SECURE SYNOPSIS: 12 NOVEMBER 2018
NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic– The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
1) Discuss the contribution of Acharya J. B. Kripalani towards the Indian society.(250 words)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the contribution of Acharya J. B. Kripalani towards the Indian society- before independence as well as towards the independent India.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the Acharya J. B. Kripalani. E.g J. B. Kripalani Bio As PDF
Acharya J. B. Kripalani was an accomplished politician and socialist, who contributed much towards Indian society, both before and after Indian independence.
Body-
Discuss in points the contribution of Acharya J B Kripalani towards the Indian society. E.g he committed himself to the Non-Cooperation Movement. He worked on the ideology of social reforms and principles of education that Gandhi promoted in his various ashrams; He actively took part in the Salt Satyagraha, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement, for which he was arrested and imprisoned a multitude times. His publication of seditious comments against British government also resulted in his incarceration; He took an active role in the interim government of India from 1946 to 1947 and in the Constituent Assembly of India; He spent the decade of 1970s working for the preservation and conservation of natural surroundings; n 1972, he voiced against Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian rule, stating that her governance had transformed from being democratic to dictatorial. He raised non-violent protests against her government throughout the country and even launched a civil disobedience movement against Gandhi’s government. Due to this, he was duly arrested and imprisoned upon the proclamation of Emergency on June 26, 1975 etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Background:-
- Acharya J. B. Kripalani was an accomplished politician and socialist, who contributed much, both before and after Indian independence. An ardent follower of Gandhi, he was an exponent of the Gandhian philosophy and ideology.
Contribution:-
- While Kripalani contributed much in the freedom struggle and afterwards, he is best known for holding the chair of the President of the Indian National Congress during the turbulent phase of 1947.
- Non cooperation:-
- During the early 1920s, he committed himself to the Non-Cooperation Movement.
- He worked on the ideology of social reforms and principles of education that Gandhi promoted in his various ashrams across Gujarat and Bombay. Later hestarted teaching and organizing new ashrams dedicated to the Gandhian principles and beliefs in Bihar and United Province.
- He actively took part in the Salt Satyagraha, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement, for which he was arrested and imprisoned a multitude times. His publication of seditious comments against British government also resulted in his incarceration.
- His active involvement in the national freedom movement helped him rise dramatically upwards towards the higher ranks in the Indian National Congress. For almost a decade, from 1934 to 1945, he served as the General Secretary of the Indian National Congress. He steered congress party through the crucial phase of partition and independence.
- He took an active role in the interim government of India from 1946 to 1947 and in the Constituent Assembly of India.
- Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party :-
- He resigned as a member of the Congress party and instead became a founding member of a new political party called Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party. It was later that the party merged with the Socialist Party of India to form the Praja Socialist Party.
- Spirituality:-
- Following his defeat in the 1971 parliamentary elections, he eventually ended his parliamentary career and switched to being a spiritual leader.
- He spent the decade of 1970s working for the preservation and conservation of natural surroundings.
General Studies – 2
Topic- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question
The recent outbreak of Zika Virus disease points out the importance of epidemiological measures in order to prevent major disease outbreaks in the country. In this context it is important to discuss about one of the most vital epidemiological surveillance programmes in India.
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the IDSP- its objectives and its key achievements.
Structure of the answer
Introduction- write a few introductory lines about the IDSP. e.g IDSP was launched in 2004 for a period upto March 2010. The project was restructured and extended up to 2012. The project continues in the 12th Plan with domestic budget as Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme under NHM for all States.
Body-
- Discuss the objectives of IDSP. e.g To strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based IT enabled disease surveillance system for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends and to detect and respond to outbreaks in early rising phase through trained Rapid Response Team (RRTs).
- Discuss the achievements of IDSP. e.g Surveillance units have been established at all States and District Headquarters (SSUs, DSUs). Central surveillance Unit (CSU) is established and integrated in the National Centre for Disease Control; IT network has been established by connecting all States /Districts HQ and premier institutes in the country for data entry training, video conferencing and outbreak discussion; A portal under IDSP has been established for data entry and analysis, to report outbreaks and to download reports, training modules and other material related to disease surveillance; On an average 30 outbreaks are reported every week by the States to CSU;The weekly outbreak report generated by the CSU is shared with all key stakeholders including the Prime Minister’s Office. This is significant because it indicates the paradigm shift in the outbreak reporting attitude (from the traditional reluctance to report outbreaks to one that encourages outbreak reporting and response) enabled by the project etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue. E.g IDS has given a positive impetus to integration of surveillance functions primarily for epidemic prone diseases and decentralized symptoms-based detection of early warning signals of outbreaks at primary health care level.
Integrated disease surveillance program in India :-
- The Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) is a disease surveillancescheme under the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs in India, assisted by the World Bank.
- It is one of the major National Health Programme under National Health Mission for all States & UTs.
- The scheme aims to strengthen disease surveillance for infectious diseases to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly.
- The scheme seeks to set up a Central Disease Surveillance Unit and a State Surveillance Unit in each State where data is collected and analyzed.
- A large amount of data on disease reports are collected in order to be able to identify the outbreak of a disease, identify its causes and take corresponding preventive and responsive measures.
- An early warning system has been put into place in order to take timely preventive steps.
Objectives:-
- The key objective of the programme is to strengthen/maintain decentralized laboratory based IT enabled disease surveillance system for epidemic prone diseases to monitor disease trends and to detect and respond to outbreaks in early rising phase through trained Rapid Response Team (RRTs).
Programme Components:
- Integration and decentralization of surveillance activities through the establishment of surveillance units at Centre, State and District level.
- Human Resource Development – Training of State Surveillance Officers, District Surveillance Officers, Rapid Response Team and other Medical and Paramedical staff on principles of disease surveillance.
- Use of Information Communication Technology for collection, collation, compilation, analysis and dissemination of data
- Strengthening of public health laboratories.
- Inter sectoral Co-ordination for zoonotic diseases
IDSP Achievements
- Surveillance units have been established at all States and District Headquarters (SSUs, DSUs). Central surveillance Unit (CSU) is established and integrated in the National Centre for Disease Control (Formerly National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi)
- Training of State/ District Surveillance teams (Training of Trainers) has been completed for all 35 States /UTs.
- IT network has been established by connecting 776 sites at all States /Districts HQ and premier institutes in the country for data entry training, video conferencing and outbreak discussion.
- A portal under IDSP has been established for data entry and analysis, to report outbreaks and to download reports, training modules and other material related to disease surveillance
- Presently, about 90% districts in the country report weekly surveillance data through portal. The weekly data gives information on the disease trends and seasonality of diseases. Data analysis and actions are being undertaken by respective States/District Surveillance Units.
- Reports:–
- The weekly outbreak report generated by the CSU is shared with all key stakeholders including the Prime Minister’s Office.
- This is significant because it indicates the paradigm shift in the outbreak reporting attitude (from the traditional reluctance to report outbreaks to one that encourages outbreak reporting and response) enabled by the project.
- Media scanning and verification cell was established under IDSP in July 2008. It detects and shares media alert with concerned State /Districts for verification and response.
- A 24×7 call center was established in 2008 to receive disease alerts all across the country on a toll free telephone number.
- The information received is provided to the States/ Districts surveillance units through e- mail and telephone for investigation and response.
- The call centre was extensively used during 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and dengue outbreak in Delhi in 2010.
- Twelve labs have been strengthened and made functional under IDSP for Avian/ H1N1 influenza surveillance.
- Recruitment of contractual manpower under IDSP has been totally decentralized in May 2010, so that the State Health Societies recruit them at the earliest.
- A referral lab network has been established in 9 States (Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal), using the existing functional labs in the medical colleges and other major centers in the States and linking them with adjoining Districts for providing diagnostic services for epidemic prone diseases during outbreaks.
- IDS has given a positiveimpetus to integration of surveillance functions primarily for epidemic prone diseases and decentralized symptoms-based detection of early warning signals of outbreaks at primary health care level.
Way forward :-
- Can use big data:-
- Although the Indian Government does not identify this project as a big data one, there is vast potential to improve the mapping solutions with the help of using improved technology. The data collected under this scheme meets the criteria of the standard 3 V’s to identify big data – Volume, Variety and Velocity of data.
- A single portal under which data about such diseases can be traced, acts as a single information access point for all other health programs in the country.
Topic -India and its bilateral relations
Why this question
The recent visit of the PM to Japan led to signing of several agreements and reaffirmation of India Japan friendship. In context of their bilateral relationship, India and Japan are often called as natural partners. The article explains the complementarities in the relationship and discusses why the two countries are natural partners.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the content of the outcome of Modi’s visit to Japan. Thereafter, we need to show how the outcomes reflect a congruence of views between the two nations, wherein we need to show the complementary nature of the relationship between the two countries. In conclusion, we need to provide the way forward.
Directive word
Examine – When you are asked to examine, you have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details, and find out the causes or implications if any .
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Talk about the fact that the two countries in several joint statements have called each other natural partners. Explain what natural partners are.
Body
- Discuss the outcomes of the visit such as a 2+2 framework institutionalisation of the relationship.
- Discuss the perfect fit that exists between the two countries when it comes to economy, strategy etc. Discuss that there is a congruence of foreign policy objectives between the two nations.
- Highlight the potential of the relationship and the pitfalls that the two countries need to be aware of
Conclusion – Give your view on the progress of relationship and discuss way forward.
Background :-
- India-Japan relationship is a cornerstone of India’s Act East Policy. In the recent India Japan summit both the countries leaders vowed not only to actively cooperate in several infrastructure projects of immense importance for India’s growth story, but also to join hands to foster shared interests in the sensitive and strategic domains.
India Japan have congruent views :-
- Security:-
- The two areas of particular interest and importance to Japan are maritime security and strategic connectivity, obliging it to raise its Indian Ocean profile, which, in fact, synergises Modi’s Act East outreach and Abe’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
- Committing to a ‘2+2’ strategic dialogue the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy could enhance their security cooperation, from Yokosuka to Port Blair to Djibouti.
- The two sides decided to start negotiations on the crucial Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).
- This will enhance the strategic depth of bilateral security and defence cooperation.
- Once concluded, it will give the two defence forces access to each other’s military bases for logistical support
- Exercise Malabar – trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India.
- Quadrilateral Security Dialogue – an informal strategic dialogue between India, United States, Japan and Australia.
- Economic:-
- They would impart a thrust to the Platform for Japan-India Business Cooperation in Asia-Africa Region for Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, and the India-Japan Act East Forum for the development of India’s Northeast.
- Conclusion of a bilateral currency swap agreement worth USD 75 billion.
- This is expected to help stabilise fluctuations in the value of the rupee vis-a-vis the dollar.
- Bring down the cost of capital for Indian companies while accessing foreign capital markets
- As Japan moves increasingly to higher value chain manufacture, India’s corporate sector may upgrade its capital stock in Japan, especially in the field of telecommunication, machinery and equipment.
- The two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2011 to facilitate growth in bilateral trade. This was described as the most comprehensive of all such agreements concluded by India.
- As of October 2016, there were 1,305 Japanese companies registered in India, an increase of 76 companies (6% growth) as compared to 1,229 in October 2015.
- Japan has ratified the framework agreement for the International Solar Alliance.
- Japanese ODA supports India’s development in sectors such as power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs.
- $90 billion has gone into the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
- Japan is also backing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (bullet train) service.
- International:-
- Two leaders underlined the urgent necessity to reform the WTO for free, fair, and open trade
- The two countries called for reforms of the United Nations and supported each other’s candidature for permanent membership in UNSC.
- Medical sector:-
- India being the world’s second largest market for pharmaceutical products and its per-capita annual spending on medical expenses about $8,000 offers another area of promise in biotechnology and medical sector.
- Research:-
- Indians are also employed in basic research in some of the high-tech companies and government research institutes.
- Manpower:-
- From the Indian perspective, Japan offers opportunities for absorption of technical and skilled manpower. Some four score Indian IT companies already have a presence in Japan.
- New areas of engagement:-
- A ‘Cool EMS Service’ was started, under which Japanese food items are transported in cool boxes from Japan to India through postal channels.Both sides are striving to push a digital partnership.
- Areas of potential collaboration include AI, IoT, and big data.
Some issues still remain in the relationship:-
- Trade engagements have been below potential.
- On the list of countries that India exports to, Japan is at 18th position in the list of top 25 countries.
- On the list of countries importing into India, Japan ranks 12th.
- India’s exports to Japan in FY18 were lower than in FY15 in value terms.
- India struggling to penetrate the Japanese market as a result of language barriers, high quality and service standards.
- Negotiations to purchase amphibious US-2 planes have dragged on for years.
Way Forward:
- Another new areawhere India is likely to make a pitch is for greater synergy or integration between the Ayushman Bharat project and the Japanese programme called Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative, including how to leverage Japan’s strengths in areas such as medical equipment and hospitals.
- To do business with Japan in the coming decades, the importance of its social and cultural evolution cannot be overstated. India would need to make an effort to understand and comprehend Japanese psyche, their traits and sensitivities, their penchant for details, and their obsession with quality, punctuality and discipline
- The two leaders shared their view that in order to achieve shared vision, India and Japan must endeavour to work together for a rules-based and inclusive world order that fosters trust and confidence by enhancing communication and connectivity to ensure rule of law, unimpeded trade and flow of people, technology and ideas for shared prosperity.
- The two countries have far more to do by way of a liberal exchange of their people through tourism, cultural festivals, scholarships, student exchange schemes, language courses, and deeper interaction between entrepreneurs and intellectuals.
- India must leverage Japan’s strengths in areas such as medical equipment and hospitals.
- India and Japan must endeavour to work together for a rules-based and inclusive world order.
- Enhancing communication and connectivity for unimpeded trade and flow of people, technology and ideas for shared prosperity.
General Studies – 3
Topic– Part of static series under the heading – “economics of animal-rearing”
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the immense role that livestock sector can play in the economic growth in India, and in particular in achieving inclusive growth. We also need to highlight the challenges and the steps that have been taken to overcome them. In conclusion we need to give our opinion on whether focussing on livestock sector can help achieve inclusive growth.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain the problem of lack of inclusive growth and suggest that livestock sector might have a solution.
Body
- Discuss the economic advantages of livestock sector
- Plays an important role in Indian economy, about 2.5-3 cr people depend on it for food
- Provides employment
- Contributes to income or small farm households etc
- Discuss specifically with explanations as to how it can aid in inclusive growth
- Distribution of livestock is more equitable than that of land
- Livestock sector contributes a low to income or small farm households
- More than three-fourth of the labour demand in livestock production is met by women. The share of women employment in livestock sector is around 90% in Punjab and Haryana where dairying is a prominent activity and animals are stallfed
- Discuss the challenges that lie ahead and the steps taken by government to address those challenges and take the sector forward
Conclusion – Give your view on whether this sector has the potential to bring inclusive growth.
Background :-
- India’s livestock sector is one of the largest in the world. Livestock sector plays an important role in Indian economy. Livestock provides livelihood to two-thirds of rural community.
Livestock sector in India has an important role to play in enhancing the level of inclusive growth in the country :-
- Income :-
- Livestock is a source of subsidiary income for many families in India especially the poor.
- Animals provide nutrient-rich food products, draught power, dung as organic manure and domestic fuel, hides & skin, and are a regular source of cash income for rural households.
- They are a natural capital, which can be easily reproduced to act as a living bank with offspring as interest, and an insurance against income shocks of crop failure and natural calamities.
- Employment :–
- A large number of people in India being less literate and unskilled depend upon agriculture for their livelihoods. But agriculture being seasonal in nature could provide employment for a maximum of 180 days in a year. The land less and less land people depend upon livestock for utilizing their labour during lean agricultural season.
- Gender equity :-
- Animal husbandry promotes gender equity. More than three-fourth of the labour demand in livestock production is met by women. The share of women employment in livestock sector is around 90% in Punjab and Haryana where dairying is a prominent activity and animals are stall-fed.
- Food :-
- The livestock products such as milk, meat and eggs are an important source of animal protein to the members of the livestock owners.
- Social security:
- The animals offer social security to the owners in terms of their status in the society. The families especially the landless which own animals are better placed than those who do not.
- Animals are used for various socio religious functions.
- Draft:
- The bullocks are the back bone of Indian agriculture. The farmers especially the marginal and small depend upon bullocks for ploughing, carting and transport of both inputs and outputs
- Dung:
- In rural areas dung is used for several purposes which include fuel (dung cakes), fertilizer (farm yard manure), and plastering material (poor man’s cement).
Challenges faced by Livestock sector in India:-
- Productivity :-
- Improving productivity of farm animals is one of the major challenges. The average annual milk yield of Indian cattle is 1172 kg which is only about 50% of the global average.
- Diseases :-
- The Frequent outbreaks of diseases like Food and Mouth Diseases, Black Quarter infection, Influenza etc. continue to affect Livestock health and lowers the productivity.
- Environment :-
- India’s huge population of ruminants contributes to greenhouse gases emission adding to global warming. Reducing greenhouse gases through mitigation and adaptation strategies will be a major challenge.
- Crossbreeding of indigenous species with exotic stocks to enhance genetic potential of different species has been successful only to a limited extent.
- Limited Artificial Insemination services owing to a deficiency in quality germplasm, infrastructure and technical manpower coupled with poor conception rate following artificial insemination have been the major impediments.
- Livestock sector did not receive the policy and financial attention it deserved. The sector received only about 12% of the total public expenditure on agriculture and allied sectors, which is disproportionately lesser than its contribution to agricultural GDP.
- The sector has been neglected by the financial institutions.
- The share of livestock in the total agricultural credit has hardly ever exceeded 4% in the total (short-term, medium-term and long-term). The institutional mechanisms to protect animals against risk are not strong enough.
- Insurance:-
- Currently, only 6% of the animal heads (excluding poultry) are provided insurance cover. Livestock extension has remained grossly neglected in the past.
- Only about 5% of the farm households in India access information on livestock technology. These indicate an apathetic outreach of the financial and information delivery systems.
- Livestock derives a major part of their energy requirement from agricultural byproducts and residues. Hardly 5% of the cropped area is utilized to grow fodder. India is deficit in dry fodder by 11%, green fodder by 35% and concentrates feed by 28%. The common grazing lands too have been deteriorating quantitatively and qualitatively.
- Lack of access to markets may act as a disincentive to farmers to adopt improved technologies and quality inputs.
- Except for poultry products and to some extent for milk, markets for livestock and livestock products are underdeveloped, irregular, uncertain and lack transparency. Further, these are often dominated by informal market intermediaries who exploit the producers.
- Likewise, slaughtering facilities are too inadequate. About half of the total meat production comes from un-registered, make-shift slaughterhouses. Marketing and transaction costs of livestock products are high taking 15-20% of the sale price.
Way forward:-
- The following issues need to be tackled :-
- Inadequate availability of credit.
- Poor accesses to organized markets deprive farmers of proper milk price.
- Limited availability of quality breeding bulls.
- Deficiency of vaccines and vaccination set-up.
- Due to industrialization and Urbanization Majority of grazing lands are either degraded or encroached.
- Diversion of feed and fodder ingredients for industrial use.
Topic – Economics of animal-rearing;
Why this question
India is the largest producer of milk which provides livelihood to millions of small dairy farmers. Globally milk prices have slumped and caused distress in the dairy industry. In this context it is important to analyze the reasons behind the same and how it impacts livelihoods and the ecology.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to dig deep into the issue and bring out the reasons behind the dairy distress witnessed globally, including India and also discuss how it has impacted the ecology of the regions.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the slump in milk prices witnessed globally, including India.
Body-
- Discuss how the pursuit of creating surplus milk and dumping it across the globe has created livelihood crisis for small farmers globally. E.g mention the abolition of quota system by the EU; mention the Russian sanctions on EU milk; In such a scenario, dairy multinationals are ramping up investments in new economies. Their rush is destabilising local dairy sectors in Africa and Asia and pushing small farmers to the brink of despair; This milk rush is ratcheting up long-standing accusations that poor countries pay the price for EU farm policies crafted in Brussels; To further compete with farmers who supply fresh milk, these multinationals have set up plants where they reconstitute SMP, at times by adding some herbs, and sell those as “quality” milk; As India has not opened up its market to foreign MNCs, the later started exporting cheap dairy products to those Asian and African countries where India had a stronghold. Since 2015, India lost its largest export market of Bangladesh, Egypt, Alegeria, the UAE, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to the EU etc.
- Discuss the ecological impacts of such practices. E.g discuss the welfare concerns of the dairy cows in the wake of industrialized production.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Background :-
- Dairy farmers across the world are crying for help as global milk prices slump.
- In India, the biggest producer of milk in the world, aggrieved farmers took to the streets in June and August after wholesale prices of cow milk collapsed to below the cost of bottled water in several states.
- India’s milk production has grown at 6.3 per cent a year during 2014-18, surpassing demand for packaged milk. But the global price of SMP too has fallen creating a glut and price drop in domestic market.
Reasons why surplus is produced yet prices are glut and how it is affecting farmers :-
- Despite an increase in production, milk farmers are suffering because of a sharp decline in prices at which they sell milk to dairies. The reason is rising stock of skimmed milk powders (SMP) at dairies. India’s dairy sector has suffered from a SMP glut in the last 3-4 years.
- Global crash took place because of three factors:-
- First, protein concentrate consignments exported to China from New Zealand’s Fonterra had tested positive for Clostridium botulinum bacteria in 2013.
- Second, in 2014, reacting to sanctions following tensions in Ukraine, Russia had embargoed import of western foods.
- Third, in 2015, a three-decade-old milk production quota regime was demolished by the European Union.
- Diary multinationals :-
- Exploiting this rock-bottom price in major milk production zones like the EU, the US, Australia and New Zealand, dairy multinationals are ramping up investments in new economies. Their rush is destabilising local dairy sectors and pushing even more farmers to the brink of despair.
- Since the new free trade agreements under WTO are yet to be in force, the older one, the so-called economic partnership with African countries, is helping these transnationals dump cheap produce on emerging economies.
- These multinationals have set up plants where they reconstitute SMP, at times by adding some herbs, and sell those as “quality” milk.
- As India has not opened up its market to foreign MNCs, the later started exporting cheap dairy products to those Asian and African countries where India had a stronghold.
- Russia:-
- Russia imposed an embargo on European dairy products in retaliation for sanctions that followed 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
- Supermarkets engaged in retail are creating pressure to keep milk prices low while rates of dairy products have skyrocketed.
Ecological impact:-
- Cows are treated as machines:-
- Fifteen years ago, cows in Europe produced 2,000 litres in a single lactation period. Today they yield over 10,000 litres. This has been achieved through unsustainable milking mechanisms.
- To achieve industrial-scale production, big farms rear high milk-yielding breeds and feed them cheap soyabeans and artificial fodder from Latin America. Cows are induced with so much milk that they cannot walk.
- Calves get separated from their mother immediately after birth and all the milk it can produce in the entire life span is extracted in two years.
Way forward:-
- It’s time governments raised welfare standards of cattle.This will stop over-production of milk, create scarcity and reverse the demand-supply trend.
- There is also an urgent need to re-establish local market where farmers can directly sell to consumers.
- Small milk producers need to organise themselves into non-centralised and localised collectives that link directly to consumers. This will help them to stay away from an extremely volatile and vulnerable global system of commodity production.
Topic– Part of static series under the heading – “Food processing and related industries in India”
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the issue faced by food processing industry on account of inefficiencies in its supply chain. Thereafter, we need to discuss how contract farming can help in issues related to supply chain and help the food processing industry grow.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain the status of food processing industry in India
Body
- Discuss the issues related to supply chain and the lack of forward and backward linkages. Explain the problems that it causes for the food processing industry.
- Explain what contract farming is – Contract farming can be defined as agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a buyer and farmer thus establishing conditions for the production and marketing of farm products.
- Discuss contract farming can help resolve the inefficiencies of food processing industries
- Assured Supply resulting in a better control over the factors of production.
- The contract farming can aid the food process industry to encourage, incentivise and support farmers to enhance the quality of the crops. Thus assuring an enhanced quality of the input
- Elimination of canalisation and cartelisation due to APMC act will aid in decreasing the cost of raw materials etc
Conclusion – Highlight what needs to be done and how contract farming can be promoted.
Background :-
- With a population of more than one billion individuals and food constituting a major part of the consumer’s budget, food processing sector has a prominence next to no other businesses in the country.
Issues food processing industry is facing :-
- Supply chain issues:
- high cost of raw material (driven by low productivity and poor agronomic practices)
- Presence of intermediaries and APMC acts make it more complicated.
- high cost of packaging, finance, transport and distribution
- lack of organized retail
- Logistics cost:
- Logistics cost is high for transportation, warehousing, material handling etc.
- In India, Logistics accounts for about 13% of GDP, which translates to over USD130 billion.
- This cost is significantly higher as compared most developed countries.
- Economic issues:
- In India, the food processing industry is highly fragmented and is dominated by the unorganized sector
- Inadequate infrastructure:
- The inadequate support infrastructure which is the biggest bottleneck in expanding the food processing sector, in terms of both investment and exports includes:
- long and fragmented supply chain
- inadequate cold storage and warehousing facilities
- Inadequate road, rail and port infrastructure.
- lack of modern logistics infrastructure such as logistics parks, integrated cold chain solutions, last mile connectivity,
- Political issues:
- Absence of Comprehensive national level policy on food processing sector: The food processing sector is governed by statutes rather than a single comprehensive policy on food processing. India urgently needs a national food processing policy which incorporates tax breaks for the sector.
- The inadequate support infrastructure which is the biggest bottleneck in expanding the food processing sector, in terms of both investment and exports includes:
Contract farming:
- Contract farming in India has huge investment opportunities for global super-market chains considering India as a major outsourcing hub.
- The contract farming allows buyers and sellers to transact without routing through mandis.
- Under contract farming, farmers can be given seeds, credit, fertilizers, machinery and technical advice so that their produce is tailor made for the requirements of the companies.
- There would be no middlemen involved and farmers would get a predetermined sale price from the companies.
- The farmer does not have to make trips to the mandis nor worry about getting seeds and credit for farming operations.
- By entering into a contract, the farmer reduces the risk of fluctuating market demand and prices for his produce and the companies reduce the risk of non-availability of raw materials.
- Contract farming can fill the gap of lack of investment and land improvement by supplying quality inputs, giving technical guidance and management skills.
How contract farming can help supply chain issue in food processing sector :-
- Contract farming can emerge as a significant opportunity for companies whereby they can create direct farm linkages to source appropriate quality, quantity and varieties of inputs.
- The farmers get the high remunerative price for their farm product.
- The farm grower benefit from the agro extension program of the agro processor.
- The wastage of the farm produces now between 35 and 40 percent largely eliminated as the farm processing factory situated next to cluster of farms.
- It promotes best agri practices from different parts of the worlds.
- It will free farmer from middlemen and money lenders.
- Farmers income security through guaranteed price and access to quality inputs.
- Encourages new generation to take farming as new business venture instead of migrating to cities for search of jobs.
- Assured Supply resulting in a better control over the factors of production.
- The contract farming can aid the food process industry to encourage, incentivise and support farmers to enhance the quality of the crops. Thus assuring an enhanced quality of the input
- Elimination of canalisation and cartelisation due to APMC act will aid in decreasing the cost of raw materials etc.
Problems related with Contract farming in India:
- Very small and marginal farmers may not be roped in for this form of farming because companies may want a particular size of the crop which small farmers with their small parcels of land may not be able to produce.
- The medium size farmer may not be literate enough to understand the nitty gritty of the contract and all the clauses.
- The farmer may be forced to produce only tomatoes or onions year after year which will lead to monoculture and he will have no options left to produce whatever mix of crops which he may think is good for his farm.
- Predetermined prices do not take care of food inflation and in case there is a price rise of the product, the farmer cannot take advantage and make a windfall profit because he is under contract to sell at the price agreed upon beforehand.
Way forward :-
- The Niti Ayog thinks a model law is needed to streamline the contract farming system and make it more uniform across the States.
- Presently, contract farming has been co-opted by 22 States but there is no uniformity or homogeneity regarding the kinds of produce that can come under it and the conditions under which contract farming should be allowed.
- To make contract farming inclusive, farming groups like cooperatives should be encouraged.
- The idea of a model Act is to vertically integrate farmers producing fruits and vegetables with agro processing units for better price realization and post-harvest losses
General Studies – 4
Topic– Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators
Directive word
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to express our opinion on the given statement in the form of an agreement or disagreement. Here we can take any side but we have to justify our opinion based on a proper presentation of relevant facts/ arguments/ examples.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– Write a few introductory lines about the importance of morality in one’s life and for the world.
Body-
Discuss in detail about the importance of taking pleasure in moral actions and its importance vis a vis human flourishing. E.g The key idea in ethics is a human individual’s own personal happiness and well being. Each man is responsible for his own character. According to Aristotle, each person has a natural obligation to achieve, become, and make something of himself by pursuing his true ends and goals in life. Each person should be concerned with the “best that is within us” and with the most accomplished and self-sufficient success and excellence; the value of virtuous activity resides in realizing a state of eudaimonic character. Such a state must be achieved by a man’s own efforts. A person needs to pursue rational or intelligent efforts in pursuing goods and in otherwise taking control of his own life. Because a man might fail or be thwarted in his efforts; Because human beings possess a nature that governs how they act, the perfection or fulfillment of their nature is their end. A human being is ordered to self-perfection and self-perfection is, in essence, human moral development. The goal of a person’s life is to live rationally and to develop both the intellectual and moral virtues. There are attributes central to human nature the development of which leads to human flourishing and a good human life; practical wisdom is not only concerned with universals (such as good or value), but also with particulars which became known through experience in the choices and activities of life etc.
Take the help of the article attached to the question to frame your answer.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Answer :-
According to Aristotle, each person has a natural obligation to achieve, become, and make something of himself by pursuing his true ends and goals in life. Each person should be concerned with the most accomplished and self-sufficient success and excellence as the value of virtuous activity resides in realizing a state of eudaimonic character. Such a state must be achieved by a man’s own efforts.
A person needs to pursue rational or intelligent efforts in pursuing goods and in otherwise taking control of his own life. A human being is ordered to self-perfection and self-perfection is, in essence, human moral development.
Aristotle teaches that ethical theory is connected to the type of life that is most desirable or most worth living for each and every human being. It follows that human flourishing is always particularized and that there is an inextricable connection between virtue and self-interest.
He explains that the virtuous man is constantly using practical wisdom in the pursuit of the good life. A man wants and needs to gain a knowledge of virtue in order to become virtuous, good, and happy. When such ways of being occur through free choice, they are deemed to be choice-worthy and the basis for ethics.
Human flourishing is a matter of realizing that it doesn’t depend on what we have, but on what we are and what we want to do. This means learning to love ourselves, accept ourselves, and to live with ourselves. These are the key to uncovering the happiness that dwells within us, no matter what situation we are faced with.
When a person does not do what he/she wants there is no satisfaction achieved from the work done. For instance a civil servant who does his/her job without getting corrupt and still is able to work efficiently will gain immense satisfaction from the work done.
