THE CONTEXT: Farmers from Punjab in thousands have assembled at three points along the border with Haryana, where they have been stopped from marching to Delhi. The protesters have a range of demands including legally guaranteed MSP for crops.

MORE ON THE NEWS:

• Some of these demands were raised during their earlier protest in 2021-22, which was called off after the central government withdrew three controversial laws that had sought to reform the agriculture sector.
• The protest now is spearheaded by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political), a splinter group of the body that had led the earlier protest. The body has influence in the interest groups across Haryana, Punjab and western U.P. and Rajasthan.
• There are at least three other strands of protests gathering strength.

1. Farmers in western U.P. affected by the Jewar airport project and Yamuna Expressway are up in arms.

2. In Haryana’s Sonipat, farmers are protesting land acquisition for power cables.

3. The original SKM and several trade unions have called for a national rural and industrial strike with overlapping and additional demands that include the repeal of four labour codes.

Demands of farmers:

• The headline demand in the farmers’ 12-point agenda is for a law to guarantee MSP for all crops, and the determination of crop prices in accordance with the Dr M S Swaminathan Commission’s report.
• The other demands are:

1. Full debt waiver for farmers and labourers

2. Implementation of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, with provisions for written consent from farmers before acquisition, and compensation at 4 times the collector rate

3. Punishment for the perpetrators of the October 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri killings

4. India should withdraw from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and freeze all free trade agreements

5. Pensions for farmers and farm labourers

6. Compensation for farmers who died during the Delhi protest, including a job for one family member

7. The Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 should be scrapped

8. 200 (instead of 100) days’ employment under MGNREGA per year, daily wage of Rs 700, and scheme should be linked with farming;

9. National commission for spices such as chilli and turmeric; etc.

ISSUES:

• Legal guarantee of MSP unlikely: The government has opened talks with the farmers but a legal guarantee of MSP appears unlikely as government is silent on this matter. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare notified a committee headed by former agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal to make the MSP more effective and transparent. However, the committee’s terms of reference also do not include any legal guarantee to MSP, which was one of the key demands of the farmers protest of 2020-2021.
• Unsustainable farm practices: Surplus producers of grain have benefited from the MSP scheme, but the scheme bypasses subsistence farmers in poorer regions. This uneven geographical spread of procurement has also led to unsustainable farm practices in some areas.
• Majority of farmers remain uncovered: According to a NSSO survey, less than 6% of Indian farmers i.e over 9 crore agricultural households have benefited directly from selling their wheat or rice under the MSP regime.
• Procurement is concentrated in a few states:The procurement of grains is concentrated only in a few states. For example, Punjab, Haryana, western UP, Chhattisgarh and Telangana for paddy; Telangana and Maharashtra for cotton, etc.
• Poor implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations: It recommended that MSP should be at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production which is not in the sight of implementation.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Consensus and consultation: The Centre must address grievances of farmers through talks. According to the Union Agriculture Minister, there are some issues on which consensus has been reached. However, some issues need a permanent resolution and there should be a committee to address them.
• Revamping of public support: There is a need for revamping of the public support for farming, which is essential for national food security. This can be achieved better through wide political consultation and by encouraging the beneficiaries of the current system to diversify production and increasing productivity.
• Creation of Agriculture infrastructure: The government should make efforts to enable farmer participation in the market by creating modern world-class agriculture infrastructure like Cold Storage facilities.
• Crop diversification: There is a need for mapping of existing cropping patterns of agro-ecological zones of producer and consumer states. Strategy for diversification policy needs to change the cropping pattern according to the changing needs of the country.

THE CONCLUSION:

Though, the MSP-based procurement by the Food Corporation of India has been the bedrock of food security but there is an urgent need for its reform as the farm sector needs a new model of public support. It cannot be left to the mercy of the market. The government should lead the efforts to create a national consensus on this question.

UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION

Q.1 The Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme protects farmers from the price fluctuations and market imperfections. In the light of the given statement, critically analyse the efficacy of the MSP. (2020)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 Discuss the role of Minimum Support Price (MSP) in addressing the issue of farmers’ income and agricultural productivity. Suggest alternative ways to ensure farmers income and their livelihoods.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/farming-consensus-on-the-government-and-the-farmers-on-protest/article67846219.ece

THE CONTEXT: The budget reflects the government’s narrative of “transformative growth” during the 2014-24 decade under the Modi administration. However, the focus of welfare schemes and fiscal consolidation may not align with actual spending and resource allocation. The fiscal deficit for 2023-24 is projected to be 5.8% of GDP, marginally below the budgeted level.

THE ISSUES:

• Introduction of an interim budget: The Interim Budget for 2024-25 was presented due to the upcoming elections, as Prime Minister stated. The Interim Budget is seen as a vote-on-account, which could be perceived as an attempt to influence voters before the elections. This indicates that the budget may not fully reflect the government’s long-term vision and plans.
• “Transformative growth” narrative: The Economic Survey presented in the budget portrays 2014-2024 as a decade of “transformative growth.” It suggests that previous periods of growth were inadequate, either due to unaddressed structural challenges or unsustainable credit booms.
• Focus on welfare schemes: The Interim Budget speech primarily focuses on various welfare schemes attributed to the Prime Minister in housing and food. However, apprehensions are raised about these schemes’ implementation and effectiveness, given the discrepancies between the claims and the actual expenditure. For instance, the total food subsidy has fallen from ₹5,41,330 crore in 2020-21 to ₹2,88,060 crore in 2021-22 and a projected ₹2,87,194 crore in 2023-24.
• Fault lines in spending: A significant deviation exists between the actual expenditure and the revised estimates for schemes such as MGNREGA and PM-KISAN. The budgeted expenditure for MGNREGA was ₹1,57,545 crore for 2023-24. The revised estimates are placed at a higher ₹1,71,069 crore. However, the actual expenditure till December 2023 amounted to only ₹1,07,912 crore, or 63% of the total projected in the revised estimates. The budgeted expenditure for the PM-KISAN scheme was ₹1,15,532 crore for 2023-24. The revised estimate is projected at ₹1,16,789 crore. The actual expenditure till December 2023 was ₹70,797 crore or 61% of the revised estimate.
• Pre-election blitz: There are two possible interpretations: either the finance minister is inflating the revised estimates to support farmers and rural workers, or the government plans to initiate pre-election spending to gain political advantage.
• The decline in food subsidies: Despite claims of expanding food support, the data made available by CGA points out that the total food subsidy has declined from 2020-21 to 2021-22 and is projected to decrease further in 2023-24. For instance, the total food subsidy has fallen from ₹5,41,330 crore in 2020-21 to ₹2,88,060 crore in 2021-22 and a projected ₹2,87,194 crore (RE) in 2023-24. This raises concerns about the government’s commitment to food security.
• Revenue projections and fiscal deficit: The government claims to manage its receipts and keep the fiscal deficit below the budgeted level. There is an expected increase in non-tax revenue receipts, mainly driven by income from dividends and profits. The government expects to raise its non-tax revenue receipts by 25% relative to the budget, with income from dividends and profits slated to rise from ₹99,913 crore in 2022-23 to ₹1,54,407 crore in 2023-24 (RE). However, uncertainties remain regarding the realization of disinvestment proceeds.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Enhanced Transparency and Accountability: Implement more rigorous and transparent accounting and reporting practices to ensure that budget estimates, revised estimates, and actual expenditures are accurately reported and easily understandable. Regular audits and public disclosures of government spending can help maintain transparency and accountability, ensuring funds are utilized as intended.
• Addressing Deviations in Spending: Close monitoring of implementing schemes like MGNREGA and PM-KISAN to ensure that allocated funds are spent within the financial year and reach the intended beneficiaries. Establishing a real-time monitoring system and a dashboard accessible to the public can help track the progress of fund utilization and scheme implementation.
• Focusing on Effective Implementation of Welfare Schemes: Conduct impact assessments of welfare schemes to evaluate their effectiveness in achieving their goals, such as poverty alleviation and employment generation. Based on the assessments, refine and redesign schemes to make them more effective. Engage with stakeholders, including beneficiaries and local governments, for feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Balancing Welfare Spending and Fiscal Prudence: While welfare spending is crucial, it is equally important to maintain fiscal discipline to ensure economic stability. The government could explore innovative financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure projects, to reduce the fiscal burden while continuing to invest in critical areas.
• Strengthening the Food Security System: Address the concerns regarding the decrease in food subsidies and ensure that the National Food Security Act’s objectives are met effectively. Enhance the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS) through technology integration to reduce leakages and ensure the benefits reach the eligible population.
• Rationalizing Non-Tax Revenue Expectations: Set realistic targets for non-tax revenues, including dividends and profits from PSUs and disinvestment proceeds, to avoid overestimation that could lead to fiscal slippages. A strategic approach to disinvestment focuses on enhancing the value of PSUs before disinvestment and ensuring that disinvestment proceeds are used for productive purposes, such as infrastructure development.
• Promoting Sustainable Growth: Focus on addressing structural economic challenges to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth. Invest in education, healthcare, and skill development to improve human capital and research and development (R&D) to foster innovation, laying the foundation for long-term economic growth.
• Fiscal Prudence: The government could focus on maintaining fiscal discipline by avoiding pre-election spending sprees that could undermine the fiscal health of the economy.
• Public Engagement: Engaging the public and stakeholders in the budget process could help set priorities that reflect the needs and aspirations of the population, leading to more effective and accepted fiscal policies.

THE CONCLUSION:

The interim Budget for 2024-25 reflects a eulogy of the two governments of the last ten years, focusing on welfare schemes and infrastructure spending. However, a closer look at the actual expenditure figures reveals discrepancies and potential pre-election spending blitz. The government’s claims of pro-poor initiatives and fiscal prudence may not align with reality. The impact of these strategies on voters and the upcoming elections remains to be seen.

UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:

Q.1) Public expenditure management is a challenge to India’s government in budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it. (2019)

Q.2) One of the intended objectives of Union Budget 2017-18 is to ‘transform, energize and clean India’. Analyse the measures proposed in the Budget 2017-18 to achieve the objective. (2017)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q.1) Discuss the implications of the Interim Budget 2024 on welfare schemes, infrastructure spending, and fiscal deficit.

SOURCE:

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/interim-budget-2024-in-campaign-mode/article67801178.ece

THE CONTEXT: The International Monetary Fund recently in its report raised concerns about India’s sovereign debt, i.e. the total debt burden on the Union plus State governments. It has sparked critical reactions from the Indian Government.

IMF RECENT REPORT:

• IMF’s annual Article IV consultation report, which is part of the Fund’s surveillance function under the Articles of Agreement with member countries has been released. It made two observations:

1. It has raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of India’s debts.

2. It reclassified India’s exchange rate regime and termed it as a “stabilised arrangement” instead of “floating”.

• The report also acknowledged India’s effective inflation management and projected a balanced outlook for India’s economic growth.
• The IMF states that India’s general government debt, including the Centre and States, could be 100% of GDP under adverse circumstances by fiscal 2028.
• It stated “long-term risks are high because considerable investment is required to reach India’s climate change mitigation targets and improve resilience to climate stresses and natural disasters.

GLOBAL TRENDS OF DEBT:

• The United Nations, notes that the countries are forced to make the difficult decision between providing for their citizens and paying off their debt. It states, in 2022, 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on education or health.
• Global public debt: Global public debt has increased more than fourfold since 2000, outpacing global GDP, which tripled over the same period. In 2022, global public debt reached a record USD 92 trillion.
• Rise of debt in developing countries: Public debt has increased faster in developing countries compared to developed countries over the last decade. Developing countries accounted for almost 30% of the total, of which roughly 70% is attributable to China, India and Brazil. The number of countries facing high levels of debt increased from 22 in 2011 to 59 in 2022. The rise of debt in developing countries is due to growing development financing needs intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and climate change.
• Asymmetric debt: The burden of debt is asymmetric between developed and developing countries as the latter even without considering the costs of exchange rate fluctuations have to pay higher interest rates than the former. For example, the countries in Africa borrow on average at rates that are four times higher than those of the United States and even eight times higher than those of Germany. This higher borrowing costs undermines debt sustainability of developing countries. The number of countries where interest spending represents 10% or more of public revenues increased from 29 in 2010 to 55 in 2020.

THE CHALLENGE FOR INDIA:

1. Credit ratings

• S&P Global Ratings states that Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about the ability of debt issuers, like corporations or governments to meet their financial obligations on time.
• They provide transparent global language for investors and other market participants and is one of the inputs which is considered as part of their decision-making processes.
• Elevated debt levels and substantial costs associated with servicing debt impact credit rating.
• Even being the fastest growing economy, India faces the challenge of enhancing its credit ratings. Sovereign investment ratings for India have remained the same for a long time.
• Both Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings have kept India’s credit rating unchanged at ‘BBB- with stable outlook’. It should be noted that BBB- is the lowest investment grade rating and India has been on that scale since August 2006.
• India’s credit ratings are undermined by the

1. government’s weak fiscal performance

2. burdensome debt stock

3. India’s low per capita income

2. Managing public debt:

• India is facing challenge of managing public debt to ensure that it does not breach sustainable levels.
• The weight of debt can act as a drag on development due to limited access to financing, rising borrowing costs, currency devaluations and sluggish growth.

a). Breach of FRBM target:

• • The 2018 amendment to the Union government’s FRBM Act specified debt-GDP targets for the Centre, States and their combined accounts at 40%, 20% and 60%, respectively.
  • The central government’s debt was ₹155.6 trillion, or 57.1% of GDP, at the end of March 2023 and the debt of State governments was about 28% of GDP.
  • Finance Ministry stated that India’s public debt-to-GDP ratio has increased from 81% in 2005-06 to 84% in 2021-22 and is back to 81% in 2022-23. This is way higher than the levels specified by the FRBM Act.
  • These high levels of debt-GDP ratio can be attributed to the disruptions due to the pandemic, which resulted in a major deterioration in the debt-GDP ratios.

b). Fiscal slippage:

• • There are worrying signs on the fiscal fronts as well. Despite growth in tax collections, there is the possibility of a fiscal slippage in FY24, according to a report by India Ratings and Research (IR&R).
  • IR&R attributes this to higher expenditure on employment guarantee schemes and subsidies.
  • For example, Budgeted fertilizer subsidy of ₹44,000 crore was almost over by end-October 2023 and the Union government has now increased fertilizer subsidy to ₹57,360 crore.
  • Similarly, due to sustained demand for employment under MGNREGA, a sum of ₹79,770 crore has already been spent till December 19, 2023, as against the budgeted ₹60,000 crore and an additional sum of ₹14,520 crore has been allocated through the first supplementary demand for grants.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Need of fiscal corrections: There is a need for fiscal correction particularly in this election year to avoid worst-case scenarios.
• Debt sustainability: To manage and achieve the debt sustainability, there is a need for more prudent management of debt in the medium term. It can be done by narrowing the gap between expenditure and tax revenues as well as increasing the efficacy of our expenditures and increasing revenues.
• Human capital: India needs to spend considerably more on public funds for enhancing human capital, i.e. on primary healthcare and primary education. Also, there is a need to fund research and innovation via public universities. This suggests that new and preferably concessional sources of financing are needed including greater private sector investment in this scenario.
• Government borrowing: The government borrowings can play a vital role in accelerating development, as governments can use it to finance their expenditures and invest in people to pave the way for a better future.

THE CONCLUSION:

There is increasing concerns regarding the rise of global debt as it has potential implications for economic stability and the capacity of financial systems. Thus, there is a need to strike the right balance between debt accumulation and economic growth.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1 Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V-shaped recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer. (2021)

Q.2 The public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of India in the context of budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it. (2019)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.1 Rising global debt levels often raise concerns about debt sustainability, especially in the case of government debt driven by reckless borrowing for populist programs. Discuss with specific reference to the Indian scenario.

SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-dispute-on-indias-debt-burden/article67701846.ece#:~:text=As%20stated%20by%20the%20Finance,Budget%20Management%20Act%20(FRBMA).

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)

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

1. STUDY: ANTARCTICA’S EMPEROR PENGUINS MAY GO EXTINCT BY 2100

GS-III-ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

THE CONTEXT: A new research has found that if necessary conservation efforts are not taken, the populations of up to 97 percent of land-based Antarctic species could decline by the end of this century.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Antarctica’s biodiversity

• Antarctica has a unique species of plants and animals that can survive the coldest, windiest, highest and driest continent on Earth. These species include 2 flowering plants, hardy moss and lichens, numerous microbes, invertebrates and breeding seabirds like emperor and Adélie penguins.
• These animals and plants are threatened because of global warming and climate crisis.

What are the key findings of the study?

• Greater conservation efforts are required for the protection of Antarctic ecosystems, which are threatened because of climate crisis.
• Climate change is the biggest threat to the plant and animal species living in Antarctica. Addressing global warming is an effective step to secure their future.
• With the worsening global warming, Antarctica’s ice-free areas are predicted to expand further, causing rapid changes in the natural habitat of animals and plants living there.
• Humanity’s presence in the region, besides causing environmental pollution, supports the thriving of invasive species.
• According to the study, under the worst-case scenario, if the current conservation efforts remain the same, the population of 97 percent of Antarctic terrestrial species and breeding seabirds could decline between now and 2100.
• At the best-case scenario, 37 percent of the species would decline.
• The most likely scenario would mean a 65 percent decline in the population of the terrestrial species by 2100.
• Emperor penguins are at the risk of going extinct by 2100 in the worst-case scenario. It is the only species in the study that is facing this fate.
• Climate change is also threatening the nematode worm Scottnemalindsayae, which lives in extremely dry soils. It is threatened as melting ice is increasing soil moisture.
• Not all species in Antarctica are facing population decline. Some are expected to benefit initially. These include 2 Antarctic plants, some mosses and the gentoo penguin. Their populations are expected to increase and become more widespread in the event of more liquid water, more ice-free and warmer temperatures.

How can these threats be addressed?

• An estimated 23 million USD per annum could be enough to implement 10 key strategies to minimise threats faced by Antarctica’s biodiversity. This is relatively small sum that can benefit 84 percent of the terrestrial bird, mammal and plant groups. It is lesser than the cost of reviving the threatened species, which is estimated to be more than 1.2 billion USD per annum.
• Reducing global warming to not more than 2°C could benefit up to 68 percent of terrestrial species and breeding seabirds. Managing non-native species and diseases and effectively managing and protecting native species can also benefit Antarctica’s biodiversity.
• They can be achieved by providing special protection for species, and increasing biosecurity to prevent the introduction of non-native species.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. ANIMATION, VISUAL EFFECTS, GAMING AND COMIC (AVGC) SECTOR

TAGS:GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Government has recently said that the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector has the potential to provide employment to over 20 lakh people in the coming 10 years. It is expected that the sector will witness 16 to 17 percent growth rate in the next decade.

THE EXPLANATION:

About:

• The AVGC sector in the country has witnessed an unprecedented growth rate in recent times, with many global players entering the Indian talent pool to avail of offshore delivery of services.
• India today contributes about 2.5 to 3 billion dollars out of the estimated 260 to 275 billion dollars worldwide in the AVGC market.
• Task Force recently submitted report on ‘Realising AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics – Extended Reality) Sector Potential in India’ on the 22nd of December, 2022 by the Chairman of the Task Force.

Recommendations:

• To make India a global content hub and create job opportunities in the AVGC sector, the Task Force has laid emphasis on establishing a National Centre of Excellence for the sector.
• The Regional Centre of Excellence will be instituted in collaboration with the State Governments to provide access to local industries and to promote local talent and content.
• It has been recommended by the Task Force to leverage National Education Policy to develop creative thinking with dedicated AVGC course content at school levels to build foundational skills and to create awareness about AVGC as a career choice.
• It has also been recommended to establish AVGC accelerators and innovation hubs in academic institutions, on the lines of Atal Tinkering Labs.
• The Task Force has recommended establishing a dedicated production fund for domestic content creation from the country to promote Indian culture and heritage globally.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

3. PROJECT VAANI

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

GS-III GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

THE CONTEXT: Project Vaani will be implemented jointly by the Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), ARTPARK (AI and Robotics Technology Park), and Google to gather speech data from across India for the creation of an AI-based language model that can understand diverse Indian languages and dialects.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Project Vaani?

• Under Project Vaani, diverse languages used across India will be mapped by collecting speech sets of around 1 million people from 773 districts over 3 years.
• The estimated cost of this project is around 30 to 40 million USD.
• It is part of the Bengaluru-based IISc and Artpark’s Bhasha AI project that includes RESPIN (Recognizing Speech in Indian languages) and SYSPIN (Synthesizing Speech in Indian languages).
• The project would involve IISc and Google recording around 1.5 lakh hours of speech, part of which will be transcribed in local scripts.
• This project uses a district-anchored approach, which involves recording local speeches by randomly selecting over 1,000 people from each district.

What are the objectives of the initiative?

• One of the main objectives of this project is the development of technologies like automatic speech recognition, speech-to-speech translation and natural language understanding.
• Its ultimate goal is to deliver a technological solution that can eliminate the linguistic barriers that are currently present in technology and increase accessibility of the technology for a wider range of people.
• Once this project is fully completed, efforts will be taken to create an artificial intelligence-based language model that can understand diverse languages and dialects used in India.
• The new model proposed under the Vaani project supports both speech and text translation. This would be a leap from the Multilingual Representations for Indian Languages (MuRIL), which only supports text-based translation. The new model would be trained on speech and text from over 100 Indian languages, which are spoken by over 1 lakh people across India.

What is the current status of the project?

• Over the past few months, linguistic data from nearly 69 districts have been collected from across India.
• So far, over 150 hours of data have been collected, covering more than 30 languages from 841 different pin codes in a gender and age-balanced manner.

4. THE NATIONAL MOBILE MONITORING SYSTEM (NMMS)

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE
GS-III GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS-MGNREGA

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the central government has ordered that digitally capturing attendance is now mandatory for all workers employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGREGS) and will be applicable from January 1, 2023.

THE EXPLANATION:

About The National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS):

• It was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development.
• The NMMS App permits taking real-time attendance of workers at Mahatma Gandhi NREGS worksites along with geo-tagged photographs.
• This will increase citizen oversight of the programme besides potentially enabling the processing of payments faster
• This facilitates them to record their findings online along with time-stamped and go-coordinate tagged photographs for all the schemes of the Department of Rural Development.
• This would also enable better record keeping of inspections by field and supervisory officials and also facilitate analysis of the findings for better programme implementation.

VALUE ADDITION:

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005

• The MGNREGA is Indian labour law and social security programme that aims to guarantee the ‘right to work’.
• It provides a legal right for 100 days of employment in every financial year to at least one member of every rural household whose adult members agree to do unskilled manual work.
• The Ministry of Rural Development is monitoring the implementation of this scheme.
• Women were guaranteed one-third of the jobs made available under the MGNREGA.
• The MGNREGA programme also helps in creating durable assets (such as roads, canals, ponds and wells).
• Work to be provided within 5 km of workers’ residence and minimum wages are to be paid.
• Right to get unemployment allowance in case employment is not provided within 15 days of applying.
• MGNREGA is implemented mainly by gram panchayats. Adult members of rural households submit their details to the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat registers households after making an enquiry and issues a job card. The job card contains the details of the adult member enrolled and his /her photo
• The involvement of contractors is banned.
• The Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory, which ensures accountability and transparency.

Significance of MGNREGA

• The programme is providing economic security and creates rural assets.
• It also helps in protecting the environment, reducing rural-urban migration and promoting social equity, etc.
• It focuses on the economic and social empowerment of women.
• It provides “Green” and “Decent” work.
• Works under MGNREGA help to address the climate change vulnerability and protect the farmers from such risks and conserve natural resources.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5.GEOGLYPHS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-

THE CONTEXT: Recently, experts and conservationists have raised concerns over the proposed location for a mega oil refinery in Barsu village of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

About Geoglyphs:
Barsu sites in the Konkan region were added to a tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites and protected by the state archaeology department and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

What are geoglyphs?

• Geoglyphs are a form of prehistoric rock art, created on the surface of laterite plateaus.
• They are made by removing a part of the rock surface through an incision, picking, carving or abrading.
• They can be in the form of rock paintings, etchings, cup marks and ring marks.

What is the significance of this prehistoric rock art?

• Clusters of geoglyphs are spread across the Konkan coastline in Maharashtra and Goa, spanning around 900 km. Porous laterite rock, which lends itself to such carving, is found on a large scale across the entire region.
• It has more than 1,500 pieces of such art, also called “Katal Shilpa,” spread across 70 sites.
• This is evidence of the continued existence of human settlements from the Mesolithic (middle Stone Age) to the early historic era.
• UNESCO’s tentative world heritage list mentions seven sites with petroglyphs in Ratnagiri district — Ukshi, Jambharun, Kasheli, RundeTali, Devihasol, Barsu and Devache Gothane, one in Sindhudurg district –Kudopi village, and nine sites at Phansamal in Goa.
• The figures depicted in the geoglyphs include humans and animals such as deer, elephant, tiger, monkey, wild boar, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, cattle, pig, rabbit, and monkey.
• They also include a high number of reptilian and amphibian creatures such as tortoises and alligators, aquatic animals such as sharks and sting rays, and birds like peacocks.

THE CONTEXT: The government of India has been collecting a myriad of data from various sources and using them for multiple purposes. But hardly these data are shared with the citizens or placed in the public domain. It is also seen that many critical data have not been either published or delayed. This creates a digital divide between the state and the citizenry having implications for governance, privacy, and accountability. This article analyses these issues in detail.

HOW IS THE DATA BEING COLLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT?

The government collects the data of citizens through various mechanisms that it uses for multiple purposes. The Census, the sample surveys by the NSS, the expenditure surveys, the survey on industries, family, labour, etc., are some ubiquitous instruments for data collection. The govt also collects regular administrative data while providing services to the citizens like licensing, permits, provision of records, etc. Since 2014, the UIDAI and Aadhaar systems have been expanded in scope, and the government is able to collect the biometric and demographic data of people on a large scale. However, there are many grey areas in this whole process having implications for democracy itself.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EFFICIENT DATA MANAGEMENT?

EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY MAKING:

• In government, the most traditional use of data analysis has been the statistical analysis of data collected through various surveys, Census, indices, etc.
• In the traditional methodology, the insights generated from the analysis of the available data were provided to government authorities for effective policy formulation or planning of new programmes, and schemes as well as preparation of the budget for the government.
• For instance, data is at the core of many flagship programmes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Housing for all, One Nation One Ration Card, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and Fertilizers Distribution, to name a few.

INFORMED DECISIONS BY STAKEHOLDERS:

• The data on various sectors of the economy like employment, consumption expenditure, investment, etc. is crucial for business groups and investors to make informed decisions.

DRIVER OF DIGITAL ECONOMY:

• In this 21st century of Digital Transformation, data is the new oil; data is the new fuel, and data is the oxygen that holds immense untapped potential in it.
• Over a period, data has emerged as an important asset for the development of any country and is also the driver for a digital economy.
  

TARGETED APPROACH TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

• The prowess of data influences almost every sector of the socio-economic development of our country.
• For instance, data can prove to be highly useful for the formulation of poverty alleviation schemes and subsidy distribution schemes.
• Various schemes of the government, such as the MGNREGA, Pensions Scheme, Farmers Subsidy, Benefits for unorganized labour, Scholarships, etc. can make use of data analytics to identify the right beneficiary, understand their socio-economic status, and use technology solutions for timely dissemination of benefits, etc

APPLICATION IN DIVERSE FIELDS:

• Fields like Criminal Justice and Judiciary can consume data to analyze crime patterns, locate the criminal networks and hotspots of potential crimes, etc.
• This would help the authorities take corrective measures and prevent such incidents from happening.
• Data is precious in fraud prevention also.
• Many financial systems today employ data to detect fraudulent activities, and it is now suggested to integrate a fraud detection module while setting up any financial system.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC:

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, data has been extensively used for contact tracing, prediction of hotspots, trend analysis, and taking appropriate measures to curb the spread of the virus.
• Data was also used for the management of hospitals and the supply of essential medicines and essential goods to citizens at large.

DATA AND DEMOCRACY:

• Access to the data by citizens is critical for a healthy and informed public discourse on issues of policy relevance.
• The mere fact that people have access to data is likely to pressurize the government to improve performance in many areas.
• However, data generation doesn’t guarantee seamless access to people whose lives matter most in a democracy.
• Informed public discourse in any democracy is critical for accountable and transparent governance.

OPEN GOVERNMENT DATA (OGD) PLATFORM INDIA – AN OVERVIEW

WHAT IS IT?:

• The Open Government Data (OGD) Platform India (https://data.gov.in) has been set up by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in compliance with the Open Data Policy (NDSAP) of India.
• The objective of the policy is to provide proactive access to government-owned shareable data along with its usage information in open/machine-readable format through a wide area of the network across the country.
• This data,  periodically updated, will be shared within the framework of various related policies, rules, and acts of the government.

PART OF DIGITAL INDIA:

• Developed using Open Source Stack, the project is one of the initiatives under Pillar 6 (Information for All) of the Digital India initiative.
• It facilitates community participation for further development of the product with Visualizations, Alerts, etc.
• It has an easy-to-use and user-friendly interface with dynamic/pull-down menus, search-based reports, secured web access, a bulletin board, etc.

EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND CITIZEN COLLABORATION:

• The platform reflects how the innovative use of information technology has led to a paradigm shift in accommodating the huge data potential of the country.
• The platform has a rich mechanism for citizen engagement, which could help Ministries/Departments/Organizations prioritize the release of Government Datasets.
• Besides enabling citizens to express their need for specific datasets or apps, it also allows them to rate the quality of datasets and seek clarification or information from nodal officers of participating government entities.

THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE OGD PLATFORM

• Ministry/Department/State contributes/publishes resources in open format either directly or by Web Services through workflow-based Data Management System.
• Provides single window access to the datasets and apps published by different Ministries/Departments/Organizations/States in open format. –
• Suggestions and requirements of data can be submitted by citizens/ community to help prioritize data sharing by participating ministries/ departments. Anyone can endorse already submitted suggestions.
• People can directly write to Chief Data Officer seeking any further clarification/information on the released resources or related requirements.
• The platform enables better discovery and usage of Government datasets through visualizations and development of apps, mash-ups, etc. Visualization Platform with the facility to create maps as well as different chart options like radar, bar, line, area, pie, column, etc.
• A separate Community portal (http://community.data.gov.in) has been launched to provide a common platform for knowledge sharing through discussion and contribution through Blogs, Infographics, Visualizations, etc., using data available on the platform.
• People can rate the resources (datasets/apps) on three aspects i.e. Quality, Accessibility, and Usability on a scale of 5.
• A separate Event portal for management of workshops, hackathons, challenges, etc. has been created.

THE LIMITATIONS OF THE NDSAP AND OGD

• A large volume of existing government data is still not accessible in digital formats. NDASP is still a policy but not a mandatory policy. As a result, a lot of departments are reluctant or slow to share their respective datasets.
• ​Even when data is made available in a machine-readable format, in most cases, the reliability is questionable; the raw data needs to go through rigorous editing and aggregation before it can be used.
• Different departments collect and collate information in their respective silos using diverse formats and terminology, making it tough to use that data effectively.
• Adoption of data sharing at the state level has also been slow, with only four out of 29 Indian states contributing data to the national portal.
• The granularity of open government data in India has been a concern, as it fails to satisfy the users to access and use only micro-level data.
• The unavailability of official map data due to the conservative map policy of the government and lack of interoperability in sharing this data has discouraged a discourse about better planning, tracking progress in the ‘real space’ and pushing the government to take remedial steps.

DATA PRODUCTION AND GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE-AN ILLUSTRATION

CONSUMPTION SURVEY AND PERIODIC LABOUR FORCE SURVEY:

• The data produced by the government’s statistical wings, which have a reputation for being independent and credible, can be used to assess the effectiveness of state policies.
• Recent events, however, have severely harmed this perception. Data from the 2017-18 consumption survey, for example, has yet to be released.
• The survey’s leaked summary results reveal some troubling facts that may not be politically reassuring to the government.
• Similarly, the first Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017-18) was not made public until after the 2019 general election.

REPLACING THE ANNUAL SURVEY OF INDUSTRIES:

• Furthermore, rather than relying on the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), a systematically designed survey for estimating industrial sector GDP, the government has begun to rely on self-reported, unverified data submitted to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs since 2011 obscuring the true state of Indian industry.
• The future of this database is uncertain now that ASI is nearly obsolete for official estimation purposes.
• To date, the ASI is the most dependable and comprehensive source of data for research on industrial productivity and regional patterns.

DATA ON SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN MISSION:

• Another example of undermining the scientific database is the delay in the release of Water and Sanitation Survey data 2018.
• The prime minister declared India open defecation free in October 2019, while the data was released much later, depriving people of an opportunity to assess the status of the Swachh Bharat mission in a scientific manner.

RESIGNATION OF OFFICIALS:

• The autonomy of statistical agencies is compromised for immediate political gains at the cost of sustainability and the quality of democratic governance.
• This is seen in the manner of restructuring the NSO and the resignation of top non-official members from the National Statistical Commission.

OTHERS:

• The government’s refusal to conduct a  caste census, a migrant survey, poverty enumeration, controversy over the death count during the pandemic, etc are some other instances that reflect very poorly on the state of the Indian data ecosystem.

DATA AND DEMOCRACY-AN ANALYSIS

Democracy is the government by consent, and this consent requires reliable and authentic information that enables the citizens to make an informed choice at the ballot box. Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of a functioning democracy and the elections cannot be held to be free or fair if the citizens are deprived of real and real-time data on the government, political parties, and the administration, among others. Democracy is also a form of accountable government, and accountability demands access to what the government is doing and how it is doing it. This is necessary for ensuring answerability and the rule of law. In fact, in a democracy citizens are the masters and the government, the servant, and philosophically put, the master has the full right to know what the servant is doing or not doing. This is the spirit in which the freedom of information legislations are being brought by nations. Additionally, the notion of privacy has assumed huge significance, which is being expanded by progressive jurisprudence like India’s Puttaswamy judgment. It is also true that the government should have some elbow room to maneuver with respect to the collection and keeping of sensitive data dealing with national security. But, in other cases, the policy of the government should be based on open data access which will have inherent and instrumental benefits for democracy.

THE POWER OF DATA- THE NEWZEALAND CASE STUDY

The key to the New Zealand government’s success is that it treats data as a strategic asset committed to igniting proactive information sharing to drive better decision-making.

A great example is how accurate diabetes data has helped the New Zealand Ministry of Health provide appropriate and timely care. New Zealand’s Ministry of Health found it difficult to accurately estimate the number of cases in the country since there was no consistent data collection across all general practices and hospitals. With the help of data analysis capabilities, the ministry created a register to accurately predict the prevalence of the condition and help design effective public health policies to support quality clinical improvements.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health was able to integrate information from six different data sources and use Advanced Analytics to identify both those with diabetes and those with the highest prevalence rate. These insights enabled the Ministry of Health to focus its policies on the health policies for these groups.

The exceptional work done by the New Zealand government is being copied around the globe as governments everywhere are looking to provide similar results to their citizens. In fact, the Ontario Government has pledged its “commitment to the people of Ontario to engage, collaborate and

innovate” as it looks to build a “government that freely shares information, unlocks the power of data in a digital age, and brings more voices to the decision-making table through its Open Ontario initiative.

As the New Zealand government has demonstrated, analytics can help save money, drive efficiency, and improve citizen services, all while protecting sensitive data. The possibilities are truly endless; however, the power of analytics can only be unleashed once governments realize the importance of information sharing to enrich the lives of citizens and transform the way the government is run. And that starts with breaking down the culture of data ownership and building a proper infrastructure to securely manage data as an asset.

THE WAY FORWARD

• The government needs to ensure the independence of the statistical agencies and also should timely conduct and release the crucial data even though the results may not be politically palatable.
• The Open Data Policy needs to be implemented in letter and spirit for good governance and participative democracy.
• There must be a comprehensive data protection law in place to protect citizens’ privacy and to prevent India from being slid into a surveillance state.
• RTI is one of the best tools for distributing and sharing data the government has, and the governments should suo motu put these data in the public domain.
• Lack of access to data can increase the distance between the governors and the government, which will have serious consequences on the outcomes of policies and can hamper developmental objectives.
• Various researches also suggest that much of the data is still not analyzed and has huge untapped potential. One of the major challenges right now is the fact that data is currently residing in silos, and thus to unleash the true potential of this data, various IT systems must collaborate and operate in a symbiotic fashion.
• There are certain challenges that are currently preventing these opportunities from being tapped. Issues of privacy and data anonymization are a concern. There is also a lack of standardization of data collection formats that makes it difficult to aggregate and make sense of data The infrastructure to support efficient data collection, processing, and management needs to be strengthened.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), on February 21, 2022, released a policy proposal titled “Draft India Data Accessibility & Use Policy, 2022”. The policy aims to “radically transform India’s ability to harness public sector data and aim to sell it to the private sector. This can be the beginning of sharing government-owned citizens’ data with relevant stakeholders. Although the market mechanism may be questionable, so is privacy concerns.

THE CONCLUSION: Data is emerging as the key resource of a Digital Economy. Citizens, organizations, and society at large will benefit from the democratization of data as it will become usable to anyone to derive insights and build inclusive solutions for the development of our society. However, the government, while harvesting the citizens’ data for better governance, should not monopolize it and must share them with people, which will improve democratic outcomes in the true sense.

QUESTIONS:

1. Data is the lifeblood of a democratic government. Comment
2. What is an Open Government Data Platform? How far do you agree with the view that democratizing data ownership will help in improving governance outcomes?
3. Critically analyse the relationship between data and democracy.

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

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

ABOUT DMP-MoPR:

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

ISSUES COVERED:

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

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

VULNERABILITY TO DISASTERS:

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

INEFFICIENT SOPS:

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

LACK OF COORDINATION:

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

POOR WARNING AND RELIEF SYSTEMS:

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

ROLE OF PRIs IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

HANDLING DISASTERS AT THE GRASS-ROOT LEVEL:

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

ENSURING BETTER RELIEF OPERATIONS:

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

SPREADING AWARENESS AND GAINING COOPERATION:

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

PAST EXPERIENCES – PRIS’ RESPONSE DURING COVID-19:

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

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

ISSUES FACED BY PRIs

UNCLEAR DOMAINS OF PANCHAYATS:

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

INCOMPLETE AUTONOMY:

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

UNAVAILABILITY OF FUNDS:

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

INTERFERENCE FROM MPS AND MLAS:

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

SIGNIFICANCE OF DMP-MoPR

HELPFUL IN MANAGING DISASTERS COMPREHENSIVELY:

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

ENSURE PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PROCESS:

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

THE ANALYSIS:

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

THE WAY FORWARD:

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

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

Mains Practice Questions:

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

ADD TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE

INDIA’S EFFORTS IN MANAGING DISASTER

THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA:

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

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

1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

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

2. State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)

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

3. District Disaster Management Authority

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

4. National Institute of Disaster Management

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

5. National Disaster Response Force

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

MANAGING CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED DISASTERS:

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

CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:

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

INDIA’S ROLE AS A FOREIGN DISASTER RELIEF:

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

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE