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Author: Explains

  • 13 Oct 2016 | GS4 | Do ethical considerations come into play in climate change negotiations? What strategies would you use to converge the ethical positions of different nations.

    GS4 (Ethics in governance)

    Do ethical considerations come into play in climate change negotiations? What strategies would you use to converge the ethical positions of different nations.

    Best answer

    Srishty Srivastava wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Ethical considerations become very important in climate change due to the inherent trade off between growth and sustainable development. Compromising on growth and deviating from “Business As Usual” scenario requires tremendous political will. In times of realism, only ethical considerations can fuel political will to work in that direction. Climate justice includes:
    1. Historical Responsibility – the developed nations (global North) need to be accountable for its past actions.
    2. Climate change agreement must not be used as an excuse to maintain their hegemony and prevent the developing countries from growing.
    3. Sustainability which is both inter-generational (Stewardship) as well as intra-generational (Equity).
    4. Consideration for the low lying countries and island countries who will be worst affected in case of global warming.
    5. Decentralisation of power and participation of communities
    Convergence of Ethical positions is difficult as we don’t have world government. So, the consciousness of working for its own people usually triumphs over working for the world at large. However, steps like –
    1. Better North-South cooperation by dialogue, diplomatic pressuring in international forums
    2. Concrete and robust technology transfer mechanism as in Kyoto protocol
    3. Legally binding mechanism and dispute resolution process
    4. Awareness and sense of urgency in the citizens
    will ensure a more pro-active and climate friendly stance from nations which will go a long way in guarding the tenets of climate justice.

  • 13 Oct 2016 | GS3 | What do you understand by the term “Bad Bank”? How will the Bad bank deal with the problem of NPA in India? What are the major issues/challenges in implementing the idea of bad banks?

    GS3 (Indian economy)

    What do you understand by the term “Bad Bank”? How will the Bad bank deal with the problem of NPA in India? What are the major issues/challenges in implementing the idea of bad banks?

    Best answer

    Udyan Ilu wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    A bad bank is a corporate structure to isolate illiquid and high risk assets held by a bank or a financial organisation, or perhaps a group of banks or financial organisations.A bank may accumulate a large portfolio of debts or other financial instruments which unexpectedly increase in risk, making it difficult for the bank to raise capital, for example through sales of bonds. In these circumstances, the bank may wish to segregate its “good” assets from its “bad” assets through the creation of a bad bank. The goal of the segregation is to allow investors to assess the bank’s financial health with greater certainty. After transferring NPAs of banks, perhaps only PSBs, to the bad bank. The bad bank will manage these NPAs in suitable ways — some may be liquidated, others may be restructured, etc. Getting NPAs off the books will help the PSB management focus on new business instead of having to expend their energies on trying to effect recoveries. A bad bank will be better focussed on the task of recovery. If it’s a private entity, it can also bring in superior expertise. It would appear that the bad bank concept has many things going for it.
    Challenges for Bad Bank in India-
    1.First who will have the majority stake in the bad bank? Will it be the government or private investors? Let us suppose it’s the former. Given the size of NPAs at PSBs, the capital required by a bad bank for acquiring NPAs will be substantial. If the government is to be the majority owner, how does it find the required funds? Second, a government-owned bad bank will be subject to the same constraints in managing bad loans as PSBs. Third, managing the sheer size and diversity of bad loans acquired from multiple PSBs will be a tall order. Last, a government entity may not be able to pay specialists what it takes.Here only a government-owned bad bank appears to be transferring the problem from one part of the government to another.
    2. Now consider the second possibility, namely, that private investors have a majority stake in the bad bank. These could be long-term investors such as sovereign wealth funds and pension funds. In this case, the price at which PSB loans are sold to the bad bank could become a major issue. If the price is too high, the bad bank will not viable. If it’s too low, PSBs will be accused of selling their loans too cheaply to private investors — we will have the makings of an ‘NPA scam’.
    3.There are other issues with transferring NPAs to a bad bank. a big chunk of NPAs at PSBs pertains to projects that are viable. These projects have not gone through to completion for reasons that are mostly extraneous to the project, such as problems in land acquisition or environmental clearance. With restructuring and additional funding, they can be completed and would create significant capacities.Selling these loans to a bad bank, on the other hand, would be a time-consuming process. It would impede fresh flow of funds into these projects. Their debt would rise as the interest piles up. Bad banks were typically intended for situations where projects were not viable. They were not meant for a situation such as ours where projects are viable.

  • 13 Oct 2016 | GS2 | If the goal of a university is not myopically defined to train students only in a particular subject, but is to prepare students for unforeseen and unimagined things that life has to offer, then politics is very important, as a part and parcel of college. Critically comment in the light of recently released TSR Subramanian committee report.

    GS2 (Issues relating to education sector)

    If the goal of a university is not myopically defined to train students only in a particular subject, but is to prepare students for unforeseen and unimagined things that life has to offer, then politics is very important, as a part and parcel of college. Critically comment in the light of recently released TSR Subramanian committee report.

    Best answer

    Aman Chauhan wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Crisis in our education sector hasn’t been a thing of surprise and to realise true potential of education in our society by advising on New education policy TSR Subramaniam committee was appointed which gave some novel recommendations –
    1. Increase spending on education to 6% of GDP (also reiterated by economic survey )
    2. Teacher entrance tests to be made a norm in view of poor quality teachers
    3. Establish Indian education services on line of administrative services
    4. On demand board exam to be introduced
    5. Mid day meal scheme in secondary schools (to ensure health and nutrition )
    6. Restrict political activities on campus
    7. Restrict stay of students overtime to curb disruptive activities
    8. Desirability of non -recognition of student groups based on caste and religion

    While welcoming some much needed suggestions , political restriction advice raises few questions ,because politics can help in –
    A- increasing awareness among students
    B-enforcing accountability among administrators
    C-gives leaders to our society like P.Chidambaram , Arun Jaitley ,etc
    Yet it does have negatives like
    A-increase politicisation brings bad name to universities like JNU case
    B-hampers quality time of students which can be focussed on learning
    C-in a long run may make students disrespectful and arrogant
    There is need to reconsider recommendation on politics in universities because, we should prepare these students to face any crisis in future and political involvement can help in their character building .
    Way forward –
    1.check for suspicious elements in campus by ramping up vigil
    2.promoting newspaper circulation in libraries along with academic books
    3.encourage healthy opinion building among students about various crisis from climate change to refuge deluge
    4.inculcate leadership quality lesson by frequent projects emulating real life situations
    5.constant interaction with students to address their grievances and minimise friction
    Need of the hour is not just preparing a workforce but leaders to guide our nation to prosperous future amid various challenges in the society and a certain amount of political involvement can be of immense help.

  • 13 Oct 2016 | GS1 | Recent reports suggest that deforestation has weakened monsoon rains in the Ganga basin and in North east India. Explain how deforestation affects the monsoon rains. Also discuss the likely consequences of the deforestation and measures needed to prevent deforestation in this region.

    GS1 (Geography)

    Recent reports suggest that deforestation has weakened monsoon rains in the Ganga basin and in North east India. Explain how deforestation affects the monsoon rains. Also discuss the likely consequences of the deforestation and measures needed to prevent deforestation in this region.

    Best answer

    Masala Dosa wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Deforestation affects the monsoonal winds and temporal and spatial distributions by:
    1. Lesser transpiration from stomata of trees.
    2. The microclimate surrounding a tree is has high humidity which means less density and thus vertical movement of air parcel, formatin of clouds.
    3. Cutting of trees means, vast barren land which results in lesset condensational nuclei.

    Apart from these, the undisturbed air and rising temperatures due to deforestation also affect monsoonal rains. Deforestation also affects in following manner:
    1. Loss of sustainable source of timber if deforestation is done without simultaneous plantation.
    2. Loss in fertility of soil due to increased leaching,water and wind erosion. Loss of water retaining capacity.
    3. Amplification of effects of floods and droughts – it has been documented that forests lessen the intensity of such disasters.
    4. Rise in GHG, global temperatures and ascetic loss.
    5. Many livelihoods are dependent on such forests like thosr of tribals.
    6. Destruction of habitats of several animal species. Like Rhino,Squirrels,etc.
    7. It forces animals like tiger,etc out of their habitat -> danger for humans.

    Measures needed to prevent deforestation:
    1. Integrating conservation efforts with people – Joint Forest Management, FRA 2006 implementation, etc.
    2. Checking illegal mining, poaching activities and smuggling of.timber.
    3. Promoting sustainable land use amongst tribals and.preventing sytems like Jhum.
    4. Operatiobalisatiob of CAMPA fund.
    5. Using remote sensing technologies for timely monitoring.
    6. Encouraging eco tourism in non core regions of protected areas to generate awareness amongst the people and meaningful livelihoods -> reduction in dependency on forests.

    Further schemes like Ujjawala, implementation of PESA and inter sectoral coordination among forest officials and people at large should be encouraged.

  • Poverty: Definitions, Measurement and Controversies | Part 1

    Subjects:

    Index

    • Why in news
    • Concept of poverty
    • concept of poverty line
    • Criticism of poverty line
    • Recall Period

    Why in news

    1. The government may soon come out with a new definition of poverty, with the Niti Aayog likely to set up a panel of experts to formulate a new poverty line. The new line, which will be different from the existing Tendulkar line and Rangarajan line, will also be based on the latest consumption expenditure survey.

    2. Reasons: To set a target for poverty reduction while preparing its first 15-year vision document and 7-year strategy paper, which have replaced the 5-year plan Also, to measure the impact of the government’s anti-poverty schemes and other welfare initiatives.

    Concept of poverty

    Poverty refers to a situation when people are deprived of basic necessities of life. It is often characterized by inadequacy of food, shelter and clothes. In other words, poverty refers to a state of privation where there is a lack of essential needs for subsistence. It can be further subdivided into absolute poverty and relative poverty.

    • Absolute poverty includes the lack of biological necessities, such as food, water, clothing, housing, and sanitation, whereas, relative poverty (or extreme poverty) refers to a poverty line, and is a definition of the amount of income a person needs to satisfy basic needs.
    • In basic terms, absolute poverty is a having a lack of basic resources, and relative poverty is more to do with income inequality.
    • Absolute poverty refers to a set condition, which is the same in every country, and does not change over a period of time. Relative poverty, on the other hand, refers to conditions which are subjective to the society in which the person lives, and therefore, does vary between countries, and can change over time e.g. more urban cities will have greater education, energy, and transportation costs, so the poverty line will be higher in this country, compared to poorer countries.

    Concept of poverty line

    1. What is a poverty line – The poverty line defines a threshold income. Households earning below this threshold are considered poor. Different countries have different methods of defining the threshold income depending on local socio-economic needs.

    2. Who brings out the poverty estimates in India – The erstwhile Planning Commission used to release the poverty measures.

    3. How is it measured – Poverty is measured based on consumer expenditure surveys of the National Sample Survey Organisation. A poor household is defined as one with an expenditure level below a specific poverty line.

    4. What’s the Indian poverty line –

    • Earlier, India used to define the poverty line based on a method defined by a task force in 1979. It was based on expenditure for buying food worth 2,400 calories in rural areas, and 2,100 calories in urban areas.
    • In 2011, the Suresh Tendulkar Committee defined the poverty line on the basis of monthly spending on food, education, health, electricity and transport. According to this estimate, a person who spends Rs. 27.2 in rural areas and Rs. 33.3 in urban areas a day are defined as living below the poverty line. For a family of five that spends less than Rs. 4,080 and Rs. 5,000 in rural and urban areas respectively is considered below the poverty line.
    • This has been criticised for fixing the poverty line too low. According to a committee headed by former Reserve Bank governor C Rangarajan, there were 363 million people, or 29.5% of India’s 1.2 billion people, who lived in poverty in 2011-12. The Rangarajan panel considered people living on less than Rs. 32 a day in rural areas and Rs. 47 a day in urban areas as poor.

    5. Why has there been so much criticism about the poverty line in India – According to critics, the government has deliberately kept the poverty line low. A low poverty line has enabled the government to show that millions have moved out of poverty. This, critics say, is factually incorrect as the definition of poverty line is disputed. They also say that the data lacks statistical rigour and has been released to gain political mileage.

    Criticism of poverty line concept

    1. Even though based on calorie approach, the poverty line is not a true indicator of malnourishment because of interpersonal variations in good habits.

    2. The notion of absolute poverty is inadequate because relative poverty is also an equally important.

    3. The poverty line, quantified as a number is reductionist. It does not capture important aspects of poverty — ill health, low educational attainments, geographical isolation, ineffective access to law, powerlessness in civil society, caste and/or gender based disadvantages, etc.

    4. The poverty line provides the conceptual rationalization for looking at the poor as a “category” to be taken care of through targeted ameliorative programmes, ignoring structural inequalities and other factors which generate, sustain, and reproduce poverty.

    5. Poverty line derived from personal consumption patterns and levels do not take into account items of social consumption such as basic education and health, drinking water supply, sanitation, environmental standards, etc. in terms of normative requirements or effective access.

    6. The head-count ratio based on the poverty line does not capture the severity of poverty in terms of the poverty deficit (total shortfall from the poverty line) or additionally the distribution of consumption expenditure among the poor. It is insensitive to mobility within the below poverty line group. It is also invariant to upward and downward mobility across the poverty line so long as such mobility takes place in equal measure.

    7. In a country of India’s continental size and diversity, poverty line based on aggregation at all-India level ignores State-specific variations in consumption patterns and/or prices.

    Recall period – Uniform Reference Period (URP) vs Mixed Reference Period (MRP)

    It is important to understand that a poverty line is essentially a monetary value. The idea is to collect data on people’s consumption expenditure, and to ascertain how many people surveyed fall below that poverty line. In India, there were two main ways of collecting data: Uniform Reference Period (URP) and Mixed Reference Period (MRP). Until 1993-94, consumption information collected by the NSSO was based on the Uniform Reference Period (URP), which measured consumption across a 30-day recall period. That is, survey respondents were asked about their consumption in the previous 30 days. From 1999-2000 onwards, the NSSO switched to a method known as the Mixed Reference Period (MRP). The MRP measures consumption of five low-frequency items (clothing, footwear, durables, education and institutional health expenditure) over the previous year, and all other items over the previous 30 days. That is to say, for the five items, survey respondents are asked about consumption in the previous one year. For the remaining items, they are asked about consumption in the previous 30 days.

    In the next series we write about how poverty is measured starting from Dadabhai Naoroji till present. Read it here.

  • Census 2011 | The basics and summary of important findings

    Subjects: ,

    Index

    • What is the census?
    • When was the first census in India held
    • Why the census is important
    • Key Findings of the Census of India 2011

    census_2011_image_1

    What is the census?

    Census is nothing but a process of collecting, compiling, analyzing, evaluating, publishing and disseminating statistical data regarding the population. It covers demographic, social and economic data and are provided as of a particular date.

    When was the first census in India held?

    Census operations started in India long back during the period of the Maurya dynasty. It was systematized during the years 1865 to 1872, though it has been conducted uninterruptedly from the year 1881 being a trustworthy resource of information.

    Why is the census important?

    1. The Indian Census is the most credible source of information on Demography (Population characteristics), Economic Activity, Literacy and Education, Housing & Household Amenities, Urbanisation, Fertility and Mortality, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Language, Religion, Migration, Disability and many other socio-cultural and demographic data since 1872. Census 2011 is the 15th National Census of the Country. This is the only source of primary data in the village , town and ward level, It provides valuable information for planning and formulation policies for Central and the State Governments and is widely used by National and International Agencies, scholars, business people, industrialists, and many more.

    2. The delimitation/reservation of Constituencies – Parliamentary/Assembly/Panchayats and other Local Bodies is also done on the basis of the demographic data thrown up by the Census. Census is the basis for reviewing the country’s progress in the past decade, monitoring the ongoing Schemes of the Government and most importantly, plan for the future.

    Key findings of Census of India 2011 (Summary for UPSC Notes)

    Source
    Key Findings Data & Statistics
    Total Population (2011) 1.21 billion (an increase of 17.7% from the previous decade).
    Male-Female Population Growth Males: Increased by 90.97 million. Females: Increased by 90.99 million. Growth rate: Females (18.3%) higher than Males (17.1%).
    Rural vs Urban Population Rural: 833.5 million (more than two-thirds). Urban: 377.1 million (urban proportion increased to 31.2% from 17.3% in 1951). Highest urban population in Delhi (97.5%).
    Literacy Rate 73% (up from 64.8% in 2001). Male literacy: 80.9%, Female literacy: 64.6%. Highest literacy rates: Kerala (94%), Lakshadweep (91.8%), Mizoram (91.3%).
    Population Density Increased from 325 (2001) to 382 (2011) per sq. km. Highest density: Delhi (11,320 per sq. km). Lowest: Arunachal Pradesh (17 per sq. km).
    Sex Ratio 940 females per 1000 males (an increase from 933 in 2001). Highest: Kerala (1,084 females per 1000 males). Lowest: Haryana (879 females per 1000 males).
    Child Population (0-6 years) 164.5 million (0.4% increase from 2001). Child sex ratio: 919 females per 1000 males (a decline from 927 in 2001).
    SC/ST Population SC: 201.4 million (20% increase from 2001). ST: 104.3 million (23.7% increase from 2001).
    Religious Demographics Hindus: 79.8%, Muslims: 14.23%, “No Religion” category: 2.87 million (0.24%).
    Median Marriage Age Men: 23.5 years (up from 22.6 in 2001). Women: 19.2 years (up from 18.2 in 2001).

    1. Population of India as per 2011 Census

    • India’s total population stands at 1.21 billion, which is 17.7 per cent more than the last decade, and growth of females was higher than that of males.
    • There was an increase of 90.97 million males and increase of 90.99 million females. The growth rate of females was 18.3 per cent which is higher than males — 17.1 per cent. India’s population grew by 17.7 per cent during 2001-11, against 21.5 per cent in the previous decade.
    • Among the major states, highest decadal growth in population has been recorded in Bihar (25.4 per cent) while 14 states and Union Territories have recorded population growth above 20 per cent.

    2. Rural and urban population as per 2011 Census Data

    • Altogether, 833.5 million persons live in rural area as per Census 2011, which was more than two-third of the total population, while 377.1 million persons live in urban areas. Urban proportion has gone up from 17.3 per cent in 1951 to 31.2 per cent in 2011. Empowered Action Group (EAG) states have lower urban proportion (21.1 per cent) in comparison to non-EAG states (39.7 per cent).
    • Highest proportion of urban population is in NCT Delhi (97.5 per cent). Top five states in share of urban population are Goa (62.2 per cent), Mizoram (52.1 per cent), Tamil Nadu (48.4 per cent), Kerala (47.7 per cent) and Maharashtra (45.2 per cent).

    3. Literacy Rate as per Census of India 2011

    • Literacy rate in India in 2011 has increased by 8 per cent to 73 per cent in comparison to 64.8 per cent in 2001.
    • While male literacy rate stands at 80.9 per cent – which is 5.6 per cent more than the previous census, the female literacy rate stands at 64.6 per cent — an increase of 10.9 per cent than 2001.
    • The highest increase took place in Dadra and Nagar Haveli by 18.6 points (from 57.6 per cent to 76.2 per cent), Bihar by 14.8 points (from 47.0 per cent to 61.8 per cent), Tripura by 14.0 points (from 73.2 per cent to 87.2 per cent)
    • Improvement in female literacy is higher than males in all states and UTs, except Mizoram (where it is same in both males and females) during 2001-11.
    • The gap between literacy rate in urban and rural areas is steadily declining in every census. Gender gap in literacy rate is steadily declining in every census. In Census 2011, the gap stands at 16.3 points.
    • Top five states and UTs, where literacy rate is the highest, are Kerala (94 per cent), Lakshadweep (91.8 per cent), Mizoram (91.3 per cent), Goa (88.7 per cent) and Tripura (87.2).
    • The bottom five states and UTs are Bihar (61.8 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (65.4 per cent), Rajasthan (66.1 per cent), Jharkhand (66.4 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (67 per cent).

    4. Census 2011 Population Density Data

    • The density of population in the country has also increased from 325 in 2001 to 382 in 2011 in per sq km. Among the major states, Bihar occupies the first position with a density of 1106, surpassing West Bengal which occupied the first position during 2001.
    • Delhi (11,320) turns out to be the most densely inhabited followed by Chandigarh (9,258), among all states and UT’s, both in 2001 and 2011 Census. The minimum population density works out in Arunachal Pradesh (17) for both 2001 and 2011 Census.

    5. India’s Sex ratio as per 2011 Census

    • The sex ratio of population in the country in 2011 stands at 940 female against 1000 males, which is 10 per cent more than the last census when the number female per thousand male stood at 933. Haryana has the dubious distinction of having the worst male-female ratio among all states while Kerala fares the best.
    • The number of females per 1000 males in Haryana in 2011 stands at 879 followed by Jammu and Kashmir (889 female) and Punjab (895 females).
    • The other two worst-performing states in terms of skewed sex ration are Uttar Pradesh (912 females) and Bihar (918 females).
    • Five top performing states in terms of sex ratio were Kerala (1,084 females), Tamil Nadu (996), Andhra Pradesh (993), Chhattisgarh (991), Odisha (979).

    6. Child population in India as per Census of India 2011

    • Child population in the age of 0 to 6 years has seen an increase of 0.4 per cent to 164.5 million in 2011 from 163.8 million in 2001.
    • The child population (0-6) is almost stationary. In 17 states and UTs, the child population has declined in 2011 compared to 2001.
    • With the declaration of sex ratio in the age group 0-6, the Census authorities tried to bring out the recent changes in the society in its attitude and outlook towards the girl child. It was also an indicator of the likely future trends of sex ratio in the population.
    • There has been a decline of 8 per cent in the sex ratio of 0-6 age group. In 2011, the child sex ratio (0-6) stands at 919 female against 1000 male in comparison to 927 females in 2001.
    • Male child (0-6) population has increased whereas female child population has decreased during 2001-11. Eight states, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya have proportion of child population more than 15 per cent.
    • The worst performing states in regard to sex ration in the age group of 0 to 6 years are Haryana (834 females), Punjab (846), Jammu and Kashmir (862), Rajasthan (888) and Gujarat (890).
    • The best performing states are Chhattisgarh (969), Kerala (964), Assam (962), West Bengal (956) Jharkhand (948) and Karnataka (948).

    7. SC/ST data as per 2011 Census Data

    • According to the Census, Scheduled Castes are notified in 31 states and UTs and Scheduled Tribes in 30 states. There are altogether 1,241 individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as SC’s in different states and UT’s.
    • The number of individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as ST’s is 705. There has been some changes in the list of SC’s/ST’s in states and UT’s during the last decade.
    • The SC population in India now stands at 201.4 million, which is 20 per cent more than the last census. The ST population stands at 104.3 million in 2011 – 23.7 per cent more than 2001.

    8. Religious demographics as per Census of India 2011

    The religious data on India Census 2011 was released by the Government of India on 25 August 2015. Hindus are 79.8% (966.3 million), while Muslims are 14.23% (172.2 million) in India. For the first time, a “No religion” category was added in the 2011 census. 2.87 million Were classified as people belonging to “No Religion” in India in the 2011 census. – 0.24% of India’s population of 1.21 billion. Given below is the decade-by-decade religious composition of India till the 2011 census. There are six religions in India that have been awarded “National Minority” status – Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis.

    9. Median marriage age as per Census 2011

    The median age increased for men – from 22.6 (2001) to 23.5 (2011) and for women – from 18.2 (2001) to 19.2 (2011)

    Source

    The next part of the series will cover the 2011 Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC). You must have read about it many times in the news, reading it on Civils Daily will make you clear as to what it’s actually about!

    FAQs

    1. What is the percentage of the child population in India according to Census 2011?

    According to the Census 2011, children aged 0-6 years constituted 13.12% of India’s total population.

    2. What are the important facts from Census 2011?

    • Total Population: 1.21 billion.
    • Male-Female Ratio: 940 females per 1000 males.
    • Literacy Rate: 74.04% (Male: 82.14%, Female: 65.46%).
    • Decadal Growth Rate: 17.64%.
    • Child Sex Ratio: 919 females per 1000 males.

    3. What is the caste-wise population distribution in India as per Census 2011?

    • The caste-based population data is not published as part of Census 2011. However, estimates suggest that Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) constitute around 16.6% and 8.6% of the total population, respectively.

    4. Where can I get a summary of the 2011 Census for UPSC?

    Various summaries and detailed PDF documents on Census 2011 tailored for UPSC preparation are available on government and educational platforms. You can find them by searching “Census 2011 UPSC PDF” or referring to sources like Civilsdaily and NCERT resources

    5. When is the latest Census of India conducted?

    The latest census was planned for 2021, but it has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The data collection is still pending as of the last update.

  • 12 Oct 2016 | Debate | Should we go for more surgical strikes?

    Despite the recent surgical strikes there have been more attacks on army installations and increased infiltration attempts. The Pampore operation is still going on. See here for a brief update – http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pampore-security-operation-to-flush-out-militants-enters-third-day-3078056/

    Today’s debate is – If you were the National Security Advisor and were given the responsibility of deciding, by the PM, whether to go for more surgical strikes or not, what would be your decision? Keep in mind that the Pakistani Army is now more alert and future surgical strikes could result in Indian casualties.

  • 12 Oct 2016 | GS4 | The public will only trust the government when it delivers its services efficiently. What are the challenges in delivering services efficiently? How will you improve the delivery?

    GS4 (Quality of service delivery)

    The public will only trust the government when it delivers its services efficiently. What are the challenges in delivering services efficiently? How will you improve the delivery?

    Best answer

    Srishty Srivastava wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    The public’s faith and trust in the government depends on its ability to perform its duties in an proper manner. Service delivery is an important duty of the government and so, failure in providing public services tarnishes the credibility of the establishment.
    Challenges in delivering service are manifold:-
    1. Citizen Charter:- Lack of uniformity in standards at state level, ambitious standards that are difficult achieve.
    2. Poor targetting and leakages resulting in exclusion and inclusion errors
    2. Ineffective monitoring and review mechanism in order to flag off inefficiencies in processes
    3. Lack of an effective grievance redressal mechanism
    4. Bureaucratic Apathy
    5. Corruption, Nepotism, conflict of interest starting from the lower rungs to the top of hierarchy
    6. Lack of active disclosures under RTI due to problems with handling and storing data resulting in lack accountability and transparency

    The solution would lie in:
    1. embracing e-governance and ICT solutions to solve the problems of lack of accountability and transparency. Only digitisation of processes would not solve the problem. Revamping of the entire process is needed in application of ICT.
    2. Citizen Charter Bill may help in streamlining and homogenising the service standards, quality control, redressal mechanism.
    3. Active transparency under RTI must be encouraged and incentivised.
    4. Grievance redressal must be made more user-friendly and time-bound with better UI, information placement, system of escalation in case of dissatisfaction with remedial measures.
    5. Bureaucracy must be empathetic to the needs of citizens and ensure that laws are not used to exploit the citizens but to aid them.

    Servitude, sense of social justice, empathic responses to the needs of citizens and accountability in duty are the essence of a successful public service delivery paradigm. Therefore, an attitudinal change is required on part of the government. The rest will follow.

  • 12 Oct 2016 | GS3 | In order to curb the level of vehicular pollution and not to be left behind than the developed nations, India has decided to meet the implementation of BS VI norms by 2020 skipping BS V implementation. What are Bharat Stage (BS) norms? What are the benefits of these norms and what are the challenges automobile manufacturers and the consumers face if India skip BS V and directly implements BS VI?

    GS3 (Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology)

    In order to curb the level of vehicular pollution and not to be left behind than the developed nations, India has decided to meet the implementation of BS VI norms by 2020 skipping BS V implementation. What are Bharat Stage (BS) norms? What are the benefits of these norms and what are the challenges automobile manufacturers and the consumers face if India skip BS V and directly implements BS VI?

    Best answer

    Akshay Bansode wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Bharat Stage is Indian Standard of Pollution control norms.Its applicable on Oil Manufacturing Company and Automobile Manufacturer. With successive upgradation Pollution control norms become more strict like,
    — Lesser content of so2/no2 released.
    — proper filtration of PM level and other toxic particle.
    With 2020 Country aims to implement BS-6 fully.

    Benefits:
    1) BS is in sync with european standard thus No question on India’s Standard of Pollution control.
    2) Will contribute more to India’s INDC efforts as BS triggered Pollution control norms with successive upgradation.
    3) BS-6 will filter low PM level from air along with no2 and so2 hence will benefit in fight against astham and lungs problem.
    4) will be in line with Article 21 right to Pollution free environment.

    Challenge faced on direct jump to BS-6 skipping BS-5 norms:

    A) Automobile Mfg:
    1) Adaptation of Technology may take some time hence can harm Market since Foreign Firms already has advanced technology.
    2) Finance needed for upgradation of Technology.
    3) Added Mfg cost will increase Market prices of Automobile hence dwarfing of consumer base.

    B) Consumer:
    1) As Oil Manufacturing Company also need to upgrade fuel hence added petroleum cost will effect transportation cost.
    2)It may lead to inflation too
    3) Interest on car loan too may change.

    Way Forward:
    — Govt should subsidize OMC and Automobile Mfg for Adaptation to fuel standard.
    — Govt can Consider for MoU with developed country for transfer of Technology.

  • 12 Oct 2016 | GS2 | According to some experts, SC has been unable to focus on matters of constitutional importance due to regular functioning. For what reasons does India need a National Court of Appeal? Critically examine the pros and cons of having a National Court of Appeal.

    GS2 (Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government)

    According to some experts, SC has been unable to focus on matters of constitutional importance due to regular functioning. For what reasons does India need a National Court of Appeal? Critically examine the pros and cons of having a National Court of Appeal.

    Best answer

    Bhavika wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Currently the Supreme court is the court of appeal for all 24 High courts of the country which has led to the huge case pendency & backlogs also leads to difficulties for a common man.It is in this context that the idea of NCA with regional or zonal courts of appeal is mooted.

    NEED-

    1. people have to face both physical and financial difficulties to travel & stay in New delhi.
    2. almost all cases from HCs arrive to SC for appeal which leads to erosion of authority of HCs & inablity of SC to concentrate on determining only fundamental questions of constitutional importance.

    PROS-

    1. access to justice due to geographical proximity
    2. speedy & efficient delivery of justice
    3. increase in powers & authority of regional courts
    4. save time and expertise

    CONS-

    1. require an amendment in Article 130 of the Constitution which is impermissible as this would change the constitution of the Supreme Court completely.
    2.dilute constitutional superiority of SC
    3. conflict between courts on the question of jurisdiction
    4. lack of competent human resource
    5. dire need is not presented by the states or political class

    WAY FORWARD-

    1. arbitration centres and lok adalats
    2. strengthen subordinate judiciary (high courts)
    3. The challenges to orders of tribunals must only be allowed to be entertained by Division Benches of High Courts and not directly to the Supreme Court.

    Thus we need to strategize and reconfigure our existing judicial hierarchy to the rising challenges before adding a new layer to it.

  • 12 Oct 2016 | GS1 | Recently Bihar government has put a ban on alcohol consumption in the state. What are the social and economic costs the state may suffer due to the ban? Do measures like alcohol ban prove effective in reforming the society and reducing cases of domestic violence?

    GS1 (Indian society)

    Recently Bihar government has put a ban on alcohol consumption in the state. What are the social and economic costs the state may suffer due to the ban? Do measures like alcohol ban prove effective in reforming the society and reducing cases of domestic violence?

    Best answer

    Aman Chauhan wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Populistic promises like alcohol ban find ample support from women section in the society . Alcohol menace leads to
    1. Increased road traffic accidents
    2. Increased domestic violence against women
    3. Decreased family fortunes
    4. Increased health woes
    5. Increases crime in society

    From TamilNadu ,Gujarat(dry state) to Bihar and Kerala ,govt is resorting to banning alcohol sale in the states to curb this menace arising out of its consumption .But, it has its social and economic costs like – 1.It deprives individual of right to choice and personal liberty.

    2.criminalises the activity of sales and leads to bootlegging ,liquor mafias and increased sale of spurious liquor along with corruption eg. Recently 15 people died due to consumption of spurious liquor in Bihar.

    3. Takes away precious revenue – Approximately 30000crore was earned in revenues in 2015-16 from sale of alcohol and excise on manufacturing spirits . This income helps to splurge expenditure on social sector like free rice to all ration card holders , financing noon meal schemes in schools and anganwadis.

    4.Tourism industry of that particular state takes a hit as it is seen as unattractive to tourists due to such bans for eg. Kerala 5. Disposes people to more harmful addictions of cannabis ,LSD,cocaine ,etc.
    6.Its noted that manual labour often take some amounts of alcohol which helps them to do heavy lifting and loading without hampering their working capacity. Alcohol ban may be unwanted for such labourers

    Undoubtedly , ban on consumption of intoxicating substances is Gandhian DPSP but, it doesn’t magically transform the society and increases other ills ,domestic violence decreases marginally but families worsen due to spike in consumption of other harmful substances . So way forward is –

    1. Find alternate sources of revenue
    2.ramp up law and order machinery to check sale of spurious liquor
    3.check its sale to juveniles
    4.Increase awareness about domestic violence act
    5.spreading awareness campaigns and advertisements about ills of alcohol consumption so that individuals monitor themselves rather than the government .

    History is against total clampdown on liquor consumption. what govt can do is regulate
    rather then introduce a blanket ban.

  • 11 Oct 2016 | GS4 | Is diligence an important value for a civil servant? How would you inculcate it?

    GS4 (Ethics in public administration)

    Is diligence an important value for a civil servant? How would you inculcate it?

    Best answer

    Srishty Srivastave wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

     Diligence implies steadfast application, assiduousness and industry. It is important for a civil servant as it stems from the belief that work is an end in itself and not a means to an end. Work performed as duty with diligence will be better performed than work performed for some material or non-material gain. As a civil servant, service to the public is our duty, therefore it must be performed with all the diligence and sincerity that one possesses. Therefore, diligence is important in application of other values as well.
    Diligence will make a civil servant go beyond his office hours to complete the assigned work. It will make him/her put in extra effort in reaching out for participation of people and undertaking better due diligence in regulatory compliance.
    It can only be inculcated by a strong motivation towards work and by attempting to think of work not only as a means to achieve something bigger and better like prestige, social status, power but as a reward in itself. Hence, this inculcation can only be an intrinsic one by a change in attitude and mindset towards work. While attitude alignment can be done by rewards and punishments coming from an external source, the transcendence of external gratification can only come from within.

  • 11 Oct 2016 | GS3 | What do you understand by universal basic income? Should the inefficient subsidy regime in India be replaced by the Universal basic income system? Critically analyse.

    GS3 (Economy)

    What do you understand by universal basic income? Should the inefficient subsidy regime in India be replaced by the Universal basic income system? Critically analyse.

    Best answer

    Bhavika wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    The Basic income or universal demogrant is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all residents on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.
    The persistence of poverty and significant leakages in welfare schemes that aim to alleviate it has prompted the idea of UBI.
    But how far is it justifiable to give charity to able bodied persons?

    Benefits-

    1. potentially comprehensive antidote to poverty -minimum income security would enable individuals to plan their lives better and undertake more meaningful activities and also raise their bargaining power.
    2. simpler & easier to administer-could replace 100 odd schemes that govt runs for poverty elimination.
    3. Equitable & wide safety net
    4. open organised credit avenues for poor who currently borrow from unorganised sector.
    5. in the light of fears of automation and consequent job losses,UBI can guarantee all individuals some income.
    6. can prevent collapse of consumer market due to decrease in purchasing power because of income inequality or work obsolescence.

    Improvement over current subsidy regime:
    1 targeted welfare services often excludes a lot of the deserving households from receiving subsidies and it becomes difficult to ascertain who are rightfully entitled to receive such benefits.
    2.Historic focus of poverty elimination schemes on individuals poor by virtue of accident of their birth but with declining poverty, the accident of birth has become less important than the accident of life
    3. reduce the burden of the bureaucracy in identifying the deserving beneficiaries.
    4. Minimize Leakages.

    challenges-

    1. Inadequate banking network-Inspite of huge success of dhan jan yojana,there are still many who do not have bank accounts hence hampering the delivery of the service.
    2. It can lead to erosion of purchasing power on account of inflation.
    3. fiscal affordability-huge pressure on govt budget(around 5-10% of GDP )
    4. reduce the motivation for work and might encourage people to live off assured cash transfers
    5. Might raise wages due to the decline in the supply of casual labourers.
    6. political feasibility-since it involves elimination of existing benefits to some powerful interest groups.

    Way forward-
    the government should ensure the minimum level of subsistence for all, but only to those who show willingness to work.In such a transition to a universal basic income, the government should not resort to raising additional tax revenue through indirect taxes and cess thereon.
    Thus the idea of a basic income should not be unconditional & a substitute for all existing subsidies rather it should complement the existing ones.

  • 11 Oct 2016 | GS2 | While simultaneous elections for Centre and state are necessary to overcome the “policy paralysis and governance deficit, there are practical problems in its implementation. Discuss.

    GS2 (Polity and governance)

    While simultaneous elections for Centre and state are necessary to overcome the “policy paralysis and governance deficit, there are practical problems in its implementation. Discuss.

    Best answer

    Kunal Agarwal wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Simultaneous elections for Centre and state have been proposed by various people including the Prime Minister.

    Problems with frequent elections:
    – New policies can no the announced
    – Huge expenditure to the government exchequer
    – Ministers busy in promotion and election work

    Frequent elections do have some benefits for people:
    – It generates employment for party workers and other government employees
    – Keeps politicians on their toes to work for people
    – Provides clear demarcation in state level and central level issues for people

    Simultaneous election will help in solving out these problems and improve governance. However, it has following practical issues:
    – Current tenures of government will have to be extended or curbed
    – Government can be dissolved due to lack of confidence which will lead to discontinuity in the practice over long term
    – People tend to vote for same party ay both state and central elections which will impede on the principles of federalism
    – Election commission may also face human resources issues and problems inc conducting elections

    Elections were held simultaneous for the first few terms after independence and the break from trend could not stopped. It would be practical difficult and may need consensus among parties and constitutional amendments to ensure this over long term.

  • 11 Oct 2016 | GS1 | Integral humanism of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya can solve many problems of the contemporary India. Comment.

    GS1 (Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues)

    Integral humanism of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya can solve many problems of the contemporary India. Comment.

    Best answer

    Nitish Singh wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Deriving from Shankara’s Advaitavad and similar to Buddha’s middle path, Deen Dayal Upadhaya’s Integral Humanism is also a negation of the extreme prospects of Capitalism as well as Marxism. According to him, Capitalism was too individualistic while Marxist Socialism/communism would crush the same individualism. While being critical to these extreme aspects, he adopted a middle path by including the positives from both the ideologies.

    Some of most contemporary issues underlying Indian social and economic progress are :

    a) Unethical approach adopted by political leaders which often release in a minority-majority divide or communal tones.
    b) Modern life style increasing consumerism and hence extreme type of individualism.
    c) Wrong interpretation of Marxist socialism as being against industrialization resulting in disruption of economy.
    d) Less emphasis on small-scale industries and extreme form of capitalism prevalent.

    Integral Humanism as a doctrine is capable of solving all the above contemporary problems :

    a) Its emphasis of “morality in politics” can be a game changer for politics in this country – resulting in less divide among people due to political leanings.
    b) Focus on “social organism” parallel to individualism may curb the increased amount of individual aspirations, which never satisfies the person.
    c) Focus on Small scale and Middle scale industries which may not only decrease the demands of imported goods, but may bring in prosperity to the people of the lower strata.

    Denying materialism absolutely isn’t rational as well as impossible. But the time individuals start considering that there is more for people who require it less, the essence of integral humanism would be felt. This idea should be praised and talked about, to bring a social revolution in the society.

  • 10 Oct 2016 | Debate | Is religion today simply an appeal to the gods to grant us prosperity?

    Recently a 13 year old died after a 68 day fast. The family was prosperous and religious and encouraged the girl to complete the fast. The girl even stopped going to school due to low energy. For a background, read this article –

    http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/aradhana-samdhariya-13-year-old-with-family-blessing-girl-fasts-for-68-days-dies-jains-outraged-3073080/

    This fast was considered a source of pride for the family within the community.

    The debate for today is – Has religion in today’s India simply become an appeal to the gods to grant us prosperity? Is it simply a way to to gain social prestige? Or do we still remember that its purpose is to instill in us values of faith, kindness and a way to lead us to a better, moral life through the teachings of historical enlightened figures?

  • 10 Oct 2016 | Target Mains: GS Questions & DNA Framework

    GS1 (Indian freedom struggle)

    What was the strategy of Indian capitalists w.r.t the Indian freedom struggle? Contrast this strategy with that of the communists and socialists.

    Demand – What was the relationship of the Indian capitalists with the Indian freedom struggle?

    Approach –

    – Who were the Indian capitalists? Were they pro or anti-freedom struggle? (3 marks)

    – What kind of support did they provide? (3.5 marks)

    – What was the communist’s and socialist’s strategy? (3.5 marks)

    GS2 (India’s neighbourhood)

    China’s rising influence in India’s neighbourhood requires India to play a more active role in South Asia. Discuss the statement in the context of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative.

    Demand – How and why should India act to contain China’s rising influence in South Asia.

    Approach –

    – Explain the OBOR initiative. (3 marks)

    – What are its instances in South Asia? How is Chinese influence increasing in South Asia? (3.5 marks)

    – Should India be concerned? How can it counteract it? (3.5 marks)

    GS3 (Disaster management)

    How has the use of science and technology facilitated disaster prevention planning?

    Demand – Discuss how science and technology help in disaster prevention planning.

    Approach –

    – What is disaster prevention planning? (4 marks)

    – How does science and technology help (e.g. building earthquake proof buildings)? (6 marks)

    GS4 (Case study)

    You are a government official responsible for looking into Right to Education Act violations in your district. You come to know of a man who has beaten his daughter for not taking her 10th class exams. After beating her, he took her to the exam hall. Such corporal punishment is a punishable offence with a 3 month jail term. In the investigation the farmer says that he does not want his children to live in poverty like him. If you send him to jail he says that his family will face severe hardships. What are your options? Evaluate each option, and choose the one you will implement.

    Demand and Approach – No hints in case studies!

  • 10 Oct 2016 | GS4 | You are a government official responsible for looking into Right to Education Act violations in your district. You come to know of a man who has beaten his daughter for not taking her 10th class exams. After beating her, he took her to the exam hall. Such corporal punishment is a punishable offence with a 3 month jail term. In the investigation the farmer says that he does not want his children to live in poverty like him. If you send him to jail he says that his family will face severe hardships. What are your options? Evaluate each option, and choose the one you will implement.

    GS4 (Case study)

    You are a government official responsible for looking into Right to Education Act violations in your district. You come to know of a man who has beaten his daughter for not taking her 10th class exams. After beating her, he took her to the exam hall. Such corporal punishment is a punishable offence with a 3 month jail term. In the investigation the farmer says that he does not want his children to live in poverty like him. If you send him to jail he says that his family will face severe hardships. What are your options? Evaluate each option, and choose the one you will implement.

    Best answer

    Manish M wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    The case here is Right to Education and how it can change the dynamics of life if pursued especially for those in Poverty.
    Situation:
    1. A father beats up his child for not willing to study and beating anyone is corporal offence
    2. The reason to beat up the child by father was to pave way for her daughter out of Poverty
    3. If Punished the family under poverty will only suffer more and if not then such cases take place more

    Outcomes to the situation –
    1 Outcome.
    Understanding the background of the family and Indian culture where such things are a common sight this can be ignored. This however will project me as an irresponsible government official.
    2 Outcome.
    As a responsible citizen and a government official
    a) Talk to the child for her reasons which can be
    i) If the child isn’t interested then she should be made aware of importance of education and how it will help her get a respectable job and help her make right choices for herself.
    ii) She is helping her family to earn livelihood which leaves her exhausted to attend school and even if she does she can’t concentrate. This can be solved by enrolling the girl in National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE), Beti bachao Beti Padhao shceme to enable her to devote her time to studies. (not sure about this point but child labour laws in India are not good)
    iii) If the child has absolutely no interest in studies then the child should to be enrolled into Vocational training schemes of the government for a decent job in future.
    b)The father of the child must be punished as such acts if left unpunished will only crop up more such cases. The punishment should however be minimal citing the condition of his family as the law is punishable up to maximum of 3 months or less.
    He should be made aware of the rights of the child and the need to restraint from harming them physically as such acts damage the development of the child and also encourages them to behave violently in future.

    As schooling starts from the House first and parents are the first teachers of a child the parents need to behave in a manner which is good for the growth of the child. The parents behaviour towards the child will determine the behaviour of the child towards the family members and also the society.

  • 10 Oct 2016 | GS3 | How has the use of science and technology facilitated disaster prevention planning?

    GS3 (Disaster management)

    How has the use of science and technology facilitated disaster prevention planning?

    Best answer

    Nitish Singh wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    Lack of coherent disaster reduction strategy and absence of the culture of prevention as the two main causes of increase in the number of losses due to disaster. As a result, a disaster prevention planning is a necessity to curb the aftermaths that a disaster causes. The recent Chennai floods, Japan tsunami of 2011 and use of social media in help-seeking and information sharing clearly shows how science and tech has its role in mitigating the after affects of disaster. Furthermore, it can help in the following ways :

    a) Real time video monitoring of crowds at railway stations. Video analytics would help security agencies get timely alerts when large crowds build up in the station premises and help implement preventive protocols.

    b)Flood forecasting, geo-flood mapping zones,flood plain zoning modernization may be useful in knowing the intensity of the flood so as to adopt measures that need to be followed afterwards.

    c) Establishing earthquake monitoring centres (seismological centres) for regular monitoring and fast dissemination of information among the people in the vulnerable areas.

    d) Use of GPS can be of great help in monitoring the movement of tectonic plates.

    e) Initiatives like National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project, which is developing a digital platform that will help determine vulnerabilities to weather-related events along India’s coastline.

    With government’s flagship program or Smart cities, efforts should be made to utilize science and technology to make better and resilient cities, that would make mitigation and prevention a cakewalk.

  • 10 Oct 2016 | GS2 | China’s rising influence in India’s neighbourhood requires India to play a more active role in South Asia. Discuss the statement in the context of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative.

    GS2 (India’s neighbourhood)

    China’s rising influence in India’s neighbourhood requires India to play a more active role in South Asia. Discuss the statement in the context of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative.

    Best answer

    Rahul Jain wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    One of the flagship programmes of the Chinese foreign policy is the OBOR initiative which stands to revive the ancient SILK ROUTE ,thus aiming at:
    1. Infrastructure in the region.
    2. Better Diplomatic relations
    3. People to people contact(e.g. to eliminate insurgency in North west China)
    4. Undermine US and Russian influence in the region.(US’s PIVOT TO ASIA doctrine)

    That China has expanded her influence from the energy rich Central Asia to Maldives in the Indian Ocean is a cause for concern:
    1.China’s increasing engagements with India’s neighbours might shed India’s BIG BROTHER IMAGE
    2. Increasing activities in the Indian Ocean is a strategic intrusion in India’s own backyard.
    3. CPEC corridor passes through PoK-making China a party in the strained bilateral issue of Kashmir.
    4. Chinese presence in the Central Asia(e.g. via railway network) might threaten India’s energy security.
    5. Chinese hunger for new markets might dampen Indian exports.

    WAY FORWARD for INDIA:
    1. Broader engagement with the neighbours(initiatives like BBIN,Chabhar port,investments in Sri Lanka).
    2. PROJECT MAUSAM, SPICE ROUTE initiatives should sped up.
    3. International fora where India participates like IORA,SAARC,Arab Leagues etc. should be more in spirit than in letter.
    4. LOOK WEST Policy can be on the similar lines of the successful LOOK EAST POLICY.
    It is imperative India,being a growing superpower needs to take a bigger role in the global politics and securing her own interests.