to them, which are the boundary between two kinds of air masses.

Tropical Cyclones

• Tropical cyclones are the most devastating storms on earth and develop in the regions between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer.
• They develop when thunderstorm activity starts building close to the center of circulation, and the strongest winds and rain are no longer in a band far from the center.
• Tropical cyclones have different names depending on their location and strength.
• For instance, they are known as hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean. In the western North Pacific, they are called typhoons.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO THE DNA ARTICLE OF 29^TH NOVEMBER 2023.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/cyclone-michaung-tropical-types-9050347/

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, during a high-level event at the ongoing climate talks in COP28 in Dubai, India highlighted that the Green Credits Initiative surpasses the commercial nature of carbon credits.

EXPLANATION:

• India presented the concept at COP28 to create a global market for green credits.
• It aimed to establish an international marketplace analogous to the existing carbon credit market.

GREEN CREDIT PROGRAM (GCP): INCENTIVIZING ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS:

• Green Credit Program (GCP) has been notified on 13th October 2023.
• The Green Credits Programme (GCP) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in India.
• It is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions by generating and trading green credits across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, companies etc.
• Green credits are tradable units that represent a specified environmental activity and its positive impact on the environment.
• The GCP’s governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee.
• The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for program implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.
• In its initial phase, the GCP focuses on two key activities:
• Water conservation and
• Afforestation
• Draft methodologies for awarding Green Credits have been developed and will be notified for stakeholder consultation.
• These methodologies set benchmarks for each activity/process, to ensure environmental impact and fungibility across sectors.
• The Green Credit Registry and trading platform, being developed by ICFRE along with experts, would facilitate the registration and thereafter, the buying and selling of Green Credits.
• The Administrator will grant a Green Credit certificate which will be tradable on the green credit platform.

Conclusion

• Green Credits Programme seeks to expand incentives beyond carbon emission reductions.
• It intends to create a diverse market for environmental actions, benefiting communities and individuals while complementing existing carbon credit systems.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/what-is-the-green-credits-scheme-which-pm-modi-mentioned-at-cop28-9050627/

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Amid higher capital expenditure and moderate revenue growth this fiscal year, state’s debt will remain higher at 31-32 per cent of their gross domestic product.

EXPLANATION:

• As per the Crisil rating report, the current situation is likely to take overall borrowings to ₹87 lakh crore, up 9 per cent this year.

DEBT PROJECTIONS AND STATE FISCAL HEALTH

• Debt- gross state domestic product (GSDP) Ratio:
  • Indebtedness of a state is measured as the ratio of its debt to gross state domestic product (GSDP).
  • States’ debt projected at 31-32% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in FY24.
  • Increase from pre-pandemic levels of 28-29%.
• Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act:
  • Gross fiscal deficit (GFD) expected at 2.5% of GSDP, below the mandated level of 3%.

FACTORS INFLUENCING HIGH DEBT LEVELS

• Revenue Growth Challenges:
  • States anticipate modest revenue growth, hindering fiscal stability.
• Capital Expenditure (Capex) and Borrowing:
  • Increased borrowing due to higher capital outlays.
  • Committed expenditure on salaries, pensions, and interest adds to borrowing pressure.
• Expenditure Structure:
  • Majority of revenue allocated to committed expenditure, limiting fiscal flexibility.

IMPACT OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS

• Expected Revenue Growth:
  • Predicted 6-8% growth, supported by GST collections and Center’s devolutions.
• Rising Expenditure:
  • Anticipated 8-10% rise in revenue expenditure.
  • Emphasis on social welfare and public health, comprising 65% of total spending.

ANALYSIS OF FISCAL DEFICIT AND BORROWING TRENDS

• Projected Fiscal Deficit Increase:
  • Anticipated rise in revenue deficit to 0.5% of GSDP from 0.3%.
• Borrowing Requirements:
  • Estimated 18-20% increase in capital outlays, necessitating higher borrowings.
• Interest-free Centre Loans:
  • ₹1.3 lakh crore interest-free loans from Center to aid capital outlays.

EXPECTED BORROWING AND DEBT SCENARIO

• Borrowing Increase Overview:
  • Predicted overall borrowings to surpass ₹87 lakh crore, up 9%.
• State Development Loans:
  • State development loans, 65% of total borrowings, rose by 28% between April and November.
• Off-Budget Debt Funding:
  • Off-budget debt funding set to rise by ₹7.5 lakh crore this fiscal.

RISK FACTORS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

• Economic Activity Impact:
  • Potential risk of GSDP reduction due to economic slowdown.
• Potential Positive Influences:
  • Better tax buoyancy or increased support from the Centre could provide liquidity support to states.

CONCLUSION

• Persisting Debt Challenges:
  • States’ indebtedness likely to remain at 31-32%.
• Balancing Fiscal Health:
  • Challenges persist due to borrowing for capital outlays and limited revenue growth.
• Dependency on External Factors:
  • State fiscal health dependent on economic activity and external support mechanisms.

SOURCE: https://www.livemint.com/economy/states-debt-to-remain-high-at-31-32-per-cent-of-their-gdp-in-fy24-amid-higher-capex-moderate-revenue-growth-11701425176025.html

THE CONTEXT: The Indian state is facing challenges due to administrative inefficiencies. The disorganisation of public institutions and the skill gap among officials have eroded the ability to form and implement sound policies. There is a thicket of the licences, permits, clearances, and permissions that is creating bureaucratic hurdles in the country.

ISSUES FACED BY THE INDIAN STATE

• Lack of administrative capabilities: Indian state is comparatively large in size and in population from other democracies in the world. However, the administrative capability of the state here is quite small. For example, in the G-20 group, India has the smallest number of civil servants per capita. The public sector share in total employment in India is at 5.77% which is half the corresponding figures for Indonesia and China, and just about a third of that in the United Kingdom.
• Scarcity of resources: The Indian state is relatively small on the other metrics, such as the tax-GDP ratio and public expenditure-GDP ratio, public goods provisions, welfare payments, or the justice system. Due to an inadequate state capability, governments at the Centre and States end up outsourcing services from the private sector.
• Skill gap among bureaucrats: It is often stated that Indian state is ‘people-thin’ but ‘process-thick’. The main problem is the skill gap among the officials which have eroded the ability of the political executive and civil services to make and implement sound policies. There is also an extreme concentration of policymaking and implementation powers within departments.
• The technocratic gap: The top policymakers exhibit a lack of technocratic skills to govern an increasingly complex economy. In the absence of adequate capability to deal with economic, financial, contract and other technical matters, the Centre and the States hire consultancy firms. According to media reports, the central government paid over ₹500 crore in the last five years to outsource crucial tasks to the big five consultancy firms, i.e., PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, the KPMG and McKinsey.
• Lack of accountability: Moreover, restrictions on the frontline personnel to decide on implementation-related issues foster a culture of mistrust and lack of accountability for poor implementation. The net outcome is delayed procurement of goods and services and unnecessary contractual disputes. Appealing against arbitration and court awards have become the default mode by officials, making the government the biggest litigator.
• Narrowly scoped audits: Yet another problem is the narrowly scoped audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. It encourages the finance and administrative divisions in government to focus on compliance with rules rather than policy objectives.
• Less effective: The political economy of the public sector also undermines its efficacy. It is well known that performance-linked pay and incentive schemes such as bonuses, which work well in the private sector, are not very effective in the public sector. Paradoxically, the relatively high salaries in the public sector reduce its effectiveness. Because of job security and better working conditions, it breeds corruption in appointments as it makes government jobs very lucrative for all.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Increase welfare measures: The proponents of inclusive development rightly pitch for a bigger role for the state. For which, there is a need for increased public spending on health, education and social security.
• Augment strength of bureaucrats: There is a need to increase the number of bureaucrats for example by increasing the strength of professional staff with market watchdogs as the Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). As, the SEBI has just about 800 professionals, whereas its counterpart in the U.S., the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, has more than 4,500 experts to govern the corporates. Similarly, the professional staff strength of the RBI, less than 7,000, is tiny when compared to the US Federal Reserve which is assisted by 22,000 odd professionals.
• Lateral entry: An institutionalised and regular lateral entry at the mid and senior levels can help fill the civil services’ size and technocratic gap. Qualified officers in non-IAS services (such as the Indian Revenue, Economic and Statistical Services) should get a fair shot at high-level positions if they have the talent and the expertise required.
• Training and sensitization: Civil servants at different levels can be provided subject-specific training under Mission Karmayogi (National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building). Also, the oversight agencies must be sensitised to appreciate the context of policy decisions. They should factor in the costs associated with the actual decisions as well as their alternatives.
• Reduce corruption: There is a need to reduce the corruption by making the administration more accountable. One of the solutions is moderate pay raises by the future Pay Commission and a reduction in the upper age limit for government jobs. These measures can reduce corruption and increase the chances of socially-driven individuals joining the government.
• Global experience: Experiences of countries such as Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom show that separating policymaking and implementation responsibilities expedites execution. It encourages innovations, making the programmes better suited to local contexts. The Indian case in point is the National Highways Authority of India, which is tasked with executing national highway projects, while policy decisions are made at the ministry level. This arrangement has drastically reduced delays and cost overruns.

THE CONCLUSION:

With changing needs and with the advent of globalisation, and economic reforms, the role of the state has changed. Administration in India is facing several challenges due to bureaucratic hurdles in the existing system. Ensuring transparency and accountability along with participatory and representative decision-making are some issues that need to be addressed. Only then bureaucracy can fulfill its role as an efficient and effective instrument of governance that can serve the needs of the citizens.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION

 Q.1 “Institutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performance”. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service for strengthening democracy. (2020)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 Changing times requires that the civil services must brace up for the rapid and fundamental changes taking place in the wake of changing needs and the challenges faced by the societies. Critically analyse the statement.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/improving-the-capability-of-the-indian-state/article67595468.ece

TAG: GS 2: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court quashed the reappointment notification of Gopinath Ravindran as the vice-chancellor of Kannur University.

EXPLANATION:

• The ruling delineates the distinct roles of the governor, functioning as the chancellor of state-run universities, emphasizing their pivotal authority in university matters.

Case Background and Significance:

• The appeal challenged the Kerala High Court’s decision that upheld the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as vice-chancellor of Kannur University.
• The verdict assumes significance amid disputes between state governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and their respective governors.
• The dispute is regarding the amendments in state university laws, intending to lessen the governor’s involvement in appointing vice-chancellors.

Chancellor’s Role as Not Merely Titular:

• The Supreme Court highlighted the chancellor’s pivotal role, emphasizing that the governor’s position in state-run universities is not merely titular.
• It observed that the chancellor’s opinion holds paramount significance in university affairs and is the ultimate judge in all aspects, not merely a symbolic figurehead.

Critical Observations and Rationale:

• Violation of Statutory Powers:
  • The Supreme Court concluded that the reappointment, despite being legally permissible, was influenced by external considerations, specifically the state government’s unwarranted intervention.
• Governor’s Role and Distinct Authority:
  • The ruling emphasized the chancellor’s role as separate from the state government.
  • It indicated that the governor, in the capacity of the chancellor, acts independently and is not bound by the advice of the council of ministers.
• Legal Considerations and Interpretation:
  • The Court highlighted that the governor’s duties as the chancellor in university matters are distinct from their obligations as the state governor, warranting separate interpretations and actions.

Questions of Law and Court’s Stand:

• The Court deliberated on four legal questions pertaining to the reappointment, differing from the High Court’s stance on certain aspects.
• It agreed that reappointment, though legally acceptable, had been unduly influenced and that the governor’s statutory powers were relinquished, affecting the appointment process adversely.

Clarification on Chancellor’s Authority:

• The apex court clarified that the governor, acting as the ex-officio chancellor of the university, operates independently in university-related decisions, irrespective of political advice or external pressures.
• It highlighted that the legislative distinction between the chancellor and the state government demands a separate interpretation and execution of duties by the governor.

Conclusion:

• The Supreme Court’s verdict delineates the distinct role of the chancellor, asserting the governor’s authority in university matters as independent and non-advisory.
• The ruling underscores the chancellor’s significance in ensuring fair and unbiased decisions within state-run universities, independent of external political influence.

SOURCE: https://theprint.in/judiciary/as-chancellor-governor-not-merely-titular-head-sc-quashes-kannur-university-v-cs-reappointment/1866172/

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the COP28 climate conference in Dubai marked the official launch of a significant loss and damage fund aimed at assisting developing nations vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

EXPLANATION:

• While an initial funding of $475 million has been allocated, the broader financial requirements, estimated to be in the trillions, remain a critical concern.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND:

• Purpose:
  • The fund is intended to aid vulnerable countries coping with the consequences of climate change, addressing issues like rising sea levels, floods, droughts, and cyclones.
• Financial Need:
  • Economists highlight the urgent requirement for trillions of dollars to effectively address the challenges posed by climate change.
• Launch:
  • The fund was officially announced during COP27 but saw resolution and agreement on key aspects only shortly before COP28.
• Contributions:
  • The UAE pledged $100 million, the European Union committed $275 million, the US offered $17.5 million, and Japan contributed $10 million towards the initial funding.

UNDERSTANDING THE LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND:

• Global Financial Package:
  • Designed to support countries facing the impacts of climate change by providing compensation from wealthier nations responsible for higher emissions.
• Definition Complexity:
  • Different interpretations of “loss and damage” exist; there’s no universally agreed definition within the UNFCCC, categorized broadly as economic and non-economic impacts.

IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE:

• Historical Context:
  • The Industrial Era since 1850 disrupted natural greenhouse gas mechanisms, with the US, UK, EU, and a few others contributing significantly to global emissions.
• Responsibility for Emissions:
  • Developed countries account for a significant portion of historical emissions, with India responsible for a small percentage, while China is the world’s largest emitter in recent years.

EXTENT OF LOSS AND DAMAGE:

• Financial Impact:
  • Vulnerable countries have collectively faced $525 billion in climate crisis-related losses over 20 years, projected to rise to $580 billion annually by 2030.
• Impact on Vulnerable Communities:
  • Global warming has profoundly affected vulnerable communities, with projections indicating worsening conditions, especially in developing nations.

OPERATION AND SIZE OF THE FUND:

• Fund Management:
  • Initially overseen by the World Bank, funded by wealthier nations and some developing countries, though the scale and replenishment cycle remain uncertain.
• Concerns and Acceptance:
  • Developing nations initially hesitated to involve the World Bank, fearing greater control by richer nations, but have since acquiesced to this arrangement.

CONCLUSION:

• The establishment of the loss and damage fund at COP28 represents a crucial step towards assisting vulnerable nations affected by climate change.
• However, the disparity between the initial funding and the colossal financial requirement underscores the monumental challenge ahead in effectively mitigating and addressing the consequences of climate change globally.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/loss-and-damage-fund-approved-cop-28-9049082/

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE, GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: India is embarking on a strategic initiative to develop its own ‘sovereign AI’ by focusing on real-life applications in various sectors like healthcare, agriculture, governance, and language translation.

EXPLANATION:

• The government aims to maximize economic development by leveraging technology and data-driven solutions.

SOVEREIGN AI OBJECTIVES:

• Real-Life Use Cases:
  • The focus is on practical applications of AI in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, governance, and language translation to drive economic growth.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI):
  • India’s approach involves establishing a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) similar to Aadhaar and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
  • It will enable the government-sanctioned technology for private entities to develop diverse use cases.

PLANS FOR AI CONTROL:

• National Data Governance Framework Policy:
  • A draft released by the Ministry of Electronics and IT proposed creating an India Datasets platform comprising non-personal and anonymized data accessible to startups and researchers.
• Objectives:
  • Modernizing data collection for improved governance and fostering AI and data-led research and startup ecosystems.

UNIFIED NATIONAL DATA SHARING PLATFORM:

• Stakeholders:
  • The platform aims to facilitate data sharing among Central/State/UT Governments, public and private sector entities, MSMEs, academia, researchers, and civil society organizations.
• Monetization of Non-Personal Data:
  • The platform suggests the possibility of monetizing non-personal data to support data-driven innovation.

AI REGULATION IN INDIA:

• Hybrid Approach:
  • India’s regulatory approach towards AI will be a hybrid model, combining elements from Europe’s citizen rights-focused regulation and the US’s market-oriented regulation.
• Data Sharing Directive:
  • There are considerations to issue a directive to major tech companies (like Facebook, Google, Amazon) to share anonymized personal data with a government-backed database.
• Draft Digital India Bill:
  • This directive might be part of the draft Digital India Bill, anticipated to be introduced after the 2024 general election.
• Economic Benefits from Data:
  • Initiatives to harness economic benefits through aggregated non-personal datasets were proposed by committees to encourage innovation and ensure national security.

Conclusion:

• India’s pursuit of ‘sovereign AI’ involves a multifaceted strategy encompassing the establishment of a robust AI ecosystem, data governance frameworks, and a hybrid regulatory approach.
• The emphasis on leveraging technology and data for practical applications aims to drive economic growth and innovation across various sectors, reflecting the country’s vision for technological advancement and governance.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-pannun-sized-problem-in-india-us-ties-9049329/

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: A recent study forecasts unprecedented global mean surface temperatures during the 2023-2024 winter, potentially breaking historical records due to the confluence of the El Nino event and an enduring global warming trend.

EXPLANATION:

• The paper, published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, highlights projections that could push temperatures beyond the critical 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels, with far-reaching implications for the environment.

TEMPERATURE TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS:

• Temperature Anomalies:
  • The global average temperature from June to October 2023 surpassed the 1991-2020 average by 0.57℃.
  • In August and September, temperatures surpassed historical averages by 0.62℃ and 0.69℃, respectively, beating the 2016 record.
• Global Projection:
  • It projects a potential 1.38°C rise in global mean surface temperatures in 2023, possibly surpassing the 2016 record of 1.29°C above pre-industrial levels.

DRIVERS OF TEMPERATURE INCREASE:

• El Nino Impact:
  • The emergent El Nino pattern, coupled with the persistent long-term warming trend, is identified as the primary drivers of the escalating temperatures.
• Consequences:
  • The forecasted temperature rise could exacerbate sea-level rise, sea-ice loss, and significantly impact the global ecosystem and food security, with potential ramifications extending into 2024.

TEMPERATURE EXCEEDANCE AND REGIONAL IMPACTS:

• Temperature Records:
  • In 2023, temperatures surpassed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels on 86 days, leading to heatwaves impacting North America, southern Europe, and Asia during summer.
• Regional Projections:
  • Multiple climate prediction systems indicate exceptionally warm winter conditions in mid-low latitude regions of Eurasia and the Americas, especially in China, expected to experience abnormal warming significantly surpassing the global average.

EL NINO’S ROLE AND PREDICTIONS:

• Mature El Nino:
  • Anticipated maturation of El Nino this winter, releasing heat into the atmosphere and potentially enhancing global mean surface temperatures.
• Impending Climate Variations:
  • El Nino’s dominance in the 2023-2024 northern hemisphere winter is expected, triggering anomalous anticyclone activity in the Northwest Pacific, leading to warm and dry weather patterns.

IMPACT ON PACIFIC-NORTH AMERICAN ATMOSPHERIC TELECONNECTION:

• Teleconnection Patterns:
  • El Nino may initiate a Pacific-North American atmospheric teleconnection, influencing winter climates in East Asia and North America.
• Typical Outcomes:
  • Positive phases of this pattern could result in above-average temperatures in western Canada and western U.S., contrasting with below-average temperatures in south-central and southeastern U.S., linked to reduced precipitation in specific regions.

CONCLUSION:

• The study underscores the potential for unprecedented winter temperatures in 2023-2024, propelled by El Nino’s intensification and the continued global warming trend.
• These projections have far-reaching implications for regional climates, ecosystems, and food security, necessitating preparedness and mitigation strategies to address the anticipated environmental impacts.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/study-warns-of-new-warming-records-this-winter-driven-by-el-nino-long-term-global-warming-trend-93095

TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE, GS 3: AGRICULTURE

THE CONTEXT: The Union Government has announced a comprehensive scheme aimed at leveraging drone technology to empower 15,000 progressive women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for agricultural purposes.

EXPLANATION:

• This initiative was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister.
• The initiative seeks to revolutionize agricultural practices by providing access to drones, enhancing efficiency, crop yield, and reducing operational costs for farmers.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SCHEME:

• Objective:
  • Infusing advanced technology in agriculture for improved efficiency, enhanced crop yield, and reduced operational costs, ultimately benefitting farmers.
• Financial Outlay:
  • The scheme will have a financial outlay of ₹1,261 crore over two years, beginning in 2024-25.
• Target Beneficiaries:
  • 15,000 progressive women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) will be identified from the 89 lakh SHGs formed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana.
• Central Financial Assistance:
  • The Union Government will provide 80% of the drone’s cost, amounting to up to ₹8 lakh out of the total expense of ₹10 lakh for each drone and its accessories.
• Drone Distribution:
  • Around 500 drones will be contributed by fertilizer companies, while the remaining 14,500 drones will be made available through Central assistance over the next two years.
• Training and Support:
  • Selected SHG members will undergo a 15-day training program, including a five-day mandatory drone pilot training.
  • An additional 10-day training for agricultural purposes related to nutrient and pesticide application will be executed.
  • An honorarium of ₹15,000 for the pilot and ₹10,000 for the co-pilot will be provided.
• Sustainable Livelihood:
  • The scheme is expected to provide sustainable business and livelihood support to the 15,000 SHGs, enabling them to earn an additional income of at least ₹1 lakh per annum.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY:

• Identification of SHGs:
  • The scheme will identify appropriate clusters where drone usage is economically feasible, selecting SHGs based on this criterion.
• Training Process:
  • Well-qualified SHG members aged 18 and above will be elected for training as drone pilots, focusing on both technical operation and agricultural application aspects.
  • Additionally, another member of the group will be trained as a technician or assistant.
• Financial Assistance and Drone Allocation:
  • Central financial assistance will cover the majority of the drone cost, with fertilizer companies contributing some drones.
  • The allocation will take place over a span of two years.

EXPECTED IMPACT:

• Technological Advancement:
  • Integration of drone technology in agriculture will usher in advanced practices, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
• Income Generation:
  • Empowering SHGs with drones is anticipated to generate an additional income of ₹1 lakh per annum for the participating groups.
• Agricultural Transformation:
  • The utilization of drones for nutrient and pesticide application is expected to significantly improve crop yield while reducing operational costs for farmers.
• Livelihood Support:
  • The scheme aims to offer sustainable business support, contributing to the livelihood enhancement of 15,000 SHGs.

CONCLUSION:

• The initiative to empower women’s SHGs with drone technology marks a pivotal step towards modernizing agricultural practices in India.
• With financial support, comprehensive training, and strategic distribution of drones, this scheme is poised to revolutionize farming techniques, benefitting farmers and fostering economic empowerment among women in rural areas.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/business/agri-business/cabinet-nod-for-1261-crore-scheme-to-provide-drones-to-15000-women-shgs-for-two-years/article67586797.ece

THE CONTEXT: The world has witnessed several disruptions in recent years. China’s phenomenal rise has unleashed a superpower competition between USA and China. This is indicative of a recognition of emergence of bipolar world order.

EMERGING SHAPE OF CURRENT WORLD ORDER

• Bipolarity can be defined as a system of world order in which the majority of global economic, military and cultural influence is held between two states. The classic case of a bipolar world is that of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, which dominated the second half of the 20th century.
• However, the present world order is one of asymmetric bipolarity in which the U.S. still remains a pre-eminent power, but China is advancing fast as well.
• The effects of this bipolarity have substantially deepened as both USA and China have become aware of the new global structure and are acting accordingly.
• Meanwhile, there are other power centres emerging and they will play a significant role in the balancing of power. Russia is challenging the post-World War security architecture in Europe through military means. In West Asia, Israel is engaged in a brutal war with The world is also witnessing the rise of several middle powers such as India.

Power as defining feature of world order:

Power has been the defining feature of how world orders have been built and destroyed over the years, and this power has often been military at its core.

• In the 19th century, countries that developed steam engines and developed naval fleets, small European countries, became great powers.
• In the 20th century, with nuclear evolution, the concept of superpowers emerged. Great powers could control multiple events around the world and superpowers could control multiple events around the world simultaneously.
• The 21st century is one of people’s power and connectivity that the world sees today is unprecedented. That results in interactions, sometimes even interdependence, to some extent global integration, and therefore there could be bipolar impulses.

Case of China and Russia:

• China: China has seen a phenomenal rise economically and militarily over the past four decades. In the last 40 years, its GDP in 1990 was $300 billion, moved to $1 trillion-plus at the turn of century and is now $19.3 trillion. And the fact that China is controlled by one party and virtually one man makes this economic lever particularly powerful in redefining the world order.
• Russia: There are emerging ties of Russia with China but Russia too is conscious of the fact that they cannot put all their eggs in one basket. There are concerns particularly regarding the balance of power in Central Asia. There are enough signals from Russia that it would like to diversify its relationship, particularly in terms of energy, with the developing economies of Asia. Also, Russia is seriously looking at reinventing their ties with India.

IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA

• Not a balanced approach: India faces an entirely new set of challenges in the new global disorder with S.­-China great power contest. During the Cold War, India didn’t have hostile relations with any of the opposing superpowers but in today’s scenario, China is major rival of India. India would be tempted to join the American bloc as it faces the China problem and may give up on its balanced approach.
• Security Challenges: Various security challenges are unfolding in India’s neighbourhood. India’s security establishment and strategic community have consistently flagged the issue of the growing Chinese presence and involvement. With hegemony of China, India tends to face more security challenges in the region.
• Relation with China: The power imbalancebetween India and China has widened in recent years. China has also developed a strategic partnership with Pakistan and raising its influence in other South Asian and Indian Ocean countries. With growing power of China, India will remain concerned about its geopolitical and economic implications.
• Relation with USA: There is often a temptation to view India’s relations with the U.S. and China in contrasting terms that India has a smooth relation with USA. But relation with USA is not always smooth. For example, India and the U.S.A had signed a joint statement in July 2005, which opened up a new relationship and a nuclear deal was finally signed in 2008. And India was supposed to get six nuclear power reactors from the U.S.A and these have not come yet.
• Relation with Russia: Russia is a traditional partnerwith which India has deep defence ties. India is under huge pressure to take a more critical position on Russia’s actions. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has complicated India’s options further. India also worries that the West’s move to isolate Russia in Europe would push the country further into the Chinese embrace.

Thus, if the competition between China and the U.S., and Russia and the U.S., heats up, it does reduce the flexibility of India in terms of how to manage good relations with Russia, China, and the U.S. However, given that these countries are enormously dependent on each other, there is less chances of any rigid bipolar system happening in the future.

CHALLENGES OF A BIPOLAR WORLD

• Rising number of conflicts: As two rival powers cannot remain in equilibrium indefinitely, therefore conflict is inevitable in a bipolar world. In this regard, global order is not stable during periods of bipolarity, but instead, warfare appears to be necessary for the resolution of rivalry between two superpowers. Ultimately, bipolarity is based on constant tension, which leads to competition, and ultimately, war.
• Unstable policy making: These changes in the world actually leave the world in an unstable situation. There is a lack of clarity on which direction the world is headed. It makes policy making harder formiddle powers like India.
• Negative economic implications: Rising of bipolar world has negative economic implications globally. Trade war between two strong countries have tendency to cause uncertainty in the financial markets. It can thus impact trade flows and may lead to even global recession.
• Waning globalisation: International political economy is regarded as the principal focus of the forces of globalization and the main way in which globalization is transmitted throughout the world. Bipolar world can lead to powerful countries limiting themselves in their own sphere which can led to waning of globalisation.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Balanced approach: India should develop a balanced foreign policy outlook for both the nations focussing on its economic growth and development. Revival of Non Alignment, for example, by bringing in Non-Alignment 2.0 with China and the U.S. is the one of the solution to have a balanced approach. It would help with India’s security and sovereignty.
• Internal balancing: There is a need to maintain and strengthen our own foreign policy approach to tackle uncertain global situation. Also, there is a need to strengthen security to particularly bring about peace and tranquillity in the border states.
• India’s strategic approach towards a rising China: There is a need to acknowledge the fact that China is going to be a long-term competitor in Asia and there is a need to have strategic approach towards China. And the border is just one of the pressures points that China uses against India. Also, there is a need for lessening dependence on China and seeking external balancing to concentrate on self-strengthening.
• Diversification in strategic partners:The present-day geopolitical and geostrategic circumstances present a multifaceted challenge to India’s foreign policy. Therefore, India’s cold war narrative of strategic neutrality is being gradually replaced by strategic hedging.

In a multipolar world India should not limit its engagements with Russia, the US and China but expand its relationship with other countries of the EU, ASEAN etc.

• Indigenous defence modernisation:India is dependent on many foreign players like U.S, Russia etc. for its defence requirement, this may not pave good in national interest. Therefore, it is imperative to speed up indigenous defence modernisation, especially in the context of counterbalancing China.

THE CONCLUSION:

India has been successful in deploying ‘multi-vector’ foreign policy in the past by having a balanced approach. In the current situation as well, Indian foreign policy should not envisage complete isolation or enter into alliance with one great power. Thus, it should opt for multi­engagement not multi­alignment for a multipolar world and have a variable relation with several like-minded partners.

UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1 “The long sustained image of India as a leader of the oppressed and marginalised nations has disappeared on account of its newfound role in the emerging global order.’ Elaborate. (2019)

Q.2 Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post-Cold War international scenario. (2016)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 India has historically prided itself as an independent developing country which did not succumb to pressure from great powers.  Analyse the current position of India in the changing world order and suggest steps it should take to have a balanced approach.

SOURCE:https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/is-the-emerging-global-order-bipolar/article67591021.ece

THE CONTEXT: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has not conducted a Union level performance audit of the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Act (MGNREGA) since 2013.

MORE ON THE NEWS

• According to CAG reports available on its website, a performance audit of the implementation of the scheme, which guarantees 100 days of work to rural households every year, was last conducted in 2013.
• The scheme was taken up for audit by CAG at the national level in 2016, but not as a performance audit but only to examine the Social Audit Units.
• 2013 report was comprehensive and covered the MGNREGA’s implementation across the country.
  • There was a plan after that to cover the social impact of the scheme, which was done in the 2016 report. However, after that, there has been no elaborate report on MGNREGA.

MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (MGNREGA)

• The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is a legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
• MGNREGA guarantees hundred days of wage employment in a financial year, to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• MGNREGA focuses on the economic and social empowerment of women.
• Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory, which lends to accountability and transparency.
• The scheme now covers 648 Districts, 6,849 Blocks and 2,50,441 Gram Panchayats in the financial year 2015-16.

MGNREGA’s shrinking budget:

• It initially came into force in 200 districts from February 2, 2006, and was expanded to cover all rural areas by April 1, 2008.
• The scheme is implemented by the Department of Rural Development under the Ministry of Rural Development.
• According to an analysis by PRS Legislative Research, in 2023-24, MGNREGS (38%) gets the highest budgetary allocation in the department’s accounting.
  • The rural development department also implements other major social sector schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
• In the 2023 budget, the MGNREGS was allocated Rs 60,000 crore. Concerns have been raised that the allocation to the MGNREGS has declined by 33% as compared to the revised estimates of 2022-23.

Union-level CAG reports on MGNREGA:

• CAG’s 2013 report covered the period from April 2007 to March 2012.
• The first performance audit of the scheme was undertaken in 2007-08 and covered the period from February 2006 to March 2007.
• The 2013 report noted that there had been a “significant decline” in per rural household employment generation in the previous two years and a “substantial decline” in the proportion of work completed.
• The 2016 report examined the functioning of Social Audit Units under MGNREGA.
  • This report noted several irregularities including that SAU had not been set up in seven states, while in eight states they were set up but not functional.
• Social audit is mandated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Audit of Schemes Rules, 2011.
  • The rules were framed by the Ministry of Rural Development in consultation with CAG.
  • The rules provide for the state government to facilitate identification and creation of independent organisations i.e., Social Audit Units (SAU), process of conducting these audits and obligations of persons related to the audits.

WHY CAG AUDIT REPORTS ARE IMPORTANT?

• As a constitutional authority, CAG is the sole authority that the constitution entrusts the responsibility of auditing the accounts of the Union and state governments.
• CAG’s performance audits examine the extent to which an activity, programme or organisation operates economically, efficiently, and effectively.
• CAG presented twelve reports that revealed corruption and irregularities in the functioning of several Union government ministries and departments.

ISSUES

Lack of accountability: There needs to be   accountability at the moment for the person who is supposed to be the chief accountability officer.

• The CAG is an external auditor and can only give his opinion.
• The government has internal auditors in the form of the CAG (Controller General of Accounts who is responsible for exchequer control and internal audits of the Union government).

Non-release of MGNREGA funds: Several oppositions-ruled states like West Bengal have accused the Union government of non-release of MGNREGA funds.

• In August, the rural development ministry informed parliament that the Union government has pending payments under the wage component for 18 States and Union Territories.
• Of this, it owes the highest amounts to opposition ruled states: Rs 2,770 crore is owed to West Bengal, followed by Rajasthan (Rs 979 crore) and Bihar (Rs 669 crore).

Other centrally sponsored schemes: Other centrally sponsored schemes that have not been audited since 2018 reportedly include the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and the PM Jal Jeevan Mission (PMJJM).

WAY FORWARD

Social auditing mechanism robust: According to the Kerala’s Rural Development Minister, they have taken a host of measures to make their social auditing mechanism robust.

• Including holding periodic panchayat-level public hearings where all stakeholders participate.
• Kerala has a healthy culture of people’s participation in governance.

Assessment of audit risks: Taking up a Performance Audit for a CAG  report depends on the assessment of audit risks because the audit department has limited resources while the audit mandate is vast. So, audit resource deployment depends on risk assessment.

Tackle diversion of funds: Management Information System (MIS) done by the Rural Development Ministry to digitise the scheme, as well as bringing in direct benefit transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries to tackle diversion of funds have helped to substantially mitigate audit risks.

Methodology of risk analysis:  The CAG  should present his methodology of risk analysis through which he deploys his resources to various audit concerns.

CONCLUSION:

Performance audits can promote transparency and accountability in the implementation of MGNREGA. This can build public trust in the program and ensure that it is being implemented in a fair and equitable manner.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION:

Q) Exercise of CAG’s powers in relation to the accounts of the Union and the States is derived from Article 149 of the Indian Constitution. Discuss whether audit of the Government’s Policy implementation could amount to overstepping its own (CAG) jurisdiction. (2016)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q) Examine the role of CAG in conducting the performance audit of developmental schemes.

SOURCE: No CAG Performance Audit of MGNREGA for 10 Years Poses Serious Questions (thewire.in)

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: According to a report by energy think tank Ember, India will need additional investment of $101 billion to align with International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero target of tripling renewable energy capacity, compared to the 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14) pathway.

EXPLANATION:

• India requires substantial investment to meet its renewable energy (RE) targets set by the National Electricity Plan (NEP14) and align with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero objectives.
• A report by energy think tank Ember highlights the investment gap and necessary actions to achieve these goals.

Investment Requirements:

• According to the Ember report, India needs an additional investment of $101 billion to fulfill the IEA’s target of tripling renewable energy capacity compared to NEP14.
• The country necessitates a total investment of $293 billion between 2023 and 2030 to meet NEP14 solar and wind capacity objectives, including storage and transmission infrastructure.

NEP14 Renewable Capacity Targets:

• NEP projections outline renewable-based installed capacity for 2031-32, estimating 596,275 MW, encompassing various sources like solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and storage systems.
• The plan indicates a rising share of non-fossil-based capacity, projected to reach 68.4% by 2031-32 from 42.5% in April 2023.

Comparing NEP14 and IEA Targets:

• The report compares NEP14 projections with IEA targets, suggesting that to meet the latter, India must significantly increase annual solar and wind additions by 2027.
• While NEP14 aims for 24% generation from solar and 9% from wind by 2030, IEA’s goals entail 32% from solar and 12% from wind by 2030, requiring higher annual additions.

Additional Capacity Requirement:

• To achieve these targets, India needs an additional 115 GW of solar and 9 GW of wind capacity by 2030, surpassing NEP14 plans.
• Meeting IEA Net Zero targets necessitates even higher capacities, totaling 448 GW of solar and 122 GW of wind by 2030.

Transmission and Storage Requirements:

• The establishment of robust transmission systems is crucial to integrate renewables.
• NEP14 targets include interstate and intra-state transmission systems and storage capacities.
• To align with IEA Net Zero targets, India needs to enhance storage and transmission, requiring an additional 48 GW of ISTS and 14 GW of battery storage.

Pre-COP28 Context and Global Commitments:

• With the COP28 approaching, there’s an increasing push for tripling renewable energy capacity globally.
• India’s G20 commitment in 2023 aligns with these objectives, reflecting growing anticipation for a global commitment at COP28.

Challenges and Financing Needs:

• Despite rising investment in renewables, challenges persist, including payment delays, renegotiation of agreements, and land acquisition complexities.
• The report emphasizes the necessity for financing to meet NEP14 targets and urges even more substantial financial support to align with global net-zero pathways.

The 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14):

• The 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14) is a significant initiative in India’s energy sector, aiming to increase the country’s renewable energy capacity.
• According to the plan, India sets out solar capacity targets of 185.6 GW by fiscal 2026-27, reaching 364.6 GW by fiscal 2031-32.
• To achieve these targets, India needs to increase its current annual solar capacity addition by about 36% each year leading up to 2026-27.
• The plan also estimates India’s total annual electricity generation to grow by 1,174 TWh in fiscal 2022-32, reaching a total of 2,666 TWh in fiscal 2032.

Conclusion:

• India faces significant investment requirements to achieve ambitious renewable energy targets set by NEP14 and to align with global Net Zero goals.
• Addressing challenges and attracting substantial financing remains pivotal for successful implementation, ensuring a shift away from coal towards sustainable energy sources.

SOURCE: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/renewable-energy/india-needs-a-surplus-of-101-billion-in-investment-to-triple-re-targets-finds-report-93065

TAG: GS 3: INTERNAL SECURITY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Union Home Minister announced the signing of a peace agreement with the Meitei separatist group United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in Manipur, terming it a “historic milestone.”

EXPLANATION:

UNITED NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (UNLF):

• The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) was established on November 24, 1964.
• It was established as the oldest valley-based insurgent group in Manipur.
• It stands apart from insurgent groups active in the state’s Naga-dominated and Kuki-Zomi dominated hills.
• It was formed under the leadership of Arembam Samarendra Singh, the group demanded secession from India.
• Notably, top central committee leaders included individuals from diverse backgrounds like Khalalung Kamei (Naga) and Thangkhopao Singsit (Kuki).

EVOLUTION :

• The UNLF underwent changes and established its armed wing, the Manipur People’s Army, in 1990.
• Over time, it executed numerous attacks targeting Indian security personnel, operating mainly in the valley areas of Manipur and certain villages in the Kuki-Zomi hill districts.
• Currently divided into two factions, the UNLF has an estimated cadre strength of 400-500 individuals.
• It largely operated from camps in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, Chin state, and Rakhine state with Myanmar military patronage.
• However, recent unrest and attacks by Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) in Myanmar have weakened its position across the border.

Concerns and Activity Surge:

• Despite a decline and retreat to Myanmar, concerns arose over increased activity, including recruitment of around 500 new members, coinciding with the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

Peace Agreement:

• The recent peace agreement signed with UNLF is a significant milestone in Manipur’s history.
• It marks the first time a valley-based insurgent group has engaged in such an agreement with the Centre.

Previous Splintering and Leadership Changes:

• The group experienced internal divisions leading to formal splits, with N Oken forming the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and later, Khundongbam Pambei breaking away from the central committee in 2021.
• Consequently, two factions emerged under Pambei and NC Koireng.

Other Meitei Insurgent Groups and Dynamics:

• The UNLF is one of several Meitei insurgent groups in Manipur.
• It is among the seven “Meitei Extremist Organisations” banned by the Union government.
• While one faction is open to talks, another continues to oppose negotiations.

Tripartite Agreement and Recent Developments:

• In 2008, a Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement was reached between the Centre, Manipur state, and Kuki-Zomi insurgent groups.
• However, in March of the current year, the Manipur government withdrew from the agreement with Zomi Revolutionary Army and Kuki National Army due to their alleged influence on forest encroachment agitation.

Conclusion:

• The history of UNLF is marked by its long-standing demand for secession and armed resistance.
• The recent peace agreement with the Centre signifies a significant development in the region’s complex insurgency landscape.
• Despite this milestone, challenges persist due to internal factionalism, differing stances among insurgent groups, and regional dynamics, requiring sustained efforts for lasting peace and stability in Manipur.

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/history-of-unlf-meitei-insurgent-group-that-signed-peace-deal-with-centre-9047846/lite/

TAG: GS 3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has released the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) – Quarterly Bulletin for July – September 2023.

PLFS AND OBJECTIVES:

• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) was initiated in April 2017 with the aim of providing frequent and timely labour force data.
• The survey serves two primary purposes:
  • estimating key employment and unemployment indicators every three months for urban areas and
  • conducting an annual assessment in both rural and urban areas.
• The recent PLFS report for July – September 2023 was the twentieth quarterly bulletin in the series.
• The fieldwork for this period was completed timely, except for a few samples in Manipur and Telangana, which were considered casualties.
• Notably, the revisit schedules were primarily conducted via telephone (about 96.2% of the time) since June 2020.

SAMPLE DESIGN AND SIZE:

• The PLFS employs a rotational panel sampling design in urban areas where selected households are visited four times, ensuring continuity in data collection.
• For the quarter July – September 2023, 5,706 first-stage sampling units (FSUs) were surveyed, comprising 44,738 urban households and 1,70,004 individuals.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF KEY INDICATORS:

• The PLFS provides estimates for significant employment and unemployment indicators:
  • Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR).
• These indicators are based on the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS), evaluating activity status in the preceding seven days before the survey.
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):
  • LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e., working or seeking or available for work) in the population.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR):
  • WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.
• Unemployment Rate (UR):
  • UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.
• Current Weekly Status (CWS):
  • The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE QUARTERLY BULLETIN – JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2023:

• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) Increase:
  • LFPR in urban areas for individuals aged 15 years and above rose from 47.9% in July – September 2022 to 49.3% in the same period of 2023.
  • Notably, LFPR increased for both males and females during this period.
• Worker Population Ratio (WPR) Growth:
  • WPR in urban areas for individuals aged 15 years and above increased from 44.5% in July – September 2022 to 46.0% in the same period of 2023.
  • Similar to LFPR, WPR exhibited growth for both males and females.
• Unemployment Rate (UR) Decline:
  • UR in urban areas for individuals aged 15 years and above decreased from 7.2% in July – September 2022 to 6.6% in the same period of 2023.
  • While male UR was at 6.0% in 2023, female UR declined from 9.4% to 8.6% during this period.

CONCLUSION AND ACCESS TO DETAILED DATA:

• The PLFS Quarterly Bulletin – July to September 2023 highlights positive trends in LFPR, WPR, and a decline in UR in urban areas for individuals aged 15 years and above. (can refer to ministry website for the data in tabular form).
• These indicators provide crucial insights into the labour market dynamics, aiding in policy formulation and interventions for economic growth and employment generation.

SOURCE: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1980887#:~:text=UR%20in%20urban%20areas%20decreased,%25%20in%20July%20%E2%80%93%20September%202023

TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Sri Lanka has reached an “agreement in principle” with India and the Paris Club group of creditors including Japan, on a debt treatment plan.

EXPLANATION:

• The Debt treatment agreement will help the crisis-hit island nation tap the next tranche of the International Monetary Fund’s nearly-$3 billion recovery package.

BACKGROUND:

• Sri Lanka, facing a severe economic crisis, defaulted on its nearly $51 billion foreign debt last year.
• It necessitated a comprehensive restructuring of loans to initiate an economic recovery program supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• The country approached major lenders and formed the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), which includes India, Japan, and France (as chair of the Paris Club), to negotiate debt treatment plans.

AGREEMENT WITH INDIA AND PARIS CLUB:

• Sri Lanka has secured an “agreement in principle” with India and the Paris Club group of creditors, including Japan, outlining a debt treatment plan.
• The debt treatment plan aligns with the parameters of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement between Sri Lanka and the IMF.
• The Paris Club announced the agreement’s main parameters, without explicit details, and aims to formalize the agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding in the upcoming weeks.

OCC’S ROLE AND EXPECTATIONS:

• The OCC was formed in response to Sri Lanka’s request for debt treatment and has engaged in discussions with the country’s authorities, evaluating options to restructure Colombo’s outstanding debt.
• China, Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral creditor, opted to remain outside the platform but participated as an observer.
• Japan and India, as significant lenders, stressed the importance of creditor parity and transparency.

EXPECTATIONS FROM OTHER CREDITORS AND PRIVATE ENGAGEMENT:

• The OCC, alluding to China, emphasized the necessity for “other bilateral creditors” to share information transparently for evaluating the comparability of treatment regarding their bilateral agreements.
• Additionally, the Committee urged Sri Lanka to continue engaging with its private creditors, aiming for an agreement at least as favourable as the terms offered by the OCC.

IMF’S STANDPOINT AND CONDITIONS:

• The IMF, after reaching a staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka in October 2023, highlighted the significance of securing an agreement with official creditors on a debt treatment plan consistent with the Fund’s debt targets.
• The next installment of the IMF package is contingent on this agreement, underscoring its criticality for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.

CHINA’S ROLE AND AWAITED SPECIFICS:

• While China has assured cooperation in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, ensuring transparent participation, the specific details of the potential debt treatment plan are yet to be disclosed.

PARIS CLUB:

• The Paris Club is an informal group of official creditors whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries.
• The members are:
  • The current permanent members of the Paris Club are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • South Africa is a prospective member since 2022
• As debtor countries undertake reforms to stabilize and restore their macroeconomic and financial situation, Paris Club creditors provide an appropriate debt treatment.
• Paris Club creditors provide debt treatments to debtor countries in the form of rescheduling, which is debt relief by postponement or, in the case of concessional rescheduling, reduction in debt service obligations during a defined period (flow treatment) or as of a set date (stock treatment).
• The origin of the Paris Club dates back to 1956 when Argentina agreed to meet its public creditors in Paris.
• Since then, the Paris Club has reached 478 agreements with 102 different debtor countries.
• Since 1956, the debt treated in the framework of Paris Club agreements amounts to $ 614 billion.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-reaches-agreement-with-india-paris-club-on-debt-treatment/article67587365.ece/amp/

TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Antarctic glacier has moved eight kms after being stable for 50 years.

EXPLANATION:

• The recent observation of significant movement and collapse of the Cadman Glacier’s ice shelf in Antarctica has raised concerns about the vulnerability of polar ice dynamics to climate change.
• This event, characterized by an accelerated retreat of the glacier after decades of stability, highlights the potential repercussions of warming oceans on Antarctic glaciers.

SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS:

• Utilizing information from nine satellite missions, including ESA’s CryoSat and Copernicus Sentinel-1, researchers were able to analyze the changes in the ice shelf and glacier.
• The study revealed that between November 2018 and May 2021, the Cadman Glacier retreated an astonishing eight kilometers after being stable for almost 50 years.
• The rapid retreat is attributed to ocean water temperatures that were up to 2°C warmer than average during 2018–2019 around the west Antarctic Peninsula.

RESEARCH FINDINGS AND CAUSES:

• Researchers pointed out that warmer waters began undermining the Cadman Ice Shelf as early as the 1970s, with noticeable effects becoming pronounced by the early 2000s.
• The warm water not only affected the surface but also penetrated deeper layers of the ocean, potentially reaching the point where the ice shelf grounded on the seafloor.
• This bottom-up melting was detected through satellite observations.

IMPACT OF ICE SHELF LOSS:

• The collapse of ice shelves like the Cadman Ice Shelf plays a pivotal role in glacier stability.
• These shelves act as a barrier, floating on the ocean surface and anchoring to the ocean floor, which slows down the flow of glacial ice towards the sea.
• With the loss of the Cadman Ice Shelf, this crucial support has been removed, leading to increased discharge of ice into the ocean at an alarming rate.

IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION:

• This research underscores the vulnerability of Antarctic glaciers to changes in oceanic temperatures, emphasizing the potential for rapid ice loss due to climate change.
• As global leaders prepare for discussions on climate action, the situation in Antarctica serves as a compelling call to address warming oceans.
• It poses threats not only to polar regions but also to global sea levels and ecosystems.

SOURCE: https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/antarctic-glacier-dramatically-moves-eight-kms-after-being-stable-for-50-years-2469116-2023-11-29

THE CONTEXT: The health sector being a crucial arena of discussion at G20 Summit 2023 held in Delhi, the Prime Minister launched the sixth edition of One Earth and One Health Advantage Healthcare India 2023, where he reinstated India’s vision and commitment towards universal health coverage not just for humans but for their entire ecosystem. Although the initiatives are laudable, however, in order to achieve the objective of one health and universal health coverage it is necessary to focus on primary health care. This article analyses various aspects of primary healthcare in India from the UPSC perspective.

STATUS OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDS) AND RELATED INITIATIVE

• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
• India is experiencing a rapid health transition with a rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) surpassing the burden of Communicable diseases like water-borne or vector borne diseases, TB, HIV, etc.
• The four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and diabetes which share four behavioural risk factors – unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco and alcohol.
• A study ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States – The India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative in 2017’ by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimated that the proportion of deaths due to NCDs in India have increased from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016.
• Recently, the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) programme has been renamed National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) for widening coverage and expansion.
• Now, the NP-NCD Scheme subsume all types of NCDs with an addition of diseases to the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease etc.

GOVT POLICY AND SCHEMES RELATED WITH PRIMARY HEALTH CARE:

• Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs): HWC are created under Ayusham Bharat Programme by converting the existing primary health centres and subcentres. They provide comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) including a child and maternal health services, non-communicable diseases, and also diagnostic services, and free essential drugs.
• Primary Health Centre (PHC): Under the National Health Mission (NHM), Primary Health Centre (PHC) are established to cover a population of 30,000 in rural areas and 20,000 in hilly, tribal and desert areas. PHCs are established to cover defined population.
• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK): The scheme is to benefit pregnant women and infant who access Government health facilities for their delivery and post-delivery care.
• Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0:  It seeks to address the challenging situation of malnutrition among children up to the age of 6 years, adolescent girls (14-18 years) and pregnant and lactating women. The scheme is open to all eligible beneficiaries and the only pre-condition is that the beneficiary has to be registered at the nearest Anganwadi centre with Aadhaar identification.

ONE EARTH AND ONE HEALTH ADVANTAGE HEALTHCARE INDIA 2023:

• One Earth One Health is a holistic approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
• Recently, the sixth edition of One Earth and One Health has been launched for universal health coverage not just for humans but for their entire ecosystem. It aligns with India’s G20 Presidency theme of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
• It was organised in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
• Its primary objective is to showcase India’s competence in the medical value travel industry as a provider of Value-Based Healthcare services and exporter of Healthcare Workforce.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Communicable diseases are illnesses caused by viruses or bacteria that people spread to one another through contact with contaminated surfaces, bodily fluids, blood products, insect bites, or through the air. There are many examples of communicable diseases. Some examples of reportable communicable disease include HIV, hepatitis A, B and C, measles, salmonella, measles, and blood-borne illnesses.

• State of Communicable Diseases in India:

India, a country with a population of over 1.3 billion, has made significant strides in various facets of healthcare. Yet, communicable diseases remain a looming challenge, causing a substantial number of deaths and illnesses annually. From diseases like tuberculosis, which has long haunted the nation, to more recent challenges like the dengue and chikungunya outbreaks, India’s battle against infectious diseases is ongoing.

OVERVIEW OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE IN INDIA

Primary Healthcare: The First Line of Defense

Primary health care (PHC) refers to a broad range of health services provided by medical professionals in the community. This means universal health care is accessible to all individuals and families in a community.

General health-care practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health-care providers are exclusive components of the primary health-care team. Basically, the PHC service is the process and practice of immediate health services, including diagnosis and treatment of a health condition, support in managing long-term health care, including chronic conditions such as diabetes. PHC also includes regular health checks, health advice when an unhealthy person seeks support for ongoing care.

With a vast rural populace and dense urban settlements, primary healthcare becomes even more significant for India. It’s not just about treating diseases but preventing them, educating the public, and ensuring early intervention.

Effective PHC systems are characterized by the following:

• Accessibility:PHC facilities should be accessible to all members of the community, regardless of their income or social status.
• Affordability:PHC services should be affordable to all members of the community.
• Quality:PHC services should be of high quality, and PHC workers should be skilled and knowledgeable.
• Comprehensiveness:PHC services should be comprehensive and include preventive care, curative care, and rehabilitative care.

Why Strengthening Primary Healthcare is Imperative

While tertiary healthcare institutions, like specialized hospitals, play a role in treating advanced stages of diseases, the importance of primary healthcare cannot be overstated.

In a country as vast and diverse as India, the eradication of communicable diseases necessitates a bottom-up approach, where Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) become the epicenters of change.

By bolstering our primary healthcare systems, we can ensure that every Indian, regardless of their socio-economic background or geographical location, has access to timely and effective medical care.

GLOBALIZATION AND THE SPREAD OF DISEASE

In the age of globalization, the world has become a smaller place. Borders are more porous, and people, goods, and services move across countries with ease. While this brings countless benefits, it also comes with its share of challenges, particularly in the realm of health. Communicable diseases, which once were localized, can now spread globally within days, as evidenced by recent pandemics.

• The Indian Context: Localized Spreading

For a country like India, with its diverse landscapes, dense urban settlements, and vast rural expanses, the concept of ‘local globalization’ is especially pertinent. A disease outbreak in one part of the country can quickly spread to other parts, given the high mobility of the population. This inter-state and inter-district transmission can be likened to global disease transmission but on a national scale.

THE SWOT ANALYSIS OF INDIA’S PRIMARY HEALTHCARE IN ADDRESSING COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

STRENGTHS

• Vast Network of Healthcare Centers: India boasts a vast network of primary healthcare centers (PHCs), sub-centers, and community health centers (CHCs) spread across the country, reaching even the remotest regions.
• Diverse Healthcare Workforce: From ASHA workers to specialized doctors, the healthcare workforce in India is diverse, ensuring varied expertise at the grassroots level.
• Government Initiatives: Over the years, the Indian government has launched various health schemes like Ayushman Bharat, which focus on making healthcare accessible to all.
• Traditional Medical Knowledge: India’s rich heritage in traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, offers alternative methods for disease prevention and treatment.

WEAKNESSES

• Infrastructure Gaps: Many PHCs and CHCs lack adequate infrastructure, from basic amenities to specialized equipment.
• Staff Shortages: Vacant positions, especially in rural areas, make it challenging to deliver consistent healthcare services.
• Inadequate Training: While the workforce is vast, there’s often a gap in training, particularly in understanding and managing emerging diseases.
• Lack of Technology Integration: Modern health technologies, including telemedicine and health informatics, are yet to be fully integrated into primary healthcare.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Digital Health: With the rising penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity, there’s immense potential for digital health solutions, from remote consultations to health apps.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborations between the government and private entities can bring in investments, expertise, and innovative healthcare delivery models.
• Community Engagement: By involving communities in health decision-making, there’s potential for more tailored, effective health interventions.
• Global Collaborations: Partnerships with international health bodies can bring in global best practices, funding, and expertise.

THREATS

• Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases: New diseases, like COVID-19, or the resurgence of old ones, like tuberculosis, pose constant challenges to primary healthcare.
• Climate Change: Altered weather patterns can lead to the spread of vector-borne diseases, challenging existing healthcare strategies.
• Healthcare Funding Cuts: Economic challenges might lead to reduced healthcare budgets, impacting service delivery.
• Socio-cultural Barriers: Misinformation, superstitions, or resistance to certain medical practices can hinder effective disease management at the grassroots level.

CONSEQUENCES OF NEGLECTING PRIMARY HEALTHCARE

Primary healthcare (PHC) forms the bedrock of a nation’s health system. Serving as the first point of contact for individuals with the healthcare system, its role is pivotal in disease prevention, health promotion, and timely intervention. A neglected primary healthcare system can have dire consequences, ranging from health to socio-economic impacts.

RISE IN DISEASE TRANSMISSION

• Without robust PHC systems, routine immunization drives can suffer, early disease detection can be compromised, and timely interventions can be delayed.
• According to a WHO report from 2021, disruptions in essential health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic could result in an additional 200,000 child deaths and 12,000 maternal deaths every month globally. Much of these deaths can be attributed to weakened primary healthcare services.

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

• Loss in Productivity: Sick employees or those taking care of sick family members can lead to reduced working hours and absenteeism. A study published in Health Affairs in 2020 estimated that absenteeism due to illness can cost the global economy around $530 billion annually.
• Increased Healthcare Costs: With a compromised PHC, there’s a higher reliance on tertiary care, which is often more expensive and may involve advanced treatments due to delayed interventions resulting in high out of the pocket expenditure. According to the World Bank, India spends less than 2% of its GDP on healthcare. This is one of the lowest levels of healthcare spending in the world. As a result, many people in India are unable to afford to access healthcare services.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Disruption of Communities: High disease prevalence can lead to stigmatization, loss of workforce, and even community displacement in extreme cases. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant concern in India.

• In 2020, the Global Tuberculosis Report cited an estimated 2.64 million TB cases in India. Neglected PHC can result in delayed TB diagnosis, thereby affecting community health. Stigmatized diseases can lead to reduced social interactions, community cohesion loss, and even mental health issues.
• According to the National Sample Survey, the poorest 20% of the population in India accounts for only 9% of total healthcare spending. The richest 20% of the population, on the other hand, accounts for 42% of total healthcare spending. This means that the poorest people in India are less likely to be able to afford healthcare services than the richest people in India.

Impact on Families: Families bear the emotional, financial, and physical burden of caring for sick members. As per a report by the World Economic Forum in 2021, families in Southeast Asia, including India, spent approximately 7.3% of their monthly income on healthcare, a number that escalates with weak PHC.

CHALLENGES IN NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX LANDSCAPE OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE IN INDIA

LIMITED RESOURCES AND FUNDING

• Despite the vastness of the healthcare system, funding remains a pivotal concern. The allocation for healthcare in India’s budget, as a percentage of GDP, has historically been low (less than 2%) compared to global standards.
• Underfunded PHCs also result in compromised services, lack of essential medications, inadequate diagnostic tools, and sub-par infrastructure.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND CULTURAL BARRIERS

• India’s diverse terrain, from hilly regions to remote villages, poses logistical challenges. Additionally, cultural differences, language barriers, and traditional beliefs can influence healthcare-seeking behavior.
• These barriers can lead to delayed treatments, reluctance in adopting preventive measures, and non-adherence to medical advice.

OVERBURDENED PHCS

• With the population surge and the increasing burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, PHCs often cater to more patients than their capacity allows.
• Overcrowding lead to reduced consultation times, long waiting periods, and potential misdiagnoses. Furthermore, healthcare workers under continuous stress are more prone to burnout.

TRAINED MEDICAL PERSONNEL

• The demand for skilled healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas, outstrips the supply. Specialized training for emerging diseases is also lacking. This gap can lead to mismanagement of diseases, reliance on under-qualified personnel, and decreased trust in the healthcare system.

FRAGMENTED HEALTHCARE DATA AND LACK OF INTEGRATION

• The Indian healthcare system often operates in silos, with limited integration between primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Additionally, there’s a lack of unified health records. Fragmented data can hinder effective disease tracking, lead to repetitive diagnostic tests, and impede coordinated care.

RESISTANCE TO MODERN MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS

• Misinformation, fuelled in part by myths, superstitions, and occasionally mistrust of modern medicine, poses hindrance to effective primary healthcare. Resistance can manifest in various ways, from vaccine hesitancy to reluctance in seeking timely medical interventions.

SUPPLY CHAIN INEFFICIENCIES

• The timely availability of essential drugs, vaccines, and medical equipment can be compromised due to logistical issues, bureaucratic delays, or inadequate storage facilities. Inefficiencies can lead to stock-outs, hampering disease treatment and prevention efforts.

GOVERNANCE: THE BEDROCK OF EFFECTIVE DISEASE CONTROL

The rapid spread of diseases places an enormous responsibility on governance structures. Effective governance doesn’t just imply a reactive approach to outbreaks but necessitates a proactive stance, focusing on prevention, early detection, and rapid response.

Primary health infrastructures play a pivotal role in either curbing or exacerbating the spread of diseases. On the one hand, robust local health systems can quickly identify and contain outbreaks, reducing transmission rates. On the other hand, weak systems can result in delayed responses, furthering the spread and complicating treatment efforts.

Lack of foresight, underfunded health initiatives, and inadequate infrastructure can result in uncontrolled disease proliferation. Not only does this strain already overburdened healthcare systems, but it also leads to economic repercussions, hampers development, and erodes public trust in authorities.

Governance in healthcare isn’t merely about allocating funds or building infrastructure; it’s about orchestrating a symphony of diverse functions, stakeholders, and resources towards a unified goal of disease control and improved public health.

• The Indian Duality: Central vs. State Governance: India’s federal structure necessitates a delicate balance between central and state healthcare policies. While the central government provides overarching guidelines and support, the implementation largely falls on state governments, each contending with unique demographics, health challenges, and resources.
• The Role of Local Self-Governance Bodies: Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies play a pivotal role in health governance at the grassroots level. Their on-the-ground presence, understanding of local issues and direct engagement with communities make them instrumental in driving localized health initiatives.

The Analysis:

Continuous and comprehensive care provided by the primary health care team can provide effective health education and prevention interventions based on the medical and social needs of patients. This helps tackle risk factors and other social determinants of health, which in turn improves equity of health outcomes.

Drawing on these efforts to strengthen primary health care, efforts by states and the central government in India have been growing. At the state level, many have adopted varied models of primary health care like mohalla clinics in Delhi, Basti Dawakhana in Telangana, Apala dawakhana in Mumbai, and so on.

Nevertheless efficient and fully functionally primary health care facilities are distant in all regions. Neoliberalism and privatisation is to blame as proliferation of private hospitals and private clinics have drawn patients away from the public health system. In urban areas this phenomenon is prevalent although it has begun penetrating rural regions too.

This has led to a shift in focus from primary health care and the public health system to private health care. Efforts and strategic advancement is required to reinstate the importance and efficient working of primary health centres in the public health system.

THE WAY FORWARD TOWARDS ROBUST HEALTH GOVERNANCE:

• Political Will: The commitment of policymakers to address pressing health challenges. It translates into budgetary allocations, policy prioritizations, and the creation of a conducive environment for healthcare reforms.

          For instance, India’s commitment to eradicating polio, which was realized in 2014, was underpinned by political will. Leaders across the spectrum recognized the importance of the issue and mobilized resources accordingly.

• Collaboration: Collaborative federalism ensures that health policies are not only universally designed but are also locally relevant. However, it also necessitates greater communication and coordination between the two levels of government to prevent duplication of efforts and ensure the best use of resources.

          For instance, The National Health Mission (NHM) is a central government initiative, but its execution is tailored by state governments based on regional health challenges.

• Increased cooperation of International Organizations and NGOs: International organizations (like WHO, UNICEF) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) complement the efforts of the government. They bring in expertise, funds, and global best practices.

          For instance, The WHO played a pivotal role in India’s battle against tuberculosis, providing technical assistance, monitoring, and evaluation. Similarly, NGOs such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have contributed significantly to various health campaigns in the country. India should reap the benefits of such cooperation ensuring that India’s health initiatives are in line with global standards and benefit from international experiences.

• (Awareness, Investment and Rethinking) AIR Strategy: Awareness to bring back people’s knowledge about the importance of an efficient primary health care structure.

          Investment in this domain is the need of the hour. Considering the staggering importance of a primary health centre, it is crucial to have a uniform, mandatory and enthusiastic investment in the primary health structure to overcome the health challenges faced by the country. Without uniformity, a strengthening of the primary health system and universal health coverage is not possible.

Need to rethink and reassess the primary health care needs of the community. The current primary health care system in India follows the guidelines outlined by the Bhore Committee report of 1946. People, society and health care challenges have transitioned over the years. Today the health care needs of the people are different from what people in post-partition India required.

BEST PRACTICES

Kerala’s Community-Based Approach: Kerala stands out for its robust public health system. The state adopted a community-based approach, actively involving local governing bodies and leveraging a network of community health workers. The state boasts high literacy rates, low infant and maternal mortality rates, and has been at the forefront in managing various health crises effectively, including the Nipah virus outbreak and COVID-19.

Tamil Nadu’s Health System Strengthening: Tamil Nadu has invested in strengthening its health infrastructure, including establishing well-equipped PHCs, introducing electronic health records, and ensuring a regular supply of medicines through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. The state consistently ranks high in healthcare indices, with reduced mortality rates and efficient disease management systems.

THE CONCLUSION: Despite commendable government initiatives, India’s primary healthcare system requires augmented focus. While strides have been made, many areas, especially rural regions, still face infrastructural deficits, shortage of medical professionals, and inadequate facilities. Fortifying primary healthcare isn’t just a necessity; it’s a cornerstone for achieving comprehensive nation building. SDG 3, which aims to ensure health and well-being for all, underscores the importance of universal health coverage, including quality primary healthcare. Meeting SDG targets is not merely about global commitment but also about ensuring holistic well-being for India’s vast populace. Strengthening primary healthcare is pivotal in this quest.

Mains Practice Questions:

Q.1 The effective and timely implementation of well-designed primary healthcare policies result in improved health outcomes. Comment.

Q.2 What are the challenges faced by Primary Healthcare in India? Discuss the Awareness, Investment and Rethinking (AIR) strategy for improving the efficacy of the primary healthcare services in India.

Additional Information

THE CONTEXT:  There have been frequent outbreaks of Nipah in Kerala in recent years. From September 12 to 15, 2023 India’s health ministry reported six laboratory-confirmed Nipah virus cases, including two deaths, in Kozhikode district in the southern state of Kerala. The WHO said as of September 27, 1,288 contacts of the confirmed cases were traced, including high-risk contacts and healthcare workers, who are under quarantine and monitoring for 21 days. This article explains in detail the various aspects of the outbreak of Nipah Virus from the UPSC perspective.

ABOUT NIPAH VIRUS

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus that can infect both animals and humans. It is a member of the Henipavirus genus in the Paramyxoviridae family. NiV was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak of encephalitis and respiratory illness in pigs and humans in Malaysia and Singapore. Since then, outbreaks have occurred almost annually in parts of Asia, primarily Bangladesh and India. There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection although WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development Blueprint. Intensive supportive care is recommended to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.

Source of Nipah Virus

• The source of Nipah virus (NiV) is the fruit bat (genus Pteropus), also known as the flying fox.
• Fruit bats are natural hosts of NiV and do not show any signs of illness when they are infected.

TRANSMISSION

• Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, meaning that it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
• NiV is transmitted from fruit bats to other animals, such as pigs, and to people through direct contact with their bodily fluids or through contaminated food or water.
• If a person then eats the infected pig meat, they can also become infected with NiV.
• Human-to-human transmission of NiV is thought to occur through close contact with the secretions or excretions of an infected person. This can include contact with the person’s saliva, urine, feces, or respiratory secretions.

Historical Outbreaks:

• In the first known NiV outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore in 1999, the virus was transmitted to people through contact with infected pigs. The outbreak resulted in more than 250 cases and over 100 deaths.
• In subsequent NiV outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, the virus has been transmitted to people through a variety of routes, including:
  • Consumption of contaminated food or water, such as raw date palm juice contaminated with bat urine or saliva.
  • Direct contact with infected pigs or bats
  • Human-to-human transmission through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, or respiratory secretions of an infected person
• In the 2001 NiV outbreak in Siliguri, India, transmission of the virus was also reported within a health-care setting, where 75% of cases occurred among hospital staff or visitors.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of Nipah virus (NiV) infection range from mild to severe. Some people may have no symptoms at all, while others may develop encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis can lead to a variety of neurological symptoms, including headache, fever, confusion, seizures, and coma. Death can occur in 40-75% of cases.

The initial symptoms of NiV infection typically appear 4-14 days after exposure to the virus. These symptoms are Fever, Headache, Muscle pain, Vomiting, Sore throat, Cough, Difficulty breathing.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR NIPAH VIRUS?

• There is no specific treatment for Nipah virus (NiV) infection. Treatment is supportive and includes providing the patient with fluids, oxygen, and medications to control seizures and other symptoms.
• In some cases, patients may need to be hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) to receive specialized care.
• Researchers are working to develop specific treatments for NiV infection, but there are currently no licensed drugs or vaccines available.

HOW CAN NIPAH VIRUS TRANSMISSION BE PREVENTED?

There is no vaccine available for Nipah virus (NiV) infection. Some measures to help prevent Nipah virus infection includes-

• Raising awareness about its spread and transmission.
• Avoid contact with sick bats and pigs.
• Reducing the risk of bat-to-human transmission
• Reducing the risk of animal-to-human transmission by using Gloves and other protective clothing.
• Practice good hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently with soap and water.

IS THERE A VACCINE FOR NIPAH VIRUS?

• No, there is no currently licensed vaccine for Nipah virus (NiV) infection. However, several NiV vaccines are in development, and some have shown promising results in preclinical and clinical trials.
• One of the most promising NiV vaccines is an mRNA-based vaccine developed by Moderna. The vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in animal studies, and it is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in humans.
• Another promising NiV vaccine is a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vaccine developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The vaccine has also been shown to be safe and effective in animal studies, and it is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials in humans.

Some of the potential treatments that are being investigated include:

• Monoclonal antibodies: These are laboratory-produced proteins that can recognize and bind to specific viruses, such as NiV. Monoclonal antibodies can help to neutralize the virus and prevent it from infecting cells.
• Antiviral drugs: These drugs can work by inhibiting the replication of the virus or by killing infected cells.
• Vaccines: Vaccines can help to protect people from NiV infection by stimulating the body’s immune system to produce antibodies against the virus.

WHAT ARE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES?

• Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the behaviour of antibodies produced by the immune system to protect against diseases and foreign substances.
• An antibody attaches itself to an antigen – a foreign substance, usually a disease-causing molecule – and helps the immune system eliminate it from the body.
• Monoclonal antibodies are specifically designed to target certain antigens.
• Niels K. Jerne, Georges J.F. Köhler and César Milstein were awarded the medicine Nobel Prize in 1984 for their work on the “the principle for production of monoclonal antibodies”.

What is m102.4?

• It is a “potent, fully human” monoclonal antibody that neutralises Hendra and Nipah viruses, both outside and inside of living organisms.
• The antibody has passed phase-one clinical trials, which means that researchers tested it with a relatively small number of people to estimate the right dose of treatment that also doesn’t cause side effects.

How do monoclonal antibodies work?

• Monoclonal antibodies are specifically engineered and generated to target a disease. They are meant to attach themselves to the specific disease causing antigen. An antigen is most likely to be a protein.
• Köhler and Dr. Milstein, who established a generation of monoclonal antibodies for use in humans in 1975, used this principle to describe the hybridoma a fusion cell made up of B cells (white blood cells that produce antibodies) and myeloma cells (abnormal plasma cells). These hybrid cells allowed the researchers to produce a single antibody clone, which came to be known as a monoclonal antibody.
• Most successful monoclonal antibodies during the pandemic were engineered to bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The binding prevented the protein from exercising its regular functions, including its ability to infect other cells.
• The initial technology of producing hybridoma in mice was unsustainable. Today, these antibodies are made using recombinant DNA technology. Here, the gene that codes for the monoclonal antibody’s binding region also known as the variable region is isolated from a B cell or synthesised in the laboratory.
• This antibody is then introduced into a host cell, often a bacterium or a mammalian cell, using recombinant DNA technology (which involves manipulating DNA material outside an organism to obtain specific traits or characteristics).
• The host cells, called bioreactors, produce large quantities of the monoclonal antibodies which are extracted, purified, and readied for use as desired.
• Glycoproteins are one of the major components of viruses that cause diseases in humans. According to a research paper published in October 2020, the m102.4 monoclonal antibody binds itself to the immunodominant receptor-binding glycoprotein of the Nipah virus, potentially neutralising it.

ICMR RESPONSE TO NIPAH VIRUS OUTBREAK IN KERALA

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has taken a number of steps to respond to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. These steps include:

• Sending a team of experts to Kerala to help with the outbreak response. The team is providing technical support to the state government on case management, contact tracing, and surveillance.
• Providing diagnostic tests for Nipah virus to laboratories in Kerala. The ICMR has also provided training to laboratory staff on how to perform the tests.
• Developing a vaccine for Nipah virus. The ICMR is working with a number of partners to develop a vaccine for Nipah virus. The vaccine is currently in preclinical trials, and the ICMR is hoping to start clinical trials in the near future.
• Raising awareness of Nipah virus and how to prevent infection. The ICMR is working with the state government and other stakeholders to raise awareness of Nipah virus and how to prevent infection. This includes developing educational materials and conducting public awareness campaigns.
• The ICMR is working with other national and international organizations to respond to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. The ICMR is committed to working with all stakeholders to control the outbreak and protect public health.

HOW THE KERALA GOVERNMENT IS MANAGING THE OUTBREAK OF NIPAH VIRUS?

The Kerala government is managing the outbreak of Nipah virus in a comprehensive and effective manner, drawing on lessons learned from previous outbreaks in the state. The key components of the state’s response include:

• Early detection and reporting:The government has issued guidelines to all healthcare facilities to be on the lookout for suspected cases of Nipah virus and to report them immediately to the Kerala’s Health department and control room. It is ensured that cases are identified and isolated early, which is essential for preventing further transmission of the virus.
• Contact tracing and quarantine:The government is tracing all contacts of confirmed cases and placing them under quarantine for 21 days. It helps to identify and isolate any potential cases of infection, and to prevent the virus from spreading to the wider community.
• Public health education and awareness: The government is conducting public health education campaigns to raise awareness about Nipah virus, its symptoms, and how to prevent infection. It includes distributing information materials, conducting door-to-door visits, and using social media platforms.
• Clinical management:The government has established dedicated isolation wards for Nipah virus patients in major hospitals across the state. These wards are staffed by trained healthcare professionals and equipped with the necessary medical supplies and equipment to provide optimal care to patients.
• Research and development:The government is supporting research and development into Nipah virus, including the development of vaccines and treatments. This is essential for improving the prevention and management of Nipah virus outbreaks in the future.

The Kerala government is working with the central government and the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that the outbreak is brought under control as quickly as possible. The state government’s response to the Nipah virus outbreak has been praised by public health experts and the WHO.

THE CHALLENGES FACED BY INDIA IN THE WAKE OF A NIPAH VIRUS OUTBREAK

RAPID IDENTIFICATION AND DIAGNOSIS

• One of the primary challenges is the rapid identification and diagnosis of Nipah virus cases. Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for implementing control measures and providing appropriate care to patients.

INFECTION CONTROL

• Managing and containing Nipah virus outbreaks require strict infection control measures, which can be challenging to implement, especially in resource-limited healthcare settings. Adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training for healthcare workers are essential.

PUBLIC AWARENESS

• Ensuring that the public is aware of the risks associated with Nipah virus and understands preventive measures is critical. Raising public awareness and addressing misconceptions can be a challenge.

CONTACT TRACING AND QUARANTINE

• Identifying and monitoring individuals who have come into contact with confirmed cases is vital to prevent further transmission. This can be logistically challenging and resource-intensive.

HEALTHCARE CAPACITY

• A sudden outbreak can strain healthcare facilities and resources. Maintaining adequate healthcare capacity to manage Nipah virus cases while still providing care for other medical conditions is a significant challenge.

INFECTIONS FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY

• Given that infectious diseases do not respect borders, international collaboration with neighboring countries and global health organizations is crucial to effectively manage and contain Nipah virus outbreaks.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACTS

• Outbreaks can have economic and social impacts, including travel restrictions, trade disruptions, and economic strain. Balancing public health measures with these broader impacts is a challenge.

WAY FORWARD

PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLANS

• Develop and regularly update preparedness and response plans at the national, state, and local levels. These plans should include clear protocols for early detection, case management, contact tracing, and isolation measures.

SURVEILLANCE AND EARLY DETECTION

• Strengthen surveillance systems to detect Nipah virus cases early. This includes improving laboratory testing capabilities and monitoring and reporting cases in both humans and animals.

RESEARCH AND VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

• Continue research into the Nipah virus, including efforts to develop vaccines, antiviral treatments, and diagnostic tools. Collaborate with national and international research organizations to accelerate these efforts.

HEALTHCARE WORKER TRAINING

• Conduct regular training and drills for healthcare workers to ensure they are well-prepared to handle Nipah virus cases. Adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training in its use are essential.

ONE HEALTH APPROACH

• Implement a One Health approach that recognizes the interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. This approach can help in monitoring and preventing zoonotic diseases like Nipah virus.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)

• Be vigilant about the potential misuse of antibiotics during Nipah virus outbreaks, which can contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Promote judicious use of antibiotics.

RESEARCH ON BAT BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY

• Conduct research on the behavior and ecology of fruit bats, the reservoir for Nipah virus, to inform strategies for minimizing the risk of spillover to humans.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

• Develop and enforce regulatory frameworks for handling and transporting animals, especially those known to carry Nipah virus.

THE CONCLUSION: Nipah virus outbreaks in India represent a significant public health challenge. Such outbreaks not only threaten public health but pose major challenge for economic growth of the country. It is crucial for Indian health agencies to focus on preparedness, surveillance, early detection, and rapid response. There should be more investment in vaccine development and research for such zoonotic diseases.

UPSC PERSPECTIVE QUESTIONS

Q.1 How does the Nipah virus spread? Why Kerala has been the epicentre of sporadic outbreaks of Nipah virus? Is there a cure for this ‘emerging zoonotic disease’?

Q.2 Discuss the challenges of preventing and managing the outbreak of Nipah Virus in India.

UPSC PREVIOUS QUESTIONS                  

Q.1 COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (UPSC- 2020)

Q.2 COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented tigation. devastation worldwide. However, technological advancements are being availed readily to win over the crisis. Give an account of how technology was sought to aid management of the pandemic.  (UPSC- 2020)