Editorial Consolidation (January) 2021

Monthly
Editorial Consolidation
1st January to 31st January 2021

Content
l Water, Sanitation & Women’s Rights.....................................................................................................................3
l Melting of the Arctic...............................................................................................................................................4
l Human Development Index....................................................................................................................................6
l Governor: An Agent of the Centre?........................................................................................................................7
l Changing World Order, India & UNSC....................................................................................................................9
l Last Mile Challenges To Financial Inclusion......................................................................................................10
l Death Penalty For Sexual Offences.....................................................................................................................11
l Political Crisis in Nepal........................................................................................................................................12
l Covid-19 Vaccine Policy......................................................................................................................................13
l Indian Foreign Policy In 2021..............................................................................................................................15
l Draft National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy ..............................................................................16
l SAARC Revival .....................................................................................................................................................17
l Avian Flu Crisis.....................................................................................................................................................18
l Indian Diaspora....................................................................................................................................................20
l New Whatsapp Policy & Privacy..........................................................................................................................21
l Sustainable Mining ..............................................................................................................................................22
l Tourism Sector In India........................................................................................................................................23
l Female Labor Force Participation In India..........................................................................................................24
l Socio-Economic and Caste Census....................................................................................................................26
l Shadow Entrepreneurship....................................................................................................................................27
l Digital Services Tax..............................................................................................................................................28
l Increasing Inequalities.........................................................................................................................................29
l Monopolistic Practices of Big-Tech Firms.........................................................................................................30
l Youth & Mahatma Gandhi ...................................................................................................................................32
Water, Sanitation ¾ Women’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Needs:
Women have an increased need for water for
& Women’s Rights hydration, sanitation and hygiene during menstruation,
pregnancy, the postnatal period, and caring for sick
This article is based on “Women must be centre-stage
family members or young children.
in water and sanitation” which was published in The
When these basic needs are not met, women and
Hindustan Times on 31/12/2020. It talks about the
interlinkages between water, sanitation & women’s rights. girls are unable to participate equally in society.
¾ Linkage With SDGs: The Sustainable Development
Tags: Indian Society, GS Paper - 2, Role of Women, Issues Related Goals (SDGs) make an essential initial step in connecting
to Women water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG 6) and gender
equality and empowerment (SDG 5) through target 6.2.
The right to water and sanitation is recognised as
Target 6.2 of SDG emphasises ‘access to equitable
fundamental to attaining all other human rights. However,
sanitation and hygiene and women and girls’ needs.
globally, 2.1 billion people do not have access to safe
Further, SDG 10 aims to reduce inequalities
drinking water at home, and 2.3 billion do not have basic
sanitation and 1 billion still practice open defecation. within and between countries. Equal access to
clean water and sanitation is critical to reducing
Amongst this, women are the most vulnerable section.
overall disparities.
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the
lack of access to essential water, sanitation and hygiene Associated Challenges
facilities.
¾ Lack of Women’s Participation in Decision-making:
Women are largely responsible for household water,
The central role of women and girls in the procurement
sanitation and hygiene management; they bear a dispro-
and management of water, sanitation and hygiene at
portionate burden when these basic services are lacking,
the household level is recognised.
and face health, security and psychological vulnerabilities
However, women’s water, sanitation & hygiene
due to inadequate access and decision-making control.
governance and household decision-making control
Therefore, access to water and sanitation, if delivered over such resources are scarce.
well, empowers women economically and socially. Done
For example, women not being consulted in
poorly, it may undermine women’s position at home and
decisions taken on sanitation-related matters such
in the community.
as the building and using toilets. It also fails to take
Interconnection: Water, into account the prevalent socio-cultural norms.
¾ Lack of Data: Measurement of the burden placed
Sanitation & Hygiene With Women’s Rights
on women and girls, the opportunity costs of these
¾ Women’s Water-Fetching Responsibility: Women burdens, and female empowerment related to water,
and girls are responsible for fetching water in most sanitation and hygiene decision-making and autonomy
households where a drinking water source is off- are limited.
premises.
¾ Lack of Adequate Infrastructure: In many parts of
This practice has implications for women’s health,
India (especially in rural India) water, sanitation and
workloads, and caloric expenditure. hygiene in health-care facilities are far from adequate.
When girls carry water over long distances, the time In schools, the lack of necessary infrastructure,
available to them to pursue education is reduced. privacy, spaces, materials and guidance to manage
Water-fetching responsibilities also add to the menstruation has been associated with harassment,
burden of unpaid domestic work, decrease time sexual exploitation, psychosocial impacts, decreased
towards other income-generating activities, and school attendance rates and drop-out for girls.
affect leisure and nonessential activities.
¾ Sanitation Access and Gender-Based Violence: There Way Forward
is enough evidence of sanitation-related gender-based ¾ Gender-Neutral Approach: There is a need for the
violence, highlighting a range of vulnerabilities women political imperative to recognise that both women
and girls face who are forced to defecate openly. and men’s involvement are integral to sustainable
This leads to the fear of sexual violence that can water, sanitation, and hygiene management.
restrict freedom of movement and affect equal ¾ Policy Framework for Women Leadership: Women’s
opportunities. leadership and decision making power in water
4 EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m
and sanitation is critical. Therefore, enabling policy and transformation. Policies on water and sanitation need
frameworks backed by resources, training and political to keep women centre-stage needs and enable them to
will, are vital to developing and sustaining women’s be agents of change.
leadership in the water sector at the local, national This is the time for governments, businesses, NGOs
and global level. and academic institutions to look at how they are
In this context, there is a need to invest in developing investing in women’s leadership in the water, sanitation
the next generation of water, sanitation and hygiene and hygiene sector, from local committees to the
leaders, by collaborating with colleges, water international stage.
utilities and districts, using experiential learning, nnn
internships and interacting with experts.
¾ Sustained Focus on Swachh Bharat Mission: The
rallying call of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Melting of the Arctic
campaign of “Satyagraha se Swachhagraha” has led
to the significant change in sanitation habits in India. This article is based on “When the Arctic warms, it will
The next SBM phase should envisage finding affect sea levels and precipitation patterns globally”
solutions for sustained behaviour change, addressing which was published in The Indian Express on 02/01/2021.
women and their hygiene needs. It talks about the melting arctic ice and its global impact.
¾ Role of Society: As the women already spend 2.6
Tags: Biodiversity & Environment, GS Paper - 3, Environmental
times more hours than men on unpaid activities,
Pollution & Degradation, Conservation
including caregiving and domestic work.
Citizenry as a part of society to ensure their In the Arctic region, the effects of global warming
involvement in water and sanitation services does can be seen most dramatically, as the area is warming
not further contribute to the burden of unpaid up twice as fast as the worldwide average. The ice cap
work, or decrease the ability to earn an income. in the Arctic is shrinking fast, and the volume of Arctic
¾ Role of SHGs: There are rapidly increasing examples sea ice has declined by as much as 75%.
throughout the country, with women being able to As the Arctic ice melts into the sea, it brings global
push through reforms through the help of support challenges in nature. On the flip side, it opens up the
groups or community-led efforts. Northern Sea Route (NSR), connecting the North Atlantic
Therefore, women SHG should be promoted to to the North Pacific through a short polar arc. Various
take up the cause of water, sanitation and Hygiene. earth observation studies predict that this route could
be ice-free in summer by 2050, if not earlier.
In this context, Jharkhand’s example is worth
emulating. Trained women masons built over 15
lakh toilets in one year and the state was declared
open defecation free (rural) much ahead of the
national cut-off date of October 2, 2019.
Conclusion
As countries work to achieve SDG 10, access to clean
water and sanitation can be a game-changer for prosperity
w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 5
However, before fully commercialising the NSR, the Loss of ice and melting permafrost spells trouble
global community must access the critical impact of for polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, snowy owls,
melting arctic and associated challenges. reindeer, and many other species.
The Tundra is already returning to the swamp; the
Impact of Melting Arctic Ice permafrost is thawing, sudden storms are ravaging
¾ Global Climate: The Arctic and Antarctic act like the coastlines, and wildfires are devastating interior
world’s refrigerator. Since they are covered in white Canada and Russia.
snow and ice that reflect heat back into space (Albedo
effect), they balance out other parts of the world Flip-side & NSR
that absorb heat. ¾ The opening of the Arctic, through NSR, presents
The loss of ice and the warming waters will substantial commercial and economic opportunities,
affect sea levels, salinity levels, and current and particularly in shipping, energy, fisheries and mineral
precipitation patterns. resources.
Further, less ice means less reflected heat, meaning The distance from Rotterdam to Yokohama will be
more intense heat waves worldwide. cut by 40% compared to the Suez route.
It will also mean more extreme winters, as the ¾ Oil and natural gas deposits, estimated to be 22%
polar jet stream—a high-pressure wind that circles of the world’s new resources, mostly in the Arctic
the Arctic region—is destabilised by warmer air, ocean, will be open to access and mineral deposits
it can dip south, bringing the bitter cold with it. including 25% of the global reserves of rare earth,
buried in Greenland.
¾ Coastal Communities: Global average sea level has
risen by about 7–8 inches since 1900, and it’s getting Associated Challenges
worse.
¾ NSR, Not So Environmentally & Economically Viable:
Rising seas endanger coastal cities and small
Lack of deep-water ports, a need for ice-breakers,
island nations by exacerbating coastal flooding
shortage of workers trained for polar conditions,
and storm surge.
and high insurance costs add to the difficulties of
The Greenland ice sheet’s glacial melt is a significant exploiting the resources of the Arctic.
predictor of future sea-level rise; if it melts entirely,
Further, mining and deep-sea drilling carry massive
global sea levels could rise 20 feet. costs and environmental risks.
¾ Food Security: Polar vortexes, increased heat waves,
¾ The Arctic, Not A Global Common: Unlike Antarctica,
and unpredictability of weather caused by ice loss the Arctic is not a global common, and there
are already causing significant damage to crops on is no overarching treaty that governs it, only the
which global food systems depend. UN Convention of Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This instability will continue to mean higher prices
Large parts of it are under the sovereignty of the five
and a growing crisis for the world’s most vulnerable. littoral states — Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark
¾ Permafrost & Global Warming: Permafrost in the (Greenland) and the US — and exploitation of the
Arctic region (ground that is permanently frozen) stores new resources is well within their rights.
large amounts of methane, which is a greenhouse gas Therefore, the national economic interest may
that contributes to climate change. supersede the global conservation efforts of the
When it gets melted, that methane is released, which Arctic.
in turn will increase the rate of global warming. ¾ Great Game Geo-Politics: Russia, Canada, Norway
As more quickly the arctic ice is lost, more rapidly and Denmark have overlapped claims for extended
permafrost will melt. This will result in a vicious continental shelves, and the right to sea-bed resources.
cycle that may result in a climate catastrophe. However, Russia is the dominant power, with the
¾ Biodiversity Threat: Melting of the Arctic ice puts the longest Arctic coastline, half the Arctic population,
Arctic region’s vibrant biodiversity under serious threat. and a full-fledged strategic policy. It claims that the
Habitat loss and degradation, the absence of year- NSR falls within its territorial waters.
long ice and higher temperatures, are making Arctic On the contrary, the US believes the passage lies
marine life’s survival, plants and birds difficult in international waters.

while encouraging species from lower latitudes China, playing for economic advantage, has pro-
to move north. jected the Polar Silk Road as an extension of the
BRI, and has invested heavily in ports, energy, Amartya Sen. It was initially launched as an alternative
undersea infrastructure and mining projects. measure to the gross domestic product, as it stresses the
centrality of human development in the growth process.
Role of India India has done a seemingly great job in multiplying
¾ India’s Interest: India’s interests in these developments, it’s economy many folds, but progress on the HDI front
though distant, are not peripheral. has not been very appealing. The last three decades HDI’s
India’s Climate: India’s extensive coastline makes data indicate that India has raised its HDI score at an
us vulnerable to the impact of Arctic warming on annual average rate of mere 1.42%.
ocean currents, weather patterns, fisheries and Therefore, if India has to realise it’s the aspiration of
most importantly, monsoon. becoming a superpower, it must invest to reduce the
Monitoring of Third Pole: Scientific research in
burden of social and economic disadvantage to vulnerable
Arctic developments, in which India has a good sections of its population.
record, will contribute to the understanding of
Progress Made by India
climatic changes in the Third Pole — the Himalayas.
Strategic Need: The strategic implications of an
¾ As the UNDP’s HDR Report 2019 notes, India’s gross
active China in the Arctic, and it’s growing economic national income per capita has more than doubled
and strategic relationship with Russia are self- since 2005, and the number of “multidimensionally
evident and need close monitoring. poor” people fell by more than 271 million in the
decade since 2005-06.
¾ Step To Be Taken: India has observer status in the
¾ Additionally, inequalities in “basic areas” of human
Arctic Council, which is the predominant inter-
development have reduced. For instance, historically
governmental forum for cooperation on the Arctic
marginalised groups are catching up with the rest of
environment and development aspects.
the population in terms of educational attainment.
It is high time that India’s presence on the Arctic
Council should be underpinned by a strategic policy Reasons For India’s Underperformance on HDI
that encompassed economic, environmental,
The 2019 HDI ranks India with a per capita income
scientific and political aspects.
of $6,681 in the 131st position, which is a notch lower
Conclusion than its 130th rank in 2018. The malefic effects of deep-
rooted societal and economic disadvantages account for
The Arctic is an essential system in the global climate a low rank for an economy that is in the global top 6 by
system. So just like the Amazon forest is the lungs of the size. Following factors can be dubbed as reasons for India’s
world, the Arctic is like our circulation system and feeds dismal performance in HDI:
into global climate change everywhere. ¾ Increasing Income Inequalities: Income inequalities
Therefore, it is in humanity’s interest to treat the amplify failings on other HDI indices of human
Arctic melting as a severe global issue and act accordingly. development. Intergenerational income mobility is
nnn lower in countries with high-income inequality.
It manifests at birth and determines access to
quality healthcare, education, and opportunities.
Human Development Index Further, there is an increasing trend in income
inequality. In India, the income growth of the
This article is based on “Three Decades of HDI” which bottom 40% between 2000 and 2018 (58%) was
was published in The Economic & Political Weekly on significantly below the average income growth for
02/01/2021. It talks about India's dismal performance the entire population (122%).
in the Human Development Index. ¾ Gender Inequality: Numbers show female per capita
income in India was only 21.8% of that of males, while
Tags: Social Justice, Gs paper-2, Government Policies & it was more than double at 49% in other developing
Interventions, Education, Gender, Health countries.
The Human Development Index (HDI), which com- The meagre per capita income of females in India
bines indicators of life expectancy, education or access is mainly because of their exclusion from the
to knowledge and income or standard of living, captures labour force.
the level and changes to the quality of life. Only 20.5% of the women in the working-age group
The index is the making of two acclaimed economists were in the labour force, pointing to its dismal
from Pakistan and India, namely Mahbub ul Haq and Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR).
methods like outcome budgeting, social auditing and
participatory democracy has been known to yield
positive results.
¾ Gender Empowerment: Government should invest
in Gender equality and women’s empowerment, as
they are integral to human development.
Conclusion
India’s HDI scores can be substantially enhanced if
a politically committed government rolls out inclusive
policies that strengthen public health, education and
nutrition, and end gender discrimination to usher in a
more egalitarian order.
nnn
Governor:
¾ Cumulative Impact: The cumulative impact of
An Agent of the Centre?
these factors spills over across generations. It is this This article is based on “Maximum Governor: On
intergenerational cycle which denies opportunities Governor's role” which was published in The Hindu on
to those at the bottom of the pyramid. 05/01/2021. It talks about the controversial position of
the governor as an agent of the central government.
Way Forward
¾ Fair Income Distribution: While the size of economic Tags: Indian Polity, Gs paper-2, Centre-State Relations, Role of
resources is a key factor affecting human development, Governor
the distribution and allocation of these resources Recently, the Governor of Kerala refused to convene
also play a major role in determining the level of a special session of the Kerala Assembly that was intended
human development. to discuss the ongoing farmer protest in New Delhi.
Many global case studies show that high growth This conduct is comparable to the many actions of
accompanied by more effective income distribution governors of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
can help enhance human development, even with etc., that led to unwarranted interference of centre in
moderate social expenditures. states’ politics. These states happen to be ruled by the
For Example, South Korea and Taiwan improved political parties governed by the opposition parties at
income distribution through early land reforms. the centre.
¾ Investing in Social Infrastructure: Universalisation of Such instances portray the negative image of
education and health care could have pulled deprived the state governors as an agent of the centre. The
sections out of the poverty trap. Governor’s office’s misuse to undermine duly elected
Sustaining and improving the quality of life will State governments undermines democratic processes
also depend on policies crafted to handle major and compromises one of the Basic Structure doctrine
emerging challenges such as urbanisation, the elements, i.e. federalism.
housing deficit, access to power, water, education
and health care. Governor: Acting As Agent of Centre & It’s Effect
¾ Streamlining of the Finances: Streamlining the ¾ Source: Article 163 of Indian Constitution states that
traditional approach of generating new sources of the Governor should exercise his functions based on
revenue generation, steps like rationalised targeting the state’s Council of Ministers’ aid and advice, except
of subsidies, judicious use of revenues meant for it is required to exercise his functions at his discretion.
social sector development etc will probably meet the Therefore, Article 163 acts as a source of the
financial requirements needed for improving HDI. discretionary power of the governor.
¾ Good Governance Reforms: Effective performance As the union government nominates the governor,
evaluation of the projects and activities engaged in the combined effect with Article 163 provides the
the social sector development through innovative scope centre meddling in the state’s affairs.
¾ Nature of Intervention: The present controversies

Note:
have been around issues like:
¾ Various Committees on Centre-States Relations
Selecting the Chief Minister,
The Administrative Reforms Commission of 1968,
Determining the timing for proving legislative
The Rajamannar Committee of 1969,
majority,
Committee of Governors of 1971,
Demanding information about day-to-day
The Sarkaria commission of 1988,
administration,
Punchhi Commission, 2007.
Giving assent to bills or reserving bills for the
President, Way Forward
Frequent use of Article 356 for removing state
¾ Governor’s Discretion Should Be Only Her Discretion:
governments run by opposition parties based on
For the smooth functioning of a democratic government,
the governor’s recommendation.
it is equally essential that the governor must act
Commenting adversely on specific policies of the
judiciously, impartially and efficiently while exercising
state government. his discretion and personal judgment.
¾ Effect: The encroachment upon the legislature’s As the Sarkaria Commission put it, the governor’s
powers and the elected government amounts to an task “is to see that a government is formed and
abuse of Governor’s authority as a nominal head not to try to form a government”.
under the Constitution. ¾ Strengthening of Federalism: In order to check misuse
Various wrongdoings of the centre through the of the office of governor, there is a need to strengthen
governor’s office damage India’s essential federal federal setup in India.
structure and the democratic process. In this regard, the Inter-State council and the role
of Rajya Sabha as the chamber of federalism must
Envisaged Role of Governor
be strengthened.
¾ Taking Clues From Constituent Assembly Debates: ¾ Reform the Method of Appointment of Governor: In
On analysing the constituent assembly debates, it can order to end the monopoly of the centre in selecting
be inferred that the constituent assembly envisaged its ‘own man’ as governor, the appointment can be
creating ‘responsible government’ in the states as made from a panel prepared by the state legislature
much as at the centre. and actual appointing authority should be the Inter-
According to Dr. Ambedkar, “I have no doubt in state Council, not the central government.
my mind that discretionary power is in no sense ¾ Code of Conduct for Governor: In order to enable
a negation of responsible government. It is not the governor to successfully discharge his functions
a general clause giving the governor power to under the centre and states governments should
disregard the advice of his ministers in any matter agree on a 'Code of Conduct'.
in which he finds he ought to disregard.”
This 'Code of Conduct' should lay down certain
¾ Taking Clues From Constitution: As the states were 'norms and principles' which should guide the
indeed sovereign within their own domain, the exercise of the governor's 'discretion' and his
discretionary power, beyond the specific situations powers which he is entitled to use and exercise
mentioned in the constitution, does not enable a on his judgment.
governor to override the state government. In this context, the inspiration for such a code can
Therefore, selecting a chief minister of his choice be derived from the various recommendations of
or creating/utilising opportunities for defections to the Sarkaria Commission on centre-states relations.
change the party in power cannot be a governor’s
job. Conclusion
¾ Taking Clues from Various Committees on Centre-States The governor’s role is not merely an agent of the
Relation: In the last few decades, various committees centre sitting in state capitals; he is the lynchpin of India’s
were appointed to understand the governor’s role in federalism and democracy at the state’s level. Therefore,
India’s federal democratic setup. the governor’s role is indispensable for the successful
These committees made extremely valuable working of constitutional democracy, and he must with-
recommendations to make the governor’s office the hold the virtue of impartiality.
“linchpin of the state’s constitutional apparatus.” nnn
Changing World responsible for maintaining international peace and
security.
Order, India & UNSC However, the veto powers possessed by the
This article is based on “India’s UNSC opportunity” which UNSC’s five permanent members are used as an
was published in The Indian Express on 05/01/2021. It instrument to shore up their geopolitical interests,
talks about the changing world order and new challenges regardless of the disastrous consequences for the
and how India should leverage its two-year tenure of victims of armed conflict as can be seen in Syria,
Non-Permanent Membership at UNSC. Iraq, etc.
Tags: International Relations, Gs paper-2, Groupings &

Current Challenges For Indian Foreign Policy
Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests, ¾ Aggressive China: At the end of the Cold War,
Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's Interests India ought to strengthen cooperation with China
Since the end of the Cold War, India has entered the on the multilateral front with a view that it would
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the third time. also help generate the conditions for resolving the
However, the current world order is very different from boundary dispute and expand the areas of bilateral
India’s earlier stints in UNSC viz. 1991-92 and 2011-12. cooperation.
The challenge emanating from the current world However, this strategy has been proved counter-
order is whether a peaceful consensus can bring about effective as China now has assumed an aggressive
the redistribution of power between various superpowers. posture towards India. It can be seen in recent
In this context, India should leverage this two-year Galwan Valley Clashes.
tenure as a non-permanent member of UNSC, to promote Moreover, China protects Pakistan from the
national interests and global peace. international pressures that India has sought to
mobilise at various fora.
Changing World Order in the Recent Times
¾ Compromising Non-Alignment: To counter China,
¾ New Cold-War: With the collapse of the Soviet Union India has colluded with like-minded countries, forming
in 1991, the world order turned from being bi-polar Quad grouping (US, India, Japan, Australia).
to unipolar. However, the current world order is
However, this convergence with the US has tarnished
without a systemic equilibrium, which is essential to
India’s image of non-alignment and deteriorated
the maintenance of international stability.
relations with traditional partners like Russia.
This is due to the emergence of a New Cold War
between US & China, which amounts to a struggle Way Forward: Leveraging
for a new distribution of power—political, economic
Non-Permanent Membership
and military.
¾ Becoming Part of the Great Game: The UNSC offers
Moreover, the differences between the US, China
and Russia have become intractable. room for sustained diplomatic interaction between
the major powers, minimising tensions and creating
¾ Retrenchment of US: The prominent feature of the
new opportunities for cooperation.
current world order is the US’s retrenchment from
Much like the US and USSR that cooperated on
global affairs. This can be reflected by the withdrawal
of the US the Paris Climate deal, JCPOA, etc. nuclear proliferation issues at the height of the
Cold War, the US and China could explore potential
This retrenchment has led to a severe blow to
common ground even amidst their broad-based
multilateralism and globalisation.
confrontation.
¾ Indo-Pacific as a New Sub-System: The rise of China
In this context, India can carve out a larger role for
has been redrawing the balance of power in the
South-China Sea. This has led to countries like US, itself amid renewed great power rivalry.
India, Japan, etc., colluding in framing Indo-Pacific Further, as India now joins the UNSC amid a
as a new sub-system in international affairs. continuing military standoff, India can now expose
Indo-Pacific refers to the Indian and the Pacific
the Chinese aggression in the Ladakh region.
Oceans between the east coast of Africa and the ¾ UNSC Reforms: Making the UNSC more “representative”
American west coast and their several littoral has been one of India’s demands since the end of
countries. the Cold War.
¾ Declining Role of UN: The United Nations Security In this context, India should continue its partnership
Council (UNSC) is the UN’s main executive body with G4 (Brazil, Germany and Japan) countries
to expand the UNSC and become a permanent Last Mile Challenges

member.
¾ Deepening International Collaboration: The engage- To Financial Inclusion
ment with peace and security issues at the UNSC will This article is based on “Not by digital alone” which was
allow India to strengthen its new coalitions such as published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks
the Quad. about the last mile challenges to financial inclusion in
Moreover, India could also use the UNSC tenure India.
to deepen collaboration with its European
partners like France and Germany in the security Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Mobilization of resources,
arena. Inclusive Growth, Government Policies & Interventions
India must also sustain an intensive dialogue Being a welfare state, one of the prime objectives of
with Russia on all international issues, notwith- government policy in India has been to enable financial
standing Russia’s worsening problems with the inclusion and to reduce abject poverty through inter-
West and closer ties to China. ventionist public policies. One such approach is the
¾ Engaging With Global South: India needs to revitalise Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative.
its engagement with its traditional partners in Various government programmes such as maternity
the “global south” by articulating their peace and entitlements, student scholarships, and wages for
security concerns in the UNSC. In this context, two MGNREGA workers fall under the DBT initiative where
sub-groups of the global south should be of particular the money is transferred to the respective beneficiaries’
interest.
bank accounts.
Small Island States: The numerous small island
However, the beneficiaries face many hurdles in
states worldwide face existential challenges from
accessing their money. For example, in rural areas,
global warming and rising sea levels.
beneficiaries have to travel miles and wait for several
z They also struggle to exercise control over their
hours to make one banking transaction.
large maritime estates.
These hurdles are broadly referred to as “last mile
z Supporting the sovereignty and survivability
challenges''. These challenges have widened the distance
of the island states is a crucial political task
between the rights holder and their entitlements, which
for India.
must be urgently resolved.
Africa: Nearly half of UNSC meetings, 60% of its
documents, and 70% of its resolutions are about Last Mile Challenges & Their Impact
peace and security in Africa.
¾ Digital Exclusions: A recently published KPMG report
z The continent has three seats in the UNSC
found that India’s Internet usage is the lowest of the
(Kenya, Niger and Tunisia) and there is regular BRICS nations.
consultation between the UNSC and the Peace
Similarly, the Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index
and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union
2020 reflects the dismal performance of India in
(AU).
digital parameters.
z The UNSC tenure is a good moment for India
to intensify India’s engagement on peace and Moreover, digital illiteracy, innumeracy, and
security issues in Africa at bilateral, regional unfamiliarity with technology hinder the digital
and global levels. product’s full uptake.
¾ Unfamiliarity With DBT: Beneficiaries of DBT do not
Conclusion know what to do when their payments get rejected,
India’s foreign policy approach has also shifted from often due to technical reasons such as incorrect
the reactive to the proactive. That, in turn, should make account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping
India’s new stint at the UNSC more purposeful and with bank accounts.
pragmatic. More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have
Purposefulness is about tightly integrating its UNSC rarely been consulted regarding their preferred
engagement with India’s broader national goals. Pra- mode of transacting.
gmatism demands adapting to the changed conditions ¾ Breeding of Corruption: The digital exclusion and
at the UNSC and avoiding overly ambitious goals. unfamiliarity of beneficiaries with DBT, has created
nnn new forms of corruption.
This was evidenced in the massive scholarship ¾ Promoting Digital Literacy: Digital literacy is the
scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students lynchpin of triggering a revolution in India’s financial
were deprived of their scholarships owing to a inclusion and doorstep delivery models.
nexus of intermediaries, government officials, In this context, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital
banking correspondents and others. Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is a step in the
¾ Inadequate Rural Banking: There are just 14.6 bank right direction.
branches per 1 lakh adults in India. It is sparser in
rural India. Conclusion
Moreover, rural banks are short-staffed and tend There is a clear need for a fresh perspective by re-
to get overcrowded. imagining some key aspects of DBT initiative. It requires
Accessing banks in rural areas leads to loss of that all stakeholders, including the government, regulators,
one wage day for the worker. Also, people have service providers, industry bodies, and others, need to
to spend money on transportation to access the catalyse radical changes in the way the ‘last mile’ functions
bank to withdraw their payments/subsidies. at present.
¾ Unsuccessful Banking Correspondent Model: nnn
More than a decade after the first regulations on the
Business Correspondent (BC) Model were issued in
2006, banks and other financial service providers Death Penalty
are struggling to establish a viable and sustainable
business case for branchless banking. For Sexual Offences
¾ Accountability Issue: The lack of accountability and This article is based on “The wrong answer” which was
absence of grievance redressal continue to impact published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks
all DBT programmes. about the issues related to the award of the death penalty
for sexual offences.
Way Forward
¾ Expanding Scope of Social Justice: Understanding Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 2, Mobilization of resources,
social justice should be broadened by including the Inclusive Growth, Government Policies & Interventions
right to access own money in a timely and transparent Sexual offences against women and children are one
manner. of the most heinous crimes against humanity. Given this,
Moreover, these rights should be protected through the public has a real and legitimate interest in addressing
strengthening grievance redressal processes and such concerns, leading to the death penalty’s demand
setting accountability norms for all payment to deter sexual offences purportedly.
intermediaries. In this context, on Human Rights Day 2020, the
¾ Providing More Choices: Universalization of Aadhar Maharashtra cabinet approved the Shakti Bill, enlarging
Enabled Payment System will enable Aadhar Enabled the scope of harsher and mandatory sentences — including
Bank Account holders to carry out seamless financial the death penalty — for non-homicidal rape (excluding
transactions. Marital Rape).
¾ Establishing a Code of Conduct for BC Model: Banks The Shakti Bill comes amid the recent legislative trend
should develop standard rules and formulate a code to invoke the death penalty for sexual offences. For
of conduct to develop effective monitoring and instance, the Andhra Pradesh government passed the
supervision of banking correspondents. Disha Bill in 2020 (pending presidential assent), that
Geotagging and GPS mapping of agent locations provides the death penalty for the rape of adult women.
to search agent points will also enable better However, introducing the death penalty diverts
monitoring and supervision. attention from deep-rooted issues & long-term solutions.
¾ Uber Model: There is a need to explore the possibility It suggests that the reason for such crimes is that the
to adopt the “Uber” model to handle cash-in/cash-out punishment is not severe enough.
(CICO), by enabling customers to act as CICO points.
It will reduce dependence on agents and allow
Associated Issues With
them to go beyond CICO. Death Penalty Against Sexual Offences
On the other hand, customers would be able to ¾ May Do More Harm To Victim: Women’s right groups
transact beyond a stationary and limited agent have argued that the death penalty is a knee-jerk and
network. populist solution to counter sexual offences.
Also, Child-right activists insist that introducing The report stated that it would be a regressive
capital punishment for non-homicidal rape may step to introduce the death sentence in non-
lead rapists to kill their victims to erase testimonial homicidal cases.
evidence.
¾ Death Penalty Won’t Remove Prejudice: Introducing
Way Forward
harsher penalties does not remove systemic prejudices ¾ Plugging Gaps in Justice Delivery: The most severe
from the minds of judges and the police. gaps in the justice delivery system are reporting a
Generally, police might refuse to register complaints police complaint. Therefore, the focus of the criminal
or acquit offenders in cases they do not consider justice system needs to shift from sentencing and
“serious” enough to warrant a mandatory minimum. punishment to the stages of reporting, investigation,
and victim-support mechanisms. In this context, the
¾ Lower Rate of Conviction: According to crime data
following measures must be ensured:
from the National Crime Records Bureau, in 93.6%
The victim reports a case without any fear.
of sexual offences, the perpetrators were known to
the victims. Police to conduct a sound investigation.
Therefore, introducing capital punishment would Victim protection throughout the trial.
deter complainants from registering complaints. Making testification as easy and as quick as possible.
¾ Delay in Closure of Justice: The execution of a death Allocation of resources and more robust
sentence comes at the end of multiple stages of implementation of the law than is currently evident.
appeals and avenues of seeking clemency. ¾ Sensitisation At a Broader Level: Despite the ever-
This time extended to the defendant to exhaust all increasing ambit of the death sentence, there has
legal remedies will delay the judicial process’s finality been little effort to address prejudices in society.
and closure—militating against the competing Addressing the prejudices in the society against
interest of ensuring speedy justice. sexual offences requires sensitisation of functionaries
It might also see an increase in instances of instant of the justice system & more importantly society.
retribution, such as the extrajudicial killing of
gang-rape and murder suspects in Hyderabad Conclusion
late in 2019. Instead of merely enhancing punishment, tackling
¾ Regressive Step: The Justice Verma Committee Report crimes against women and children requires broader
that made several recommendations on the laws on social reforms, sustained governance efforts and strength-
sexual offences (after Nirbhya rape case 2012), held ening investigative and reporting mechanisms.
that the death penalty’s deterrent effect is “a myth”. nnn
Other Issues Related to Shakti Bill
¾ The other anti-women assertion in the bill moves
away from the standard of affirmative consent in
Political Crisis in Nepal
cases involving adult victims and offenders. This article is based on “What India should, and shouldn’t,
Significant advocacy from the women’s movement do in Nepal” which was published in The Hindustan Times
led to introducing an affirmative standard on 08/01/2021. It talks about the recent political crisis in
of consent, rooted in unequivocal voluntary Nepal and what India should do.
agreement by women through words, gestures or
any form of verbal or non-verbal communication. Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, India and its
¾ In a sharp departure, the bill stipulates that valid Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's
Interests
consent can be presumed from the “conduct of the
parties” and the “circumstances surrounding it”. Recently, Nepal has drifted into a political crisis
following its Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli’s decision
¾ Rape trials continue to be guided by misogynistic
to dissolve Parliament. The Nepalese PM has stated that
notions, expecting survivors to necessarily resist
this decision was on the backdrop of infighting within
the act, suffer injuries and appear visibly distressed.
the ruling Nepalese Communist Party (NCP).
¾ Therefore, the bill’s vaguely worded explanation
As India’s role in the mediation of earlier political
holds dangerous possibilities of expecting survivors
crises in Nepal has led to the development of anti-Indian
to respond only in a particular manner, thus creating
sentiment in Nepal, India has done right by not meddling
the stereotype of an “ideal” victim.
into Nepal’s internal matters.
However, India is apprehensive that political instability relations. India is no exception. Therefore, India should
in Nepal will expand space for China to intervene in Nepali recalibrate its ties with Nepal. In this context:
politics and shape a government that is favourable to ¾ Demarking Red Lines: India can improve ties with
China. Nepal by picking up pending controversial issues such
To counter Chinese influence on Nepal, India must as the 1950 treaty, the Kalapani border dispute, and
pay attention to Nepal’s core economic and strategic trade and investment matters.
interests that in the first place pushed Nepal towards However, India should categorically state its position,
China. drawing red lines (security concerns emanating
from China) that Nepal should not cross.
Current Issues in India-Nepal Relations ¾ Economic Measures: On trade and investment issues,
¾ Revision of 1950 Treaty: Nepal has asked for a revision India needs to be more accommodative. Nepal sells
of the 1950 treaty, and India has accepted this. less than $1billion worth of products to India while
However, the issue remains stuck because Nepal importing nearly $8 billion.
does not clarify how to strike a proper balance Even though economies govern trade deficits,
between India’s security concerns and Nepal’s India can and must move to remove structural and
developmental aspirations. procedural impediments to the entry of genuine
¾ Recent Border Issue: The Kalapani border dispute’s Nepali goods into Indian markets.
question has spoiled popular perceptions in Nepal Also, India should encourage Indian investments in
about India. such industries, including hydropower production,
Taking advantage of this, Nepal’s current leadership to boost Nepali exports.
has taken a unilateral decision to draw new maps Completing big development projects such as the
which show Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura Pancheshwar multipurpose project could also be
belongs to Nepal. a breakthrough between the two countries.
As India also claims these positions, this border ¾ Cooperation Between Armies: When it comes to
issue has led to the lowest point in India-Nepal resolving border disputes between the two countries,
relations history. understanding the armies is vital.
¾ Tug of War Between China & India: Nepal’s geo- In 2015, when India’s economic blockade and
strategic location (sandwiched between India & the political leadership of both countries were at
China), has created a tug of war between India and loggerheads, both armies’ leadership played a vital
China over Nepal. role in lifting the talks’ blockade and resumption.
China sees Nepal as a bulwark against the inter- So, robust army diplomacy between the two
national movement targeting China. countries can substantially contribute to improving
For India, Nepal is essential for the region's security, bilateral ties.
acting as a buffer state.
Conclusion
¾ Increasing Chinese Influence: Sino-Nepali economic ties
began to grow in 2015, but in 2018, China’s influence As no significant development in bilateral relations
in Nepal started to gather momentum. appears likely during the prevailing uncertainty, India
Having played an essential role in the NCP’s
must encourage consolidation of a people-driven polity,
formation, China came to wield enormous influence and improve its popular profile. This will only help India
over the NCP government. reclaim its contested strategic space.
It resulted in China ousting India as Nepal’s number
nnn
one investor.
More importantly, Nepal’s foreign policy under
the NCP government became strongly pro-China.
Covid-19 Vaccine Policy
Moreover, this influence can be evidenced by the This article is based on “Devising a vaccine strategy for
fact that China has now stepped up its self-assumed India” which was published in The Hindustan Times on
role as mediator in the ongoing crisis. 07/01/2021. It talks about the challenges and solutions
in the development & distribution of Covid-19 vaccine.
Way Forward
Seeking a friendly regime in the neighbourhood is a Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 2, Health, Government Policies &
recognised norm in the realist world of international Interventions
Recently, India has approved the Covid-19 vaccines Way Forward

developed by Astra-Zeneca (Covishield) and Bharat ¾ Vaccine Prioritisation: The protective benefit from
Biotech (Covaxin). There are several more vaccines that vaccination is much lower if one has immunity from
will likely be available later in 2021. a prior infection. Hence, the allocation of the vaccine
Although India will not need to vaccinate its entire among the working-age population should consider
population, it would have to vaccinate at least 30-40% two factors:
of the people to develop herd immunity fully. Even at a It may be prudent to screen people for Covid-19
minimum scale, approximately 1 billion doses of Covid-19 antibodies and prioritise vaccination of those
vaccines will be required, given that most vaccines need without antibodies.
a booster dose. Areas closest to herd immunity even without
Moreover, other factors, like allocation, distribution, suppression require the least number of doses
financing, communication, etc., will be impediments to to return to regular economic activity and have
higher returns from vaccination.
Covid-19 vaccination drive. Therefore, deploying a robust
¾ Strengthening Vaccine Supply Chain: Enhancing
vaccine development & distribution policy will be very
Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) system
crucial for India.
will enhance real-time information on vaccine stocks
Associated Challenges and storage temperatures across all country’s cold
chain points.
¾ Allocation: Most nations will vaccinate healthcare ¾ Bridging Human Resource Gap: Engaging medical
workers first. They treat those who are infected with students, phlebotomists, paramedics and pharmacists
Covid-19 and vaccinate the remaining population. can be rapidly and reliably trained to administer
After that, it seems logical to prioritise the elderly, vaccines, will bridge the human resource gap.
who have a higher infection fatality rate. ¾ Hybrid Financing Policy: India will need a hybrid strat-
However, premature death costs a young person egy, where the majority of the population (economi-
more years of life than an older adult. This is a cally challenged) is vaccinated for free publicly while
more significant concern for India, as 80% of its allowing private markets to operate for rich people.
population is below 50. ¾ Effective Communication: A good communication
¾ Distribution: Moving vaccines from companies to strategy that envisages removing myths associated
warehouses will be relatively easy, but moving it with Covid-19 vaccine should be science-led, involve
regular communication, utilise respected community
from warehouses to distributors to end-users will
leaders to widen reach, and clamp down on the spread
be tricky, given the difficulties with cold chains and
of misinformation.
storage facilities.
¾ Need For Vaccine Certification: To resume normalcy
¾ Financing: In the United States, the United Kingdom and allow free movement of people, every country will
and Europe, vaccines are likely to be entirely free and need an internal set of protocols regarding proof of
administered publicly. vaccination that is interoperable with norms elsewhere.
However, given the tight fiscal situation, the Indian In other words, proof of vaccination in India or
government faces the dilemma of whether to Tanzania must be acceptable to Singapore Airlines
finance vaccinations publicly or privately. or Qantas.
¾ Human Resource: Administering 30-40 million This will also require multilateral bodies to play an
immunisations (under regular vaccination drive) a active role in creating frameworks, around which
year is very different from vaccinating 600 million digital platforms can be developed.
people in a year.
Conclusion
Sourcing the trained human resources necessary
India’s Covid-19 vaccine drive will be a monumental
to deliver intramuscular shots, without diverting
mission, not just in terms of vaccinating its own population,
from existing priorities, will not be easy.
but also vaccinating a large part of the world thanks to
¾ Public Confidence: “Optimism bias," as it is called, its position as the world’s leading vaccine producer.
makes vaccination seem unnecessary to them. Addressing the issues associated with the development
Concerning diseases, a lot of people tend to think and distribution of vaccines will augment the effort to
that their risk is low. efficiently get vaccines to hundreds of millions in the
However, this behaviour can prove fatal in battling shortest period of time.
a pandemic like Covid-19 pandemic. nnn
Indian Foreign Policy In 2021 — the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan — reflected
the changing landscape in the region.
This article is based on “Reframing India’s foreign policy However, despite the hype surrounding Abraham
priorities” which was published in The Hindu on Accords, the situation remains fluid and has not
12/01/2021. It talks about the current challenges and reduced the risk of a confrontation between Iran
opportunities in pursuit of fulfilling foreign policy objectives. and Israel.
Given the region’s strategic flux, Iran could well be
Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, India and its
tempted to use its nuclear capability to enhance
Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's
Interests its position.
This does pose problems for India since both have
Like any other country, India’s foreign policy envisages
to widen its sphere of influence, enhance its role across relations with it.
nations, and make its presence felt like an emerging ¾ Self-Imposed Isolation of India: Currently, India
power. The year 2021 presents a bunch of challenges remains isolated from two important supranational
and opportunities in pursuit of fulfilling foreign policy bodies of which it used to be a founding member, viz.,
objectives. the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the South
For instance, the rise of China and its influence in Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
India’s neighbourhood is a cause of worry for India. Moreover, India has opted out of the Regional
Moreover, concluding the negotiations for an EU-China Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Comprehensive Agreement on Investment debunks the This self-imposed isolation doesn’t synergise with
myth of Chinese isolation after Covid-19 pandemic and India’s aspiration of becoming a global power.
further strengthened China’s position. ¾ Weakening Ties with Neighbors: A more worrying
Moreover, India’s foreign policy decisions like growing concern for Indian foreign policy is weakening ties
convergence with the US have led to weakening its links with the neighbours.
with traditional friends like Russia and Iran. This can be seen from instances like China’s Cheque
Therefore, in shifting the balance of power in the Book Diplomacy vis-a-vis Srilanka, strain in relation
region, India needs to tackle foreign policy challenges with Bangladesh on NRC issue and recent border
and leverage opportunities carefully. controversy with Nepal due to the release of the
new map.
Challenges in Front of India
¾ A Stronger China: China is the only major country Way Forward
that had a positive growth rate at the end of 2020, ¾ Neighbourhood First: Through a series of diplomatic
and its economy is poised to grow even faster in 2021. efforts, India should make valiant efforts to improve
Militarily, China has further strengthened itself relations with some of its neighbours such as
and now seeks to dominate the Indo-Pacific Ocean Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka,
with its announcement of its third aircraft carrier’s In this context, as the world emerges from the
launch in 2021. pandemic, India has a lot to gain from what
In this context, any breakthrough in Sino-Indian could be “vaccine diplomacy” with neighbours
relations is unlikely to occur, and the confrontation in 2021 — supplying vaccines either free or at
between Indian and Chinese armed forces is affordable costs.
expected to continue. ¾ External Aid in Adequate Measure: The current
¾ Growing Russia-China Axis: Russia is beginning to standoff with China has reinforced JL Nehru’s belief
display more significant interest in its periphery’s in 1963 that India needs “external aid in adequate
affairs. Moreover, the sanctions imposed on Russia measure”.
after Crimea's annexation in 2014 has pushed Russia In this context, India will need continuing support
towards a tighter embrace of China. from the US, Japan, Australia, besides European
This seems to signal reduced interest in countries leaders such as France, Germany and the UK.
such as India. India should appreciate European entry into Indo-
Also, India’s closeness to the U.S. has weakened its pacific narrative, as already, France and Germany
links with traditional friends such as Russia and Iran. have come up with their Indo-Pacific strategy.
¾ Changing Middle East Equations: The US-brokered ¾ India at UNSC High Table: As India enters the UN
rapprochement between Israel and four Arab countries Security Council as a non-permanent member for the
eighth time, India should raise all-important global Science fosters more equitable participation in science
matters like China’s aggressiveness — from Tibet to through increased access to research output, greater
Taiwan, Iran-Saudi rivalry, refugee crisis between transparency and accountability in research.
Bangladesh and Myanmar, etc. Apart from this, it would ensure better resource
India should refrain from a limited focus on isolating utilisation through minimal restrictions and a
Pakistan, as it would distract from India’s aspirations constant exchange of knowledge between the
of being a global leader. producers and users of knowledge.
¾ Engaging With US: As the future of Quad and the Indo- This framework will be largely community-driven and
Pacific strategy relies on the new US administration, supported with necessary institutional mechanisms
India will need to build on its deepening strategic and operational modalities.
and defence ties with the US and resolve trade and ¾ One Nation, One Subscription & Democratization:
visa issues. The STIP envisions free access to all journals, Indian
and foreign, for every Indian against a centrally-
Conclusion negotiated payment mechanism.
In the light of the changing actualities of the inter- In the present mechanisms, consumers of knowledge
national situation, India must cautiously play foreign such as line departments, innovators, industry, the
policy, if it wants to emerge as a global rather than an society at large, etc., do not have access to these
aspirational player. research journals.
nnn Hence, the policy seeks to democratise science
by providing access to scholarly knowledge to
not just researchers but also to every individual
Draft National in the country.
Science, Technology ¾ Science & Gender Parity: India has valued women’s
participation in science and education from ancient
and Innovation Policy times.
Some of the earliest women scientists, including
This article is based on “Building a vibrant science
ecosystem” which was published in The Indian Express Leelavati, Gargi, and Khana, made significant
on 12/01/2021. It talks about the significance of the contributions to mathematics, natural science,
proposal in the draft National Science, Technology and and astronomy.
Innovation Policy (STIP 2020). Over the last six years, women’s participation
in S&T has doubled in India; however, women’s
Tags: Science & Technology, GS Paper - 3, Indigenization of overall participation in R&D continues to be only
Technology, Scientific Innovations & Discoveries about 16%.
Covid-19 pandemic has shown the world that it has Therefore, the policy has envisaged gender parity by
to take research in science and technology more seriously addressing career breaks for women by considering
than before. In India, the pandemic presented an academic age rather than biological/physical age.
opportunity for R&D institutions, academia, and industry Apart from this, it proposes an inclusive culture
to work with a shared purpose, synergy, collaboration that'll be facilitated through the equal opportunity
and cooperation. candidates from rural-remote areas, marginalised
With the growing realisation, that science can address communities, differently-abled, Divyangjans,
many of society’s pressing problems, the Government of irrespective of their socio-economic backgrounds.
India has released a draft National Science, Technology ¾ Traditional Knowledge & Carving Own Niche: The policy
and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020). envisages establishing an institutional architecture
The STIP will be guided by the vision of positioning to integrate Traditional Knowledge Systems (TKS)
India among the top three scientific superpowers in the and grassroots innovation into the overall education,
decade to come. Apart from it, the policy outlines research and innovation system.
strategies for strengthening India’s STI ecosystem to This focus on indigenous know-how may help
achieve the larger goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. India shine globally, standing on its merit and
unique technologies based on timeless ancient
Novel Ideas of the Policy & their Significance wisdom curated/enhanced by modern science
¾ Open Science Framework & Inclusiveness: Open and technology.
¾ Collaboration & Ease of Doing Research: The proposed More research on these associated technologies
Science Technology Innovation Observatory will have may positively impact many industries such as
an important governance role in the collaboration defence, education, health etc.
networks. ¾ Science Diplomacy: India should indulge in international
The policy proposes creating a National STI S&T engagement and STIP diplomacy.
Observatory that will act as a central repository This will help in achieving collective and inclusive
for all kinds of data related to and generated from global development through international engage-
the STI ecosystem. ment by maximising the scope of indigenisation
Further, an STI Development Bank will be set up and sustainability for national advancement and
to facilitate a corpus fund for investing in direct promotion of global commons.
long term investments in select strategic areas.
Conclusion
Way Forward
India’s STI growth trajectory over recent years has
¾ Operationalise Clusters: When the draft policy takes been impressive. Our entry into the club of the top 50
the shape of the actual procedure, it must acknowledge countries in the global innovation Index with a rank of
the cluster-based approach and incorporate it. 48 (a massive improvement from 81st place in 2015)
Clusters consist of multiple organisations including speaks volumes for our potential.
suppliers, producers, customers, labour markets, To continue this feat, the draft Science, Technology
HEIs, financial intermediaries, professional and and Innovation Policy contains progressive proposals that
industry associations, regulatory institutions and could be game-changers for the scientific research
government departments. community and the way ordinary Indians interact with
They nurture strong science and technology research Science.
capabilities in a specific domain and help translate nnn
these capabilities into applications.
An example of an electronics hardware cluster is
in Silicon Valley. SAARC Revival
¾ Increasing Funding For Research: At 0.6% of GDP,
India’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) This article is based on “Reclaiming SAARC from the ashes
is relatively low compared to other major economies of 2020” which was published in The Hindu on 13/01/2021.
with a GERD-to-GDP ratio of 1.5% to 3%. It talks about the need for the revival of SAARC.
One way to increase R&D spend in the country
Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, India and its
is to make it attractive for companies to invest. Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India's
In this regard, reformed bureaucracy, tax benefits Interests
and market access for the infant companies should The year 2020 marked the sixth year since the
also be considered. leaders of the eight nations that make up the South Asian
¾ Enabling Research in Disruptive technology: Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were able
Technologies that are collectively called Industrial to meet.
revolution 4.0 are undoubtedly the future of science India’s problems with Pakistan on terrorism, territorial
and technology landscape. claims, and its role in blocking SAARC initiatives on
India must take advantage of these disruptive and connectivity and trade are the main reasons that even
impactful technologies. after thirty-six years of its formation, SAARC appears to
be a defunct body.
However, if India aspires to become a global power,
it must keep its neighbourhood peaceful, prosperous and
supportive. In this context, reviving SAARC becomes very
important.
Need For Reviving SAARC

¾ Regional Disconnect: Over the past year, India-Pakistan
issues have impacted other meetings of SAARC. This
makes it easier for member countries and international
agencies, to deal with South Asia as a fragmented ¾ All-of South Asia Approach: South Asian countries
group rather than a collective one. need to work as a collective to set common standards
No other regional power is as disconnected from and promote a more intra-regional, transnational
its immediate neighbourhood as India. approach towards health security, food security, and
job security.
This disconnect is a challenge to India’s economic
In this context, India can follow the European
and security interests.
model of regional integration.
¾ Impact of Covid-19: The impact of Covid-19, is a growing
Moreover, India can strengthen its position as an
distaste for ‘globalisation’ and growing preference for
nativism, self-dependence and localising supply chains. education hub for students from its neighbourhood.
This will help to form closer political ties and
While it will be impossible for countries to entirely
spread its cultural influence and values to the
cut themselves off from the global market, regional
surrounding region.
initiatives will become the golden mean between
¾ Regional Development: Being the biggest economy in
globalisation and hyper-nationalism.
South Asia, India can carry out infrastructure projects
Moreover, reviving SAARC is crucial to countering
to improve connectivity, including the laying of new
the common challenges brought about by the pipelines, building electricity networks, upgrading
pandemic. port, rail, and airport infrastructure, and reinvigorating
According to a World Bank report, the South Asian people-to-people exchanges.
countries are expected to lose nearly about 10.77
million jobs and $52.32 billion in GDP alone from Conclusion
the impact of the pandemic. India must find its prism to view its South Asian
¾ Dealing With China: It is clear that tensions with neighbourhood having a shared future and acting as a
Pakistan and Nepal amplify the threat perception from force-multiplier for India’s ambitions on the global stage.
China, while other SAARC members (minus Bhutan), nnn
all of whom are Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partners
of China will be hard placed to help individually.
Also, in the current pandemic, China is sending Avian Flu Crisis
medicines, personal protective equipment kits,
and promising vaccines to most SAARC countries This article is based on “Handling the avian flu crisis”
as part of its “Health Silk Road” initiative. which was published in The Hindustan Times on
12/01/2021. It talks about the frequent occurrence of
Therefore, in dealing with China’s challenge, both
bird flu and its impact.
at India’s borders and in its neighbourhood, a
unified South Asian platform remains India’s most
Tags: Science & Technology, GS Paper - 3, Economics of Animal
potent countermeasure.
-Rearing
Way Forward Just three months after India declared itself free of
the avian influenza outbreak (Bird Flu), the year 2021
¾ Engaging With Pakistan: China’s incursions in Ladakh
started with an unprecedented bird flu epidemic. The
doesn’t stop India to attend meetings with the recent occurrence of bird flu has caused the death of
Chinese leadership at the SCO, the Russia-India-China thousands of wild and poultry birds in 10 states.
trilateral, the G-20.
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a
Therefore, it is misplaced that India applies the highly contagious viral disease affecting a variety of birds.
same logic, for not engaging with Pakistan. India The most common strain of the virus that causes severe
must understand that engagement with Pakistan respiratory disease in birds is H5N1. However, other strains,
is very crucial for the revival of SAARC. such as H7N1, H8N1, or H5N8, also cause bird flu.
¾ Application of Gujral Doctrine: India’s conduct of The frequent occurrences of bird flu cause a high
foreign relations with immediate neighbours should degree of mortality in birds and subsequent economic
be guided by the Gujral Doctrine. loss to the fast-growing poultry industry. Moreover, there
In this present context of Covid-19 pandemic, India are risks associated with the mutation of the virus and
can apply Gujral doctrine by pursuing Vaccine infection to the human.
diplomacy with SAARC countries, whereby India Given the disruption caused by Covid-19, it is
can supply vaccines either free or at affordable important that any viral outbreak must be handled with
costs and counter future pandemics. adequate preventive and curative steps.
Reason For Frequent Occurrence of Bird Flu ¾ Economic Impact: The response to a bird flu outbreak
is a containment strategy, which is primarily centered
¾ Source: Wild birds are considered the natural reservoirs
of the bird flu viruses, and it is typical of an outbreak to around removing the diseased birds through culling.
coincide with the season of arrival of migratory birds. Such mass destruction causes a severe impact on
farmers.
¾ Migration of Virus: Migratory birds from faraway
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
countries in the northern hemisphere such as
Mongolia and Kazakhstan are said to have brought Welfare, India’s poultry sector is worth ₹80,000
the virus to India. crores. The organized sector represents 80%, and
the rest is distributed among unorganized sectors,
The bird flu spreads through their droppings,
including backyard poultry-keeping which is crucial
contaminating the water bodies they visit.
for income and nutritional security.
¾ Destination: According to the World Health Organization
Also, India exports processed poultry products such
(WHO), more than half of the world’s bird flu incidents
as egg powder, yolk powder, chicken products, and
take place in the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), which
also pharmaceutical ingredients from the poultry
covers almost the entire Indian subcontinent.
sector worth hundreds of crores every year.
¾ Man-Made Reason: Further, WHO believes that
continuous growth in poultry farming under poor Way Forward
sanitary conditions was sustaining the virus, with
multiple susceptible species living in the same area. ¾ Preventive Measures: It is very difficult to eradicate
influenza viruses because they persist in a vast reservoir
Threats Emanating From Bird Flu of aquatic birds. However, the spread of bird flu can
be contained if there is early sharing of information
¾ Threat to Humans: The viral strain, H5N1 has a
between the 29 CAF countries.
history of spreading over to humans from birds, but
In this context, the United Nations and WHO should
the instances of bird flu among humans have been
uncommon. work with countries in the CAF region for disease
surveillance of the migratory birds.
However, according to WHO, human cases of bird
flu occur “occasionally,” but the mortality rate is In India, the Central government requires veterinary
about 60% when it happens. staff to conduct inspections periodically under the
It further states that there is a possibility of the
Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious
H5N1 mutating and posing a pandemic threat Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, to catch any signs
among humans. of disease among birds and other animals early.
¾ Curative Measures: In India, the Centre has the right
thing by asking the state governments to follow the
National Action Plan for Prevention, Control, and
Containment of Avian Influenza 2021.
The plan emphasizes the practice of building a
biosafety bubble around poultry farms to mitigate
the chances of wild birds coming in close contact
with reared birds.
Also, where birds’ culling is undertaken to combat
bird flu, the National Action Plan prescribes
compensation to farmers at fixed rates.
However, the farmers complain that compensations
do not cover the profit they could have earned from
regular business. Given the economic slowdown
amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the governments
must do needful help from the farmers.
¾ Need For Research: Experts say preventing bird flu is
very difficult as little research has been done on the
virus-carrying capability of migratory birds in CAF.
Therefore, it is also important to undertake genome
sequencing of virus samples to track the virus’s
evolution.
¾ Measure to be Taken by Farmers: The measures, ¾ Economic Contribution: Remittances sent by the
which have general relevance to farmers everywhere, Indian diaspora have positive systemic effects on the
include cleansing and disinfecting, reduction of balance of payments, which help to bridge a wider
people’s movement in the farm bird areas to reduce trade deficit. Also, India is the highest receiver of
contamination, reducing contact between captive remittances in the world.
and wild birds. The migration of less-skilled labor (especially to
West Asia) has helped in bringing down disguised
Conclusion unemployment in India.
Covid-19 pandemic showed the world how a micro- Further, the migrant workers facilitated the flow of
organism could bring the whole world to a standstill. tacit information, commercial and business ideas,
Therefore, it is imperative to treat the viral outbreak with and technologies into India.
utmost urgency and adopt sustainable ways of living.
nnn Issues Related to Indian Diaspora
¾ Role of Diaspora in Indian Democracy: Indian diaspora
is a non-homogeneous group and it has different
Indian Diaspora demands from the Indian Government. This also
leads to negative campaigning and foreign funding.
This article is based on “The diaspora dilemma” which
It is due to this, these demands are in conflict with
was published in The Hindustan Times on 10/01/2021. It
talks about the Importance and issues associated with the policies of the Indian government. This can
the Indian Diaspora. be seen in the recent demonstration in support
of farmers’ protests.
Tags: International Relations, GS Paper - 2, Effect of Policies & In the past, many groups of the Indian diaspora
Politics of Countries on India's Interests, Indian Diaspora demanded nullification of Article 370 in Kashmir,
Recently, India celebrated the 16th annual Pravasi the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National
Bharatiya Divas. It is an occasion to reach out to India’s Register of Citizens (NRC).
vast diaspora, celebrate their achievements, connect them ¾ Impact of Covid-19: Covid-19 has triggered an anti-
to their roots, and provide a framework for the diaspora’s globalization wave, whereby many migrant workers
engagement with India’s development story. had to return to India and now facing restrictions
The diaspora’s ability to spread Indian soft power, regarding emigration.
lobby for India’s national interests, and contribute This has led to economic hardship for both the
economically to India’s rise is now well-recognized. Indian diaspora and the Indian economy.
However, in order to leverage this diaspora dividend, ¾ Turmoil In West Asia: Despite the hype surrounding
India needs to conduct diplomacy keeping in mind the the peace deal with Israel & the four Gulf countries
sensitivities involved. (Abraham Accords), the situation in West Asia remains
fluid due to prevailing tensions between Saudi-Arabia
Importance of Indian Diaspora & Iran.
¾ Enhancing India’s Soft Power: Indian diaspora is one The event of any war will lead to a massive return
of the richest minorities in many developed countries. of Indian nationals, curtailing remittances, and
Their advantage is evident in “diaspora diplomacy”, making demands on the job market.
whereby they act as “bridge-builders” between their ¾ Regulatory Cholesterol: There are many inadequacies
home and adopted countries. of the Indian system for the diaspora to collaborate
For example, Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal is a case with India or to invest in the country.
in point, as ethnic Indians in the United States For example, grievances like red tape, multiple
successfully lobbied for the signing of the Nuclear clearances, distrust of government are acting as
Deal. hindrances in fulfilling opportunities presented
Further, the Indian diaspora is not just a part of by the Indian Diaspora.
India’s soft power, but a fully transferable political
vote bank as well. Way Forward
Also, many people of Indian origin hold top political ¾ Transparency in Policy Matters: Social media tools
positions in many countries, which enhances India’s have made it easy and inexpensive for the Indian
political clout at multilateral institutions like the Diaspora to stay in touch with family and friends back
United Nations. home, and their link to India has never been stronger.
It is time that the Indian government leveraged sharing with Facebook includes the mobile phone
this strong bond for the greater good of the number, user activity, and other basic information
nation, by following utmost transparency in all of the WhatsApp account.
policy decisions. WhatsApp’s recent privacy policy to share
¾ Need For Evacuation Policy: There is a need for a commercial user data with Facebook establishes
strategic diaspora evacuation policy from conflict zones that it is the owner of the data rather than an
in a world where crises materialize without warnings intermediary.
and give very little reaction time for governments. The policy essentially takes away the choice users
¾ Improving Ease of Doing Business: Improvement in had until now to not share their data with other
ease of doing business will go a long way in enabling Facebook-owned and third-party apps.
investments from the Indian diaspora. Note: Intermediaries
India’s foreign policy aims to translate partnerships
¾ The basic definition of intermediaries is that they
to benefits for key projects like Swachh Bharat, Clean do not own content and are mere platforms where
Ganga, Make In India, Digital India, and Skill India, third-party entities place content.
the diaspora has plenty of scope to contribute.
¾ This particular status prevents them from liability in
case anything unlawful is noticed on their platforms.
Conclusion
In such instances, the government directs the
The institutionalization of “diaspora diplomacy” is a
intermediary concerned to remove the unlawful
distinct indication of the fact that the Indian diaspora
content within a specified period.
community has become considerably more important as
¾ If Whatsapp automatically shares the data, it can
a subject of interest for foreign policy and associated
not be considered as an intermediary.
government activities.
¾ In such a scenario it may lose the immunity it has
nnn
with regard to any objectionable content found on
its platform at any given point in time.
¾ Against the Recommendations of the Srikrishna
New Whatsapp Policy & Privacy Committee Report: The new Whatsapp policy
This article is based on “Update debate: On WhatsApp contradicts the recommendations of the Srikrishna
and privacy” which was published in The Hindu on Committee report, which forms the basis of the Data
18/01/2021. It talks about the issues emanating from the Protection Bill 2019. For Example:
new Whatsapp privacy policy and the need for data The principle of Data Localisation, which aims to
protection law in India. put curbs on the transfer of personal data outside
the country, may come in conflict with WhatsApp’s
Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 2, IT & Computers, Government new privacy policy.
Policies & Interventions The report stated that using the information for
Recently, WhatsApp has updated its policy, which purposes that are reasonably linked to the purpose
states that it may share information of any of its users for which the information was given. However, the
with its family of companies (Facebook). This new update updated privacy policy of WhatsApp can be seen
has caused a lot of concern over the privacy of the people as a move to ensure subtle forms of commercial
that use this application. exploitation and micro-targeting by political
Privacy experts and antitrust bodies have also raised campaigns (Cambridge Analytica scandal).
the alarm at this new privacy policy of WhatsApp. ¾ Sharing of Metadata: WhatsApp held that the end-
Moreover, Indian users are more vulnerable due to the to-end encryption clause remains intact, which will
absence of any data protection law. ensure that it can’t see your messages or share them
As the Supreme court in K. Puttaswamy’s judgment with anyone.
held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right, the However, with the updated privacy policy, WhatsApp
Whatsapp new policy is yet another reason why India can now share one’s metadata, essentially everything
needs data protection law. beyond the conversation’s actual text.
¾ Take it or Leave it’ Policy: If users disagree with the
Issues Related to New Whatsapp Policy messaging platform’s updated privacy policy, they
¾ Whatsapp As the Owner of Data: The information will have to quit WhatsApp when the new terms of
that WhatsApp automatically collects and will be service are set to come into effect.
Metadata However, mining is the act of removing and consuming

a limited resource. Moreover, the Government of India
¾ It virtually gives a 360-degree profile into a person's
and state governments treat the mineral sale proceeds
online activity.
as revenue or income. This leaves neither the minerals
¾ This level of insight into a person's private and
nor their value for future generations to inherit.
personal activities is done without any government
Further, as the mined materials support roughly 45%
oversight at present or regulatory supervision.
of the world’s economic activities, this large-scale mining
Way Forward also has a social and environmental impact.
In this context, there is a need to adhere to the
¾ Expediting Data Protection Law: India’s data protection
principle of Intergenerational Equity, which makes it
law has been languishing for two years now. If India
imperative to ensure future generations inherit at least
had a data protection law in place, WhatsApp would
as much as that of the current generation.
not have been able to go ahead with this update in
the first place. Issues Associated with Unsustainable Mining
For instance, WhatsApp’s updated privacy policy
¾ Going Beyond Carrying Capacity: In many cases,
guidelines won’t be applicable if you live in the
mining operations have been carried out without
European Region thanks to the data protection
concern for the ‘carrying capacity’ of the environment
law (GDPR) in place there.
and other infrastructural limitations.
Therefore, India must expedite the process of
This has put avoidable pressure on the environment
finalizing the data protection law.
and caused inconveniences to the people living in
Further, India should use the current Whatsapp issue the mining areas.
to update the already under process intermediary
¾ Loss of Public Revenue: Driven by lobbying, political
guidelines.
donations, and corruption, minerals are often sold at
¾ Public Awareness: According to many experts, prices significantly lower than what they are worth.
WhatsApp users in India will not care too much about
Illegal mining, in many cases, has a similar effect
this issue, what with privacy policies being generally
while additionally causing loss of public revenues.
difficult to be understood by the public.
According to the International Monetary Fund,
Therefore, the government and civil society must
due to unsustainable mining, many governments
engage in awareness programs to make the public
of resource-rich nations face declining public
aware of the importance of digital privacy.
sector net worth.
Conclusion ¾ Large Number of Small Mines: In India, many small
mines (including quarries for extracting minor minerals)
The privacy of a billion citizens is too important a operate in most states.
thing to be left just to the practices of a commercial enter-
These present difficult challenges for sustainable
prise. It will be reassuring if a strong law guarantees it.
development as their financial, technical, and
nnn managerial limitations restrict their ability to take
adequate corrective measures.
¾ Growing Inequality & Loss of Natural Wealth:
Sustainable Mining Naturally, the extractors are keen to extract as quickly
This article is based on “Mining in India equals selling the as possible and move on. This deepens inequalities,
family gold” which was published in The Hindu on as a few extractors acquire wealth without proper
19/01/2021. It talks about the issues related to the present redistribution to the people.
state of mining practices and the need to adopt sustainable It also results in the loss of natural wealth. For
mining. example, it is estimated from the annual reports
of Vedanta that over eight years (2004-2012), the
Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Mobilization of resources, State of Goa lost more than 95% of the value of
Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Conservation its minerals.
India’s National Mineral Policy 2019 states that “nat-
ural resources, including minerals, are a shared inheritance Way Forward
where the state is the trustee on behalf of the people to ¾ Life-Cycle Approach: There is a need to apply
ensure that future generations receive the benefit of sustainability principles to all stages of the mine life
inheritance.” cycle – exploration, mine planning, construction,
mineral extraction, mine closure, and post-closure sumption, minimizing land disturbance, pollution
reclamation and rehabilitation. These principles reduction, as well as closure and reclamation of
include elements such as: exhausted mine lands.
Intra And Inter-generational Equity, ¾ Multi-Stakeholder Approach: Preparation of a socio-
The Precautionary Principle, economic assessment report for a mining project
Scientific Mining,
should be made a part of the permitting process for
the grant and administration of mineral concession
Management of Environmental and Socioeconomic
to a mining enterprise.
Impacts.
Mining enterprises should preferably execute local
¾ Creation of Future Generation Fund: Like Norway,
socio-economic development works rather than
the entire mineral sale proceeds must be saved in a
government and semi-government agencies to
Future Generations Fund.
avoid the problems of inadequate capacity, political
Also, in 2014 the Supreme Court set up a global manipulation, and corruption.
judicial precedent by ordering the creation of a
Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund. This model is worth Conclusion
emulating in all the major mining areas. Since minerals are a shared inheritance held in trust
¾ Adherence to Zero-Loss Principle: If we extract and for the people and future generations, it is essential that
sell our mineral wealth, the explicit objective must as a nation, we change our paradigm to understand min-
be to achieve zero loss in value. erals as a “shared inheritance,” not a source of “windfall
The state as trustee must capture the full economic revenue.”
rent (sale price minus the cost of extraction, cost nnn
including reasonable profit for extractor).
¾ Consortia of Small Mining Enterprises: In order to
alleviate the limitations of small mines in carrying out Tourism Sector In India
sustainable development activities, consortia of small
mining enterprises in a region should be promoted. This article is based on “In our past lies our future …
Also, technical advisory services should be made
Indian tourism hasn’t marketed the precious assets
available to them in the relevant areas. embedded in our heritage to full potential” which was
published in The Times of India on 19/01/2021. It talks
¾ Environmental Footprint Framework: A common
about the constraints & opportunities associated with
sustainable mining framework should be focused
the tourism sector in India.
on reducing the environmental impacts of mining.
Strategies for assessing mining operations’
Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Mobilization of resources,
sustainability include measuring, monitoring, and Employment, Issues Relating to Development
improving various environmental performance
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year has
metrics. These are used to determine whether a brought almost all areas of the business to a standstill.
mining operation is sustainable. Arguably, the worst affected has been the tourism and
The key metrics for environmental sustainability hospitality industry, which had to bear the brunt of
in mining relate to efficiencies in resource con- lockdowns and social distancing.
According to the UN World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO), this is by far the worst crisis international
tourism has faced since records began in 1950.
Now as the vaccines are available, life will return
back to normalcy. Given this, India should seek to actively
support the tourism sector, as the sector contributes an
estimated 10% to the Indian economy and is our biggest
ambassador to the world.
Further, India has inherent competitive advantages
as it offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products
- cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, eco-
tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. This competitive
advantage will help India become a tourism hub in the
world.
Constraints in Tourism Sector ¾ Conservation of Heritage Sites: Conservation and

development of all heritage sites should be undertaken
¾ Infrastructure and Connectivity: Deficiencies in
and completed through either government funding
infrastructure and inadequate connectivity hamper
or through NGOs/Corporate Social Responsibility
tourist visits to some heritage sites.
(CSR) activities.
Also, India has various tourist destinations but few
The Ministry of Tourism’s Swadesh Darshan and
circuits or segments such as the Golden Triangle
National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and
(Delhi-Agra-Jaipur).
Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)
¾ Promotion and Marketing: Although it has been
schemes are already undertaking the development
increasing, online marketing/branding remains limited or maintenance of heritage sites.
and campaigns are not coordinated.
¾ Promoting Ease of Tourism: To truly ensure a
Tourist information centers are poorly managed,
seamless tourist transportation experience we need
making it difficult for domestic and foreign tourists to standardize all interstate road taxes and make them
to access information with ease. payable at a single point which will facilitate the ease
¾ Lack of Skills: The number of adequately trained of doing business.
individuals for the tourism and hospitality sector is a ¾ Incredible India 2.0: Given the diversity of tourism in
key challenge to giving visitors a world-class experience. India, there is a need to actively promote and market
A limited number of multilingual trained guides, niche tourism like Buddhist circuit, Swadesh Darshan,
and the limited local awareness and understanding Adventure tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
of the benefits and responsibilities associated with In this context, the Government of India can launch
tourist growth act as constraints on the sector’s the Incredible India 2.0 campaign, which will
growth. promote tourism in 100 Smart & Swachh Tourist
¾ Underutilization of Tourism Potential: Out of 140 Destination Sites.
countries, India ranked 8th on cultural resources and
business travel, 13th on price competitiveness, and
14th on natural resources in World Economic Forum’s
Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019.
Despite these superb rankings, India’s overall
tourism competitiveness ranking at 34 reveals
that India has not monetized or marketed the
precious assets embedded in its heritage to their
full potential, as other countries do.
Conclusion
Way Forward Given opportunities in the Tourism sector, it can act
¾ One India One Tourism’ Approach: Tourism as an engine to revive growth and showcases brand India
encompasses multiple ministries and takes place in to the world.
and within states. nnn
It thus requires a National Tourism Council, an
empowered legislative body that will enable fast-
tracking of Centre-state level tourism matters and Female Labor Force
will create a ‘One India One Tourism’ approach.
¾ Tourism Should be Declared as Infrastructure:
Participation In India
Tourism infrastructure projects, viz., hotels, resorts, This article is based on “Enhancing women’s employment
equipment, parks, etc., having a project cost more is key to economic recovery” which was published in The
than Rs. 1 crore should be notified as ‘infrastructure’ Hindustan Times on 19/01/2021. It talks about constraints
to enable promoters to avail loans on a priority basis. and solutions regarding declining Female Labor Force
¾ Skill Development: There is a need to connect local Participation in India.
communities to tourism by encouraging them to set
up small enterprises to supply the tourism industry. Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper-2, Issues Related to Women,
Employment opportunities can be expanded Gender, Employment, Issues Relating to Development
by ensuring that investors and operators in the India continues to struggle to provide its women with
organized sector are encouraged to hire staff locally. equal opportunity. In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic,
female labor force participation in India was 23.5%, Way Forward
according to ILO estimates.
As a report by McKinsey Global Institute suggests
The pandemic has made this situation worse. It has that if women participated in the Indian economy at the
hit women disproportionately — because they work in level men do, annual GDP could be increased by 60%
sectors that have been the hardest hit; work more than above its projected GDP by 2025. Given this, governments
men do in the informal economy; or because they are at all levels, civil society, and citizenry should take
the primary caregivers at home. adequate measures to ensure gender equality.
As the recovery of the Indian economy requires a ¾ Full-Time Child Care: The Integrated Child Development
concerted effort of both government and citizenry, women Scheme provides some support, but it is not a full-
can become a critical part of the economic recovery. Thus, time child care solution.
there is a need to ameliorate long-standing issues that
However, the “Sangini Centres” of Self Employed
hamper female labor force participation in India.
Women’s Association (SEWA) provide full-day child
care for 0-5-year-olds, including nutrition, health,
Constraints In Female Labor Force Participation
and child care.
¾ Stereotyping In Society: India’s societal norms are such
Thus, similar centers should be significantly
that women are expected to take the responsibility of expanded.
family care and childcare. This stereotype is a critical
¾ Bridging Digital Divide: To address this, partnerships
barrier to women’s labor force participation.
between the public and private sectors will be most
Due to this, women are in constant conflict over-
effective.
allotment of time for work and life is a war of
Actions will need to address affordability of phones
attrition for them.
and computers, female digital literacy and its
¾ Digital Divide: In India in 2019, internet users were
social context, and inadequate technical content
67% male and 33% female, and this gap is even bigger dedicated to women and girls.
in rural areas.
¾ Flexible Working: The pandemic-induced remote
This divide can become a barrier for women to
working scenario has taught the corporate world that
access critical education, health, and financial seamless work-life integration is possible not only for
services, or to achieve success in activities or women but for male professionals as well.
sectors that are becoming more digitized.
Even as India Industries adds more diversity and
¾ Technological Disruption: Women hold most of the
inclusion initiatives such as increased maternity
administrative and data-processing roles that artificial leave, mandatory paternity leave, the right to and
intelligence and other technologies threaten to usurp. choice of work for women depends greatly on
As routine jobs become automated, the pressure organizations continuing the practice of flexible
on women will intensify and they will experience working.
higher unemployment rates. ¾ Fiscal Incentives: Women have a higher elasticity of
¾ Lack of Gender-Related Data: Globally, major gaps labor supply than men (their labor supply is more
in gendered data and the lack of trend data make it responsive to their take-home wages) — lower income
hard to monitor progress. taxes for women can incentivize their participation.
In India, too, significant gaps in data on the girl ¾ Encouraging Women Entrepreneurship: Creating
child prevent a systematic longitudinal assessment job opportunities is the need of the hour. However,
of the lives of girls. encouraging more women to become entrepreneurs
¾ Impact of Covid-19: Owing to Covid-19, global will provide a long-term solution.
female employment is 19% more at risk than male By creating jobs, fuelling innovation, and
employment (ILO estimates). furthering investment in health and education,
For India, several estimates show that, compared to entrepreneurship among women could transform
men, women were 9.5% less likely to be employed India’s economy and society.
in August 2020 compared to August 2019. ¾ Prioritizing Gender Statistics: A UN Women Initiative
In the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender called “Making Every Woman and Girl Count” was
Gap Index (which measures gaps that exist in the launched in 2016 to help prioritize gender data,
economic participation of women), India slipped ensure regular production of quality and comparable
to 112th place this year, simply because over 70 gender statistics, and ensure that data are accessible
lakh Indian women have dropped out of work. and used to inform policy.
There is a need to incorporate such an initiative Census, had pointed out that “the census is a
in India as well. large, immensely powerful, but blunt instrument
unsuited for specialized inquiry.”
Conclusion ¾ SECC
World Bank, noted that “no country can develop and SECC was conducted for the first time since 1931.
achieve its full potential if half of its population is locked SECC is meant to canvass every Indian family, both
in non-remunerative, less productive and non-economic in rural and urban India, and ask about their:
activities.”
z Economic status, so as to allow Central and
Therefore, in a country where young women’s State authorities to come up with a range of
education is now at par with men’s, ignoring that half of indicators of deprivation, permutations, and
the population isn’t participating equally in the economy combinations of which could be used by each
means we are missing out on innovation, entrepreneurship, authority to define a poor or deprived person.
and productivity gains.
z It is also meant to ask every person their specific
nnn caste name to allow the government to re-
evaluate which caste groups were economically
worst off and which were better off.
Socio-Economic SECC has the potential to allow for a mapping of
and Caste Census inequalities at a broader level.

¾ Difference Between Census & SECC
This article is based on “A new framework around caste The Census provides a portrait of the Indian
and the census” which was published in The Hindu on population, while the SECC is a tool to identify
23/01/2021. It talks about the comparison between Census beneficiaries of state support.
and Socio-Economic and Caste Census and their associated
Since the Census falls under the Census Act of
concerns.
1948, all data are considered confidential, whereas
according to the SECC website, “all the personal
Tags: Governance, GS Paper - 1, Population and Associated Issues
information given in the SECC is open for use by
Enumerating, describing, and understanding the Government departments to grant and/or restrict
population of society and what people have access to, benefits to households.”
and what they are excluded from is important not only
for social scientists but also for policy practitioners and Associated Concerns With SECC
the government. ¾ Repercussions of a Caste Census: Caste has an emotive
In this regard, the Census of India, one of the largest element and thus there exist the political and social
exercises of its kind, enumerates and collects demographic repercussions of a caste census.
and socio-economic information on the Indian population. There have been concerns that counting caste may
However, the critiques of the exercise of the census help solidify or harden identities.
consider it as both a data collection effort and a technique Due to these repercussions, nearly a decade after
of governance, but not quite useful enough for a detailed the SECC, a sizeable amount of its data remains
and comprehensive understanding of a complex society. unreleased or released only in parts.
In this context, the Socio-Economic and Caste Census ¾ Caste Is Context-specific: Caste has never been a
(SECC) was conducted in 2011, but it has its own issues. proxy for class or deprivation in India; it constitutes
a distinct kind of embedded discrimination that often
Census, SECC & Difference transcends class. For example:
¾ Census People with Dalit last names are less likely to
The origin of the Census in India goes back to the be called for job interviews even when their
colonial exercise of 1881. qualifications are better than that of an upper-
Census has evolved and been used by the caste candidate.
government, policymakers, academics, and others They are also less likely to be accepted as tenants
to capture the Indian population, access resources, by landlords. Thus difficult to measure.
map social change, delimitation exercise, etc. Marriage to a well- educated, well-off Dalit man
However, as early as the 1940s, W.W.M. Yeatts, still sparks violent reprisals among the families of
Census Commissioner for India for the 1941 upper-caste women every day across the country.
Way Forward Moreover, India has one of the highest numbers of
shadow entrepreneurs in the world and with a rising gig
¾ Utilizing Existing Data: As SECC has its own concerns,
economy, understanding shadow entrepreneurship
linking and syncing aggregated Census data to other
becomes incredibly important.
large datasets such as the National Sample Surveys
may help the governments realize the intended Positives of Shadow Entrepreneurship
benefits of SECC.
¾ Providing Employment: Presently, India’s manufac-
National Sample Surveys cover issues that the Census
turing sector is unable to provide adequate formal
exercises do not, such as maternal health, infor- employment opportunities to the youth. Moreover,
mation of land and asset ownership, consumption there is a mismatch between education and job skills
expenditure, nature of employment, which would in the market.
be significant for a more comprehensive analysis. In this context, the phenomenon of shadow
¾ Digital Alternatives: Statisticians such as Atanu Biswas entrepreneurship is seen as a potential driver of
point out that Census operations across the world are job growth and economic development.
going through significant changes, employing digital ¾ Bridging Market Gap: Shadow entrepreneurs can
methods that are precise, faster, and cost-effective. help release the associated distortions and frictions
However, care must be taken to ensure that in the market.
digital alternatives and linking of data sources They can offer complementary services that
involving Census operations are inclusive and traditional service providers may be constrained
non-discriminatory, especially given the sensitive to offer or consumers might not be able to access.
nature of the data being collected. ¾ Augmenting Social Services: Shadow entrepreneurialism
may extend welfare support of government schemes,
Conclusion as they can address the accessibility, availability, or
While the Census authorities present documents on affordability issues.
methodology as part of a policy of transparency, there
needs to be a closer and continuous engagement between Associated Concerns
functionaries of the Census and SECC, along with academics With Shadow Entrepreneurship
and other stakeholders concerned, since the Census and ¾ Extension of Informal Labour: As Shadow Entrepre-
the SECC are projects of governance as well as of academic neurship is largely unregulated, it provides little job
interest. security and few benefits to its workers like social
nnn security, insurance, etc.
Therefore, it is an extension of India’s informal
labor, which has been prevalent for a long time
Shadow Entrepreneurship and has remained unregulated.
¾ Hampering Economic Growth: Shadow Entrepreneurship
This article is based on “Rise of shadow entrepreneurship” results in loss of tax revenue, the unfair competition
which was published in The Hindu on 18/01/2021. It talks to registered businesses, and also poor productivity
about the benefits and issues associated with the Shadow - factors that hinder economic development.
Entrepreneurship. Further, as the Shadow Entrepreneurship businesses
are not registered, it takes them beyond the reach
Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Employment, Issues Relating of the law and makes shadow economy entrepre-
to Development neurs vulnerable to corrupt government officials.
Recently, a business school professor allegedly ¾ National Security Implications: Shadow Entrepre-
misused his faculty position to provide fake certificates neurship may also have cross-border and national
to students. This is one of the many cases whereby people security implications. For instance, the recently re-
across the globe get cheated, owing to the unregulated ported suspicious loans being provided by Chinese
nature of online activities. instant loan providers online.
The abovesaid case highlights the ill-effects of the ¾ Increase in Scams: It will also mean that unscrupulous
global rise of shadow entrepreneurship. Shadow entre- individuals who are not entrepreneurs per se but are
preneurs manage a business that sells legitimate goods complementary service providers will potentially
and services but they do not register their businesses. take more advantage of these post-pandemic market
Shadow entrepreneurship is a key factor affecting eco- constraints, extracting money from consumers by
nomic development, both in a positive and negative sense. means such as document forgery.
Way Forward generated in the Indian digital market. India’s 2% DST is

levied on revenues generated from digital services offered
¾ Formalization: Informal sector entrepreneurship,
in India, including digital platform services, digital content
poverty, and inequality are conditioned by a country's
sales, and data-related services.
economic and political institutions. Therefore,
Government policies could play a big role in helping As the digital economy is increasingly becoming a
shadow economy entrepreneurs transition to the separate sector of the economy itself, developed countries
formal economy. like the US (where the majority of digital service providers
Moreover, with proper economic and political
come from) must understand that it would be now difficult
frameworks in place, individuals are more likely to ring-fence the digital economy from the rest of the
to become 'formal' entrepreneurs and register economy for tax purposes.
their businesses. Note:
¾ Harmonization: There is a need for associated ¾ India was one of the first countries in the world
harmonization of activities between competition to introduce a 6% equalization levy in 2016, but
authorities of governments (in India’s case the the levy was restricted to online advertisement
Ministry of Corporate Affairs in regulating shadow services (commonly known as “digital advertising
entrepreneurship and government departments in taxes” or “DATs”).
healthcare, education, or finance). ¾ In March 2020, it expanded the scope of the existing
¾ Legislation: Given the magnitude of shadow equalization levy to a range of digital services that
entrepreneurship in India, it is not possible to formalize includes e-commerce platforms. Any payment made
it in a short span of time. Therefore, the need of the by non-residents in connection with an Indian user
hour is enabling legislation that regulates and provides will now attract a 2% levy.
social security benefits also.
In this context, the recent Code on Social Security Concerns Raised by USTR & Counterclaim
Bill, 2020, is a step in the right direction. For the ¾ The USTR conducted an investigation under section
first time, it acknowledges platform workers and
301 of the US Trade Act, 1974, which authorizes it to
gig workers as new occupational categories.
appropriately respond to a foreign country’s action that
Conclusion is discriminatory and negatively affects US commerce.
¾ The USTR report found the DST to be discriminatory
Shadow entrepreneurship may temporarily tackle
on two counts.
issues like the unemployment crisis or market gap but
First, it states that the DST discriminates against US
given monitoring needs of public goods distribution for
the developing world, without regulation, the situation digital businesses because it specifically excludes
could spiral out of control. from its ambit domestic (Indian) digital businesses.
nnn Second, according to the report, the DST does not
extend to identical services provided by non-digital
service providers.
Digital Services Tax ¾ However, India clarified that the DST itself in no way
discriminates based on the size of operations or
This article is based on “Digital Services Tax: Not about nationality.
India vs US” which was published in The Indian Express
It may predominantly appear that DST is applicable
on 25/01/2021. It talks about the rationale and concerns
associated with the digital services tax. to US companies because the market for digital
services is dominated by US-based firms.
Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Mobilization of resources, Further, any company that has a permanent
IT & Computers residence in India is excluded since it is already
Recently, the United States Trade Representative subject to tax in India.
(USTR) published a report concluding that the 2% digital
services tax (DST) introduced by the Indian government Rationale of DST
(by the 2020 Finance Act) discriminates against US busi- ¾ Prolonged International Tax Law Negotiation: The
nesses and contravenes settled principles of international agenda to reform international tax law so that digital
tax law. companies are taxed where economic activities are
The DST is aimed at ensuring that non-resident, digital carried out was formally framed within the OECD’s
service providers pay their fair share of tax on revenues base erosion and profit shifting program.
However, seven years since its inception, it is still Therefore, taxing in a particular jurisdiction may not
a work in progress. augur well with the growth of the digital economy.
Due to this, countries are worried that they might To overcome this challenge, countries suggested
cede their right to tax incomes. Therefore, many that a new basis to tax, say, the number of users
countries have either proposed or implemented in a country, could address the challenge to some
a digital services tax. extent.
Note: The EU and India were among the advocates of
¾ Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) refers to this approach.

tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps and ¾ Expediting Multilateral Negotiations: While the digital
mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits economy and its implications continue to evolve, the
to low or no-tax locations. multilateral solution at the level of the OECD must
¾ Changing International Economic Order: The be expedited.
proliferation of digital service taxes (DSTs) is a symptom Moreover, it would also require political consensus
of the changing international economic order. on multiple issues, including sensitive matters such
Countries such as India which provide large markets as setting up of an alternative dispute resolution
for digital corporations seek a greater right to tax process comparable to arbitration.
incomes.
¾ Asymmetrical Digital Power: The taxation of the
Conclusion
digitaliized economy turned out to be a relatively As countries calibrate their response to competing
contentious issue because there is a huge asymmetry demands for sovereignty to tax, DST is an interim
in digital service providers and consumers. alternative outside tax treaties. It possesses the advantage
Further, a redistribution of taxing rights can have of taxing incomes that currently escape tax and creates
significant revenue implications for countries like space to negotiate a final, overarching solution to this
India and the US. This makes a consensus-based conundrum.
solution harder to achieve. nnn
Thus, countries claim that the exponential increase
of the digital economy and the digitalization of
the traditional economy require the adoption of Increasing Inequalities
new tax rules.
This article is based on “Troubling trends: On widening
Associated Concerns With DST inequality” which was published in The Hindu on
¾ Eventually Burdening Digital Consumers: Experts 26/01/2021. It talks about the increasing inequalities in
suggest that DST can be passed on to consumers. the world.
While the Indian customer may not pay this as a tax,
this could mean higher prices, contrary to the claim Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Liberalization, Investment
that it taxes the company. Models, Inclusive Growth
¾ Retaliatory Tariffs: The USTR investigations could The world economy is slowly recovering from the
pose a threat of retaliatory tariffs, as similar tariffs devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However,
were imposed by the US on France. the recovery is uneven among countries and within
Further, it could turn into a digital trade war-like
countries. It is an emerging universal truth that, in the
scenario and could harm India’s Information and post-pandemic world, economic inequality is rising sharply
communication technology industry. in all countries.
¾ Double Taxation: This was severely criticized by many This can be reflected in a new report by Oxfam, which
countries as a unilateral measure that would result has revealed that the 1,000 wealthiest people worldwide
in double taxation. recovered their losses from the pandemic within nine
months as opposed to the world’s poorest, who might
Way Forward take a decade to limp back to their pre-pandemic standing.
¾ New Model of Digital Taxation: The core problem In this context, the World Economic Forum has
that the international tax reform seeks to address proposed ‘the Great Reset of Capitalism,’ which says it
is that digital corporations, unlike their brick-and- is a “commitment to jointly and urgently build the
mortar counterparts, can operate in a market without foundations of our economic and social system for a more
a physical presence. fair, sustainable and resilient future.”
In the past, many such slogans were raised. However, The bulk of the energy continues to be generated
it is the perils of the neo-liberal economic order that from non-renewable sources.
continues to grow inequalities worldwide. The developed world’s primary objective is to
Note: capture energy-generating resources from across

¾ The current world economic order can be termed continents and put them to use to push their GDP
neo-capitalism or neo-liberalism, which focuses growth to greater heights.
on Laissez-faire (market freedom), globalization, This unsustainable economic growth model is
intellectual property rights, free movement of against the concept of sustainability, as it sacrifices
goods, services investment, and ideas. the need of future generations for the welfare of
present generations.
Inequalities in India
Inequality was alarmingly high and destabilizing social
Way Forward
and political order in much of the world even before the ¾ Nordic Economic Model: To make the current
pandemic struck. Inequality is widening across the world, redistribution of wealth more equitable, the current
and India is no exception. neo-liberal model can be replaced by the ‘Nordic
¾ According to the recent Oxfam report, Inequality in Economic Model.’
India has risen to levels last seen when it was colonized. Nordic Economic Model consists of effective welfare
The additional wealth acquired by India’s 100 safety nets for all, corruption-free governance,
billionaires since March when the lockdown was the fundamental right to quality education &
imposed is enough to give every one of the 138 healthcare, high taxes for the rich, etc.
million poorest ₹94,045. ¾ 4P Model of Capitalism: Rather than just rhetoric,
¾ An unskilled worker in India would take three years to the new capitalism model should focus on 4P’s viz.
earn the richest person earned in one second last year. ‘Profit, People, Planet, Purpose and it should be the
government’s task to ensure that the corporates
Concerns Associated with Inequalities adhere to this model.
¾ Normalization of Inequalities: Many major economists
worldwide try to justify growing inequalities as an
Conclusion
inevitable by-product of economic growth that led Unlike in the 20th century, India can and must actively
to the reduction of absolute poverty. contribute to the framing of new rules to govern global
Moreover, concerns about inequality could also be capitalism and the reshaping of international institutions.
easily dismissed as being informed by socialism, Simultaneously, as the Great Reset narrative unfolds,
which is portrayed as a threat to democracy. it must also reform its economy and society to make it
Due to this, the distribution of new wealth between more equitable, sustainable, and capable of coping with
capital and labor has become so one-sided that rapid external change.
workers are constantly being pushed to penury nnn
while the rich are getting richer.
Further, the worsening inequality in income
and opportunities impacts some sections Monopolistic
disproportionately due to discrimination based
on gender, caste, and other factors.
Practices of Big-Tech Firms
¾ Creation of Monopolies: Despite its alleged This article is based on “Global antitrust and the challenge
commitment to market competition, the neoliberal of Big Tech” which was published in The Hindu on
economic agenda instead brought the decline of 29/01/2021. It talks about the concerns associated with
competition and the rise of close to monopoly power monopolistic practices of Big-Tech firms.
in vast swaths of the economy: pharmaceuticals,
telecom, airlines, agriculture, banking, industrials, retail. Tags: Indian Economy, GS Paper - 3, Liberalization, Investment
¾ Unsustainable Economic Growth: One of the chief Models, Inclusive Growth
characteristics of economic development is the With the Internet playing a central role in determining
intensification of energy use. There is an unprecedented how humans live and work, a few big technology com-
concentration of high energy density in all economic panies have gathered remarkable clout. Big Tech firms,
development strategies. also known as GAFA (Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook),
are the largest and most dominant companies in the in- In India, Big Tech companies are able to operate
formation technology industry of the United States. in a regulatory vacuum.
Many have speculated it may not be possible to live Due to this, they can avoid any negative repercussions
outside of the digital world ecosystem created by these for their continued violations regarding the adequate
companies. Now, these big tech companies are setting compensation of labor, local incorporation, and
their sights on the Global South, particularly the Indian taxation laws and maintaining reasonable and
subcontinent, for the untapped potential it holds. adequate data protection standards.
However, there are many concerns over these Big
tech firms’ monopolistic practices like slow regulation, Way Forward
unfair competition, privacy, etc. Therefore, given the ¾ Prioritizing Personal Data Regulation: At a point
centrality of digital technologies in the future, a compre- in time where data is the new gold standard, the
hensive regulatory framework must be needed. regulation of how tech companies use consumers’
personal data to establish dominance should be a
How Big Tech Firms Establishes Monopoly? significant preliminary focus point.
¾ Network effect: Due to strong network effects, it is ¾ Ensuring Right to Privacy: Governments worldwide
not possible to ban or curtail these services. have introduced stringent laws to ensure users’ right
Even if other options are available (such as Signal to privacy by requiring tech companies to adhere to
and Telegram for messaging), the network effects certain basic and essential data security and privacy
bind customers to their often used platform measures.
(WhatsApp), even if it is not their favorite. In this context, the dedicated data protection law
¾ Brand Loyalty: The major players have harnessed (the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill) must be
technologies that permit synchronicity between devices expedited.
and people in a manner that is often superficially ¾ Comprehensive Regulatory Framework: There is
described as “brand loyalty.” an undeniable monopoly that big tech comp-
¾ Tying or Bundling Certain Products: Big tech firms anies enjoy across sectors and regulatory gaps and
have pre-loaded certain software with the OS. Due consumer loyalty has enabled this unique situation
to this, many times, there was no option available to to thrive.
users to use other alternatives. The consumer will not easily give up the convenience
that this offers her; therefore, there is a need to
Concerns Associated with BigTech Firms create a network of regulatory measures and
¾ Unfair Competition: Innovations and technological safeguards centered around the consumer.
advancements have meant that unlikely giants have Thus, regulation should be mindful of region-specific
emerged in an extremely short span of time. To retain issues and adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to
their pole position, these firms may resort to anti- have the most impact.
competitive behavior. For example:
¾ Monetizing Information: Big Tech companies must
They are erecting entry barriers by refusing to
negotiate a fair payment with all the stakeholders
interconnect and interoperate with competing firms. for using their content in Facebook’s newsfeed and
Leveraging their capital base and thereby engaging Google’s Search.
in predatory pricing, and driving out competitors.
Exclusive arrangements and cartelization. Conclusion
¾ Privacy Concerns: Big tech firms’ market power is ¾ Given the size and impact of the Indian market,
built at individuals’ expense through the unscrupulous all regulatory action in India is bound to be closely
collection and processing of user data and forcing monitored and can have a far-reaching effect elsewhere
certain products on consumers. in the world.
Further, there is a lack of transparency in how tech ¾ Hence, the question before policymakers is how
companies process user data, which has raised to regulate these Internet firms from abusing their
serious and pressing privacy concerns. monopoly power while at the same time encouraging
¾ Slow Regulation: Due to rapid innovation and the positive externalities and consumer surplus they
advancement by the Big Tech firms, the regulators create.
are only able to react, not be in readiness. nnn
Youth & Mahatma Gandhi ¾ Employment Scarcity: It is one of the most serious
concerns among the youth in our country. The
This article is based on “Mahatma Gandhi’s core values employment market is unable to keep pace with
should inspire youth today” which was published in The ever-growing job-seekers.
Indian Express on 30/01/2021. It talks about what inspi- Moreover, the bigger irony is that the current
ration the youth of India can draw from Mahatma Gandhi. employment market is a systematic waning of
rural-based employment, where the majority of
Tags: Indian History, GS Paper - 1, Salient Features of Indian job-seekers exist.
Society, Important Personalities, Issues Relating to Development
Every year, on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day, people What Youth Can Learn From Gandhian Ideals
in India and worldwide pay homage to the sacrifices made
¾ Tackling Intolerance & Violence: Intolerance &
by Mahatma Gandhi. Apart from the commitment to the
Violence are two sides of the same coin. Mahatma
ideal of non-violence, the need to rise above casteism,
Gandhi successfully weaponized truth, satyagraha,
communalism, regionalism are core values that Mahatma
and peace during India’s struggle for independence.
Gandhi professed.
These ideals inspired great men across the
However, modernization combined with globalization
world, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson
has changed life in general and the lifestyle of youth in
Mandela. Their lives stand as a testament to their
particular in the last few decades, leading to change in
indomitable will and the courage to practice the
social institutions and structures.
ideals.
Besides, the substantive demographic change in terms
Therefore, the youth of India must draw inspiration
of population, political decadence, rising unemployment,
and learn how to tackle intolerance & violence
and eroding value system combined with the excessive
peacefully.
market-oriented economy has made life very complicated
for the new generation. ¾ Selfless Nationalism: The youth of today must emulate
their lives and engage themselves wholeheartedly in
In order to make the youth of modern India deal with
serving the nation while scripting the story of India’s
these issues, the need is to inculcate Gandhian values
success.
among the youth in earnest to make them more vivacious
As Mahatma Gandhi aptly remarked: “The best
and active for nation-building.
way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the
Issues With Present Day service of others.”
Youth and Modern Lifestyle With ingenuity and innovation, the nation’s
¾ Growing Intolerance in Society Leading To Violence:

youth should chart the course of India’s develop-
The youth of today is a victim of intolerance, impatience, ment, lending impetus to the concept of vocal
and misjudged convictions. These factors combine to for local.
lead most of them on to a path of violence. ¾ Means Over Ends: The Gandhian maxim of “means are
The situation deteriorates further when the
more important than the end” implies that one needs
expectation bar of lifestyle attainments is raised to focus on the means, not merely the achievement
and cannot deliver accordingly. of an end at any cost.
According to Gandhiji, to accumulate more than
¾ Materialism Leading To The Hedonistic Lifestyle:
There is a growing materialistic tendency in society, is required would be a sort of theft. Therefore,
that compels the individual to look for more and to control hedonism in society, the youth need
more new items of the material world. This attitude to be endowed with the Gandhian value of
leads to hedonism. Samthistha.
A hedonist does not go by any logic, rationale, or According to Gandhiji Samthistha, it comprises
need-based accrual of items. austerity, forbearance, asceticism, spirituality, and

¾ Education Disparity: Today’s young generation is a
the self-effacing spirit of sacrifice.
victim of an education that envisages certifying him/ Thus, following Samthistha can help one to dissociate
her to be worthy of the market. from materialism or hedonism.

However, this led to a dichotomy between the ¾ Gandhian Model of Education: Gandhiji believed
public and private institutions and subsequently education should be value-based and mass-
resulted in disparity in education and unemployment oriented.
among the youth. He always advocated for true, national education.
w w w. d r i s h ti IA S.c om EDITORIAL CONSOLIDATION JANUARY 2021 33
True education develops a balanced intellect, The vocational education will impart necessary
which presupposes a harmonious growth of body, skills and help address the unemployment issue,
mind, and soul. especially in rural areas.
This Gandhian principle of education may help This would help to make a Bharat that is atmanirbhar
resolve this kind of disparity, maybe not entirely, or self-reliant.
but to a large extent.
¾ Developing Atma-Nirbharta: The current unemployment Conclusion
situation warrants a considerable reorientation exercise The youth is very vibrant and energetic, dynamic,
in the education system and demands entrepreneurs and capable of achieving, provided that they remain on
to be hoisted to take care of job requirements both the right track. Therefore, India’s youth must remember
at the national and local levels. Mahatma Gandhi’s words, which stated: “Your beliefs
In this context, Gandhiji insisted on imparting become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your
vocational training to youth to become self-reliant words. Your words become your actions. Your actions
with such training, with education linked with become your habits. Your habits become your values.
practical experience. Your values become your destiny”.
nnn

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Monthly

1st January to 31st January 2021

marine life’s survival, plants and birds difficult in international waters.

¾ Nature of Intervention: The present controversies

Tags: International Relations, Gs paper-2, Groupings &

to expand the UNSC and become a permanent Last Mile Challenges

Recently, India has approved the Covid-19 vaccines Way Forward

Need For Reviving SAARC

Metadata However, mining is the act of removing and consuming

Constraints in Tourism Sector ¾ Conservation of Heritage Sites: Conservation and

and Caste Census inequalities at a broader level.

Way Forward generated in the Indian digital market. India’s 2% DST is

¾ Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) refers to this approach.

Note: capture energy-generating resources from across

¾ Growing Intolerance in Society Leading To Violence:

need-based accrual of items. austerity, forbearance, asceticism, spirituality, and

her to be worthy of the market. from materialism or hedonism.

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