Topics Covered: GS: 2- 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 GS: 2-  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

 

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (Amrut 2.0):

• AMRUT 2.0 is a step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and with the aim of making the cities ‘water secure’ and ‘self sustainable’ through a circular economy of water.
• It has been approved till 2025-26. The project will lead to ease of living by providing piped water supply and sewerage/setpage facilities to urban households.
• To provide reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services to urban household

• Functional tap connections are being provided to all households in all 4378 statutory towns. It targets to provide 2.68 crore tap connections.
• Water sources conservation/augmentation , rejuvenation of water bodies and wells are being undertaken.
• Recycle/reuse of treated used water and rainwater harvesting is being carried out.
• A 100 percent coverage of household sewage/septage management in 500 AMRUT cities is another objective of the mission. The target is to provide 2.64 crore sewer/stepage connections.

• The total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is Rs 2,77,000 crore including the central share of Rs 76,760 crore for 5 years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. The mission will be monitored on a robust technology-based portal.
• Other key features of AMRUT 2.0 (U) include ‘Pay Jal Survekshan’ which will encourage competition among cities for benchmarking urban water services.

PM Gati Shakti:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved PM Gati Shakti-National Master Plan (NMP) including the institutional framework for rolling out, implementation, monitoring and support mechanism for providing Multi-modal connectivity.

• The implementation framework includes Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGOS), Network Planning Group (NPG), and Technical Support Unit (TSU) with required technical competencies.

• The PM Gati Shakti-NMP is intended to break departmental silos and bring in more holistic and integrated planning and execution of projects with a view to addressing the issues of multi-modal connectivity and last-mile connectivity.
• This will help in bringing down the logistics cost and will translate into enormous economic gains to consumers, farmers, and youth as well as those engaged in businesses.
• The EGoS will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary and will consist of Secretaries of 18 Ministries as members and the Head of Logistics Division as Member Convenor.

• The EGos has been mandated to review and monitor the implementation of the PM Gati Shakti-NMP to ensure logistics’ efficiency.
• It is empowered to prescribe framework and norms for undertaking any subsequent amendments to the NMP.
• The EGoS shall also set out the procedure and definitive framework for synchronisation of various activities, and ensure that various initiatives of infrastructure development are part of the common integrated digital platform.
• It will also look at the interventions required to meet the demand side, to efficiently transport bulk gouds on the requirement of various ministries like Steel, Cool, Fertilizer, etc.

• PM Gati Shakti shall bring various stakeholders together and help integrate different modes of transportation.

PM MITRA Parks:

• The Government approved the setting up of seven PM MITRA parks announced in the Union Budget for 2021-22 to position India strongly on the global textile map.
• It is inspired by the 5F vision encompassing - Farm to fibre; fibre to factory; factory to fashion and fashion to foreign.
• The seven PM MITRA parks will be set up at Greenfield/Brownfield sites located in different states. The parks will have: (i) Core infrastructure and (ii) Support Infrastructure
• PM MITRA Park will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which will be owned by the State Government and Government of India in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Mode.
• The Master Developer will not only develop the industrial park but also maintain it during the concession period. Selection of this Master Developer will be based on objective criteria developed jointly by the State and Central Governments.

Agreements to Strengthen Health System in Meghalaya:

• The Government of India, the Government of Meghalaya and the World Bank signed a USD 40 million health project for the State of Meghalaya.
• This project will improve the quality of health services and strengthen the State’s capacity to handle future health emergencies, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project will

• enhance the management and governance capabilities of the State and its health facilities;
• Expand the design and coverage of the State’s health insurance programme;
• Improve the quality of health services through certification and better human resource systems, and
• Enable efficient access to medicines and diagnostics.

• All 11 districts of the State will benefit from the project. It will also benefit health sector staff at the primary and secondary levels by strengthening their planning and management capabilities and building their clinical skills. The project will enable women to better utilise healthcare services at the community level.
• The project will help strengthen the effectiveness of Meghalaya’s health insurance programme known as the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MIS) - which currently covers 56% of the households. With its merger into the national Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), MHIS now plans to offer a more comprehensive package and covers 100% of the households.
• As a key strategy, the project will move towards a performance-based financing system where Internal Performance Agreements between the Department of Health and Family Welfare and its subsidiaries would foster more accountability at all levels.
• The project will invest in infection prevention and control for a more resilient response to future outbreaks, pandemics, and health emergencies. Improved health services may also lead to an incremental increase in bio-medical waste.

• The project will invest in improving the overall ecosystem for bio-medical waste management (both solid and liquid waste). It will include segregation, disinfection, and collection while safeguarding the environment and improving the quality of health service and patient safety.

Biotechnology Centre for Tribals in the Northeast:

• A new Biotechnology Centre for Northeast tribals has been launched in a remote area of Arunachal Pradesh called Kimin.
• The “Centre for BioResources and Sustainable Development” has also established academic linkages with several Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Institutions, for efficient implementation of these programmes as they will create employment opportunities for the prospective young entrepreneurs of the State of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The facilities for the implementation of these programmes will be established in 4 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, covering over 50 villages and benefit over 10,000 farmers in the next 2 years.
• The Government is focusing on the implementation of the following three major programmes for the benefit of the region.

(i)      State-of-the-Art Orchidarium in the main Centre at Kimin for conservation and multiplication of priority orchid species along with establishing satellite units in selected districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

(ii)    Establishment of banana fibre extraction and processing units in selected districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and

(iii)   Establishment of an Aroma Unit for promotion of cultivation of aromatic crops and entrepreneurship development.

• Through this programme, four different types of training programmes being implemented are which include:

(1)         Students Training Programme,

(2)         Technician Training Programme

(3)         Faculty Training Programme, and

(4)         Entrepreneurship Development Programme.

• Three different Skill Development Councils of National Skill Development Corporation India - The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are as part of these training and signed MoUs with Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology, to extend their support for implementing the Skill Vigyan Programme for the State of Arunachal Pradesh along with various Institutions.

Topics Covered: GS: 2- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests GS: 3- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment. GS: 3- Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights

 

 

FACTS Globally, an estimated 55,800 protected GIs were in existence in 2019 with maximum GIs in force in Germany (14,289). The GIs in India and China are protected through national systems, whereas the bulk of GIs in force in Australia, Israel and Ukraine is protected through international agreements. GIs in force relating to wines and spirits accounted for 56.6 percent of the global, followed by agriculture products and foodstuffs (34.2%). Handicraft accounted for 3.5% of the total. Darjeeling tea was the first Indian product that was awarded the GI tag in 2004. Karnataka has the highest number of GI tags with 47 products followed by Tamil Nadu (39).

 

• India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in 2003 to give protection for GI through sui generis legislation. To facilitate this process, the Geographical Indications Registry of India was set up in Chennai.
• Trade related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement:

• Article 22 of TRIPS defines GI as ‘indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.’
• This mandates member countries to provide for protections of all GIs, where the obligation is for the members to provide the ‘legal means for interested parties’, to secure protection of their GIs.

• Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs): Under 1(2) and 10 of the Paris Convention, GIs are also covered as an element of IPRs for the Protection of Industrial Property.
• Different from other types of Property Rights: It is different from trademark as trademark is a sign assigned to an enterprise while GI is attributed to goods or services specific to a region which allows every producer in the specified region to use the GI.
• India has started taking initiatives for setting up traceability systems at the government and corporate levels. GrapeNet, an initiative by the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce, the Government of India, is an example in this direction. Some of the good initiative aimed at promoting GI products are mentioned below:

• The government is aiming to market the GI tagged products and works of artisans in international markets to popularise them. A new logo and tagline for promotion ‘Invaluable Treasure of Incredible India’ has been selected.
• India’s very first GI, Store of Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) was launched in 2019, at the departure terminal of Goa. Goa is planning to open GI stores in other airports as well.
• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Startup Runway, an initiative of GeM to provide access to the public procurement market and sell innovative products and services to government buyers was also launched. Startup Runway will enable them to conduct market trials with government buyers, seek time-bound feedback and gain realistic product, price comparison and market valuation from potential buyers and investors.
• India’s Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2021-2026, which targets to achieve the exports value to USD 1.0 trillion by 2025, has recognised Gl-tagged Agri commodities as one of the growth drivers in the draft export policy which will help to gain competitive advantage in buyer driven global markets.

• Two major initiatives proposed under the new FTP include

(a)    Promoting District Export Hubs in each district and setting up district export promotion panels, and preparing district export action plans to target small businesses and farmers, and

(b)    Correcting imbalances in India’s international trade processes by creating efficient, cost-effective, and adequate logistical and utility infrastructure, as well as working towards reducing the domestic and overseas constraints related to the policy, regulatory and operational framework for lowering transaction costs and enhancing the case of doing business.

• The government is adopting Toys (Quality Control) Second Amendment Order, 2020 which exempts goods manufactured and sold by artisans and those registered as GI from Quality Control Orders.
• Starting of India’s first exclusive and largest online store of GI-tagged products, is also an important effort to help GI products get visibility as well as a ready market.
• Many agencies as well as the State governments are now frequently organising Buyer-Seller Meet with a specific focus on GI-tagged products.

• A few suggestions to expand the production level and also to link the rural-based GI-tagged products to major urban markets, as well as export destinations are made as follows:

• There is a need to prepare a strategy to raise awareness about various GI products and the difference between Gi and non-GI products amongst local farmers, consumers and other relevant stakeholders.
• India needs to come out with some long-term policy to provide Indian GI products an assured domestic as well as international market.
• The government needs to make efforts to create required infrastructure such as customs clearance facilities, laboratory testing facilities, pack-houses and pre-cooling facilities, which would harness and boost the export potential of GI products.
• India needs to start negotiations with the other countries very proactively, to make their markets available for GI tagged products , especially agricultural products from India.
• GoI should identify the GI products which are not up to the mark in the domestic market and evaluate them commercially to develop them in their entirety.
• Efforts are needed to develop GI tagged commodities which are either not developed or at a very nascent stage.
• Setting up an incubation centre for helping users/farmers/entrepreneurs for obtaining GI and traceability solutions of their produce may help GI products to grow.

Topics Covered: GS: 2- Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures

 

• In order to meet the training needs in the current dynamic scenario, it is imperative that there is synergising of resources and more active exchange of technical knowledge and other related ideas among PSUs.
• There is a need to bring about collaboration between training facilities of various PSUs and create a pool of shared resources. This would also be in line with the ‘National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building’ (NPCSCB) being implemented by the Department of Personnel Training.
• There are 256 operational Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) in the country, employing around 10 people. Out of these CPSUs, 96 have been conferred the Ratna status among which 10 are Maharatna companies, 14 are Navaratna and 72 are Miniratnas. The net profit of these organisations was 93.294 crore rupees in 2019-2020.

• As of now, there is no institutionalised system of collaboration between these training institutes and each one caters mainly to its own employees using in - house resources and some select outside resource persons.
• A successful collaboration between these training facilities owned by distinct PSUs will not only create cross - synergization between them but also develop a vibrant pool of common resources to be shared with others.
• This collaboration would be most beneficial if it is done in a manner such that the distinct institutes complement each other’s training capabilities in terms of their core competencies and also the general (managerial) areas of training.

• Recently, the cabinet has approved the NPCSCB by setting up an Integral Government online training (iGOT) portal. It essentially aims at the development of an integral training infrastructure across services. One of its core guiding principles is to “create an ecosystem of shared training infrastructure including that of learning materials, institutions and personnel.”
• Centre of Excellence (CoEs):

• It is seen that though some of the premier training institutes are also designing customised courses for executives of other PSUs and even for foreign nationals, yet there are no institutionalised mechanisms for collaboration and resource sharing.
• This resource sharing needs to be institutionalised and two or more training institutes when collaborating could be designated as ‘centre of Excellence’ (CoEs).
• To create the shared infrastructure of these combined resources, the core competencies of all the training facilities of the PSUs could be mapped first and then can be modalities developed for strengthening it.
• Different institutes could be identified to further enhance a ‘specific’ competency. This could be done in a manner, so as to avoid duplication of process and create specialisation in a particular field by the identified institute.

• The areas where different sectors can best benefit from each other could be identified and each other’s facilities be utilised. For example, BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited), under the Ministry of Heavy Industries manufactures turbines for Power stations and also several other heavy equipment for the functioning of many PSUS.
• In the case of smaller PSUs, there may not be any training facility at all. An arrangement could be made to provide training for the personnel of such smaller PSUs in the facility most suitable to them.

• Geographical Clusters:

• To begin with, geographical clusters could be identified where, in a souffle location, several training institutes from separate fields are located. These could be made CoEs wherein institutionalised mechanisms are developed for sharing resource people, experts, R&D and even the physical infrastructure.
• Gradually, a pool of master trainers could also be built by these CoEs who could further impart training at various locations.
• In these Centres, apart from utilising each other’s core competency areas, the general areas of training like modules on Management, Preventive Vigilance, and Leadership could be designed and conducted collaboratively. This will not only prevent duplication of the process but also create uniform modules across institutes and standardise the training process.

• Thematic Clusters:

• There may be different institutes offering similar core competencies. Tie-ups between such centres could help create Thematic Centres of Excellence.
• For this, institutes offering similar core competencies in the same specialised field could be brought together to share R&D and Training techniques.
• The thematic clusters can also be helpful in the Banking Sector. On similar lines, the training institutes of banks could come together and provide training to officers and staff across banks.

• Ethics and Moral Values:

• Another area that needs to be given paramount importance especially in training, is the awareness and the understanding that how work and values of organisations such as adherence to Rule of Law, transparency, and efficiency contribute towards the larger objectives of an inclusive, just, and equitable society.
• Role of Public Sector Enterprises (PSES) as agents of socio-economic growth and change, creators of formal and informal economic opportunities, providing social benefits through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities can help in mitigation of poverty, fulfilling the health and education needs of the underprivileged sections of society.
• Training inputs can help in developing a sense of responsivity towards nation-building. The CoEs as proposed could collaboratively tie-up specialised institutes which provide insights on these with issues Periodical training could be organised by these Centres to any of these selected institutes, to enable the participants to understand the economic and social milieu of the country and the ultimate goals governance strives at.
• Goals of growth and development for all, fair and efficacious governance can only be realised if all stakeholders are enthused and trained in ideals imbued with ethics and empathy. In addition, the PSUs could use their CSR activities’ locations and organise field visits to provide a holistic view of the nation-building process to the trainees.

• Way Forward:

• A developing economy like ours simply cannot afford to have its organisations working in silos without sharing resources and drawing upon each other’s strengths and competencies.
• Training and Capacity Building is an area where a large amount of resources in terms of financial outlays, manpower, material, and other infrastructure is used.
• There is a requirement to create and develop an integrated training infrastructure across PSUs of the same sector and also different ones.

Topics Covered: GS: 3- Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, - different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers GS: 3- Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management

 

• About 55 percent of the total workforce of the country is still engaged in agriculture and allied sector activities, contributing about 18 percent of the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) for the year 2019-20.
• Despite the pandemic - led contraction in other sectors, the agriculture and allied sectors have shown a robust growth rate of 3.4 percent at constant prices during the year 2020-21.
• The Gross Capital Formation (GCF) in agriculture and allied sectors relative to GVA in this sector has been showing a fluctuation trend between the years 2013-2017 but consistently rising  from the year 2017-18 to 2019-20.
• Despite being one of the top producers of agricultural commodities across the globe, India’s performance in terms of productivity is low compared to other countries due to subsistence farming.
• Initiatives:

• Initiative and scientific techniques like bio - simulation  are being implemented with the objectives to make agriculture more productive, sustainable, adopt comprehensive soil health management practice and to optimise utilisation of water resources in the farm.
• An increase in the agricultural credit flow has been raised to Rs 15 lakh crores, ensuring convenient access to loans at concessional rates. These programmes will facilitate access to quality inputs, micro-irrigation techniques, and farm credit which boosts farm productivity.

• Technology:

• Technology is massively empowering the farmers, from giving information on seeds, soil, fertilisers, weather reports, etc. through the Kisan Suvidha Portal.
• The use of high-quality certified seeds together with neem-coated urea and bio-stimulants has shown a phenomenal increase in the yield per hectare.
• The increase in income is factored in by two parameters: quantity and quality of the yield. The use of high-quality inputs not only produced a higher yield per hectare but also a higher quality of the produce in terms of nutrients.

• Irrigation:

• Effective use of irrigation at the field level can improve on-farm water utilisation, reduce water wastage, and expand the cultivable area under assured irrigation. While there is 35%-10% of overuse in surface irrigation systems and 65% in case of groundwater use, water-efficient irrigation like micro-irrigation has not entered many parts of the country.
• The PMKSY is one such initiative that aims to boost productivity by ensuring irrigation facilities. The objective is to ensure access to efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices to agricultural farms through the programme “Per Drop More Crop”.
• The impact evaluation of mic irrigation in 2018 shows that the farmers were able to save the irrigation cost between 20-30% and reduction to fertilisers ranging from 7-21% varying across the State and soil conditions.

• Organic Farming:

• Farmers are rapidly transitioning to the chemical-free mode of farming, which not only has a lower production cost but also a higher selling price. India is paving its way to becoming the hub for organic products.
• To address the gaps and encourage organic farming, the Government of India launched Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana in 2015-16 to support farmers from production to certification and marketing, Post - harvest management support including processing, packing, marketing is made an integral part of this scheme to encourage organic farmers.
• Challenges and Solutions:

• The organic business has had to face challenges in terms of high production costs such as land preparation costs, preparing manures and organic fertilisers, high labour costs, marketing costs, and low demand from the consumers.
• While the extent of opportunities is advancing with the rise of digital marketing and e-commerce platforms. the supply-chain issues, and the capacity of small farmers find it difficult to have direct access to large scale markets where the products will fetch a reasonable amount.
• A smooth transition from chemical-based farming to organic or natural farming needs a well-thought plan. In the beginning, the farmers can start with exotic vegetables.
• Transition in phases can help the farmers to understand the organic farming dynamics and by producing the exotic fruits and vegetables, they can access the distant markets by getting higher returns.

• Post - harvest Phase:

• According to the economic survey 2018-19, India’s global position in post-harvest losses is at 70 of 125 nations. As per the estimates, the total food loss in agricultural products ranges between 4-10% for cereals, pulses, and oilseeds whereas 5-16% for fruits and vegetables.
• Post harvest losses are primarily caused by a failure in the handling and connecting of food produced to consumption points or markets.
• SAMPADA Yojana, the Government is implementing various schemes which include Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain, and Value Addition Infrastructure, Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters. and Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages.
• The Government has launched the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme with an outlay of 1.97 lakh crores in 13 key sectors, including the food processing sector, for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and improving exports.
• To facilitate infrastructure projects at farm-gate and for financially viable post-harvest management, a fund of 1 lakh crores has been set up through Agri Infrastructure Fund for 10 years.

• Post - Harvest Loss (PHL):

• PHL in India arises due to lack of infrastructure, limited technical know-how on good agricultural practices, asymmetrical market knowledge and inadequate market access.
• Fragmented land holdings and the inefficient post-harvest value chain cause losses to stack up progressively throughout the value chain. Small and marginal farmers are affected by these challenges of fragmentation and value chain inefficiencies in the form of weak access to markets, low investment in agriculture, low productivity, and low income.
• The high volume of losses, if reduced, can generate significant value and address food insecurity. As per the latest estimates by the High level Dalwai Committee report”. India loses approximately Rs 92650 crores on account of PHL due to rejection at the farm gate and delays in the distribution process.
• The post-harvest value chain is driven by 4 phases- Harvesting and primary processing. Storage and crop protection, processing, and market linkages.
• Besides the harvesting losses, a significant proportion of post - harvest losses are due to decay, disease and pests. These challenges can be targeted with proper storage infrastructure and efficient crop protection practices.
• The Central Government is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to holistically address the gaps in post-harvest infrastructure.
• The Government is promoting scientific storage facilities for individual farmers, groups of farmers/growers, registered FPOs in rural areas through the scheme of “Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)” which is a sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) and Gramin Bhandaran Yojana (GBY).

• The Food Processing Industry:

• The food processing industry is one of the largest industries in India and ranks fifth in terms of production. consumption, and exports. However, the processing of perishable products in India is just below 10%, which is very low when compared to other countries.
• Besides food losses, the absence of processing facilities at the farm gate leads to distress sales by farmers, as the benefits of value addition mostly accrue to middlemen and large private sector firms.
• The sector has also received a boost due to changing consumer preference and rising demand for Indian products in international markets, leading to a recent spurt in private sector interest.
• By integrating the post - harvest management methods, farmers will overcome the distressed selling by utilising storage and processing facilities which yield higher returns.

• Conclusion:

• The low per capita income of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers, is a major reason for agrarian distress. Doubling of farmer’s income needs intervention at every node of the value chain Right from increasing the Total Factor Productivity and increasing the cropping intensity to diversification towards high-value crops and improving the terms of trade for the farmers are a must to cumulatively achieve the desired goal.
• The CSOs (NGOs. cooperatives, FPOS. and SHGs) need to scale-up support to the farmers by providing knowledge dissemination, training, and capacity building services across the pre-harvest and post-harvest phases Integrating agricultural frontier changes to precision farming and crop diversification help farmers optimise costs and increase revenues respectively.
• A bulk of income growth can be achieved by better price realisation and efficient post-harvest management.
• Through knowledge-based inputs, informed decisions can be taken up by the farmers to implement various scientific methods at the farm level, and by adopting effective post harvest management techniques, farmers can upscale the productivity and develop new integrated farming approaches while doubling their income.

Topics Covered: GS: 2- 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. GS: 2- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources GS: 2-  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

 

• It was announced in 2019. Jal Jeevan Mission is  based on the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution that empowers Gram Panchayats with administrative control of water and related subjects.
• JJM is a decentralised, demand-driven, and community managed water supply programme. Gram Panchayat (GP) or its sub-committees (VWSCs)/Pani Samiti across States and Union Territories play a key role in planning, implementation, management. operation, and regular maintenance of in-village water supply systems.
• It also plans and implements water source augmentation/ strengthening water conservation, and greywater treatment, and reuse of treated greywater. For this purpose. programmes for capacity building of GP/VWSC members are organised so that it can work as a local water utility for assured service delivery on a long term and regular basis.
• The motto of the mission is that ‘no one is left out’ and every household in a village should be provided with tap water connection. In villages where ground/surface water of good quality is available in sufficient quantity, Single Village Schemes (SVS) are planned and executed as the most preferred option.
• The Mission is providing tap water supply in quality-affected areas, especially in Arsenic & Fluoride affected habitations. Japanese Encephalitis Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (JE/AES) affected districts, socio-economically backward Aspirational districts, drought-prone & desert areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages, and SC/ST majority villages on priority.
• Boosting Rural Economy:

• VWSC prepares a 5-year Village Action Plan for water and sanitation, ensuring long-term source sustainability, greywater management, and water conservation works These Village Action Plans (VAPs) are coterminous with 15th Financial Commission period. It has provided for 60% of its total grant to local rural bodies/PRIs as a tied grant alleviating rural women of their drudgery in fetching water and bringing them ease of living.
• In VWSCs, women are also given a role of custodian of water quality in their villages. So far, more than 7.39 lakh women have been trained in water quality testing by using Field Test Kits (FTKs). Under the Mission, each village will have a cadre of 5 trained women formed to monitor the tap water quality provided in homes.

• Children’s Health and Well - being:

• Efforts are made by every State to ensure that ta[ water availability for drinking, cooking, mid - day meals, washing hands and usage in toilets.
• In 1.08 lakh schools, provision for greywater reuse and in more than 93 thousand schools, provision of rainwater  harvesting have been made. This will go a long way to make the student WASH an enlightened citizen.

• Transparency and Accountability:

• Online progress implementation and status of tap water supply in homes, schools, and AWCs has been put in the public domain and can be accessed by anyone.
• This dynamic dashboard not only provides detailed information about national progress in the implementation of JJM but one can see the status of implementation and progress at State/ UT level, district level, and village level.
• The dashboard also provides information about institutional arrangements like people managing various aspects of water supply in villages including water quality testing.
• The JJM dashboard also shows ongoing sensor-based IoT pilot projects in different villages which shows the status of daily water supply in terms of quantity, quality, and regularity.
• Village-level IT support is being provided to monitor everyday water supply in terms of quantity, quality, and regularity along with a public grievance redressal mechanism.
• To ensure speedy transfer of money to RLB/PRIS, States and UTS are advised to open an escrow account to receive a central allocation for JJM implementation. JJM financial progress of each and every State/ UTS since 2019-20 is also available in the public domain.

• Conclusion:

• When we look at the Jal Jeevan Mission objectives, its elements both in terms of vision and policy steps, along with sectoral reforms and community empowerment, we find it as an ideal model for Atmanirbhar Bharat. Jal Jeevan Mission is about the capacity building of the community in achieving water security.

Topics Covered: GS: 3-  Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. GS: 3- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

 

• Self-reliance manifests self-sufficiency in terms of economic activities and is least dependent on other economies More precisely, it tells of efficiency and efficacy in economic systems in attaining providing the best for/to its citizen, out of the given economic resources.
• Atma Nirbhar Bharat; self-reliance is the new currency, not only it makes the country self-sufficient but it also enhances global positioning of India and marks its contribution in the global economy.
• India has made tremendous progress in providing energy services to its citizens. About 900 million people have already gained access to electricity in the last two decades including a record of 100 million alone in 2018.
• India is the third largest energy producing and consuming country in the world but the per capita electricity consumption in India is only one-third of the global average even though the demand of energy has doubled. So to catch up with the increasing demand of energy, there is a need to make arrangements for a secure and sustainable form of energy.
• Renewable Energy Initiatives:

• Globally, India is one of the leaders in the production of renewable energy and is playing a valuable role in contributing to a global green economy.
• To boost India’s renewable energy production and usage, the government has taken various initiatives especially for the advancement of solar energy. The government is providing subsidies and other incentives to enhance capacity of electricity production.
• Rooftop Solar Energy is one of such schemes introduced for enhancing the capacity of electricity generation. India has also introduced PM-KUSUM and “AJAY” in achieving sustainable development.
• Due to the intervention of government as well as private players, wind power production has increased from 10.9 capacity GW in 2009 to 30.37 capacity GW in 2020.
• The production of wind energy has increased many folds in recent years. Among all the renewable resources, wind energy contributes 40.8% as per MNRE Report 2021.
• The Government promotes various schemes for biogas production, including the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP) and Biogas based Power Generation and Thermal Energy Application Programme (BPGTP) and these schemes contribute around 10170 MW of electricity across India.
• In addition to that, it is proposed to set up 5,000 compressed biogas plants across India by 2023. Hydro energy is economically exploitable and has high potential to harness, as not only does it provide energy but also strengthens the ecosystem by providing additional benefits of irrigation, flood barrier, drought saviour, recreation and tourism. It has higher efficiency (over 90%) than other renewable sources.

• National Hydrogen  Mission:

• It was announced in August 2021 to produce carbon-free fuels from renewable resources and to make India a global hub of production as well as export of green hydrogen.
• The ultimate aim of this mission is to attain self-reliance in energy production and to achieve the set target by 2047 so as to celebrate the 100 years of independence.
• To achieve this target, a roadmap has been set for making India self-reliant in the energy sector for which a Pan-India network of CNG and piped-natural gas is laid out which will help in achieving the 20% ethanol blending target.
• Production: Hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, through proton exchange membrane electrolysis and is also produced by steam methane reforming which utilises fossil fuels.

• So as to make a cleaner and greener environment, the government has decided to produce green hydrogen through renewable electricity and electrolysis which is expected to be achieved by 2050.
• This will help in reducing the burden of import dependency and will strengthen the mission for gas-based sustainable development. The Government has proposed to extract ethanol from sugarcane and other bio-elements in helping production of cleaner energy.

• Based on the mission objectives, it is expected that 25 percent of the world’s energy needs will be made by India by 2050 and that will help India in becoming a 10 trillion dollars addressable market.
• Hydrogen production and its storage are very much dependent on technology and innovations, where coordination between the government and industry is essential. This will help in keeping the cost under control.

• SDGs and Renewable Energy:

• Sustainable Development Goals can be better accomplished only when Social Economic, and Environmental (SEE) dimensions are addressed in a balanced and sustainable manner.
• Self-reliance through green energy initiatives is the foundation of a green and sustainable economy. Green energy initiatives are the concerned efforts made to reduce energy imports and ensure alternative sources of energy for the amplification of sustainable domestic production.

• Renewable energy initiatives also face some inherent challenges which may hinder our target achievement. The major challenges are affordability for consumers. financial stability for DISCOMS (Distribution Companies), integration issues. gaps or barriers in regulatory and market frameworks, uncertain t-benefin outcomes, issues in pov system flexibility, etc.
• It is found that the share of penetration of renewable energy is highly variable and skewed among the Indian States. States like Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnatak, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Punjab and Kerala contribute to renewable energy more than the national average (8.2%). Ten states of India contribute 97% of total solar and wind energy.
• States rich in renewable energy are also found to advance in their power sector development. On the contrary, other states are lacking in green initiatives and suffer from integration and technical issues.
• Way Forward:

• Green energy has tremendous potential in contributing to income, employment and entrepreneurship and undoubtedly fosters sustainable development. In addition to job creation and income generation, it opens up opportunities/avenues for investment and markets for new products and services.
• India must exploit solar and wind energy, and especially the green hydrogen energy in its electricity system to meet the ever-increasing demand of the people.
• Even though the scheme/initiatives are encouraging and have a great role to play in the future days to come, yet there are some challenges that need to be addressed.

Topics Covered: GS: 3- Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment GS: 3- Effects of liberalisation on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth GS: 3-  Investment models.

 

• The current crisis caused due to the coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected the economy of most countries of the world. This includes developing as well as some highly developed nations. It was more critical for countries like India to think about robust financial assistance to be provided to various sectors considering the scarcity of economic resources we hold.
• The MSME Sector i.e. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of the country were the worst to get affected by the restricted activity in terms of import - export, transport, supply chains, ultimately leading to negligible or very low industrial and retail consumption.

• The Indian MSME sector is one of the major contributors of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, as it shares more than a quarter of GDP contribution through service-related activities and more than one-third GDP contribution from manufacturing activities.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan of self-reliant Indian is one such significant initiative by the Government. It aims to make the country and citizens independent and self-reliant in all aspects. The five pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat are Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography and Demand.
• This package containing special economic provisions was aimed to provide assistance upto Rs 20 lakh crore for various segments of the society including labourers, cottage industry, middle class, MSMEs, industries, and others. This is almost equivalent to 10% of the country’s GDP.
• Special focus area under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Yojana includes:

  i.         Part 1: Business including MSMEs

  ii.        Part 2: Poor, including migrants and farmers

  iii.       Part 3: Agriculture

  iv.       Part 4: New Horizons of Growth

  v.        Part 5: Government Reforms and Enablers

• The highlight of various important reforms provided by Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan are given below:

• Support to MSMEs:

• Support to MSMEs: Businesses and MSMEs required additional financing to meet their operational demands like paying off existing loans, buying raw material, and restarting the business activities. This was aimed at providing Rs 3 lakh crore worth liquidity for such players in the form of working capital at concessional interest rates.
• The biggest feature of this reform was that the business will not have to provide any collateral to avail fundings.
• This scheme for emergency credit is supposed to provide financial aid to more than 15 lakh MSMEs in India. Further, the promoters of the MSMEs which are facing financial distress will be given loans upto Rs 20,000 crore which they can further infuse as equity in their businesses.
• In addition to this, such evolving enterprises will be encouraged to be enlisted on exchanges and a Fund of Funds would be established to provide equity infusion of roughly Rs 50,000 crore.

• Support to Non - banking and other financial institutes:

• It was important for funding agencies to have enough liquidity to create required confidence in the system.
• So under this package, a special scheme focusing on the liquidity needs was taken into consideration wherein Government provides assistance upto Rs 30,000 crore by investing it into various debt instruments of such funding bodies in the primary market and secondary market.
• Further, such entities having low credit ratings are given special consideration through a partial credit guarantee scheme aiming to infuse liquidity to 45.000 crores.

• Tax-related measures:

• A reduction of upto a quarter in the existing rates of TDS and TCS disposable funds upto Rs 50,000 crore. The government decided to swiftly release the pending tax refunds of all the concerned parties.
• Deadlines to be followed for various compliance-related aspects like income tax return filing, ele, were extended by a few months to provide enough time.

• Support to migrants, farmers and poor:

• The State governments were directed to utilise funds under State Disaster Responses Fund along with central government’s contribution to the tune of Rs 11.000 crores for providing food, shelter, and water to the migrants.
• This was also followed by providing masks and sanitisers for their safety measures.
• Higher loan disbursement, the extended moratorium on loans, refinancing of loans, sanctioning of Kisan Credit cards were a few of the supportive measures provided towards the agricultural sector.
• Besides various other financial and nonfinancial assistance, measures were included for the benefit of the poor.

• Reforms related to ease of Doing Business:

• In the last few years, sustained reforms related to doing business smoothly in India have uplifted its global ranking to 63 in 2019 from 142 in 2014.
• The government is now focusing on taking things to the next level. Major areas would be simplifying the taxation norms, making the registration of property easy, faster resolution of commercial disputes, etc., apart from Rs 40,000 crore increase in allocation for MGNREGA to provide employment boost.

• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)-related measures:

• For providing protection to MSMEs, the minimum threshold was raised to Rs 1 crore from the earlier I lakh to start the proceeding for insolvency.
• The Central Government has been given the power to exclude debt related to the pandemic from the definition of ‘default’ for the purpose of initiating insolvency proceedings.

REVIVING MSMES:

• India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. In India’s GDP, the contribution of agriculture is 15%, manufacturing is 31%, and 54% is catered by the service sector. India is ranked third in the world in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) GDP, with USD 8.9 trillion.
• India’s PPE industry grew to 10,000 crores making it the world’s second-largest.
• MSME Sector in India:

• The contribution of the MSME Sector is 31% to the overall GDP of the country, out of which 6.1 % is from the manufacturing sector and the rest from the trade and service sector. MSME’s contribution to manufacturing output is around 35% while contribution to total export is 48%.
• There are around 33000 registered MSME exporters in India. The total number of MSME units in India is 6.34 crores and the sector employs 11.75 crores people which constitutes 40% of the workforce in India.
• Unfortunately, only 14% of MSMEs have a formal source of finance. Their Non-performing assets (NPA) are around 8 to 11%, which is very high.
• The following criteria for the categorisation of micro, small, and medium firms are in force, with effect since 2020.

• A micro-enterprise, defined as an investment in Plant and Machinery or Equipment of less than one crore rupees and revenue of less than five crore rupees.
• A small firm with an investment in Plant and Machinery or Equipment of less than ten crore rupees and revenue of less than fifty crore rupees.
• A medium-sized firm, with an investment in Plant and Machinery or Equipment of no more than fifty crore rupees and a turnover of no more than two hundred and fifty crore rupees.

• Production Linked Initiative (PLI) Schemes:

• The PLI programme was created to build national manufacturing champions and provide job possibilities for the country’s youth, as well as to promote manufacturing at home by giving production incentives and encouraging investments from both within and outside the country.
• The minimum output in India because of PLI Schemes is anticipated to be more than USD 500 billion in five years. The Finance Minister declared expenditure of Rs 1.97 lakh crores for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes for 13 important industries in the Union Budget 2021-22.
• The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) provides incentives for increased sales (over the fiscal year 2019-20) from items made in domestic facilities.

• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme:

• The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme supports companies with proof of concept.prototype development, product testing, market entrance, and commercialisation.
• The Seed Fund is distributed to qualified companies across India via approved incubators. Grants of up to Rs 20 lakhs are provided for the validation of Proof of Concept, prototype development, or product testing.
• Investment of up to Rs 50 lakhs for market entrance. commercialisation. or scaling up via convertible debentures, loans, or debt-linked securities.

DIRECT - TO - CONSUMER MODEL:

• The most popular and successful consumer brand startups of India have followed the direct-to-consumer model and beyond marketing and production strategies. It is certainly mass digitisation that has contributed to the success of these firms.
• As of 2021, D2C startups of India have been able to raise USD 783 million only in the first 7 months of the year.
• The model allows businesses to experiment with distribution models and change them according to the fast-changing needs of society and the economy. Covid-19 happens to be the best example of why flexible distribution channels are a new norm for all businesses.
• D2C also facilitates better consumer insights owing to the close connection between consumers and producers, allowing for smooth feedback and review mechanism. The new-age consumer is becoming increasingly aware and demands end-to-end attention from producers or sellers.
• Product differentiation: Product differentiation is another feature that the D2C model facilitates when sellers have the power to make immediate changes in the consumer interaction setup.
• Easy Liquidation of Business: The D2C model also facilitates easy liquidation of business in a situation of failure. offering a relatively convenient exit to entrepreneurs who can then move their capabilities to other, more productive businesses, causing minimum loss to the individual and economy.
• Digitisation: D2C, through digitisation, has shortened the от time it takes for a business to hit breakeven by reducing the cost side of the equation and enabling business owners to make quick profits. Success, when measured purely on profit parameters, can now be achieved sooner by an entrepreneur owing to the reduced non-monetary investment time.
• Digital Payments: Digital payments system empowered entrepreneurs distribute the risk in economic contracts imposing monetary liability buyers as well. This distribution has given the platform to retailers as that of retailers while the aspect remains skewed favour of businesses.
• Way Forward:

• With Covid-19 bringing out the constraints in our economic system, D2C, particularly via digital platforms, presents an alternative to traditional business models around the world.
• An alternative that is flexible, low cost, and easy to reconsider in case of failure. D2C will be a USD 100 billion market in India by 2025.
• These factors, coupled with further digitisation across the country and India’s significant population, make India a potential hub for the global D2C industry in the near future, with plenty of opportunities for sellers, buyers, and investors, and all this started with an ambitious move towards self-reliance, Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Topics Covered: GS: 1- Role of women and women’s organisation, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies

 

• Women’s entrepreneurship has grown rapidly, earning widespread acceptance among industries. Women make a major contribution to entrepreneurial activity and economic development in terms of job creation and GDP growth, poverty reduction, and social inclusion.
• According to a study, women’s entrepreneurial motivation determines the impact on entrepreneurial success.
• A woman entrepreneur is the one who assumes dominant financial control (minimum financial interest of 51 per cent of the capital) in an enterprise.
• Challenges:

• The demand of work and personal commitment can put a woman under a lot of stressful responsibilities.
• Uncertainty is an important concern for women. They fear failing, especially if then people are sceptical about their business capability. Struggling in the business can be a result of an inadequate support system for them.
• Women have to work i the male dominant world facing discrimination and social stigma. There is no doubt that laws and policies have created a favourable business environment for women but the changes have not been implemented.
• One of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurship is a less established business network, along with societal and traditional constraints. This factor resists women participation in the business sphere.
• With the constant expansion of the Indian startup ecosystem, an increasing number of women are pursuing the entrepreneurial dream and succeeding in their businesses. According to the National Sample Survey, women entrepreneurs account for only 14% of all enterprises in India. The majority of the businesses are self-funded and operate on a small scale.

• Government Initiatives:

• Specific target group: It was suggested to treat women as a specific target group in all major development programmes of the country.
• Developing new equipment: Efforts should be made to increase their efficiency and productivity through appropriate technologies, equipment, and practices.
• Marketing assistance: It was suggested to provide the required assistance for marketing the products produced by women entrepreneurs.
• Decision-making process: It was also suggested to involve the women in the decision-making process.
• The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP):

• The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) was launched by NITI Aayog with the motive of providing an ecosystem for upcoming young women entrepreneurs across the country.
• NITI Aayog has partnered with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to promote and implement this initiative.

• Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana:

• This is one of the top schemes launched by Gol to support and encourage women entrepreneurs who are looking to start a small business with minimum efforts such as beauty parlours, retail shops, or tuition centres.

• Stree Shakti Loan:

• This is a unique scheme run under SBI to support women entrepreneurship by providing certain concessions.
• To avail of the Scheme, women entrepreneurs have to first enroll themselves in the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP)- a training programme initiated to develop entrepreneurial skills required to run a business successfully.

• Way Forward:

• A woman entrepreneur is one of the most important pillars in the growth of the Indian economy. We can consider the following suggestions for the growth of women-

• Different training programmes should be conducted at minimum prices or free of cost to develop entrepreneurial skills in women.
• Establishment of institutes providing free quality education to women right from childhood and further for higher education.
• To provide financial aid to promote entrepreneurial engagement.
• To spread awareness of incentives and schemes provided by the government.
• To minimise documentation and make procedure 5.simple for availing schemes.

• A woman plays multiple roles in life finding it difficult to stay motivated and work hard for her venture ascertaining to the societal taboos she encounters.
• There is an urgent need for improvement in initiatives and contributions which could be taken into deliberation for progress and development of woman as an entrepreneur by providing her with special training facilities for polishing her knowledge, talents and skill set.

Topics Covered: GS: 2- Role of civil services in a democracy

 

• Ancient Period:

• Policing in the ancient period in India was intricately concurrent with the institutions of religion, community, and ethics.  There are several references in ancient texts of India which indicate the existence of a specialised unit to deal with the detection of crime and offences against the State.
• We get glimpses of a city police organisation in the Arthashastra of Kautilya. Police was an important functionary for maintenance of peace which was a necessary precondition for the general welfare.
• The indigenous Police System in India was organised on the basis of land tenure and also on the collective responsibility of the village community.

• Medieval Period:

• Under the Muslim rule in North India in the twelfth century, the Police System evolved slowly but steadily.
• The centre of power and political activity was the Sultan. Faujdar, being the head of the criminal justice delivery system at the provincial level, was entrusted to maintain peace and security.
• Kotwal was the magistrate, head of the police, Chowkidar was responsible for the village peace and order under the local landholder or the village headman. The chowkidars were maintained by the villages themselves and were paid remuneration out of the share of the crops.

• The Colonial Period:

• As the grip of the British tightened over the Indian territory, issues of security of trade and property necessitated some kind of police arrangements. Through various trials and errors, the British perfected a Police System which served them throughout their colonial rule in India.
• Warren Hastings, in 1772,  established criminal courts as a measure to suppress and prevent violent crime.
• In 1792, Lord Cornwallis. “took police administration out of the hands of the large landowners (the zamindars) and established in their place a police force responsible to agents of the Company. Districts were divided into parts and over each. a police official, known as a Darogha. was placed. The kotwal remained in charge of police administration in the towns. These reforms however did not yield desired results.

• It was the great widespread movement against British rule by many sections of the Indian society in 1857 that made the British realise the imperative need for a regularised institution to control the vast lands that they had conquered.
• “The formation of ‘civil’ police forces was intended to lesser somewhat by the 1850, and had come to be seen as a dangerous reliance on the army for internal policing”. The excessive dependence on the army was expensive as well. So a police force was conceptualised that could “develop a sense of fear of authority in the entire population and could serve as the first line of defence.”
• A Police Commission was appointed in 1860. The purpose of the Commission was to reorganise the police department, to make it more effective and efficient.
• The Commission recommended the abolition of the military police and the establishment of the single uniform civil police force which would be under the provincial government. It resulted in the enactment of the Police Act (Act V) of 1861. It is the basic foundation of the present-day Indian Police.

• The Police Act, 1861:

• A bill passed on 16 March 1861, came into force as the Indian Police Act on 22 March 1861. The Police Commission of 1860 established the following principles of police organisation:

1. military police were to be eliminated and policing was to be entrusted to a civil constabulary;
2. civil police were to have their own separate administrative establishment headed by an inspector-general in every province;
3. the inspector general was responsible to the provincial government as the superintendent was to the civilian collector; and
4. the superintendent was to supervise village police.”

• The Inspector-General was assisted by District Superintendents of Police who were in turn assisted by several Assistant Superintendents of Police. The Subordinate Police service was also reorganised and the officers were designated as Inspectors, Head Constables, Sergeants, and Constables.
• An organisational hierarchy was reinforced for the first time in the Indian Police with a clear command and control. The higher ranks of officers were. to begin with, exclusively European, and it was in the subordinate ranks of police that Indians were recruited, although not entirely.
• Another feature of the Act was the emphasis to improve village policing which was to be under the supervision and control of the local magistrate. It was also recommended that the salaries and remuneration of the police should be improved and made more equitable with that of the military forces. In 1892, the Provincial Civil Service was created.
• In 1902, Lord Curzon constituted another Commission to look into the functioning of the Police System and to suggest effective measures to ensure prevention of torture of police, better magisterial supervision over police, and several other allied matters.

• The Commission was quite critical of the functioning of the police, however, it did not recommend any major structural reforms in the Police System. It recommended that educated Indians be admitted to police organisations at the officer level.
• In 1902, a new rank was formed especially for Indian officers- Deputy Superintendent of Police, which was although one rank junior to the Superintendent, belonged to the highest rank of the Provincial or subordinate service.

• As the years went by, Indianisation of the police service picked up. In 1920, Indians were allowed to enter the higher ranks of the Police through an entrance exam which was to be held in India as well as in England.
• The Lee Commission was formed in 1924 through which recruitment shifted in favour of Indians. Indianisation of police service continued to be very slow, however Police reforms undertaken during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries did create a uniform and highly hierarchical police which was made subordinate to the needs of the colonial State.

• History of Police in Madras Presidency:

• South India, as we can discern from historical evidence of the Vijayanagar empire, had an evolved policing system.

• Kavalkars were originally State appointees who also acted as local auxiliaries. They were, unlike the taliyaris, responsible for several villages and had the right to collect protection fees (kaval) for the task they performed as protectors. They became predatory and corrupt, assuming the role of ‘robber police’.

• Madras Police Act of 1859:

• The Madras Police Act of 1859 distinctly separated the unarmed police from the armed sections of the police. They hardened into two separate, distinct branches of the force with no interchange of personnel below the inspectorate.
• Another major feature of the Act was the total integration of the police force with the provincial State structure. Police were organised on a provincial level rather than an all India basis.
• It was felt that the Madras Presidency was vast with huge regional variations that made it impossible to supervise police work from a single centre.
• Through this Act, “three levels of supervision and control was enacted. One, was the supervision of the civil administration over the police department; second, the supervision of European officers over Indian subordinates; third, a rigid hierarchical division between the superintendency at the top. inspectorate in the middle and constabulary at the bottom.”
• The Chief Secretariat acted as the nodal agency for police in Madras province. At the district level, the police were subordinated to the District Magistrate/Collector, although, in 1856, a post for Superintendent was created. However, the Superintendent was outranked by the Magistrate in the District.

• Special Police Force:

• The twentieth century ushered in a period of renewed and more persistent nationalist agitations throughout the country. The existing district police, though expanded over a period, was not enough to enforce control.
• Therefore, it was decided to constitute armed striking forces. Two major striking forces were formed in the Madras Presidency- the Malabar Special Force and the East Coast Special Force.
• Both the forces were specialised, well trained, disciplined, and armed with latest weapons. They may be called the harbingers of today’s paramilitary forces.

• Police Reforms:

• ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• However, the Government of India, in September 2017, approved implementation of the umbrella Scheme of “Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF)”. This Scheme has two verticals. - Police Modernisation & Security Related Expenditure (SRE) & includes central sector sub-schemes such as Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project and e-Prisons project, which have been made operational in all the States/Union Territories.
• The Government also implemented a Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme to undertake development interventions in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) districts. Additionally, focus is also laid upon upgradation of police wireless and other infrastructure.
• This Scheme also includes centrally sponsored sub schemes of Assistance to States for Modernisation of Police and Assistance to States for Special Projects/ Programmes for upgrading Police Infrastructure to assist State Governments in modernisation of their police forces.
• The second vertical of SRE comprises sub schemes for Jammu & Kashmir, North Eastern States, and LWE affected States as well as Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS). One of the major aims of the Scheme was to bolster the Government’s ability to address challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu and Kashmir and North East effectively, and undertake development interventions which will catalyse in improving the quality of life in these areas and help combat these challenges effectively at the same time.
• To combat Left Wing Extremism, the Government, in 2015, had approved the National Policy and Action Plan”, which includes a multi-pronged approach covering areas of security, development, ensuring rights and entitlements of tribals/local communities, and perception management. The steadfast implementation of the Policy and Action Plan has resulted in decline of LWE-related violence and geographical spread of LWE influence.

1. The need for cooperation among various service sectors has been an inherent component of development discourse. Partnership bridges bring the gap among the sectors. It also sets in motion a culture of ‘Collaboration’ and ‘team spirit’. In the light of statements above examine India’s Development process.                                   (GS: 2- 2019)
2. Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of the policy process – Discuss.                     (GS: 2- 2019)
3. In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.                                    (GS: 2- 2020)
4. Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All ‘ in India. Explain.                                                                                                                                                        (GS: 2- 2018)
5. ‘To ensure effective implementation of policies addressing water, sanitation and hygiene needs, the identification of beneficiary segments is to be synchronised with the anticipated outcomes’ Examine the statement in the context of the WASH scheme.                                                                                                                                          (GS: 2- 2017)
6. “In the Indian governance system, the role of non-state actors has been only marginal.” Critically examine this statement.                                                                                                                                                    (GS: 2- 2016)
7. With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy.                                                                                                   (GS: 3- 2018)
8. Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Comment on the progress made in India in this regard.                                      (GS: 3- 2018)
9. What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space?                    (GS: 1- 2019)
10. Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organisations free from gender bias. Comment.                                                                                                                                                                         (GS: 1- 2013)

1. Why do you think it is necessary to protect the indigenous, unique and reputed products through Geographical Indications (GIs) tagging?
2. In order to meet the training needs in the current dynamic scenario, it is imperative that three is synergising of resources and more active exchange of technical knowledge and other related ideas among PSUs. Explain.
3. The low per capita income of farmers is a major reason for agrarian distress. A bulk of income growth can be achieved by better price realisation and sufficient post-harvest management. Analyse.
4. Announced in 2019, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a huge step in improving the quality of life in villages and improving public health. Explain.
5. Green energy has tremendous potential in contributing to income, em-loymetn and entrepreneurship and foster sustainable development. Discuss.
6. What is the Direct-to-consumer model? How is this model different from the functions before modern economies were built with the onset of the internet, wider and diverse consumer base?
7. Women make a major contribution to entrepreneurial activity and economic development in terms of job creation and GDP growth, poverty reduction and social inclusion. Women’s entrepreneurship has grown rapidly, earning widespread acceptance among industries. Comment.
8. The history of Police in India is characterised by trials, errors, vicissitudes, imperatives of an imperial government, changing priorities and changing contests. The present Police System structurally and functionally owes its existing structure to the various Acts and Enactments promulgated by the colonial rules. Analyse.