Prime Articles & Editorials - June 2024

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UPSC MAIN EXAMINATION
PRIME ‘ARTICLES’ and ‘EDITORIALS’
Summary, Key Points, and Practice Questions
Note: Importance of Articles and Editorials

Source of UPSC Main Examination Questions: The questions in the General Studies (GS) Main
examination portions of Indian Society, Social Justice, Polity, Governance, International Relations, Economy,
Science and Technology, Environment, Security etc. are usually framed in the current context.
This opens up the necessity of keeping a track of most relevant editorials and articles on the monthly basis which
are covered in reputed newspapers, for example in the mostly followed ‘The Hindu’ newspaper.
But students face newspaper puzzle: All the aspirants are suggested to read newspapers. But reading
newspaper on daily basis becomes a difficult task. On certain days, aspirants miss reading newspaper, and many
times irregular reading of newspaper leads to pile on of unread newspapers. This leads to losing track of most
relevant editorials and articles.
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Solution for you: PRIME ‘ARTICLES’ and ‘EDITORIALS’ by SHIELD IAS

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Highlights of this ‘Collector’s Edition’:

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GENERAL STUDIES PRACTICE QUESTIONS
For Hint-
Questions (Answer each in 200 words) Read in this
issue
Q.1. Highlight the strategic and economic significance of the Chabahar Excerpt 1
port for India. Do you think that the real potential of Chabahar port (Page – 01)
will emerge when it is integrated with the larger connectivity
project of the International North South Transport Corridor
(INSTC)? (#GSPaperII and #GSPaperIII)
Q.2. In view of the recently concluded 18th Lok Sabha Election, elaborate Excerpt 2
on the guidelines for the effective running and management of (Page – 03)
polling stations in India. (#GSPaperII)
Q.3. The “faulty dietary pattern” in which unhealthy, highly processed, Excerpt 3
high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods have become more (Page – 05)
affordable and accessible has led to faster spread of
noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). What corrective steps should
be taken in this context in India? (#GSPaperII)
Q.4. A Global Plastics Treaty is essential to counter the huge menace of Excerpt 4
plastic pollution across the globe. Do you agree? What are the key (Page – 07)
focus areas which should be taken into consideration for making it
effective at the grassroots level? (#GSPaperIII)
Q.5. What is meant by a ‘Non-Market Economy’ tag given by the United Excerpt 5
States of America? What are the benefits of transition from a ‘Non- (Page – 08)
Market Economy’ to a fully ‘Market Economy’? (#GSPaperIII)
Q.6. What is ‘Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)’? How is AGI different Excerpt 6
from AI? What are the potential merits and demerits of AGI? (Page – 09)
(#GSPaperIII)
Q.7. More women in power is better for everyone. In the light of the Excerpt 7
statement, suggest measures to be taken to improve the share of (Page – 10)
women in decision making processes. (#GSPaperII)
Q.8. What is meant by ‘Universal Health Coverage (UHC)’? Are there Excerpt 8
constitutional provisions in India for UHC? Suggest measures to be (Page – 11)
taken for implementing UHC in India? (#GSPaperII)
Q.9. While climate action requires 100% involvement of the population, Excerpt 9
at the same time, empowering women would mean better climate (Page – 13)
solutions. Critically analyse. (#GSPaperII and #GSPaperIII)
Q.10. What are Sovereign Green Bonds? Are they beneficial? What are Excerpt 10
the recent initiatives taken by India in the promotion of such (Page – 15)
bonds? ( #GSPaperIII)
Q.11. What are the reasons for the growing interest of India in the Arctic Excerpt 11
Region? What are the potential of collaborations from which India (Page – 16)
can benefit? (#GSPaperII and #GSPaperIII)
SHIELD IAS _ PRIME EDITORIALS AND ARTICLES – JUNE, 2024

Q.12. What is ‘Agroforestry’? What are its social, economic, and Excerpt 12
environmental impacts? Highlight the steps which are needed to (Page – 18)
make it comprehensively effective in implementation.
(#GSPaperIII)
Q.13. How does the India Meteorological Department define heatwaves? Excerpt 13
Are special interventions needed for vulnerable communities (Page – 20)
during a heatwave? What about regional variations and socio-
economic differences? (#GSPaperIII)
Q.14. The health of the planet is under extreme stress, impacting people’s Excerpt 14
right to live a healthy life. In this context, evaluate the importance (Page – 22)
of the attempt made by Supreme Court of India to bring the impacts
of climate change within the purview of constitutional fundamental
rights. (#GSPaperII #GSPaperIII)
Q.15. What is National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)? Why has the Excerpt 15
implementation of Clean Air Action Plans been inconsistent? (Page – 24)
Suggest measures for better implementation. (#GSPaperII
#GSPaperIII)
Q.16. Highlight the importance of the poultry sector for the economic Excerpt 16
and social wellbeing of the people in India. What are the associated (Page – 25)
problems and probable solutions linked with the poultry sector in
India? (#GSPaperIII)
SHIELD IAS _ PRIME EDITORIALS AND ARTICLES – JUNE, 2024

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PRIME ‘ARTICLES’ and ‘EDITORIALS’
# Essential for UPSC Main Examination
Note: The topics are highly important from the perspective of UPSC Main Examination.
These topics provide valuable inputs for General Studies Answer Writing, Essay topics
and solving Case Studies
Excerpt 1: CHABAHAR PORT (strategic importance)

(#India and the World) (#GSPaperII)
India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for the operation of a terminal at the strategically
important Chabahar port in Iran. Signing of a long-term contract with Iran is part of India’s
strategic and economic vision for Central Asia and beyond. However, the project has always faced
multiple challenges.
• Chabahar is a deep water port in Iran’s Sistan-
Baluchistan province. It is the Iranian port that is
the closest to India, and is located in the open sea,
providing easy and secure access for large cargo ships.
• The signing of the contract was between India Ports
Global Ltd (IPGL) and Ports & Maritime
Organisation of Iran (PMO) in Tehran.
• IPGL will invest to equip and operate the port for
the duration of the contract, and the two sides will
further extend their cooperation in Chabahar
thereafter.
• India has also offered a credit window for mutually
identified projects to improve infrastructure related to
the port.
Background
• Modern Chabahar came into being in the 1970s, and
Tehran realised the strategic importance of the port
during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
• In 2002, Hassan Rouhani, who was Iran’s National Security Advisor under President Syed
Mohammad Khatami at the time, held discussions with India on developing the port, located 72
km west of Pakistan’s Gwadar port.
• In 2003, President Khatami and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed off on an
ambitious roadmap of strategic cooperation. Among the key projects the two countries agreed on
was Chabahar, which held the potential to link South Asia with the Persian Gulf,
Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe.
• For India, Chabahar held immense strategic and economic significance, as it provided
a route to reach Afghanistan — land access to which had been blocked by a hostile Pakistan.
• But the ambitious timelines for the project were undone by India’s growing relationship with the
United States under President George W Bush. The US, which declared Iran as one of the “axis of
evil” along with Iraq and North Korea, pushed India to abandon its strategic relationship with
Tehran, and the Chabahar project became a casualty.
WhatsApp – 7303692587 SHIELD IAS– JUNE, 2024 1

PRIME ‘ARTICLES’ AND ‘EDITORIALS’
Developments in recent years

• IPGL has been operating Chabahar port through its wholly owned subsidiary, India Ports Global
Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), since December 2018.
• The port has also facilitated the supply of humanitarian assistance, especially during the Covid-19
pandemic.
• In August 2023, Prime Minister of India met with President Ebrahim Raisi in Johannesburg on
the sidelines of the BRICS Summit and discussed the pending long-term contract on Chabahar.
• The two leaders gave a clear political direction to finalise and sign the long-term
contract.
Chabahar and INSTC

• With the operationalisation of the long-term investment, Chabahar could potentially become an
important hub to connect India with the landlocked countries of Central Asia and
Afghanistan.
• However, to better realise its commercial and strategic potential, the development of the port must
be integrated with the larger connectivity project of the International North South
Transport Corridor (INSTC).
INSTC
• The INSTC, which was
initiated by Russia,
India, and Iran, is a
multi-modal
transportation route
envisaged to link the
Indian Ocean and
Persian Gulf to the
Caspian Sea via Iran, and
onward to northern
Europe via St Petersburg in
Russia.
• The INSTC envisages the
movement of goods:-
✓ from Mumbai to Bandar
Abbas in Iran by sea;
✓ from Bandar Abbas to
Bandar-e-Anzali, an Iranian port on the Caspian Sea, by road;
✓ from Bandar-e-Anzali to Astrakhan, a Caspian port in the Russian Federation by ship across
the Caspian Sea; and
✓ onward to other parts of the Russian Federation and Europe by rail.
• There is possibility that INSTC and Chabahar Port will complement each other for optimising
Indian connectivity with Russia and Eurasia. However, the war in Ukraine and the destruction of
Europe’s relationship with Russia has since complicated the future of this project.

Excerpt 2: POLLING STATIONS IN INDIA

(#Elections #Governance) (#GSPaperII)
During the 18th Lok Sabha elections, 96.8 crore electors were enrolled to vote at 10.5 lakh polling
stations spread out nationwide, from the heart of bustling metropolises to the most remote corners
of the country.
Setting up polling stations: norms and principles

• Under Section 25 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA), the district
election officer (DEO) is assigned the responsibility to set up and publish the list of
polling stations in their district.
• There are some principles on the basis of which polling stations are set up. These include:
✓ Ensuring that voters do not have to travel more than two km to cast their vote,
✓ a station has a minimum area of 20 sq m,
✓ a station serves at most 1,500 electors, and
✓ a village with over 300 voters is provided with a polling station.
• Polling stations can even cater to less than 300 voters in case access is a problem, say in
rugged terrain. For instance, Arunachal Pradesh’s Malogam polling station caters to
only a single voter.
• Conversely, in cases where the number of electors exceeds 1,500, auxiliary polling
stations are set up, preferably in the same building.
• In urban areas, one building can have a maximum of four polling stations, whereas in
rural areas, it can have at most two.
• Locations for polling stations are chosen carefully, preferably in government or semi-
government institutions.
• Private buildings are avoided unless absolutely necessary — they can be requisitioned
with the written consent of the owner, or forcefully under Section 160 of the RPA.
• The list of polling stations undergoes verification and updation during annual electoral
roll revisions.
• The draft list is prepared with input from local political parties and citizens, after finalisation
with the Election Commission of India’s (ECI’s) approval, it is distributed to parties and
candidates, with extra copies available for sale.
Layout and some facilities

• There are separate entrance and exit points for voters, even if only one door is available.
• The voting compartment, constructed from opaque corrugated plastic sheet or steel grey
flex board, and is positioned away from windows or doors.
• A comprehensive gap analysis is conducted before elections to ensure the provision of
Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) at each polling station, which ensures smooth voting
experiences and efficient polling personnel duties.
• Accordingly, adequate furniture, proper lighting arrangements, clear signage, and
separate toilets for male and female voters are ensured.
• Voter facilitation posters are also displayed prominently, providing information such as the
list of candidates, identification documents required, etc.
• These stations are then equipped with adequate shade structures like tents, canopies, or umbrellas,
seating, cooling devices like fans, proper ventilation, drinking water, and ORS.

• The polling staff is also supplied with medical kits, and handbills on ‘Dos and Don’ts’ during a heat
stroke and trained to recognise and respond to heat-related illnesses.
Provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

• There are some 88.4 lakh Persons with Disabilities (PwD) registered to vote in the Lok
Sabha elections. The ECI has strict norms to ensure that they too can exercise their franchise
without a hitch.
• All polling stations must have a ramp, provide wheelchairs and designated parking
spaces close to the station to PwD voters.
• They are also allowed to cast their vote without waiting in queues, with the ECI also
providing transport facilities for voters with impaired mobility (such as PwD and senior
citizens).
• PwDs can use ECI’s Saksham App to book wheelchairs, pick and drop service, get assistance at
the polling booth, etc.
• Volunteers from National Cadet Corps/National Service Scheme/Scouts & Guides assist in queue
management and help PwD and senior citizens.
• For the visually impaired, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and dummy ballot papers
come with Braille facilities.
• Moreover, clear signages are used in the International Symbol of Access in blue and white to
identify assistance counters, toilets, etc. quickly.
People inside a polling station, voting day restrictions

• Only specific individuals are permitted access inside a polling station. These include registered
electors, polling officers, candidates, one polling agent per candidate at a time,
authorised media personnel, public servants on election duty, ECI-appointed
observers, micro observers, videographers, photographers, and webcasting staff for
critical/sensitive polling stations, a child in arms accompanying an elector, a person
assisting a blind or infirm voter, and any others admitted by the Presiding Officer for voter
identification or assistance purposes, whenever required.
• A polling party comprises a
• Presiding Officer and three Polling Officers.
• The first Polling Officer verifies the elector’s identity,
• the second applies indelible ink on their left index finger, maintains the voters’ register, and
issues voter slips.
• The third Polling Officer takes back the voter slip issued by the second polling officer,
manages the EVM’s control unit, and ensures that an elector has been properly inked before
being allowed to vote.
• Sector Officers or Zonal Magistrates are appointed for around 10-12 polling stations to
facilitate the link between polling staff and the Returning Officer.
• Micro Observers are deployed in vulnerable areas to report any deviations.
• Booth Level Officers (BLO) at the Voter Assistance Booths assist voters in finding their
polling booth and serial numbers in the alphabetically arranged electoral roll.
• Digital photographers capture critical events such as mock polls, sealing of EVMs, etc.
Village Officers assist in identifying electors whenever required, and security personnel ensure the
smooth conduct of elections.

• There is also a prohibition on any political propaganda, use of cameras, mobile phones, and
canvassing within a 100 metre radius of the polling station, with a penalty of arrest without warrant
under Section 130 of the RPA.
• Candidates can set up their booths beyond 200 m of the polling station, and there are
also restriction on the use of loudspeakers.
Critical polling stations

• Critical polling stations are those where the ECI takes some extra measures to ensure the
security and integrity of the voting process.
• Polling stations where re-polling is held due to electoral offences, with instances of
violence on polling day in the last five years, or with a disproportionate number of Absentee,
Shifted, and Dead (ASD) voters may also be deemed critical polling stations by the ECI.
• In such stations, the ECI conducts pre-poll confidence building initiatives, gets regular
feedback from candidates and intelligence agencies, legally binds identified trouble-
mongers, and uses preventive detention under appropriate sections of law.
• On the day of the poll, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Micro Observers are deployed.
Excerpt 3: UNHEALTHY DIETS

(#Health) (#GSPaperII)
• With noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) —
cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, etc. — rising, and
affecting adolescents and even children, India’s premier
nutrition research institute has published
comprehensive guidelines on the diet of
vulnerable groups, including pregnant and lactating
women, and children and the elderly.
• The guidelines issued by the National Institute of
Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, which works under the
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), also
prescribe general principles such as reducing consumption
of salt and highly processed foods (such as packaged chips,
cookies, bread, ketchup, candy, etc.).
• The guidelines say an estimated 56.4% of India’s total
disease burden can be attributed to unhealthy
diets.
• A healthy diet and physical activity can prevent
80% of Type 2 diabetes cases, and significantly reduce
the burden of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Focus on children, mothers

• Optimal nutrition for mother and child from conception till the age of 2 years is linked
to proper growth and development.
• It can prevent all forms of undernutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies, and
obesity.
• The report quotes the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019, which showed high
prevalence of lifestyle conditions even in children.
• Around 5% of children of ages 5-9, and 6% of adolescents, were overweight or obese, almost 2% of
children and adolescents were found to have diabetes, and another 10% had pre-diabetes.

• The survey found high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL and triglycerides) in 37.3% of
children ages 5-9, and 19.9% of pre-teens and teens ages 10-19. Levels of good cholesterol were
low in a fourth of all children and adolescents.
Dual nutrition challenge

• Incidence of micronutrient (zinc, iron, vitamins) deficiencies ranged from 13% to 30%
of children between ages 1 and 19.
• The recommended ideal diet charts for various groups of people takes into account both
micronutrient deficiencies and diseases of overnutrition.
• While severe forms of undernutrition such as marasmus (a deficiency of macronutrients such as
carbohydrates and proteins) and kwashiorkor (deficiency of proteins) have disappeared from
the country, manifestations such as anaemia continue.
• A study on malnutrition published in The Lancet earlier this year said undernutrition
continues to be high in India, but obesity has increased significantly over the last 30
years.
• The “faulty dietary pattern” in which unhealthy, highly processed, high-fat, sugar, and salt
(HFSS) foods have become more affordable and accessible than healthier alternatives, “contributes
to deficiencies in iron and folic acid, resulting in anaemia and in the higher prevalence of
overweight and obesity among population groups.
General dietary principles

• The guidelines recommend getting required nutrients from at least eight food groups, including
vegetables, leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, dairy, nuts, and oils.
• Consumption of cereals — the staple of Indian meals — should be restricted, so they
contribute only 45% of the total energy (instead of the 50-70% now.
• Instead, more proteins (pulses, meat, poultry, fish) should be consumed, making up 14% of the
total daily energy (instead of only 6-9% now).
• Achieving adequate levels of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and B12 is a
challenge for vegetarians.
• The guidelines recommend consumption of flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, vegetables, and
greens.
• The report says salt consumption should be restricted to 5g a day, and strongly
recommends against consuming highly processed foods that are typically high in fats, salt, sugar.
Group-specific guidelines
• Pregnant women: Small frequent meals for those experiencing nausea and vomiting. The
guidelines recommend consumption of lots of fruit and vegetables, especially those high in iron
and folate content.
• Infants and children: For the first six months, infants should only be breastfed, and must not
be given honey, glucose, or diluted milk. There is no need to give water, even during hot months.
After age 6 months, complementary foods must be included.
• Elderly: The elderly should consume foods rich in proteins, calcium, micronutrients, and fibre.
Apart from pulses and cereals — with at least one-third as whole grains — at least 200-400 ml of
low-fat milk or milk products, a fist full of nuts and oilseeds, and 400-500g of vegetables and fruit
should be consumed. Exercise is important in order to maintain bone density and muscle mass.

Excerpt 4: GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY

(#environment #pollution) (#GSPaperIII)
Scenario
• As discussions still continue for an
international legally binding treaty
on plastic pollution, it becomes
crucial to consider how it can
support a fair transition for
individuals who collect and
recycle waste informally.
• According to the OECD Global
Plastic Outlook, global
production of plastic waste was
353 million tonnes in 2019 — more
than double since it was in 2000,
and is set to triple by 2060.
• Only 9% of this was recycled,
50% sent to landfills, 19%
incinerated, and 22% disposed of
in uncontrolled sites or dumps.
• According to the United Nations
Environment Programme, of the
9% recycled, 85% was done by
informal recycling workers.
Important to take care of

workers
• These workers collect, sort, and
recover recyclable and
reusable materials from general
waste, alleviating municipal
budgets of financial burdens
around waste management and, at
large, subsidising the
environmental mandate of the
producers, consumers, and the
government.
• The Centre for Environment
Justice and Development has also observed that they promote circular waste management
solutions and help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, valuably contributing to
sustainability. Their efforts significantly reduce plastic content in landfills and dump sites,
effectively preventing plastic leaking into the environment.
• Yet, these workers are often overlooked and remain highly vulnerable in plastic value
chains.
• They face risks such as increasing privatisation of waste management, waste-to-energy
or incineration projects, and exclusion through other public policy interventions in plastic waste
management in the norms of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• According to the UN-Habitat’s Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT), the informal sector accounts
for 80% of municipal solid waste recovery in many cities.

Global treaty, need for a just transition

• The Global Plastics Treaty is a significant attempt to establish a legally binding agreement
aimed at reducing and eliminating plastic pollution.
• The decision to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was made in
early 2021 during the fifth UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya.
• The INC’s journey, beginning with an Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group meeting in
Dakar, Senegal, in mid-2022, was followed by subsequent meetings in Uruguay, Paris, and
Nairobi, with the fourth INC-4 in Canada in April this year.
• The final INC-5 meeting in South Korea will continue to see active participation from
the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP).
• The IAWP is a vocal participant in the UNEA Plastic Treaty process, emphasises the
importance of supporting the formalisation and integration of informal waste pickers
into discussions on addressing plastics.
• It also advocates including waste pickers’ perspectives and solutions at every stage of
policy and law implementation.
• These measures aim to acknowledge waste pickers’ historical contributions, protect their
rights, and promote effective and sustainable plastic waste management practices.
• There is no universally agreed-upon terminology for a just transition or a formal definition of the
informal waste sector and its workforce. Clarifying these definitions is crucial.
• As the final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty approaches the INC-5, a key
question remains — on how a global instrument to end plastic pollution can enable a just transition
for nearly 15 million people who informally collect and recover up to 58% of global recycled waste,
thereby shaping a sustainable future.
• By incorporating their perspectives and ensuring their livelihoods are protected, the treaty can
embody social justice and equity principles while leaving no one and no place behind.
Excerpt 5: NON-MARKET ECONOMY

(#Economy) (#GSPaperIII)
Vietnam has been pushing the President Joe Biden administration to quickly change its “non-market
economy” classification to “market economy”, in a bid to avoid high taxes imposed by the US on the
goods imported from the Southeastern country.
About ‘non-market economies’

• The US designates a country as a non-market economy based on several factors. These are:
✓ if the country’s currency is convertible;
✓ if wage rates are determined by free bargaining between labour and management;
✓ if joint ventures or other foreign investment are allowed;
✓ whether the means of production are owned by the state; and
✓ if the state controls the allocation of resources and price and output decisions.
✓ Other factors like human rights are also considered.
• The non-market economy label allows the US to impose “anti-dumping” duties on

goods imported from designated countries.
• In international trade, dumping is when a country’s export prices are considered to
be intentionally set below domestic prices, thereby inflicting harm to industries in the
importing country.

• Anti-dumping duties essentially compensate for the difference between the imported
good’s export price and their normal value.
• The US assesses the value of a product to be imported from a non-market economy like Vietnam
based on what it is worth in Bangladesh (a market economy) and then assumes that this is the
supposed production cost to a Vietnamese company. The company’s own data about the costs are
not considered.
Why does Vietnam want to get the ‘market economy’ status?

• Vietnam has argued that in recent years it has implemented enough economic reforms that should
get its name off the non-market economies list.
• The change in status will also help Vietnam get rid of the anti-dumping duties, making
its products more competitive in the US market.
What are the challenges?

• The US steelmakers and the American Shrimp Processors Association have asked the Biden
administration to not change Vietnam’s status.
• The association has cited Vietnam’s restrictions on land ownership, the country’s weak labour laws,
and lower shrimp duties that would hurt its members, to make its case.
• Currently, the US Commerce Department is in the midst of reviewing — the process began last year
— Vietnam’s status. The review is set to end by late July.
Excerpt 6: ARTIFICIAL GENERAL INTELLIGENCE (AGI)-

A BLESSING OR THREAT?
(#Technology #Security) (#GSPaperIII)
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expressed his commitment to invest billions of dollars towards the
development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
But even as Altman continues to champion what is considered to be the pinnacle of AI development,
many in the global tech community are very apprehensive.
About AGI
• AGI refers to a machine or a software that can perform any intellectual task that a human
can do.
• This includes reasoning, common sense, abstract thinking, background knowledge,
transfer learning, ability to differentiate between cause and effect, etc.
• In simple words, AGI aims to emulate human cognitive abilities such that it allows it to do
unfamiliar tasks, learn from new experiences, and apply its knowledge in new ways.
• Humans learn through their experiences — in school, home, or elsewhere; by talking to people or
observing things; by reading books, watching television, reading articles, etc. The human brain
then uses the information it has gathered to make decisions (often subconscious) that solve any
given problem or come up with a new one.
• With AGI, researchers aim to build a software or computer that can do all this — everything that a
human computer does.
• Think of having a super intelligent robot friend who can understand everything you say, learn new
things just the way you do, and even think of problems to find solutions.
How is AGI different from AI we already use?

• The main difference between AGI and the more common form of AI, also known as narrow AI,
lies in their scope and capabilities.

• Narrow AI is designed to perform specific tasks such as image recognition, translation, or

even playing games like chess—at which it can outdo humans, but it remains limited to its set
parameters.
• On the other hand, AGI envisions a broader, more generalised form of intelligence, not
confined to any particular task (like humans).
IDEA of AGI
• The idea of AGI first emerged in the 20th century with a paper written by Alan Turing,
widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
• In ‘Computing Machinery and Intelligence’ (1950), he introduced what is now known as
the Turing test, a benchmark for machine intelligence.
• Simply put, if a machine can engage in a conversation with a human without being
detected as a machine, according to the Turing test, it has demonstrated human intelligence.
Merits
• In theory, AGI has innumerable positive implications. For instance, in healthcare, it can
redefine diagnostics, treatment planning, and personalised medicine by integrating
and analysing vast datasets, far beyond the capabilities of humans.
• In finance and business, AGI could automate various processes and enhance the
overall decision-making, offering real-time analytics and market predictions with accuracy.
• When it comes to education, AGI could transform adaptive learning systems that work
towards the unique needs of students. This could potentially democratise access to personalised
education worldwide.
Skepticism regarding AGI

• The humongous amount of computational power required to develop AGI systems raises
concerns about its impact on the environment, both due to the energy consumption and
generation of e-waste.
• AGI could also lead to a significant loss of employment, and widespread socio-
economic disparity, where power would be concentrated in the hands of those who control the
AGI.
• If humans were to become dependent on AGI, it might even lead to the loss of basic human
skills and capabilities.
• But the most serious fear regarding AGI is that its abilities can outpace human beings’,
making its actions difficult to understand and predict. This might even lead to a situation
where it becomes ‘too’ independent, so much so that humans simply lose control.
• In a 2014 interview to the BBC, the late professor Stephen Hawking said, “The development
of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”
• Today, most thinkers in the field advocate for stringent regulations to ensure that the
development of AGI is in line with human values and safety standards.
Excerpt 7: WOMEN IN POLITICS

(#empowerment #justice) (#GSPaperII)
• The lack of women in leadership positions across the Indian political landscape translates to a
real absence of feminist policies that deliver justice for women and create meaningful strides
towards gender equity.

• In male-dominated parties, there is no guarantee that its promises to women are anything more
than lip service to half the country.
• If there were more women in politics, and driving the political conversation, Indian women
would not be props to win political battles. Instead, women would force Indians to address sexual
violence and other issues that women face.
• The key parties would propose transformative changes to women’s lives rather than propose quick
fixes to address women’s needs.
Examples from the West

• More women in power is better for everyone. In western democracies, as in Finland, Spain,
and Canada, women-led cabinets have transformed the decision-making processes in these
countries.
• In all three countries, feminism is infused in governance, from addressing gender-based
violence inclusively, to defence and foreign policy priorities to sports.
• But Indian women do not have to actually look to the West to see how more women in
positions of power can substantially improve the lives of women.
• When the Indian government passed a constitutional amendment to require that a third
of panchayat positions be filled by women, Raghabendra Chattopadhyay and Esther Duflo
studied how this gender-based reservation system affected the decision-making processes in West
Bengal panchayats.
• They observed that when more women are involved in decision-making processes,
panchayats would invest in infrastructure projects, such as water sanitation projects, that
directly reduce drudgery for women and improve life outcomes for an entire community.
The women’s reservation Bill

• While the women’s reservation Bill, in its various forms, has enjoyed support across the political
spectrum, Opposition parties have criticised the long timeline for the Bill’s implementation as well
as the lack of guarantees for Muslim women and women from certain caste-oppressed
communities.
• Even if the Bill addresses the Opposition’s concerns, political parties and parliamentary leaders
will need to ensure that women are given a chance to independently drive political
agendas.
• If more women are given meaningful power, India’s political culture will transform, and
Parliament will willingly tackle the issues that face women today.
• All politicians will be more well-equipped to talk to women about their needs, including the role of
the Indian government in addressing gender-based violence, rather than treating them as victims
of violence with paternalism or opportunism.
• At the end of day, whatever Indian male politicians say about women’s power matters little until
they willingly step aside and let women take over the reins of power at all levels.
• Until then, nothing will suffice, and Indian women will be underserved. Indian women deserve
the democracy they were promised. And the only way to do that is to put them in charge.
Excerpt 8: UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE (UHC)

(#Health) (#GSPaperII)
About UHC
• Universal health coverage (UHC) signifies universal accessibility to comprehensive, high-
quality health services, without financial hardship.

• UHC ensures that people receive care whenever and wherever they need it.
• It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to
prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
• The delivery of these services relies on strong, efficient, and equitable health systems deeply rooted
in the communities.
• UHC is built on the ethos of strengthening primary healthcare to ensure that all health
needs are addressed in an integrated manner, supported by a well-equipped health and care
workforce.
• In December 2012, the UN General Assembly unanimously endorsed a resolution urging

countries to accelerate progress towards UHC.
• In India, the high level expert group report, submitted to the Planning Commission in 2011,
outlined a government intent to increase public financing for health to 2.5% of India’s GDP
during the 12th Plan (2012-17).
• The National Health Policy, 2017 articulates “the attainment of the highest possible level of
good health and well-being, and universal access to good quality health care services without
anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence” as its goal, which aligns with the UHC
target.
Right to health
• India lacks a constitutional provision for the fundamental right to basic health.
• However, the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV of the Constitution provides a
basis for the right to health.
• Article 39 (e) directs the state to secure the health of workers;
• Article 42 emphasises just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief; and
• Article 47 casts a duty on the state to raise the nutrition levels and standard of living, and to
improve public health.
• The Constitution not only mandates the state to enhance public health but also endows the
panchayats and municipalities to strengthen public health under Article 243G.
• The theme of International UHC day is ‘Health for all: Time for Action’ and of World
Health Day is ‘my health – my right’.
• How should access to health be envisaged? Given that health is a state subject and the UHC policy
is envisaged at the national level, there is a need for discourses on implementation.
• The constitutional right to health is critical to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and poor
health that will otherwise continue to perpetuate inequality in all spheres of life, including
education, opportunity, wealth, and social mobility.
• The two critical components of the UHC policy — strengthening primary healthcare
and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure — demand focused attention.
Suggestions
First
• To address urban migrants’ health needs, and reforms in informal sectors.
• Given the surge in migration and mobility, primary healthcare needs a shift in vision.
• There is a need to include the element of mobility and portability of access to health
care services to aid continuity of treatment.

Second
• To simplify the reimbursement processes for reducing out-of-pocket expenditure.
• The design of cash transfers and reimbursement in India’s public healthcare system needs
adaptation for migrant and marginalised communities.
Third
• To create inclusive health systems.
• We need to integrate health management information system dashboards with both
public and private systems and ensure better information systems considering language
barriers and diversity in the urban context.
Fourth
• To implement community-based primary healthcare in urban and peri-urban areas with
seamless referral systems.
• We need to foster integration of services at the primary healthcare level, ensuring follow-up and
adherence to healthcare.
In short
• A healthy population is an empowered population.
• The lighter the disease burden, the better the country’s financial health.
• Committing to investing in health systems and effectively implementing UHC necessitates political
will, substantial investment, and a clear, long-term vision.
• Establishing a coherent policy pathway to execute the national UHC policy consistently across
States is imperative for its success.
Excerpt 9: CLIMATE CRISIS IS NOT GENDER NEUTRAL

(#Social Justice #Environment) (#GSPaperII #GSPaperIII)
While climate action requires 100% involvement of the population, at the same time, empowering
women would mean better climate solutions
• The climate crisis is already here and does not impact everyone equally.
• Women and girls experience disproportionately high health risks, especially in
situations of poverty, and due to existing roles, responsibilities, and cultural norms.
• According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), women and
children are 14 times more likely than men to die in a disaster.
• The Supreme Court of India has just ruled that people have a right to be free from the adverse
effects of climate change, and the right to a clean environment is already recognised as a
fundamental right within the ambit of the right to life.
• Agriculture is the most important livelihood source for women in India, particularly in
rural India.
• Climate-driven crop yield reductions increase food insecurity, adversely impacting poor
households that already suffer higher nutritional deficiencies.
• Within small and marginal landholding households, while men face social stigma due to unpaid
loans (leading to migration, emotional distress, and sometimes even suicide), women
experience higher domestic work burdens, worse health, and greater intimate
partner violence.

• In fact, when compared to districts without droughts in the past 10 years, National Family Health
Survey (NFHS) 4 and 5 data showed that women living in drought-prone districts were
more underweight, experienced more intimate partner violence and had a higher prevalence of
girl marriages.
• For women, the increasing food and nutritional insecurity, work burdens and income uncertainties
lead not only to poor physical health, but also impact their mental health and emotional well-being.
Why does climate action need women?

• Climate action requires 100% of the population if we want to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of
limiting global temperature rise to 1.5° C.
• At the same time, empowering women means better climate solutions; when provided
with the same access to resources as men, women increased their agricultural yields by
20% to 30%.
• Tribal and rural women, in particular, have been at the forefront of environmental
conservation.
• Giving women and women collectives (Self-help Groups and Farmer Producer
Organisations) the knowledge, tools and access to resources would encourage local
solutions to emerge.
• Adaptation measures will necessarily be different in rural and urban areas as exposure to heat, air
pollution and access to water and food will vary by context.
On heatwaves and water shortage

• First, should reduce the impact of prolonged heat on priority groups (outdoor workers,
pregnant women, infants and young children and the elderly).
• Loss of productivity will impact small and large businesses and our economy. Hence, Urban
local bodies, municipal corporations and district authorities in all vulnerable districts need to have
a plan and provide training and resources to key implementers.
• Heat wave warnings (based on local temperature plus humidity), change of timings for
outdoor work and schools, cooling rooms in health facilities, public drinking water
facilities, and immediate treatment of those with heat stroke will minimize deaths.
• In addition, urban planning to improve tree cover, minimising concrete, increasing
green-blue spaces, and designing housing that is better able to withstand heat are longer-
term actions.
• The Mahila Housing Trust in Udaipur showed that painting the roofs of low-income houses
with reflective white paint reduced indoor temperatures by 3° C to 4° C and improved quality
of life.
• Water shortage is probably the biggest threat to our very existence and needs concerted societal
action.
• Traditionally, India had one of the most advanced systems for rainwater harvesting and storage
with a system of ponds and canals. Work done by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in
a few districts of Tamil Nadu showed that using geographic information systems, the panchayat
could map key water sources, identify vulnerabilities and climate hazards and develop a local plan
to improve water access by directing government schemes and resources.
Working at the village level

• Convergence of sectors and services and prioritisation of actions can happen most
effectively at the village or panchayat levels.
• Devolution of powers and finances and investing in building the capacity of
panchayat and SHG members can be India’s way of demonstrating how to build resilience in
a community-led and participatory way.

• Finally, a gender lens needs to be applied to all State-action plans on climate change.
• The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plan on Climate Change
(SAPCC) highlight the impacts on women, yet often default to portraying them as victims, missing
deeper gender dynamics.
• A review of 28 SAPCCs showed a lack of transformative approaches, with only a few recognising
women as agents of change.
• Recommendations for the ongoing revision of SAPCCs lay stress on the need to move
beyond stereotypes, recognise the vulnerabilities of all genders, and implement
gender-transformative strategies, ensuring a comprehensive and equitable approach to
climate adaptation.
• Instead of being labelled as victims, women can lead the way in climate action.
Excerpt 10: SOVEREIGN GREEN BONDS

(#Economy) (#GSPaperIII)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) green lighted investments in the country’s Sovereign Green
Bonds (SGrBs) by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIS) — investors such as insurance
companies, pension funds and nation-states’ sovereign wealth funds.
About SGrBs
• SGrBs are a kind of government debt that specifically funds projects attempting to
accelerate India’s transition to a low carbon economy.
• Allowing FIIs to invest in India’s green projects widens the pool of capital available to fund
the country’s ambitious 2070 net zero goals, ensuring 50% of India’s energy comes from
non-fossil fuel based sources and to reduce the carbon intensity of the nation’s economy by 45%,
as pledged at COP26 in Glasgow 2021.

• Moreover, these green Government-Securities (G-Secs) were classified under the Statutory
Liquidity Ratio (SLR), a liquidity rate fixed by the RBI that financial institutions must
maintain with themselves before they lend to their customers.
• SGrBs yield lower interest than conventional G-Secs, and the amount foregone by a bank
by investing in them is called a greenium.
• But central banks and governments the world over are encouraging financial institutions to
embrace greeniums to hasten the transition to a greener future.
• Climate finance experts believe India would gain from allowing FIIs in green G-Secs.
• They say FIIs are also looking to diversify their pool of green investments, as there is considerable
regulatory support particularly in developed countries. And so this is an opportunity for them to
invest in India’s green g-secs.
• FIIs might also be looking to gain green credentials when such investments may not be
available in their home markets, and because India has successfully addressed greenwashing fears
with the Sovereign Green Bonds Framework in late 2022.
What is the green taxonomy gap?

• In the 2022-23 Union Budget, the government’s decision to issue SGrBs to accelerate funding
government projects such as harnessing offshore wind, grid-scale solar power production, or
encouraging the transition to battery operated Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• But the RBI had not created a green taxonomy, or a way to assess an investment’s
environmental, or emissions credentials to ensure the project is not an attempt at
greenwashing, that is, faking green credentials to secure funding.
• To address this gap, the Finance Ministry released India’s first SGrB Framework on in
November 2022 detailing the kind of projects that would receive funding through this
class of G-Secs.
• These included “investments in solar/wind/biomass/hydropower energy projects
(under 25 MW) that integrate energy generation and storage; supporting public lighting
improvements (e.g. replacement with LEDs); supporting construction of new low-carbon buildings
as well as energy-efficiency retrofits to existing buildings; projects to reduce electricity grid losses.
• The list goes on to include promoting public transport, subsidies to adopt EVs and
building charging infrastructure.
• The government also sought Norway-based validator Cicero’s opinion comparing India’s SGrB
Framework with International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA’s) green principles.
• Cicero rated India’s framework as “green medium” with a score of “good governance”.
Excerpt 11: INDIA and the ARCTIC

(#India and the World #Economy #Environment) (#GSPaper II #GSPaperIII)
While the Indian government seems keen to benefit from seabed mining and resource exploitation
in the Arctic, it ought to unequivocally back a sustainable mode of extraction.
• In December 2023, when four Indian climate scientists arrived in Oslo to begin acclimatisation
for India’s maiden winter expedition at the Arctic, they had little idea of what lay ahead.
• Himadri, India’s research station in the International Arctic Research Base at Svalbard in
Norway, had until then hosted missions only in the summer.
Growing interest in the Arctic

• In March 2024, India’s first winter experience at the Arctic came to a successful end.

• What changed Indian policy, ostensibly, was scientific data showing that the Arctic was
warming faster than previously
thought.
• When facts tying catastrophic
climatic occurrences in India to
the melting of Arctic Sea ice
emerged, decision-makers felt
compelled to act.
• Second, India is seized of the
opening up of Arctic Sea routes,
primarily the Northern Sea Route,
and would like to route Indian trade
through the region.
• This might help India reduce costs for shipping companies along with time, fuel, and
security costs for transmitting goods.
• The third reason is geopolitics. China’s growing investments in the Arctic have raised concern
in India.
• Russia’s decision to grant China
expanded access to the Northern Sea
Route has deepened this anxiety.
• India’s increasing focus on the Arctic
comes at a time of heightened tensions in
the region, fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine
conflict and exacerbated by the
suspension of various regional
cooperative forums.
• There are concerns about the potential
repercussions of these tensions,
especially given Russia’s growing reliance
on its nuclear deterrent on the Kola
Peninsula.
• For India, which aims to maintain
constructive relations with both western nations and Russia, these developments carry
significant strategic implications.
Background
• India is no newcomer to the Arctic. Its involvement in the region goes back to 1920, with the
signing of the Svalbard Treaty in Paris.
• In 2007, India undertook its first research mission to investigate Arctic microbiology, atmospheric
sciences, and geology.
• A year later, India became the only developing country, aside from China, to establish an Arctic
research base.
• After being granted ‘observer’ status by the Arctic Council in 2013, India commissioned a
multi-sensor moored observatory in Svalbard in 2014 and an atmospheric laboratory in 2016.
• The work at these stations focuses on examining Arctic ice systems and glaciers and the
consequences of Arctic melt on the Himalayas and the Indian monsoon.
Potential for collaboration

• Norway, the present chair of the Arctic Council, has close ties with India.

• Many believe a partnership with Norway could be transformational for India as it would enable
greater Indian participation in the Arctic Council’s working groups, tackling issues such as the blue
economy, connectivity, maritime transportation, investment and infrastructure, and
responsible resource development.
• India’s present policy is to cooperate with Arctic countries in green energy, and green
and clean industries, as a way of bolstering its ‘responsible stakeholder’ credentials.
• With Denmark and Finland, for instance, Indian collaboration has come in areas such as waste
management, pollution control, renewable energy, and green technology.
• While the Indian government seems keen to benefit from seabed mining and resource exploitation
in the Arctic, it ought to unequivocally back a sustainable mode of extraction.
• Understandably, a partnership with Norway is likely to be focused on scientific research

and climate and environmental protection.
• These are two of the six pillars that comprise India’s Arctic Policy (the other four being economic
and human development; transportation and connectivity; governance and
international cooperation; and national capacity building).
• India would perhaps still look to explore economic opportunities in the Arctic. Norway could, then,
help India design a sustainable policy that accommodates the needs of both the scientific
community and industry.
• As global geopolitical tensions are also mounting in the Arctic, finding constructive and non-
sensitive ways to alleviate pressure will be in the interest of both India and Norway.
Excerpt 12: AGROFORESTRY

(#Economy #Environment) (#GSPaperIII)
The adoption of agroforestry at scale in India by smallholders is stymied by ecological and socio-
economic factors.
• Agriculture in India has historically been a diversified land-use practice, integrating crops,
trees, and livestock.
• This technique, broadly called agroforestry, can enhance farmer livelihoods and the
environment and is slowly gaining in popularity after decades of monocropping inspired by the
Green Revolution.
• This change resulted from India’s pioneering efforts to promote agroforestry. These efforts
received an impetus nearly 10 years ago with the establishment of the National Agroforestry
Policy (2014) but which also built on significant investments in research over a longer 40-year
span.
• Yet the uptake of agroforestry remains restricted to farmers with medium or large
landholdings.
• This pattern is unsurprising since smallholder farmers seldom grow trees because of their
long gestation, a lack of incentive or investment-based capital, and weak market linkages.
TOFI
• The five-year ‘Trees Outside of Forests India’ (TOFI) initiative is one such attempt to assess
comprehensive ways to stimulate a change in the status quo.
• It’s a joint initiative of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and India’s
Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• TOFI seeks to enhance tree cover in seven Indian states by identifying promising expansion
opportunities and engaging the right levers.

Water availability as a challenge

• The Ministry of Agriculture recognised water availability as a challenge when it drafted the
National Agroforestry Policy in 2014.
• It is especially acute for smallholders, who need additional funding to secure water and/or
who incur additional debt in doing so.
• Moreover, water availability is critical during the sapling stage but remains a constant
concern if the trees compete with crops for water in water-constrained environments (e.g. hard
rock aquifers and low-rainfall regions).
• One way to overcome this constraint is to grow trees that don’t compete with the crops for
water. For example, mango plantations don’t compete with kharif crops in the central
Karnataka plateau whereas coconut trees in Tamil Nadu’s uplands demand more water than
crops throughout the year.
• Such tools enable restoration practitioners and civil society organisations to select appropriate
tree-crop combinations for agroforestry in water-stressed regions.
Finding the right native species

• In fact, choosing the right species for the right place and the right reason is elemental
for agroforestry to enhance the sustainability of livelihoods.
• Farmers, however, are drawn to tree species that are fast-growing and repel herbivores,
but such species are also generally non-native and threaten soil health and human well-being.
• For example, casuarina and eucalyptus trees – both non-native timber species – are
known to tolerate saline soils and grow fast with very low labour inputs. But both species are
also primarily grown as large mono-crop block plantations rather than as an intercrop or a tree-
crop combination, which would be essential for small landholdings.
• Finding native species that fit multiple criteria is admittedly challenging but necessary
to arrest or reverse land degradation while diversifying livelihood opportunities.
• ‘Diversity for Restoration’ is an example of such a tool. It provides a tailored list of climate-
resilient species while aligning with the restoration objectives.
Payment for ecosystem services

• The emerging concept of ecosystem credits or existing approaches such as ‘payment for
ecosystem services’ (PES) are potential incentive mechanisms.
• In PES, an ecosystem service user, e.g., a food processing company, volunteers to pay a service
provider, such as a small farmer, for trees promoting a service like pollination. These instruments
strengthen the ideology of nature-centred economics.
Way forward
• The adoption of agroforestry at scale in India must include smallholders, who hold most of
India’s agricultural land. Yet this is currently stymied by both ecological and socio-economic
factors.
• Although secure land tenure is a prerequisite for agroforestry uptake, ensuring economic
viability through market linkages while meeting the criteria of sustainable agroforestry is
crucial to empower these farmers.
• Agroforestry could be the modus vivendi among conservationists, agro-economists, and
policymakers to foster healthy ecosystems and resilient livelihoods, creating an enabling
environment for rapid uptake by smallholders.

Excerpt 13: HEAT ACTION PLANS

(#Environment) (#GSPaperIII)
About heatwave
• According to the IMD, the definition of a heatwave depends on the physiography of
regions.
• The IMD will declare a heatwave if the maximum temperature recorded at a station is 40 degrees
Celsius or more in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius or more in the coast, and 30 degrees
Celsius or more in the hills.
• A heatwave’s severity is determined by its departure from normal temperature.
• There is a ‘normal heatwave’ when the departure is by 4.5-6.4 degrees Celsius and a
‘severe heatwave’ if the departure is greater.
• Heatwave declaration could also be based on actual maximum temperature: a ‘heatwave’ is
when this figure is greater than 45 degrees Celsius and a ‘severe heatwave’ when
greater than 47 degrees Celsius.
• The IMD takes the latter two ‘routes’ only when at least two stations in a meteorological subdivision
report such a high maximum or when at least one station has recorded a corresponding departure
from the normal for at least two consecutive days.
Tackling heatwaves
• With the severity and frequency of heatwaves increasing across the country, governments at
various levels — State, district, and city — have prepared heat action plans (HAPs).
• HAPs aim to increase preparedness and lower the adverse impacts of extreme heat
by outlining strategies and measures to prepare for, address, and recover from heatwaves.
• HAPs in India follow a general pattern. They provide a snapshot of regions’ heat profile,
including
• information on the number of past heatwave events,
• yearly trends in the summer maximum temperature,
• land surface temperature, and
• vulnerability assessment which maps out regions that require immediate attention and a
response plan.
• This plan presents recommendations for mitigating and addressing heatwave impacts before,
during, and after a heatwave and outlines the roles and responsibilities of various line departments,
such as the disaster management authority, labour department, and police.
Recommendation of HAPs
• HAPs typically suggest a combination of measures such as
• using forecasts and early warning systems to alert the public and relevant authorities about
heatwaves,
• educating the public through campaigns that provide information on risks associated with
heatwaves,
• building heat shelters and cooling centres, and
• providing clean drinking water to avoid dehydration.
• provides directives for hospitals to be well equipped with supplies and an adequate number
of trained healthcare workers to recognise and treat a large influx of patients with heat-related
illnesses.

• HAPs also suggest long-term measures such as

• adopting urban planning strategies that promote tree planting,
• using heat-resistant building materials to reduce urban heat island effect, and
• using cool roofing technologies to reduce solar absorption, thereby decreasing indoor
temperatures.
• In addition, HAPs push for effective coordination among stakeholders, including
government agencies, healthcare providers, community organisations, and emergency services.
How to make HAPs effective?

• While HAPs are excellent guidelines, but much work remains to make them practical to the highly
variable weather conditions and the diversity of socio-economic conditions prevailing in the
country.
The local context

• A national threshold is what determines a heatwave today. However, heatwaves will have to be
determined at disaggregated scales such as States, districts, and cities.
• Many cities have been reeling under extreme temperatures, although no heatwave has been
declared.
• Aspects such as the urban heat island effect, the type of roofing, and proximity to water or green
bodies are important influences on the local temperature in addition to humidity.
• Further, the lived local experience is an important aspect to be considered. Therefore, the
scope of a heatwave needs to be expanded to accommodate humid heat and warmer nights
in addition to extreme dry heat.
• This requires the development of a heat index that accounts for multiple factors beyond
temperature.
• Regional variations also need to be considered, as HAPs that are tailored to specific climatic
conditions, demography, and a region’s infrastructure can lead to the formulation of strategies and
interventions suited to the local context.
Consistent methods
• Requirement is full-fledged climate risk assessment that can identify the likelihood of
heatwaves in different areas and estimate the exposure of people and important assets to
heatwaves while factoring in inherent vulnerabilities.
• Also, hotspot mapping for prioritising and formulating targeted interventions is
needed, which is now possible with easy-to-access geospatial data.
Vulnerable populations
• All HAPs prioritise the protection of vulnerable populations such as low-income communities,
children, and the elderly.
• But what is missing are targeted interventions that account for the varying needs of
populations based on local social and demographic factors, in addition to infrastructure elements
that could exacerbate heat.
• Over 90% of India’s economy is informal and starkly visible when we step out of our homes, be it a
pushcart vendor, a chaiwala, household help, or sanitation worker.
• If we acknowledge heatwaves as a public health concern, targeted strategies need to be
formulated by recognising various socio-economic differences.

Resource allocation
• There is a need to allocate dedicated budgets for HAPs.
• Further, it is of utmost importance to hold dialogues between the state, civil society
organisations, and worker unions to co-plan a financial mechanism that can allow informal
workers to be indoors during a heatwave while not losing their incomes.
Breaking down silos

• HAPs currently are stand-alone plans with limited finance.
• Pooling in resources would be possible if they are integrated with broader action
plans promoting urban resilience and climate adaptation.
• Such an integration will likely have a bearing on the overall effectiveness of HAPs and their
implementation and prompt improvements in data collection and monitoring systems, which are
essential to help assess the effectiveness of HAPs over time.
Finally,
• While HAPs mention long-term measures, they are limited to building infrastructure (especially
cool roofs), with a cursory mention of green and blue spaces.
• For HAPs to be effective, focused planning on including nature-based solutions to address
extreme heat in hotspots is a must.
Excerpt 14: RESTORING EARTH’S RIGHT TO ‘GOOD

HEALTH’
Recent judicial pronouncements and observations that attempt to bring the impacts of climate
change within the purview of constitutional fundamental rights pave the way for legal
accountability of climate action.
• The Supreme Court of India ruled that people have a right ‘to be free from the adverse
impacts of climate change’, citing Articles 14 (equality before law and the equal protection
of laws) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Indian Constitution as the sources.
• The latest State of the Global Climate Report by the World Meteorological Organization reveals
that most climate change indicators reached record levels in 2023.
• It confirmed 2023 to be the hottest year since we started recording global temperatures. Records
were also broken for ocean heat, sea level rise, Antarctic Sea ice loss and glacier retreat.
A planet under stress

• The health of the planet is under extreme stress, impacting people’s right to live a healthy life.
• As one of the world’s fastest growing economies, India has made rapid strides in decoupling
emissions from economic growth.
• It has already achieved two of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets,
viz. reducing the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33% to 35% from 2005 level and
achieving 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, well
ahead of the target year of 2030.
• However, the country remains highly vulnerable to climate change. More than 80% of its
population lives in districts that are at risk of climate-induced disasters.
• Rising temperatures and natural disasters are manifesting into major crises affecting
livelihoods and food security and exacerbating existing socio-economic inequalities.

• By bringing the impacts of climate change within the purview of constitutional fundamental
rights, it paves the way for legal accountability of climate action.
SDGs and localisation model

• A case in point is India’s localisation model for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which has successfully integrated the SDGs into local-level planning through multi-tiered
and multi-stakeholder processes.
• States and territories take ownership by creating their own SDG road maps and
monitoring systems, and friendly competition among them spurs innovation and faster
progress.
• To ensure effective implementation, capacities of local governments are built.
• The model also encourages broader participation from businesses, non-governmental
organisations, and citizens. This has resulted in a more efficient and collaborative approach
to achieve the SDGs.
• The second pathway can build inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral approaches.
• The One Health initiative is one such example which has brought together 13 Ministries
and departments in the domains of health, environment, science and technology for
disease control, research, and pandemic preparedness.
• There is a need to expand this approach to the private sector on integrating a rights-based approach
to climate action in their core operations. For instance, the circular economy approaches need to
engage with human rights compliant supply chains, including reverse logistics, to have a truly
transformative impact.
Rights-based dialogue
• The third pathway can leverage the court’s observation to empower citizen groups and
civil society organisations in fostering a rights-based dialogue on environment, biodiversity,
and climate action.
• Within the ambit of environmental policy, it can build consensus on overcoming potential
tensions between climate mitigation and action.
• This is reflected in the Supreme Court’s observation, which came in the backdrop of balancing
conservation of the habitat of the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird
species, with developing solar energy parks to meet the country’s renewable energy targets.
• While noting that wildlife conservation cannot come at the cost of citizens’ right to be protected
from climate change, for which expanding renewable energy capacity is indispensable, the Court
insisted upon more dialogues to arrive at a holistic solution.
• Every year since 2009, April 22 is commemorated as International Mother Earth Day.
• The idea of ‘Mother’ Earth has been embedded in India’s culture and traditions for centuries,
regarding nature as a ‘living’ entity rather than just a resource.
• In 2022, the Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu, while hearing a case on changing the
classification of forest land, declared ‘Mother Nature’ a ‘living being’, granting it the status of a
legal person with all corresponding rights, duties, and liabilities, in order to preserve and
conserve it.
• There is a need to use these judgments and observations to restore Mother Earth’s right to good
health, and by doing so, protect the right of people to a future free from the impacts of climate
change.

Excerpt 15: NATIONAL CLEAN AIR PROGRAMME

• When the Indian government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019,
it was to cut the concentration of atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM) by 20-30% by
2024, from 2017 levels. This was later revised to 40% by 2026.
About NCAP
• Under NCAP, cities continuously violating annual PM levels in India need to prepare and
implement annual Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs).
• To facilitate this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has allocated
₹10,422.73 crore.
• Most cities proactively submitted their CAAPs yet their implementation has been inconsistent.
• Implementation delays hinder NCAP’s success, particularly delays in approvals from the
competent authorities (for example, the technical specification of tendering processes or for
procuring products such as mechanical sweepers and electric buses).
• There is also a lack of standard operating procedures for the implementation process.
• Yet other reasons include bureaucratic red-tape and lingering doubts regarding the
effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures.
• But overcoming this also requires a systemic approach based on Emissions Inventory (EI),
Air Quality (AQ) modelling, and Source Apportionment (SA).
How can scientific tools help?

• EI and SA studies are critical to identify and understand the origins of pollution.
• EIs provide insights into local pollution sources and their contributions, allowing
experts to forecast future emissions based on demographic shifts and technological advancements
across sectors, among other factors.
• EIs also help shape targeted pollution control strategies.
• SA studies offer a detailed analysis of contributions from various pollution sources,
including those located afar.
• However, they aren’t suited for predictive analysis and require substantial resources,
including specialised personnel and equipment for chemical analysis.
• SA studies also can’t distinguish between the origins of pollution, like, say, emissions
from diesel trucks 200 m away and 20 km away, because diesel emissions have similar chemical
signatures.
• These gaps can be bridged through AQ modelling, which informs our understanding of
pollution dispersion, including from distant sources.
How to make NCAP successful?

• Beyond the need for data and models, swift implementation on the ground is essential.
• For this, implementation agencies should seek to reduce bureaucratic red tape by utilising
shared, standardised technical evaluations.
• As NCAP funding is linked with the performance of cities (based on the annual average PM
concentration reduction), prior budgeting and time management play crucial roles.
• Technical feasibility, budgeting, and time estimates need to be part of the initial plans.
• The journey towards cleaner air in India, as charted by NCAP, will be difficult but is necessary.
NCAP’s success hinges on a multifaceted approach that combines rigorous scientific studies,
strategic funds, and swift and effective implementation of mitigation measures.

Excerpt 16: POULTRY INDUSTRY

About the Sector
• India has a vast resource of livestock and poultry, which plays a vital role in improving the
socio-economic conditions of rural masses.
• India is the largest producer of Milk and Buffalo Meat, the 2nd largest producer of Goat
meat and the 8th largest in overall Meat Production in the world.
• Poultry is one of the fastest-growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today.
• India ranks 3rd in the world in terms of total Egg production.
• Areas of Production: Top 5 egg producing States are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Telangana, West Bengal, and Karnataka.
Importance
• In India, Poultry contributes a major share in terms of protein supplementation from eggs
and meat in human diets.
• Poultry can play a very important role in the diversification of agriculture, particularly in
view of the fact that with ever increasing population, there is tremendous pressure on land.
• Poultry can help to harness triple benefits i.e., additional employment income with least
investment in backyard production,
• It can revert the trends of migration of rural youth.
• Over the past two decades, it has evolved into a mega-industry, positioning India as a major global
producer of eggs and broiler meat.
• The production of crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5 to 2 percent per annum, that of eggs and
broilers has been rising at a rate of 8 to 10 percent per annum.
Concerns
• Animals are heavily stocked in unsanitary conditions.
• This has a detrimental effect on the welfare of animals and the health of those who
consume the food derived.
• The faecal matter generated at these facilities is collected periodically by local farmers for use as
fertilizer.
• The amount of piled-up manure exceeds the carrying capacity of the land and becomes a pollutant.
• Almost all cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) have been linked
to close contact with infected birds, or contaminated environments.
• Due to contract farming, large debts and a very specialised skill set, poultry farmers
often find it difficult to exit the industry, despite the losses.
• However, the myriad problems faced by these farmers often push them out of business.
• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has classified poultry units with more
than 5,000 birds as a polluting industry that requires compliance and regulatory consent to
establish and operate.
• The farmers suffer due to market volatility and the prevalent practices pushed by industry
giants.
• India’s decision to reduce import duties on frozen turkey and duck from the US has raised
concerns among domestic poultry producers, who fear that the move could lead to the collapse of
the sector.

Related initiatives
• Under National Livestock Mission, for development of Entrepreneurs in Rural Poultry, the
central Government is providing 50% subsidy upto Rs 25.00 Lakh to establish Parent Farm,
Rural Hatchery, brooder cum mother unit for Production of Hatching Eggs .
• Keeping animals in intensive confinement constitutes a crime under the provisions of the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
• The 269th Law Commission of India Report in 2017 placed on record a representation by the Tata
Memorial Centre that contained evidence that non-therapeutic antibiotics given to poultry
cause antibiotic resistance since living conditions are unhygienic.
• It further said that with more open, cleaner, and ventilated living spaces, animals are less likely to
need constant antibiotics, making their eggs and meat safe for consumption.
Conclusion and Way Forward

• Poultry is one of the fastest-growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today.
• There is a need for strengthening the Indian poultry sector, improving the ease of doing
business, addressing challenges in poultry product exports, and strategizing the
integration of units in the informal sector and further cementing poultry sectors position
on the world stage.
• There is a need to formulate robust strategies for the sustainable growth of the Indian Poultry
sector.
• More R&D needed to bring advancements in all sectors
• Strict oversight for compliance and enforcement of environmental regulations is the
need of the hour, given the CPCB’s reclassification of the poultry industry as a highly polluting
‘orange category’ industry.
• In light of the bird flu public health crisis and the climate emergency, it is crucial for
the situation to be addressed.
• India’s environmental laws and regulations must reflect what the public health crisis is showing
us: that animal welfare is closely interlinked with public health, ecosystem health and
biodiversity conservation — the One Health principle.

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MONTHLY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

Excerpt 1: CHABAHAR PORT (strategic importance)

WhatsApp – 7303692587 SHIELD IAS– JUNE, 2024 1

Developments in recent years

Chabahar and INSTC

WhatsApp – 7303692587 SHIELD IAS– JUNE, 2024 2

Excerpt 2: POLLING STATIONS IN INDIA

Setting up polling stations: norms and principles

Layout and some facilities

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Provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

People inside a polling station, voting day restrictions

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Critical polling stations

Excerpt 3: UNHEALTHY DIETS

Focus on children, mothers

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Dual nutrition challenge

General dietary principles

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Excerpt 4: GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY

Important to take care of

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Global treaty, need for a just transition

Excerpt 5: NON-MARKET ECONOMY

About ‘non-market economies’

• The non-market economy label allows the US to impose “anti-dumping” duties on

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Why does Vietnam want to get the ‘market economy’ status?

What are the challenges?

Excerpt 6: ARTIFICIAL GENERAL INTELLIGENCE (AGI)-

How is AGI different from AI we already use?

WhatsApp – 7303692587 SHIELD IAS– JUNE, 2024 9

• Narrow AI is designed to perform specific tasks such as image recognition, translation, or

Skepticism regarding AGI

Excerpt 7: WOMEN IN POLITICS

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Examples from the West

The women’s reservation Bill