Jan 23, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

ARCHIVES SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE Click here and search for 18th January, 2016 Spotlight/News analysis for audio. Sustainable agricultural development depends on the quality and availability of natural resources like soil and water. India is aiming a farm growth rate of 4%. Farm growth can be sustained by promoting conservation and sustainable use of scarce natural resources through specific localised efforts. In India 60% of the agriculture is rain fed and it accounts for 40% of the total food production. That is why the conservation of the natural resources along with the development of rain fed agriculture is essential to meet the demands of the growing population. For this, National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture was formulated. The broad parameters of NMSA are enhancing agriculture productivity through: Integrated farming Water use efficiency Soil health management Resource conservation This mission is a part of National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). GoI has identified 10 key components of sustainable agriculture, which broadly includes - improve crop seeds, live stock, fisheries, water use, pest management, nutrient management, agriculture insurance, credit, markets, access to information, and livelihood diversification. The last SW Monsoon was below normal by 14%. Overall the monsoon was below 12% compared to last year. As a result there were a lot of demand side constraints, especially in the case of pulses. The government has organised a national conference on sustainable agriculture in Sikkim. Some of the steps taken by govt for sustainable agriculture One of the important programmes taken up by the govt is Soil Health Cards. Soil Health Cards are issued to all farmers in 14 crore landholdings to promote soil test-based application of fertilizers and nutrients. Farmers will be given these cards, they will be told about the health of the soil, they will also be advised on the kind of crops they should have based on the health of the soil. They have to renew their cards every two years. Another major scheme launched by the govt regarding sustainable agriculture is Neem Coated Urea. Only neem coated urea is going to be manufactured now. The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana is launched for promoting organic farming. There is also PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, which aims at improving water use efficiency and providing irrigation. There are also discussions on setting up of National Agriculture Market, a common e-market platform for providing long-term benefits to farmers. States have been asked to amend their respective APMC acts. What needs to be done yet? Research and development in new seed varieties (temperature insensitive, drought tolerant etc.) Development of common manual for organic farming Privatisation of extension services Scientific validation of traditional farming knowledge and practises is needed, especially for pest management.

Jan 23, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - Sanction against Iran ends: Impact on India and the World

ArchivesSanction against Iran ends: Impact on India and the World Recently the various sanctions imposed by world community on Iran have been lifted making the event, one of the historic moments of 21st Having opening the gates of Iran to trade with the rest of the world it opens up many possibilities for Iran and also for the rest of the world in terms of trade and solving issues that are important in the region.Impact on India and world: The opening up of sanctions has opened new phase in Iran-US relations, The initiation of showcasing good will gestures by both US and Iran like Exchange of prisoners, Withdrawal of case in International tribunals, has definitely put the relations on firm footing. Iran can now play a significant role in resolving Syrian issue through active involvement in Geneva peace process, which Iran earlier opposed by European union and US. Now with lifting of trade sanctions Individual firms in Iran are free to trade with rest of the world however there are sanctions related to Human rights violations, Testing of ballistic missiles and terrorism existing. With respect to India oil prices are likely to come down and India will repay balance of 65 billion dollars which was pending earlier. Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline will gain momentum and start making progress. This is the biggest fallout of lifting of sanctions which India will hugely benefit. Access and Trade with central Asia is likely to pick up with development and operation of Chabahar port, this is likely to have strategic fallout in the region. Lastly, now with more stable Iran, It can play a very important role in resolving the Middle East crisis and work towards creating peace in the region.Mains question:Q.1) “With recent opening up of sanctions,Iran is likely to emerge as a one of the most prominent player in the region” Analyse this impact on India and world in brief (150 words)

Jan 22, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - University: Has autonomy and dissent become a casualty

Archives     University: Has autonomy and dissent become a casualty The recent death of a PhD student from university of Hyderabad has ignited the debates concerning the autonomy and role of student in discussing issues of national interest and the way diversity of thoughts are being handled. This assumes significance as 9 students who have committed suicide so far,(7 students in 2013 alone) belongs to Dalit community . Issues and Measures that can be taken to prevent such incidents The problem of discrimination based on caste exists since time immemorial however since then Absence of proper institutional framework to deal with these kinds of situations, has made such incidents persisting. There is no proper safety net as far as students are concerned Student union belonging to political party aggravates the situation instead of dispute resolution through proper channels. Prevalence of politics in universities. Legacy and remnants of caste are reflected even today through students, teachers etc This needs to change on a progressive path. There should be institutional courses or sensitisation programmes based on issues like castism, sexism, gender ,age etc to make students more accommodating when it comes to such incidents. The landscape of higher education is diversified than ever before, people from all walks of life are stepping in to universities having diverse ideologies and back ground. In this case there is a need to teach or create an environment to live and respect the differences inside the universities. Government, students, faculty, university, must take responsibility in quelling the atmosphere of dissent by making university a laboratory to groom students and build citizenship character. The interference of government in such incidents is highly unjustifiable, and impermissible instead it should try to resolve the issue without any partisan and through by providing legitimate constitutional outlets.   Mains question: Paper 2 (Social justice) Q.1) “Universities are becoming the centres of political vendetta” Critically examine

Jan 22, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22nd January, 2016

ArchivesIASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 22nd January, 2016 ENVIRONMENTTOPIC: General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy; Conservation, environmental pollution and degradationPutting wind into renewable sails The present Prime Minister wants to mainstream renewable energy (RE) and has set a target of 175 GW by 2022. Some experts say the target is too ambitious. To an extent, they are correct that the targets are huge and pose challenge to grid operator due to inconsistent generation.Precise and significant decision by the Prime Minister: The counter argument to the above arguments is that even the demand is inconsistent and governments and utilities do very little on demand-side management. Further, with improved technologies, renewable generation can be predictable with reasonable accuracy. The other important aspects to consider are pollution from fossil fuels, their finite availability, and the cost of imports. Renewable energy is abundant and domestic. Even if the targeted capacity is not fully achieved, the resultant successes will be better than meeting small targets. Therefore, the Prime Minister’s decision is precise and significant.Issues to tackle: The above targets imply renewable additions at about seven times the current rate. This in turn will require a serious overhaul of the systems and processes. Inadequate grid infrastructure, open access issues, poor fiscal health of utilities, inconsistent policy processes at the State levels and lack of quality consciousness resulting in the creation of bad assets are the major issues blocking investments into renewable energy sector.The case of wind and solar energy: Of late, wind and solar are unnecessarily discussed as competition. Both the sectors have a successful global track record. The benefits and drawbacks for each depend on the application and location. Wind power growth has declined from an addition of 3,000 MW in 2011to only 1,600 MW in 2015-16 so far, against a target of 2,400 MW. This slowdown is mainly due to inadequate evacuation, refusal to enter into power purchase agreements by some States, political interference at local levels and cumbersome land acquisition processes It should also be noted that the regulatory regime by centre and states is strongly weighted against wind energy.Against the wind energy: In contrast with the various land and evacuation bottlenecks for wind, the government is bullish in promoting solar. State governments are de-risking large solar projects by acquiring land and creating evacuation facilities. For smaller projects, when the investor acquires land directly, the processes of land alienation is exempted. Solar projects are also let off from inter-State transmission and cross subsidy charges. Currently, they are exempted from forecasting and scheduling.Promote wind energy: The Prime Minister’s vision will benefit, if wind is given the same treatment. In particular, national renewable purchase obligation (RPO) must be announced immediately. The wind-rich States should be allowed to sell surplus wind energy generated to deficit States. Areas near green corridor can be designated as manufacturing hubs to absorb power near source, reducing capital costs in transmission, and cutting T&D losses. India also needs to invest in gas-based spinning reserves along the green corridor for grid stability.Role of the industry: While the government has much to do, the industry can also contribute by rationalising excessive manufacturing capacity, and passing on the benefits of higher hub height and larger rotor diameter trend towards lower capital cost per kWh. Quality must be a key focus. Further, we should also revisit the tariff process. For wind, State regulators fix feed-in-tariff after due consultations with stakeholders and public hearings. However, for solar, tariffs are decided through bidding. It is perceived that bidding has contributed to reduction in tariffs. The recent low bids in Andhra Pradesh are also used to showcase this argument.Way ahead: In sum, India needs all sources of renewable energy and the government must promote every source on equal terms. Land acquisition, power evacuation, local political interference, tariff process, and quality are the key areas that need attention. It is also necessary to reconsider the policy without the restricted approach from purely commercial application of mind.Connecting the dots: Energy mix is the key for energy security in India. Substantiate. Critically examine the INDC targets of India with special focus on the renewable energy component in the target.NATIONALTOPIC: General studies 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health General studies 3: Nano-technology, bio-technology Superbug and quantum dot Rampant and indiscriminate usage of antibiotics, have led to the evolution of some of the bacteria’s like Salmonella, Staphylococcus and E. coli- showcasing their ability to shuffle their genes and defeat these drugs Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have infected about two million people and killed at least 23,000 people in the US alone (each year) and being the world’s largest consumer of antibiotics and a leading hotbed of untreatable bacterial infections (threat doubling over five years); India could do well to analyse the situation and strategize better to deal with the same. With advancements in nanotechnology, a new revelation has been forwarded- development of a light-activated superbug-killing nanoparticle (20,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair) and which has required enormous interdisciplinary research, stretching into biology, chemistry and electronics. Quantum Dot These nano-particles are known as quantum dots and each ‘quantum dot’ is one million times smaller than a millimetre Usage: These ‘quantum dots’ were used in tiny concentrations (about a thousand times smaller than current drugs in a pill) Capacity to kill- Could kill nine of 10 drug-resistant bacterial cells grown in a laboratory culture and the ones who are resistant to all known antibiotics—Claimed to have destroyed 92% of drug-resistant bacteria in a laboratory trial Working of ‘Quantum Dot’- Following the traits of the superbugs (evolve-adapt-fight back), these quantum dots can be tuned or customised, with an atom added or subtracted to create a new material, property or therapy, while using data from related clinical trials or drugsFashioned in the researcher’s laboratory in water from several semiconductor materials—used in solar panels or mobile phones—show different effects on bacteria: Cadmium telluride nano-particles have a therapeutic effect against drug-resistant bacteria; Copper indium sulphide particles help good bacteria grow Light excites electrical charges in the quantum dots and sparks a chemical reaction. Varying the wavelength of light, or size, composition and surface of the dots, allows selective killing of drug-resistant bacteria, without harming host human cells.If Clinical Trials approve—A simple administration of these dots to patients with infections can cure the infection without potential effects (or side-effects) for healthy host cellsThree models of quantum-dot therapy and drug administration envisaged: For topical infections caused by wounds or cuts, where a sticky adhesive patch coated with nano-particles will need to be illuminated with light to begin treatment For systemic infections, which will need the drug to be injected or administered intravenously As a disinfectant, on hospital surfaces or instruments—in a well-lit or specially lighted roomGood signs- If the nano-particles are dispersed evenly, will be effective for patients exposed to a well-lit room or photo-therapy room Other Ways—PRAAN Biosciences- Uses a separate discovery from their laboratories, i.e., a single DNA molecule to sequence genetic profiles to diagnose and treat the infections that drug-resistant bacteria causeGold and Silver nano-particles—They have been used to attack superbug infections but with varying degrees of success Lack of consistency with no guarantee Damages the surrounding cellsMUST READThe road from PathankotHinduRelated Articles:Save security from the establishmentCompassion on death row casesHinduRelated Articles:Capital punishment : should it be banned or allowed in India?Rural India too battles hypertension- Obesity and diabetes cases increase in urban areas; experts blame it on stress and faulty dietHinduGender equality still not a reality-Survey involving 13 states reveals there is no end to preference for boysBusiness StandardPower Tariff PolicyBusiness Standard Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India is just months away from deploying a regional alternative to GPSIndian ExpressAnd diplomacy won- The fruits of the Iran nuclear deal, visible from this month, demonstrate the necessity and benefits of multilateralism.Indian ExpressFine print of India’s start-up policy- The government’s ambitions of turning limited partner to venture capital funds has drawn sharp criticism from several quartersLive MintRelated Articles:Start Up India Stand Up India SchemeAll India Radio- STARTUP INDIA STANDUP INDIAMIND MAPS1. Birth & Death RegistrationsIndian Express2. PPP - Welfare IssuesThe Hindu

Jan 21, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21st January, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21st January, 2016   NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.  Issues relating to poverty and hunger.  General studies 3: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.  Government Budgeting.    The case for Maternity Entitlements going Universal Since the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was passed in 2013, policy circles have been buzzing with talk of reforms in the public distribution system (PDS). However much less is debated on the state of maternal health condition in India, which forms an important aspect of health sector in India. State of women health in India: Indian women are unhealthily thin when they begin pregnancy. The 2013-2014 Rapid Survey on Children finds that a little less than half of the women aged 15-18 are underweight. Further, women gain too little weight during pregnancy to nurture healthy babies. Maternal nutrition is so poor that Indian women actually weigh less at the end of pregnancy than sub-Saharan African women do at the beginning. As a result, India’s neonatal mortality rate is high, birth weight is low, and far too many children suffer the consequences of being undernourished in the womb.   Failed policies and poor implementation: According to the NFSA, “Every pregnant and lactating mother is entitled to a free meal at the local Anganwadi (during pregnancy and six months after child birth) as well as maternity benefits of Rs. 6,000, in instalments.” Unfortunately, except for laudable efforts in Odisha and Tamil Nadu, and a small pilot programme called Indira Gandhi MatritvaSahyogYojana (IGMSY) which is active in only 53 of India’s 676 districts, maternity entitlements have not been implemented. Supreme Court direction: Last September (2015), the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre about non-implementation of maternity entitlements. A representative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) responded in late October. The response suggests that if the Finance Ministry allocates funds for maternity entitlements (the Finance Ministry has, at present, allocated funding only for the 53 IGMSY districts), the MWCD would expand IGSMY in its current form.   Indira Gandhi MatritvaSahyog Yojana (IGMSY) IGMSY is a conditional cash transfer, which means that mothers only receive benefits if they meet certain requirements. Recipients must register pregnancies with a village health worker, receive ante-natal check-ups, take iron-folic acid supplements, receive immunisation, attend infant-feeding counselling sessions, breastfeed for six months, and begin complementary foods at six months. Universalise entitlements Although the NFSA clearly legislates a universal entitlement, IGSMY, which MWCD proposes to expand, restricts benefits to the first two births. This position appears to be based on the ill-conceived notion that universal transfers increase fertility. Certainly, people respond to incentives. But a Rs. 6,000 transfer is not large enough to persuade parents to raise a child they don’t want.  Children are expensive: The 2011 India Human Development Survey found that parents spend an average of Rs. 4,207 per year educating each 5-18-year-old child, not to mention what they spend on food, clothing, and medicines. Way ahead: Maternity entitlements are an important policy tool for encouraging better maternal health. But a well-designed programme would not merely scale up the IGMSY. It would be, as the law already requires, a universal programme, and it would do away with conditionality in favour of educating families about the importance of investing in healthy pregnancies.   Connecting the dots: Critically analyse the state of women health in India along with measures taken by government to improve maternal health conditions. Critically examine the various issues associated with conditional cash transfers in India. Should such conditional cash transfers be promoted? Substantiate.   ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General studies 3: Infrastructure: Energy (Renewable) ,  Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. General studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.    Shifting India to Clean Energy India is running one of the largest renewable capacity expansion programs and by 2022, India aims to have: An installed solar energy capacity of 100 gigawatts (Gw) Wind turbine capacity amounting to another 60 Gw The 175 GW target by 2022 will result in abatement of 326 million tons of CO2 equivalent/year. The next target is to double this, to 350 GW of RE by 2030 Positive Public Associations with Renewables: Assumed that the environmental footprint will be small and woes will be eased off- Anthropogenic global warming, Conflicts in petroleum-rich regions, Atmospheric pollution, Environmental damage Conflicts caused by coal mining   Solar Energy Ongoing scheme for development of the following owing to the high solar irradiation 25 Solar Parks Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects Canal top solar projects One hundred thousand solar pumps for farmers Solarisation of all petrol pumps, toll plazas across country But Utilization and maintenance of solar requires water or manual labour for keeping the panels clean Solar energy concentration technologies (some) kill birds by flash frying them in large numbers. Large amount of land is required— Setting up a capacity of 50 Mw in India needs about one square km of land A Gw (1 Gw=1,000 Mw) therefore, needs about 20 square km and 100 Gw will require upwards of 2,000 square km 40 Gw of that by 2022 is to be built on roofs Gujarat: Built arrays on top of canals Wind Energy Estimations speak of millions (by some estimates more than 10 million) of birds getting killed all over the world every year by wind turbines Each turbine installation consumes large amounts of concrete and steel, PVC and fibre-reinforced plastics (materials with cruel footprints) Offshore Location: Problems connecting to the grid due to the necessity of laying undersea cables Will incur much higher maintenance costs due to the corrosive effects of sea water   Overall Costs & Concerns Huge capital investment is required— around $95-100 billion equivalent of investments (at Rs 65/USD) to meet the 100 GW target of 2022 (current outstanding bank credit to the entire Indian power sector (conventional and RE) is $85 billion equivalent) Technical challenges— In integrating intermittent power generation via solar and wind, with conventional grids Grid-balancing needs to get smarter Requirement of smart solutions for net metering i.e., adjusting power bills to reflect RE generated and be put on the grid by the consumer   Labour-intensive-Manual supervision is required to install, maintain and repair installations. Thus, loss of employment and loss of revenues in— Construction Sector Less construction activity required Construction sector that has also led to ‘back-to-village’ phenomena- creating difficulties in the rural employment landscape- Think! Coal Mining and the associated value chain— requires much better management of the transition phase (laying off phase) Dependency on other fuels— Rare Earth Imports as well as crude and gas may increase (China and its market dynamics needs to be put into perspective as the country is the largest producer) Connecting the Dots: Energy and environment are two side of the same coin Write short notes on the following National Clean Energy Fund National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency   MUST READ Dealing with the slowdown Hindu   Forging PPP of a different kind Hindu Related Articles: Kelkar panel to revive PPP in infra projects How to fix Public Private Partnership (PPP) financing? How to revive the PPP model in India?   The new quota- Bihar’s job reservation for women is a welcome gesture, but focus has to be on increasing opportunities and capabilities. Indian Express   New power tariff policy tightens regulator’s role- The tariff policy has more than 30 amendments in the existing tariff policy — the National Electricity Policy, 2005. Indian Express   India must capitalise on cheap crude oil-Even if Opec finally cuts production, it will be more than compensated by the return of Iran Business Standard   Ending open defecation - The issue is deathly serious because widespread open defecation in India often leads to contamination of the water supply Business Standard   Revamping teacher education- Unless average capacity of the existing teacher pool goes up, we will not see clear improvement in education for 20-25 years Live Mint Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-13th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-12th-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-4th-august-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-16th-october-2015/   MIND MAPS   1. Impact of Subsidies on Environment Livemint   2. Loosening Fiscal Policy Business Standard

Jan 20, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- INDIAN Army – The Symbol Of Courage, Valor And Sacrifice

ARCHIVES INDIAN ARMY – THE SYMBOL OF COURAGE, VALOR AND SACRIFICE Click here and search for 15th January, 2016 Spotlight/News analysis for audio. January 15, 1949: Field Marshal K M. Kariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, took over from a British General. Since then this day is being celebrated as Indian Army Day. What is the significance of this day for the country and for the army? Though we got independence in 1947, the senior British officers continued to command the Army, Navy and Air force for two years. It was on this day that Kariappa took over the reins of Army from a British officer. This is symbolic of complete indianisation of the army. The Indian Army is a unique organisation. It is a “microscopic India”. It is secular, apolitical and maintains unity in diversity. It is the only army in the region which has never attempted to undermine the civilian authority. It stands on a good regimental system based on the ethos of service before self and courage & valour. The Indian Army has two basic roles. The first is the external role: defence of the frontiers. The other is internal security. Over 1/3rd of the army is deployed in J&K and North East. In these areas the army is involved in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. Also, as a part of internal security it aids the civil authority in natural disasters like floods and earthquakes etc. It was 45 years since India fought a war on itself. The last was 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. The motivation for the Indian army to fight a conventional essentially comes from the training to tackle counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. Training during peace time saves blood during the war. The major part in motivation is played by the leadership of the units. It is the bounded duty of every government to ensure readiness and operational preparedness of the forces; this depends on modernisation as well as having the wherewithal to fight a conventional war for a limited period of 20-25 days. In the area of human resource management, this year a veteran’s organisation has been formally set up to look after the needs of ex-service men. The fundamental of the army is the soldier. He is the man behind the machine. The leadership has to make sure that soldier’s dignity and welfare are taken care of.

Jan 20, 2016 AIR

All India Radio- NEW DEFENCE PROCUREMENT POLICY

ARCHIVES NEW DEFENCE PROCUREMENT POLICY Click here and search for 12th January 2016 Spotlight/News analysis for audio. The nitty-gritty of defence procurement procedure is not needed for the exam. Broad outline is important rather than profound knowledge on this topic. Read this link also- http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-26th-october-2015/   There was an announcement recently about change in Defence Procurement Policy related to splitting of Make category. It was intended to target the Indian industry; to involve them in business design, development and manufacture of defence equipment. It has been decided to split the Make procedure into 3 categories. The first category is the same that existed earlier. Once the RFP (Request For Proposal) is issued, the development agencies will be identified and they will develop the prototype of the equipment. So far, the funding was to the extent of 80% of the cost of the development. The recent announcement says that it will be increased to 90%. This mitigates the risk for development agencies. The second category of Make procedure is that the Indian companies would be free to develop the prototype of some equipment which they think will be required by the Ministry of Defence going by what is mentioned in the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR) suo motu without any funding by the MoD. But, if for that equipment MoD does not issue the RFP within 2 years of the successful development of the prototype, then they will be reimbursed. It will be reimbursed in full. The third category is actually specifically designed for the MSMEs, who have been complaining for a long time that they have been left out because of stringent selection criteria. MSMEs are big component suppliers. They are also into developing niche technologies which go into manufacturing and integration with big platforms. Hence the third category is reserved for MSMEs. A new category has been added to the exiting 5 categories through which procurement is done. According to this new category, Indian designed, developed and manufactured equipment should have 40% indigenous content. This means that Indian industry will be able to design and develop equipment and they will get special treatment under this category. In India, defence manufacturing was mostly limited to public sector companies. Most of these public sector manufacturing units have suffered from delays on the one side and poor quality on the other side. Now, the private companies are coming into the scene. For instance, Anil Ambani group has recently announced that they have tied up with State run companies in Russia to service and support the Russian origin naval vessels and helicopters. Similarly, Swedish SAAB group tied up with Adani group.

Jan 20, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - State of Indian Agriculture & Rural Economy

Archives   State of Indian agriculture and Rural economy Agriculture in India contributes 14 percent to India’s GDP and employs nearly 50 percent of the population. However agriculture sector has failed to gain the momentum due to lack of sound policies making it one of the most vulnerable sector of Indian economy. Following are some of the issues that needs to be looked at Agriculture is a primary sector employing nearly half of India’s population. However despite the fact that it has managed to employ vast chunk of population the growth rate of 3.2 percent per annum is way below our potential .This can be attributed to absence of sound agricultural policy which involves all the stake holders on board. A holistic approach towards addressing Structural constraints of agriculture needs to be done they are Increasing the percentage of irrigated land(only 40 % of the land is irrigated) Providing electricity(replicating Gujarat model) Soil health cards(It is introduced but now the Holistic implementation of the scheme is important) Rethinking fertilizer subsidy(issue of fertilizer Over subsidy, and encouraging organic farming) APMC reforms (Proper implementation of model APMC act is needed) Ensuring Subsidy goes to creative development of rural population A strong revolutionary agricultural policy at grass root level is the much awaited reform because Major subsidies of agriculture are not reaching small farmers(95% have < 1 hectare) The growth rate of agriculture insurance and credit is mere 4 and 2.5% respectively which is way below the prescribed growth targets. The present Crop insurance schemes are not serving the purpose due to issue of premium.(Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima yojana envision to resolve the issue of insurance premium) and lack of awareness Domestic issues like responding to adverse impacts of climate change and also formulating a strong actionable climate change policy is needed(The present NAPCC and SAPCC is not getting off the ground) International issues like Getting a strong verdict at WTO regarding issues of Subsidies, public stock holding, and Special safe guard mechanisms is imperative to protect the interest of farmers and all the necessary stake holders involved. Adequate measures to address issue of MSP of pulses and a strong policy towards Efficient use of ground water (Punjab is an arid area that grows rice (rice being tropical crop) using ground water leading to its depletion) is needed.   Q.1)"Even though Agriculture contributes 14 percent to India’s GDP and employs nearly 50 percent of the population the fruits of agriculture are not as sweet as it should be". In the above context Critically examine the state of Indian agriculture and  issues associated with it.

Jan 20, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture- How will the new crop insurance benefit the farmer

Archives     How will the new crop insurance benefit the farmer   Crop insurance is an issue that has gained attention to almost all governments given the fact that lakhs of farmers are exposed to vulnerability of Monsoons and incidents of climate change. In the light of the above discussion the NDA government has come out with new crop insurance scheme promising to address all the issues associated with it. Basic highlights of new crop insurance scheme It is hugely subsidised covering almost all types of farmers including tenant farmers. The premium rates are uniform throughout country and are bought down to very affordable prices ie-from 25 to 5 % for horticulture crops and from 15 %to 1.5 %,2 % for Rabi and Kharif crops respectively. It aims to cover insurance coverage target up to 50% from present 23%. Some important issues regarding the scheme Again like any other scheme Implementation is the Key. In this there is no proper specific guidelines on how the scheme will be implemented at farm level. Agriculture is a state subject ,the new Scheme is central, there is apprehension in policy circles that states are not taken on board completely while framing the scheme. The point of making technological assessment of crops as mandatory is ambiguous as 83% of the farmers are marginal and poor who cannot afford for technological gadgets like smart phones etc The entry of private players in to the Agriculture insurance domain is again disputed give the fact of credible and sensible functioning of private insurance companies. Governemnt should ensure that private insurance companies needs to have a proper system at place which is functioning very transparently. There is a significant level of ignorance that is persisting with the farmers regarding the availability of crop insurance. So lot of Insurance awareness campaigns needs to be conducted to create more awareness and to get more farmers on board. The scheme is not panacea because it covers only whether risks and not price risks. Patwaris are loaded with responsibility. And there is a huge discretionary element that is existing with Patwaris. There should be detailed guidelines on defining the functions of Patwaris or revenue officers so that they function efficiently. Patwaris who make crop assessment at district and block level needs contemporary  training to get in touch with new methods of technological assessments   Mains question: Paper 3 Q.1)”In recent times  Farmers are exposed to vulnerability due to incidents of climate change leading to crop losses and farm suicides” In the above context critically analyse the new crop insurance scheme that was launched recently.

Jan 20, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 20th January, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 20th January, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders..  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources; Governance Issues   Death of a Dalit scholar: Ancient Prejudice, Modern Inequality Following the death of Rohith Vemula (25), a doctoral student at University of Hyderabad, a new debate has sprung from all quarters and at the heart of the debate the alleged dominance exercised by the right-wing prevails, too strongly. Let us decode the background story Rohith’s Campus Activism— Ambedkarite Politics Protests against beef bans Persistence of the death penalty in the Indian Criminal Justice System Communal violence in Muzaffarnagar His weapons: Fundamental Right as a citizen Reservations policy owing to his socioeconomic background Empowering discourses of the Ambedkarite student group Characterised as: Casteist, Extremist and Anti-national Consequences: Evicted from hostel accommodation Monthly research stipend suspended Failures of— System: Could not provide a safe and a nurturing home Vice-Chancellor: Allowing himself to succumb to the pressures of the Ministry and take actions against him Society: Letting universities become a staging ground for unexpected cruelty and breeding a situation of “unequal life” and relentless inequality Constitution: Abandonment and a failure to keep up the promises of dignity & prosperity guaranteed by the Constitution A historical Deep fracture— An old theme, revisited: The ostracising of the Sudra and the Dalit student from the institution of education and employment as well as knowledge and power is a very old theme in Indian thought based on social structure and moral order Older texts that are considered sacred have also reflected much upon the relationship between Self-Society-Sovereignty   Mahabharata— Eklavaya (an archer prince of Nishadas) was rejected to be taught the art of wielding weapons by the great Dronacharya on the account of his tribal status that projects him as an outsider To learn the art, he secretly watches the teacher giving lessons to Arjuna and ends up becoming a better bowman than Arjuna As a tuition fee when Ekalavya complies to give away his right thumb, he is again discriminated against and is robbed off is hard-learned skill Therefore, as an outcaste he is denied, both: Cannot become a pupil Neither was allowed to become a great archer with his own efforts Satyakama and the fundamental question over one’s identity— leads on to believe that a ‘Brahmin isn’t born, but becomes’ SukhadeoThorat Report: The three-member panel had worked on the report on caste discrimination in the classrooms and laboratories as well as hostels of the premier AIIMS in New Delhi. Findings: 84%: Expressed the need for, and absence of, remedial coaching in English language and basic courses 69%: Did not get adequate support and mentoring from teachers One-third: Gave caste background as reason 72%: Discrimination faced in teaching sessions Report also spoke of— Forms of avoidance, contempt, non-cooperation, discouragement and differential treatment by teachers towards SC/ST students Segregation in the allocation of rooms in hostels, in sharing dining facilities, and participation in cultural events and games   IASbaba’s Views: The portrayal of government as the ‘only’ node of action to influence thought, that too— when the topic in question is ‘education’ that has always been the seat of discontent marks a deeply politically crisis that has stayed with India through centuries and to support it, wuld just be like leading India backwards. There is also an urgent need to look at the university— to reflect on the urgent need to remake it into a more open, free and equal space Please go through our detailed article “Bleeding Fault-lines: Bahishkrut Bharat” to understand the efforts in the past and the recent initiatives that have been taken to bring forth an inclusive society that opposes discrimination of any kind. Connecting the Dots: ‘Despite all the fusion and fission that the caste system has undergone through the ages, it is bound to maintain the permanency of its form’. Discuss “Dalit Movements for empowerment in independent India have essentially been for carving out political space through electoral politics.” Discuss.   INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.   Taking India Israel relationship to the next level India and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1992 and since then the bilateral relationship between the two countries has blossomed, with defence and agriculture forming two main pillars of the bilateral agreement. However, in recent years, relations have seen rapid growth across a broad spectrum of areas and the future vision of the cooperation is of a strong hi-tech partnership as befits two knowledge economies.       Courtesy (image)- http://www.worldatlas.com/img/areamap/ebe52d16d3bf4ed7bbc3df16fea96c08.gif Why in news now? The reports referred to the successful testing of the “Barak-8” long-range surface-to-air missile somewhere in the Indian Ocean, from the Indian navy’s stealth destroyer, INS Kolkata is making news at the international arena. Important thing to note is the Barak-8 (“Lightening” in Hebrew), brimming with cutting-edge technology, is the product of a joint Indo-Israeli development endeavour. Why did India try to limit its relationship with Israel? Even though India had enough chances to enhance its ties with Israel, it did not enhance, due to The wish to avoid angering India’s large Muslim minority against India supporting Israel in the Israel Palestine conflict. Concern for the considerable expatriate Indian community working in the Arab Gulf states. However now India is trying to enhance its relation with Israel and take it to the next strategic level. The potential for mutually beneficial collaboration between India and Israel spans virtually the entire spectrum of human endeavour — from national security on land, sea and air, through cutting-edge civilian technology in medicine, food production and communications, to cultural exchanges, enhancement of water management and rural development. But beyond that, there appears to be a special affinity between the two peoples that transcends cordial government-to-government relations.   Why Israel matters a lot to India ? DEFENCE: India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment and Israel is the second-largest defence supplier to India after Russia. From 1999 to 2009, the military business between the two nations was worth around $9 billion. India and Israel also closely cooperateon anti-terror activities and have signed agreements, among other matters, on homeland and public security and protection of classified materials and information. Israel has also pledgedsupport to the ‘Make in India’ mission in the defence sector. AGRICULTURE: This has been an important facet in the Indo-Israel relationship. India has benefited from Israel’s expertise in the sector, evident from the number of bilateral agreements signed between the two nations. While Indian agriculture is largely dependent on rain and an erratic monsoon, Israel, a global leaderin drip irrigation, has pioneered desert agriculture with sparse supplies of water. India hasbenefited from Israeli technologies in horticulture mechanisation, protected cultivation, orchard and canopy management, nursery management, micro- irrigation and post-harvest management, particularly in Haryana and Maharashtra. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently visitedIsrael, seeking agro-technology to address the farming crisis in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.   WATER MANAGEMENT: Technologically adept Israel has developed water-management technologies, locatedas it is in a semi-arid region with limited sources of fresh drinking water. Israel’s expertiseincludes recycling waste water and desalination. Indian companies and official delegations regularly visit the biannual Water Technology & Environment Control Exhibition & Conference, which showcases Israel’s water and energy technologies. IDE, an Israeli company, has built several desalination plants in India, including a 100-million-litre per day desalination plant at Nemelli in Tamil Nadu, commissioned in 2013, the second such plant in Chennai. TRADE: India’s total trade with Israel is $6.06 billion in 2013-14, up 57% over 2009-10. The trade balance stood in India’s favour at $ 1.44 billion in 2013-14. Mineral fuels and oils are India’s leading export to Israel worth $1.45 billion in 2013-14. India’s major imports from Israel in 2013-14 included natural or cultured pearls and precious stones, worth $1.20 billion. Stones and pearls are the second-largest commodity, in terms of value, exported to Israel from India after mineral fuels. Israel ranks 44th in terms of foreign direct investment in India, investing$82 million between April 2000 and February 2015. Since 2010, the two countries have been negotiating a free-trade agreement for goods and services, which should boost investments and trade ties.   Way ahead: Notwithstanding cooperation in agriculture, defence etc, both countries see themselves as isolated democracies threatened by neighbours that train, finance and encourage terrorism, therefore both countries also view their cooperative relationship as a strategic imperative. Connecting the dots: Do you agree with the view that Israel is a “natural ally” of India? Agriculture and Defence are the two pillars which determined the relationship of India with Israel. Comment. India needs to develop a strategic relationship with Israel? 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