SECURE SYNOPSIS: 18 MARCH 2019
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.
Topic: Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times./ Social empowerment.
why this question:
The question is about reaping the rewards of the second demographic dividend, in discussions on how population dynamics influence a country’s economy, demographic dividends merit significant attention. Thus such a topic becomes a potential UPSC question for GS paper I.
Key demands of the question:
The question must analyse first what is second demographic dividend, how is it different from the usual demographic dividend, more so specifically the Indian scenario, how can India reap and the advantages and disadvantages with issues and concerns involved.
Directive word
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Keywords:
rapid demographic transition, female labour-force participation, lifecycle hypothesis, social security burden, older generation etc.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
A good start can be with some fact highlighting the importance of Demographic dividend in India.
Body
The body of the answer address the following dimensions:
- What is 2nd DD – it is the result from an increase in adult longevity, which causes individuals to save more in preparation for old age. This increase in savings can thus contribute to capital accumulation and economic growth.
- Nature and potential of 2nd DD in India, Pattern in India
- Merits of the 2nd DD – savings, increased labour supply, human capital, economic growth etc. one should explain these with examples.
- What are the main concerns?
- What needs to be done to overcome these challenges and concerns and reap the benefits of the 2nd DD?
Conclusion
Conclude – unraveling the potential of youth must be substantiated sufficiently with the experience of the aged and old, so that they do not become a liability but assets in nation building.
Introduction:
Demographic dividend occurs when the proportion of working people in the total population is high because this indicates that more people have the potential to be productive and contribute to growth of the economy. In other words, the ratio of the working age population is high and the dependency ratio in terms of proportion of children and elderly people low.
Body:
The second demographic dividend results from an increase in adult longevity, which causes individuals to save more in preparation for old age. This increase in savings can thus contribute to capital accumulation and economic growth.
Nature and potential of 2nd DD in India:
The study on demographic dividend in India by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) throws up two interesting facts.
- The window of demographic dividend opportunity in India is available for five decades from 2005-06 to 2055-56, longer than any other country in the world.
- This demographic dividend window is available at different times in different states because of differential behaviour of the population parameters.
Many countries must consider utilising it fully. Indeed, adult longevity continues to increase slowly after a country has completed demographic transition. Although some demographers insist that there are binding biological limits to such longevity, remarkable medical developments continue to contribute to increasingly longer lives. The second demographic dividend will continue in most Asian countries even after the first demographic dividend has ended.
Challenges in India:
- Poor human capital: Formation reflected in low employability among India’s graduates and postgraduates. According to ASSOCHAM, only 7 % of MBA graduates have employable skills in India, and only around 20-30 % of engineers find a job suited to their skills. Technological change is making labour partially or wholly redundant in a number of sectors, across the world.
- Low human development reflected in the human development report of UNDP. According to the Human Development Index of 2016, India stood at 131 out of 188 countries. Life expectancy at birth in India (68 years) is much lower than other developing countries (Sri Lanka – 75 years, China – 76 years). The mean years of schooling and the expected years of schooling are still low at 6.3 years and 11.7 years respectively.
- Jobless growth: India’s high growth rate phase (2004-05 to 2010-11) has created significantly fewer jobs as compared to previous decades of economic growth. Around 47 % of India’s population is still dependent on agriculture which is notorious for underemployment and disguised unemployment. Majority of the workforce is employed by the unorganized sector where workers are underpaid and lack any kind of social security.
- Falling female labour force participation: According to data from International Labour Organization and World Bank, India’s female labour force participation rates have fallen from 34.8 % in 1990 to 27 % in 2013. This has further declined to 23.7 % in 2016, as per the data from the Labour Ministry. Socio-cultural factors and rising family incomes have been identified as the main reasons for this decline. Another appalling concern is that a significant proportion of qualified women drop out of the workforce for reasons ranging from no suitable jobs in the locality—particularly in rural areas—to family responsibilities and marriage.
- Poor Socio-Economic factors: The quality of primary schooling and teachers in India is very poor. ASER reports show the quality of education among children. Moreover, because modern ailments such as obesity are increasing in many developed countries, there is no guarantee that adult longevity will continue to increase perpetually.
Way forward:
- In order to increase the benefits of the second demographic dividend, it is important to exploit the wealth accumulated by the older generation.
- Much of the SDD to be realized depends on building sound institutions and carrying out crucial financial, social security and labour market reforms.
- India needs to increase its spending on health and education. As recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 and the National Policy on Education 1986, India needs to increase its spending on health and education to at least 2.5 % in 6 % of GDP respectively from its current levels. Enhancing policies to maintain and even increase health and longevity will therefore be necessary. It is also crucial to educate the older generation in saving money effectively.
- India has to invest more in human capital formation at all levels, from primary education to higher education, cutting-edge research and development as well as on vocational training to increase the skill sets of its growing working-age population.
- Increasing the number of formal jobs in labour intensive, export-oriented sectors such as textiles, leather and footwear, gems and jewellery These sectors also have a higher share of the female workforce.
- The flagship schemes such as Skill India, Make in India, and Digital India have to be implemented to achieve convergence between skill training and employment generation.
Conclusion:
A multi-pronged approach is imperative to reap the second demographic dividend. There is also a need to engage with the youth and create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship. The demographic dividend offers them a unique opportunity to boost living standards, but they must act now to manage their older populations in the near future by implementing policies that ensure a safe and efficient transition from the FDD to the SDD.
Topic-Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Why this question:
The article covers analysis of raw data from the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey 2018-19, in this context it becomes necessary for us to analyse the WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) policies for rural areas of India.
demand of the question:
This question seeks to examine the implications of policies adopted by India for water , sanitation and management with a key focus on the recently released National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey 2018-19.
Directive word:
Critically analyse – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Keywords:
flagship sanitation scheme Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Wastewater and Faecal Sludge Management, cycle of sanitation, ABC of water etc.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start by suggesting how WASH – Water, Sanitation and hygiene are intrinsically linked to health.
Body
Discuss the following in detail:
- Trace the historical evolution of WASH policies in India , analyse the various WASH policies formulated by the Central and State governments.
- Bring out the highlights of the report with respect to rural India.
- Compare the conditions from the past to the present.
- key components of the policy.
Conclusion
Conclude as to how India must review the Wash policies and find the weaker areas to improve the condition.
Introduction:
The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19, conducted by an Independent Verification Agency (IVA) under the World Bank support project to the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), has found that 96.5% of the households in rural India who have access to a toilet use it. The NARSS also re-confirmed the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status of 90.7% of villages which were previously declared and verified as ODF by various districts/States. The survey was conducted between November 2018 and February 2019 and covered 92040 households in 6136 villages across States and UTs of India.
Body:
The key findings of NARSS 2018-19 are as follows:
- 1% of households were found to have access to toilets during the survey period (the corresponding figure as per the SBMG MIS in November 2018 was 96%)
- 5% of the people who had access to toilets used them
- 7% of villages which were previously declared and verified as ODF were confirmed to be ODF. The remaining villages also had sanitation coverage of about 93%
- 4% of the villages surveyed found to have minimal litter and minimal stagnant water
However, there are still many challenges to the WASH in rural India:
- Solid and Liquid waste management:
- Just 6% of rural households use the recommended twin-pit system. The waste from the remainder of rural toilets could create a new sanitation nightmare — harmful to health and the environment, and even pushing a new generation into manual scavenging.
- For the more than 70% of toilets without twin pits, a faecal sludge management system is desperately needed.
- A 2018 survey of 30 cities and towns in Uttar Pradesh by the Centre for Science and Environment found that 87% of toilet waste is dumped into water bodies and farm lands.
- In Bihar, some households throw sanitary pads in toilets, burn them or bury them under the ground as they do not have a formal arrangement to dispose solid wastes.
- Most of the households surveyed in Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal also do not have any arrangement to dump solid wastes. Ironically, these three states also have more than 80 per cent coverage of household toilets.
- It is still a challenge for the SBM-G to manage black and grey water, especially, in areas near coast and areas having shallow groundwater.
- States like Odisha, Goa, Tripura, Telangana are still lacking in IHHL (individual household latrine application) coverage.
- Behavioural change failures:
- The researchers from the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment visited villages near Ganga in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and found that Usage of toilets was very low because of wrong design of toilets and absence of water connection.
- Small Sample size:
- The survey covered 92040 households in 6136 villages across states and UTs of India. On an average, only 15 households have been covered per village, which, perhaps, is not enough to have a holistic view of sanitation status.
- Swachhagrahis:
- The SBM agents, who act as motivators for construction and usage of toilets in the states, are underutilised. It also came to pass that in few states there is a long list of vacancies for the post of Swachhagrahis.
Way forward:
- The twin pit has been promoted by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as well as the World Health Organisation as an in-situ sanitation system which claims to bypass thorny issues such as caste purity, as owners will be dealing with manure, not excreta.
- Governmental Initiatives of Swachhata Pakwada Campaigns should be promoted to raise awareness of sanitation and hygiene. Adequate Budgetary Allocation should be given to construct twin-pit toilets at villages, public toilets etc.
- Teach them young: Children must be taught the importance of Sanitation and hygiene. Initiatives like Bal Swachhata Mission, Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan are pushing forward the objective.
- Competition raising initiatives like Swachha Survekshan Abhiyan will help in boosting the spirit of cities and towns to improve the ODF status.
- In places of water scarcity, trains etc. use of bio-toilets can be promoted.
- Technology like mini-jetting machines, robots to clean the clogged pits as done in Hyderabad and Trivandrum should be emulated in other places to curb manual scavenging.
- Swachhata Doots, NGOs and CSOs must be involved at the grassroots level to achieve 100% ODF by October 2nd, 2019.
Conclusion:
The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission is linked to the participation of the people. It depends on people changing their attitudes towards cleanliness, building and using toilets, and maintaining personal hygiene among other things. This means creating a ‘behavioural change’ in an individual is critical to help break old habits and norms.
Topic– urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Why this question:
There are several challenges arising out of urbanization with basic necessities like water, housing, employment etc.. The problems associated with urbanization and associated solutions are very important discussions to be pondered over from mains point of view.
Key demand of the question:
The question expects us to examine the challenges arising out of urbanization are mainly due to the muddled nature of urbanization itself, thus making urban areas to turn into smart cities doesn’t work out to be an efficient solution for the urban problems across the Indian cities.. We need to discuss the challenges as well and examine the steps taken by government in this regard and convey why it is more important to make cities livable and sustainable rather than aiming them to be smart cities..
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 urbanization in India.
Body:
Discuss at a broader level, the role smart cities play in a country, give examples of countries which are rapidly developing due to the concept of smart cities. Then move on to discussing some of the key challenges arising out of urbanization in India such as – water shortage, environmental pollution, lack of infrastructure, lack of housing for poor, employment etc.
Examine the causes behind it. Then Explain how it becomes important for the Government to rather focus more on making cities livable and sustainable(Take leads from the article).
Discuss some of the steps taken by government in this regard and the pros and cons of such steps.
Conclusion:
explain that urbanization is a big challenge for Indian state with linkages to economy, society etc. and needs to be addressed; give a way forward.
Introduction:
Over 34% of India’s current population lives in urban areas, rising by 3% since 2011. By some estimates, India’s urban population could increase to 814 million by 2050.This highlights the upcoming challenges in urban development for management purpose. In the light of urban renewal and retrofitting program by Government such as smart city mission it becomes very important to understand the inherent problems linked with urbanization process in India. India’s ambitious Smart Cities Mission will earmark an investment of $15 billion (close to Rs 99,457 crore). It involves making nearly 100 cities “smart”, and the “rejuvenation” of 500 more.
Body:
The Centre has seemingly given the project top priority and has envisaged sweeping changes in 11 infrastructure elements of urban life: water and power supply, sanitation, public transport, housing, IT connectivity and digitisation, good governance, sustainable environment, citizens’ safety, health, and education.
However, there is no standard definition of a smart city, so India will have to evolve its own. It is important to specify what we really want out of this mass-scale programme. If there is one aim that the Smart Cities Mission should have, it should be to improve the quality of life of the average urban citizen.
The challenges faced in Urbanization in India are:
- Disorganised urbanization:
- Cities look and feel downtrodden, riven with poverty and poor infrastructure, with little semblance of urban planning.
- Planning:
- The new challenge today is management of rural urban fringe as the expansion of urban fringes is taking place at rapid place.
- There is need of immediate long term planning for sustainable development of areas in fringes.
- Transport and communication:
- The future challenge will be linked with the urban transport facilities. Roads are congested, rail and metro network is inadequate resulting into movement within the city being slow and tiring.
- Housing:
- It has been already observed now the cost of living is too high in metropolitan areas. Crumbling infrastructure in public services has to be managed on far footings.
- Migration:
- Migration will continue as urban areas act as a center of economic growth. Problem of slums is about to increase and thus leading to health challenges for public health system.
- Groundwater exploitation:
- Ground water exploitation for commercial and domestic use in most cities is leading to reduction in ground water level.
- Distribution and water loss issues:
- Distribution challenges, such as water loss due to theft, pilferage, leaky pipes and faulty meter readings, result in unequal and unregulated distribution of water.
- About 40% to 50% of water is reportedly lost in distribution system
- Sanitation issues:
- According to the National Sample Survey, only 47% of urban households have individual water connections
- As per the 2011 census, only 32.7% of urban Indian households are connected to a piped sewerage system.
- Solid waste management:
- In case of waste management issue, nuclear, cyber and plastic waste will create a big challenge for clean and pollution free urban
- Poverty:
- Urban poverty has a very peculiar character. Street vendors and people in other informal sector, women, children and old age population will suffer most from the deteriorating urban ecology.
- Environmental challenges:
- Growth in man-made and natural disasters is another challenge because of unplanned cities.
- Urban heat island effects have already been observed in urban setup. Ex: Chennai flood in 2015
- Service delivery:
- Urban local government will have to do a gigantic task of timely service delivery as there is paradigm shift in public administration towards new public management.
Reforms needed are:
- A National urban policy should offer a clear directive to urban policymakers at all levels of government to bring in a more cohesive approach to urban planning and urban infrastructure investments. This policy should help India achieve the following
- Identify urban development priorities so that they fit in with national- and state-level goals.
- Provide guidance on reforming urban planning, urban legislation, and urban governance systems.
- Provide a cohesive understanding and coordination between national, state, and local urban policymakers.
- Provide guidance to generate a local urban policy and project action in terms of making private and public investments in urban infrastructure
- Importance has to be given to the providing human face to urban development. Playgrounds, green belts, open spaces, footpaths, public gardens have to be deliberately created in order to create an environment of sustainability.
- Digital India program and Information technology solutions must be made available at affordable cost to all segments of society. Bridging the existing digital divide is priority for true democratic setup of urban areas. Harnessing the power of ICT, NeGP, NOFN etc
- E-governance and citizen services — governance measures will ensure that the day-to-day drudgery of dealing with corrupt and inefficient officials is reduced.
- The recent policy proposal by government to focus on fringe areas is a welcoming step.
- Waste management has to be addressed at point of generation only. The case of Pune can provide some guideline in this case as it has a unique model of contractual system for efficient and segregation of urban waste.
- Infrastructure has to follow the green norms. Revival of tradition water structure can provide best solutions for water need of urban areas.
- Include green-house gases emission particulate matter 2.5 in the city planning in the light of their footprint in the municipal functions. It requires special efforts to organise waste management covering reduce, reuse and recycle principles
- The solution to the affordable housing crisis would be focused efforts on land and housing policy reforms, delegation of power to urban local bodies, fostering innovative housing finance, and the reduction in project costs and schedule overruns.
Conclusion:
Cities are living ecosystems. They need to be managed accordingly. The Smart Cities Mission should be converted into a Liveable Cities Mission, with focus clearly on quality of life using social and cultural yardsticks rather than a drastic change in merely physical infrastructure. Rather than going by populist measures or sticking to the original master plans, local solutions to local problems, innovative, in situ and tailor made solutions should be evolved, adapted and adhered to.
Topic : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
The article covers the theme of Job crisis facing India, it elaborates on how India’s jobs crisis is an economic issue, not a political one. It paints a clear picture of demand and supply with respect to Jobs available for youth in India.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss first the Indian scenario of Job crisis, why is it not merely job crisis but more of a wage crisis .One must first acknowledge the statement in the question and justify it with relevant facts and support the argument thereafter.
Keywords:
economic parlance, wage, the price of labour, formalizing the economy etc.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
Briefly bring out the current status of job scenario in India .
Body:
- First discuss the what is the Job crisis in India about.
- Then discuss how and why the Job crisis is more of a wage crisis.
- What should the govt. do to create jobs that best fit as a solution to the crisis?
- Quote policies that are in place to address these issues and what needs to be done in future.
Conclusion –
Conclude with significance of Job creation for driving the economy in the right direction.
Introduction:
Unemployment has become a chronic problem of India and in the recent years the situation has only worsened. The National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO’s) report, “State of Working India, 2018” data shows a record spike in unemployment in 2017-18. The overall unemployment was at a 45-year high, with youth between the ages of 15 and 29 facing higher rates of joblessness than others
Body:
India’s jobs crisis is an economic issue, not a political one. India is not unique in experiencing rising joblessness and, consequently, income inequality. Many developed and developing nations are grappling with this problem, too.
The reasons for issue of unemployment in contemporary India:
- The labour force is the sum of the employed and those unemployed who are seeking employment.
- A shrinking of the labour force is most unusual in an economy with a growing population, and thus a growing working age cohort.
- Low education and lack of skills lead to loss of many job opportunities.
- Discouraged-worker effect: A section of those hitherto willing to work may have simply dropped out of an already challenged labour market.
- Demonetization has caused demoralisation among a section of the already unemployed who may have given up all hope of finding employment.
- About 90% of Indian Workforce is in the unorganized sector which was majorly affected during Demonetization and GST introduction.
- Declining Capital formation which is not backed by Public and Private Investment.
- Low female LFPR to the tunes of 24% also adds to high unemployment rate.
- Automation and IR4.0 is a looming threat to many jobs which have repeated work or sequential work.
- Socially disadvantaged groups do not get enough exposure in the job market like the general castes and Other Backward Classes.
- Labour laws in India are complex and relatively strict. Employment protection legislation is restrictive, compared with other emerging economies and OECD countries. Thus, corporates in India tend to rely more on temporary contract labour, stay small or substitute labour for capital to avoid strict labour laws.
Unemployment is due to jobs crisis and not wages crisis:
- The wages crisis is due to supply and demand issue.
- The wages of a person are determined largely by the demand for skills and the supply of people with such skills.
- If demand is higher than supply, wages automatically rise; if not, they remain stagnant. To understand the unemployment issue as a wages problem shows ignorance.
- The proponents of the argument that there is a wage crisis and not a jobs crisis would do well to go back to economic history and study the work of Arthur Lewis, the Nobel Prize-winning economist from the West Indies.
- Lewis, in his seminal work in 1954, showed how in economies such as India and China, which have an “infinite supply of labour”, there tends to be a two-sector economy — the capitalist sector and the subsistence sector.
- His summary finding was that the living standards of all citizens in such two-sector economies are determined by the wages of the people in the subsistence sector.
- If there is demand for labour and skills in the capitalist sector, then the endless supply of labour from the subsistence sector will transition, and wages will ultimately rise only when the demand for labour exceeds the supply of labour in the subsistence sector.
Way Forward:
- Increase public spending in education:
- At 3.8% of GDP, public spending on education in India is lower than countries like Brazil and Malaysia.
- The focus of the government needs to shift to spending on enhancing the quality of education and vocational training.
- Similarly, allowing foreign investment in sectors like legal and accountancy services will create employment as more foreign firms will move to India.
- Infrastructure investment can also be utilised as an engine of job-creation.
- Investing in people through healthcare, quality education, jobs and skills helps build human capital, which is key to supporting economic growth, ending extreme poverty, and creating more inclusive societies.
- Educated unemployment:
- Besides promoting technical education, the government needs to focus more on creation of jobs and demand for workers since industries are unable to create sufficient job opportunities for all the technically educated people
- Policies should ensure that the education systems prepare young people for the skill demands of employers through outreach programmes, training, apprenticeships, and access to job-search assistance measures.
- New age sectors like defence and aerospace, education and healthcare, and burgeoning green sectors like solar energy and wind, present another massive opportunity to identify ‘upcoming jobs’ and prepare talent accordingly. India’s ambition to create more than one million new jobs in the green energy sector by 2022 is encouraging.
- Educated unemployment:
- There should be cluster development to support job creation in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Most of the unorganised sector employment is in MSMEs, which tend to be concentrated in specific geographic locations.
- Private sector leaders should build capacity among unskilled and semi-skilled workers to ensure sustainability of renewable energy projects and provide opportunities to rural communities.
- Government officials should create public training programmes to prepare the poor and less educated people especially semi-skilled and unskilled for employment in the clean-energy sector.
- People need to be made self employed by providing training in skills and latest technologies for agriculture and other avenues especially in rural areas.
- Women in rural areas who are left behind by men due to migration need to look into other sources of livelihood other than agriculture like animal husbandry etc.
Conclusion:
India has one of the youngest populations in an aging world. By 2020, the median age in India will be just 28. Demographics can change the pace and pattern of economic growth. While China’s spectacular growth has already benefited from a demographic dividend, India is yet to do so.
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Why this question:
Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is likely to be appointed the country’s first Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, after a Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee decided on his name. Thus the question becomes important from the perspective of GS II paper.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must trace the issues involved in the functioning of Lokpal. Bring out in what way it disputes the functioning of the mandate of elected representatives. You must also suggest solutions to overcome such an issue pertaining to functioning of Lokpal.
Directive word:
Critically examine – When asked to critically examine, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Introduce with importance of Lokpal in the Indian political system.
Body:
In brief discuss the following points :
- Importance of The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
- What are the issues associated – parallel system; It can dismiss serving all India civil servants, a power only president has. It has authority over CBI officers on deputation. With no additional resources, the power to dismiss a case as frivolous or false and fine the complainant. The lokpal bill attempts to alter the balance between three branches of government attained through years. Any alteration of it could lead to accumulation of power either with one of these or with lokpal itself. The threat is further increased by the lack of accountability in presence of sweeping powers.
- Provide for a comparison with other countries.
- Now suggest what can be done to overcome the above stated challenges.
Conclusion:
Conclude with the significance, end with optimism that though it has its own associated issues, but the merits outweigh it all.
Introduction:
The need for a governing body which can halt the ever-increasing corruption in our nation has become the need of the hour for a developing country like ours. An anti-corruption committee has the potential to take our nation’s governance to a new level.
Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is the country’s first Lokpal, or the anti-corruption ombudsman. His appointment has been cleared by President of India. Justice Ghose’s name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee led by Prime Minister. The selection was made weeks after the February-end deadline set by the Supreme Court.
Body:
Importance of The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013:
- The Act consists of setting up a team called Lokpal, headed by a chairperson and consisting of eight people
- This committee will have the power to investigate people who might be acquiring money through corrupt means
- All categories of public servants will be covered under Lokpal, including the Prime Minister, while the armed forces will be exempted.
- The body will also have the power of confiscating property or assets acquired by corrupt means
- One of the main powers of the Lokpal is that they can protect all the public servants who act as whistle-blowers
- They also have a special Whistle Blowers Protection Act established for the same reason
- Lokpal will also be given the power to conduct trials in a special court if they feel that the trial is of extreme importance
- They can also fine people for false or inaccurate complaints
- The fines can amount up to Rs 2 lakh
- The Act also incorporates provisions for attachment and confiscation of property acquired by corrupt means, even while the prosecution is pending.
- The States will have to institute Lokayukta within one year of the commencement of the Act.
The issues associated:
- The Act does not allow a Lokpal inquiry if the allegation against the PM relates to international relations, external and internal security, public order, atomic energy and space.
- Also, complaints against the PM are not to be probed unless the full Lokpal bench considers the initiation of an inquiry and at least two-thirds of the members approve it.
- Such an inquiry against the Prime Minister (if conducted) is to be held in camera and if the Lokpal comes to the conclusion that the complaint deserves to be dismissed, the records of the inquiry are not to be published or made available to anyone.
- The Selection committee and the issue of Leader of Opposition is still lingering and the recent selection of Lokpal didn’t have the views of the opposition party, which is against democratic principles.
- It can dismiss serving all India civil servants, a power only president has. It has authority over CBI officers on deputation.
- With no additional resources, the power to dismiss a case as frivolous or false and fine the complainant.
- Any alteration of it could lead to accumulation of power either with one of these or with lokpal itself.
- The threat is further increased by the lack of accountability in presence of sweeping powers.
- The lokpal bill attempts to alter the balance between three branches of government attained through years.
- The establishment of Lokayukta and any appointment falls within the domain of the States.
Way forward:
- The Official Secrets Act might come in between the way of delivering justice, this must be repealed as suggested by 2nd
- There is a need for a mechanism that provides for simple, independent, speedy means of delivering justice by redressing the grievances of the people without succumbing to the clutches of the executive.
- The issue of Leader of Opposition in the Selection committee must be resolved by amending the act.
- The jurisdictions must be clear so that there is no overlap in the powers.
- Any new piece of legislation even when implemented becomes lengthy and time consuming and stretched over years.
- The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommended the enacting of the Office of a Lokpal, convinced that such an institution was justified, not only for removing the sense of injustice from the minds of citizens, but also to instil public confidence in the efficiency of the administrative machinery.
- It is rightly said by Publius Cornelius Tecitus that “the more corrupt the state, the more laws”.
Conclusion:
Looking at the low ranking of India in Corruption on global level, there is a need to check the corruption by strong institutions. Creation of the institution of Lokpal and Lokayuktas by forming its members to function has come up as a welcome step. But it shall function independently of any political influence so that a proper system of checks-and -balance is maintained in the federal and democratic system of India.
Topic : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Why this question:
The article throws light upon the recent decision taken by the government in
re-classifying large hydroelectric projects in the new hydroelectricity policy.
It discusses in detail how this reclassification will catalyze the ambition of 175 GW renewable energy target by 2022.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss in detail the new hydroelectricity policy, the impact of recent decision of the government to re-classifying large hydroelectric projects. One is expected to elaborate in total and draw a big picture upon the future success and achievements of the policy, what needs to be done etc.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin with the highlights of the New policy.
Body:
Discuss at a broader level, the importance of renewable energy, the targets set by the government, the new dimension of re-classification, its impact on the target. One should not alone discuss the merits but also discuss any challenges associated with it. How should the government overcome issues and concerns involved in the process of re-classification and how should it overcome them. Quote examples wherein such a reclassification can show benefits to the program.
Conclusion:
Conclude with optimism, India is at a turning point of energy management and renewable energy is one such dimension that India can hope with .
Introduction:
India, with its commitment for a greener Earth, has pledged to generate 175 GW of renewable energy target by 2022. The Union Cabinet recently approved a new hydroelectricity policy that, among other things, included large hydro projects within the ambit of renewable energy. Prior to the policy, only small hydro projects of a capacity of less than 25 MW were treated as renewable energy. Large hydro projects were treated as a separate source of energy.
Body:
The measures taken up include:
- Large Hydropower Projects to be declared as Renewable Energy source (as per existing practice, only hydropower projects less than 25MW are categorized as Renewable Energy).
- Hydropower Projects (HPO) as a separate entity within non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligation to cover LHPs commissioned after notification of these measures (SHPs are already covered under Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation).
- The trajectory of annual HPO targets will be notified by Ministry of Power based on the projected capacity addition plans in hydropower sector. Necessary amendments will be introduced in the Tariff Policy and Tariff Regulations to operationalize HPO.
- Tariff rationalization measures including providing flexibility to the developers to determine tariff by back loading of tariff after increasing project life to 40 years, increasing debt repayment period to 18 years and introducing escalating tariff of 2%;
- Budgetary support for funding flood moderation component of hydropower projects on case to case basis.
- Budgetary support for funding cost of enabling infrastructure i.e. roads and bridges on case to case basis as per actual, limited to Rs. 1.5 crore per MW for upto 200 MW projects and Rs. 1.0 crore per MW for above 200 MW projects.
Major Impact including employment generation potential:
- The re-classification of hydro as renewables adds all that capacity to the renewable energy kitty.
- Renewable energy capacity would now be 1,20,455.14 MW or 34.4% of the overall energy mix.
- As most of the hydro power potential is located in the higher reaches of Himalayas and North- East Region, it will result in overall socio-economic development of the region by providing direct employment in the power sector.
- Provide indirect employment/ entrepreneurial opportunities in the field of transportation, tourism and other small scale businesses.
- It provides a stable grid considering 160 GW capacity addition by 2022 unlike infirm sources of power like solar and wind and a better energy mix.
- The effect on the stock prices of State-run hydroelectric companies such as NHPC and SJVN at a point when the government is looking to sell its stake in these companies
Challenges ahead:
- DISCOMS are reluctant sign Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Hydro Power due to higher tariff, particularly, in the initial years.
- One of the reasons for high tariff of hydropower is the loading of cost of flood moderation and enabling infrastructure in the project cost.
- Due to inherent risks associated with the sector, such as geological surprises, natural calamities, environmental & forest issues, and rehabilitation and resettlement issues apart from commercial risks and change of river basin during operation, many developers are averse to enter into the sector.
- The major commercial deterrents for the private developers are high capital cost and long payback period due to high gestation period which may also create issues in financing.
- The other issue related to Hydropower projects is financing and evacuation. Hydro Power projects are capital-intensive and financing them for long such as 20 years is really a challenge.
- Further, a number of hydropower projects are located in remote sites in states which do not have enough demand for electricity that presents geographical constraints in developing requisite transmission infrastructure for evacuation.
Conclusion:
There has been a huge imbalance in the thermal-hydro mix for the last few years because of a sharp growth in thermal and complete stagnation in hydro power sector. The importance of hydropower is increasing even more as the country has targeted to add 160 GW of intermittent Solar and Wind power by 2022 and 40% of the total capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 to honour its Nationally Determined Contribution for Climate Change.
Topic: Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
Why this question:
The article talks about Philanthrocapitalism. It quotes the recent example of Azim Premji and his actions of trusteeship and philanthropy. In this context one can analyse the relevance of Joy of giving, generosity that can generate instant Karma.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must analyze the importance of trusteeship that is primarily accentuated through the process of “Giving”, the practice of giving, or dana in Pali, has a preeminent place in the teachings of the Buddha too.
Directive word:
Elucidate – When you are asked to elucidate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidences. You have to appraise the worth of the statement in question using examples.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Such answers can have a good start through a relevant quote or a definition justifying “Joy of giving”.
Body:
Discuss briefly the interlinkages of giving, generosity and instant karma. Relate the instance of Azim premji’s foundation to the act of trusteeship.
Explain the virtues, their necessity for the common good. Explain how wealth is not an end in itself. A person who righteously earns wealth and gives it to the needy to a person with two eyes is a true virtuous person, such joy cant be done away with and is eternal.
Conclusion:
Signify the importance of the giving, instant karma – acts that you do have direct consequences on the state of your mind and heart, even as you do them .
Introduction:
“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Mahatma Gandhi. Service can be seen as an act of generosity, which entails giving more than is required, customary, or expected relative to one’s resources and circumstances.
Body:
- Dana refers to the act of giving and to the donation itself. The Buddha used the word cage to refer to the inner virtue of generosity that ensures that dana is connected to the Path.
- The joy of giving involves relinquishment of stinginess, clinging, and greed.
- In addition, generosity entails relinquishing some aspects of one’s self-interest, and thus is a giving of one’s self.
- The Buddha stressed that the spiritual efficacy of a gift is dependent not on the amount given but rather on the attitude with which it is given.
- A small donation that stretches a person of little means is considered of greater spiritual consequence than a large but personally insignificant donation from a wealthy person.
Example: Billionaire Azim Premji’s two philanthropic trusts earned ₹11,357 crore ($1.65 billion) over the past nine years by way of dividends, share sales and buybacks, becoming one of the richest and largest charitable trusts in India. The earnings of the two trusts—Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives Pvt. Ltd or APPI (earlier called Azim Premji Foundation) and Azim Premji Trusts or APT—go into the Azim Premji Endowment Fund. The fund, which releases money for all philanthropic work done by the two trusts, is now valued at ₹1.45 trillion or $21 billion, making it one of the largest private endowments in the world.
- One way that the giver sees his or her generosity return is found in “instant karma,” the Buddhist idea that acts that you do have direct consequences on the state of your mind and heart, even as you do them.
- The consequences of giving are quite wonderful in the present moment; if we are present for them, we can receive these wonderful consequences during the act of giving.
- A person who righteously earns wealth and gives it to the needy to a person with two eyes is a true virtuous person, such joy can’t be done away with and is eternal.
- At its most basic level, dana in the Buddhist tradition means giving freely without expecting anything in return.
- The act of giving is purely out of compassion or goodwill, or the desire for someone else’s well-being.
- Through generosity, we cultivate a generous spirit. Generosity of spirit will usually lead to generosity of action, but being a generous person is more important than any particular act of giving.
Conclusion:
Although giving for the purposes of helping others is an important part of the motivation and joy of giving, the Buddha considered giving for the purpose of attaining salvation as the highest motivation. For this purpose, “one gives gifts to adorn and beautify the mind.” Among these adornments are non-clinging, loving, kindness, and concern for the well-being of others.
