Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance; Environment 

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora; Groupings & agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.

What’s the ongoing story: If COP29, beginning Monday in the Azerbaijan capital, indeed delivers what it is supposed to — a strong finance agreement to enable enhanced flows of money for climate action — it could turn out to be the most important climate meeting since the one in Paris in 2015.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?

• What is UNFCCC’s Conference of Parties (CoP)?

• What are Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?

• Read about the Rio Earth Summit and Paris Agreement.

• Where was CoP 28 organised, and what were the outcomes of it?

• By which year India targets to achieve net-zero emissions?

• What are GHG emissions?

Key Takeaways:

• COP29, the 29th edition of the annual climate conference, is supposed to agree on at least a ten-fold increase in the money that developed countries are mandated to make available. The agreement was never expected to have come easily. Developed countries, led by the United States, have been pushing to expand the ‘donor base’, meaning they want more countries — rich countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Singapore, or even China – to contribute to the enhanced pool.

• But the election of Donald Trump as next US President has cast a much bigger shadow on the success of COP29 than the mere differences in position of various countries over the finance agreement. 

• The last time Trump got elected, in 2016, he had taken the US out of the Paris Agreement itself. Four years later, Joe Biden undid this decision. This time, fears are being expressed that Trump would withdraw America not just from the Paris Agreement but from the UN Framework Convention itself, the overarching structure under which global climate negotiations take place.

• The Paris Agreement goals of keeping global temperature rise within 2 degree Celsius, if not 1.5 degrees, from pre-industrial times, cannot be achieved without handsome contributions from the US, the second biggest emitter after China and the largest contributor to historical emissions. So far, it has delivered little. 

• The finance agreement that Baku is trying to stitch together is not just about a ten-fold increase in the quantum of financial flows – from US$ 100 billion each year that developed countries are currently obligated to raise to at least a trillion dollars a year from 2026. That is just the headline statement. Baku is supposed to deliver a comprehensive package on finance that is expected to result in greater transparency and better access to countries that need it the most.

From Editorial Page ” The Finance CoP”

• For the first time in 15 years, the UNFCCC’s Conference of Parties (CoP) is slated to provide guidelines for financing climate action. At Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries agreed to mobilise $100 billion every year by 2020 to help developing countries address climate-related challenges. They managed to deliver on the promise partially, that too by 2022. 

• Meanwhile, the Global South’s financial burden has increased several times from what was estimated at Copenhagen. CoP 29, which begins in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Monday, is expected to set up a new financial target, and funding mechanism. That’s why even before it has commenced, the Baku meet is being described as the “Finance CoP”.

• Despite the pessimism stemming from the constant failure of developed countries to fulfil past commitments, the Baku negotiations begin on a stronger footing compared to any other CoP.  

• At the last two meets, delegates had agreed to set up a Loss and Damage Fund to help countries deal with extreme weather events. Financial targets, 15 years from Copenhagen, are backed by stronger scientific analyses. Most developed country governments, especially EU members, agree that mechanisms need to be instituted to raise $1 trillion every year to protect the most vulnerable. Developing countries, by and large, agree on this target.

Do you know:

• In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, 154 countries signed a multilateral treaty called the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aimed to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system.”

• The treaty came into force two years later, and since then, countries which are part of the UNFCCC, meet every year at different venues. Today, there are 198 ‘parties’ or signatories of the Convention.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Express View: The task at CoP 29

????Five things you need to know about Conference of the Parties (COP)

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (UPSC CSE 2021)

 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story: Ukraine attacked Moscow on Sunday with at least 34 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the start of the war in 2022, forcing flights to be diverted from three of the city’s major airports and injuring at least five people.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Russia-Ukraine war all about, and what have been the key events?

• How has been the global support for Ukraine, and what peace efforts have been made so far?

• What has been India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war?

• Read about the drones used by Russia and Ukraine in the ongoing war.

• What are the areas of cooperation between India and Ukraine?

• What is the significance of Central Europe for India?

• Read about the India-Russia relations. 

• Map work: Important places in news with reference to Russia and Ukraine

Key Takeaways:

• Russian air defences destroyed another 50 drones over other regions of Western Russia on Sunday, the defence ministry said.

• Moscow and its surrounding region, with a population of at least 21 million, is one of the biggest metropolitan areas in Europe, alongside Istanbul.

• For its part, Russia launched a record 145 drones overnight, Ukraine said. Kyiv said its air defences downed 62 of those. Ukraine also said it attacked an arsenal in the Bryansk region of Russia, which reported 14 drones had been downed in the region.

• The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what some officials say could be its final act after Moscow’s forces advanced at the fastest pace since the early days of the war and Donald Trump was elected 47th president of the United States.

• Kyiv, itself the target of repeated mass drone strikes from Russian forces, has tried to strike back against its vastly larger eastern neighbour with repeated drone strikes against oil refineries, airfields and even Russian strategic early-warning radar stations.

• Moscow and Kyiv have both sought to buy and develop new drones, deploy them in innovative ways, and seek new ways to destroy them – from using farmers’ shotguns to advanced electronic jamming systems.

• Russia has developed a series of electronic “umbrellas” over Moscow, with additional advanced internal layers over strategic buildings, and a complex web of air defences to shoot down the drones before they reach the Kremlin in the heart of the capital.

Do You Know:

• As the Russia-Ukraine war continues to rage, newer weapons of destruction have come into play. Recently, both sides have posted visuals of drones appearing to rain down fire — earning this weapon the moniker of “dragon drone”.

• Dragon drones essentially release a substance called thermite — a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide — developed a century ago to weld railroad tracks.

• When ignited (usually with the help of an electrical fuse), thermite triggers a self-sustaining reaction that is quite difficult to extinguish. It can burn through almost anything, from clothes to trees to military-grade vehicles, and can even burn underwater.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????An Expert Explains: Russia-Ukraine war, two years on

????Ukraine: A short history of its creation

????Knowledge Nugget: Dragon drones

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following countries: (UPSC CSE 2023)

1. Bulgaria

2. Czech Republic

3. Hungary

4. Latvia

5. Lithuania

6. Romania

How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?

(a) Only two

(b) Only three

(c) Only four

(d) Only five

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination:  GS-II: International Relations, India and its neighbourhood- relations.

What’s the ongoing story: Bangladesh’s interim government on Sunday said it will seek Interpol’s assistance in repatriating deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from India, and other “fugitives”, to face trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is an Interpol Red Notice, what does it do?

• What is the history of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations?

• What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and Bangladesh?

• How does growing Chinese influence in Bangladesh pose a new challenge for India?

• What is the significance of Bangladesh for India?

• How does the Bangladesh turmoil present a challenge for India?

• What are the areas of conflict between India and Bangladesh?

• Map work: Location of Bangladesh and Indian states sharing boundaries with Bangladesh.

Key Takeaways:

• Hasina and her party leaders face accusations of ordering brutal suppression of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, resulting in numerous casualties during the July-August protests. The movement later intensified into a large-scale uprising, forcing Hasina to secretly flee to India on August 5.

• According to the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, at least 753 people were killed and thousands injured during the protests, which it termed crimes against humanity and genocide. Over 60 complaints of crimes against humanity and genocide have been filed against Hasina and her party leaders with the ICT and the prosecution team till mid-October.

• However, Chief Adviser Yunus in an interview with the UK-based Financial Times newspaper last month said his government would not immediately seek Hasina’s extradition from India, an approach seen as preventing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

• Officials said a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant, but rather a global request for law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

• Interpol member countries enforce Red Notices according to their own national laws.

Do You Know:

• Interpol Red Notice: Criminals or suspects often flee to other countries to evade facing justice. An Interpol Red Notice alerts police forces across the world about fugitives who are wanted internationally. Interpol describes an RN as “a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action”.

• Red Notice (RN) contains information that helps identify wanted persons, such as their names, dates of birth, nationality, and physical attributes such as the colour of their hair and eyes, as well as pictures and biometric data such as fingerprints, if they are available. RNs also mention the crime(s) they are wanted for.

• India and Bangladesh have deep-rooted bonds of history, language, culture, and many other commonalities. The exceptional nature of their bilateral ties is reflected in a comprehensive partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust, and understanding. India was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh and establish diplomatic relations immediately with it in December 1971. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

????Explained: What is an Interpol Red Notice, what does it do?

Previous year UPSC Prelims/Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Prelims

(2) With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.

2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.

3. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Mains

The protests in Shahbag Square in Dhaka in Bangladesh reveal a fundamental split in society between the nationalists and Islamic forces. What is its significance for India? (UPSC CSE 2013)

 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development- Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: Shrayana Bhattacharya writes– “Last fortnight, while there was much reportage on what Diwali and Dhanteras signaled about the health of consumer spending, the world also marked the second UN International Day of Care and Support on October 29.”

 Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the care economy?

• How are care and monetised economics defined in economic literature?

• What are the main factors behind low female labour force participation in India?

• What are the impacts of unpaid care responsibilities on gender equality in India’s workforce?

• What steps should be taken to increase women’s labour force participation in India?

Key Takeaways:

• “Care” and “support” encompass all direct and indirect ways we nurture each other and respond to our needs for emotional, physical and psychological nutrition. Of course, every day is a day of care and support. But celebrating the quiet work of care in India is hardly as eye-catching as celebrating boisterous consumption growth.”

• “If we recognise that economic behaviour — spending, saving, investing, working — is underpinned by our social nature, our vital human desire to enjoy love and connection, the care economy and the consumer economy should hardly be disconnected islands.”

• “What would an economy that centred care look like?..First, it would credibly reward those engaged in care work. UNFPA estimates suggest the demand for care is daunting — nearly 360 million children and 147 million elderly people require care in India. Overwhelmingly, it is women who respond to this demand, supplying 5.6 hours of unpaid work daily. Men supply 30 minutes..It is high time the tax brackets, wage rates and retirement ages of women were adequately reformed to compensate for this trade-off between care and career.”

• “Second, an economy centred on fostering caring relations and capacities between people would be more creative in how individuals are cared for by public and private institutions. ..Adequate social pensions for the elderly, stronger public infrastructure for childcare, subsidies and incentives for business or cooperatives providing care can go a long way.”

• “Finally, no policy fix can truly help without a radical revolution in how we value the work of care as a society…”

Do You Know:

• Care refers to all activities and relations needed for the existence and well-being of societies. It includes both paid as well as unpaid care work, which are overlapping in nature. Unpaid care work is often direct, personal, and relational, and is provided without any monetary compensation.

• India has 53 per cent of women outside the labour force due to care responsibilities and needs further investment in the care economy, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said in its latest report ‘The impact of care responsibilities of women’s labour participation’ released last week.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Balancing the care and monetised economies for India’s growth

????For women-led development, invest in the Care Economy

Practice UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How can prioritising the care economy contribute to the long-term balance of growth and development in India?

 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance- Rights Issues

Mains Examination: GS-II: Indian Polity, Constitution of India —historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court last week delivered a landmark verdict in the Property Owners Association & Ors v State of Maharashtra case.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Article 39(b) of the Constitution?

• What are the constitutional provisions with regard to the property rights?

• What was the status of the Right to Property under the original Indian Constitution, and how has it changed over the years?

• Why was the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 introduced? How it changed the essence of the Right to Property?

• What are the main implications of Article 300A for the protection of property rights?

• Explain the Supreme Court’s recent stance on the balance between private property rights and community rights over material resources.

Key Takeaways:

• The nine-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud (he retired on Sunday) answered two key questions.

• Question 1: Status of Article 31C: In 1992, when the petitioners in the Property Owners Association case approached the SC to appeal Bombay HC’s decision from a year before, they argued that Minerva Mills verdict effectively struck down Article 31C in its entirety. This, they argued, opened the Maharashtra law to be quashed on the grounds that it violated Article 14.

• Now, the 42nd Amendment had substituted the words “the principles specified in clause (b) or clause (c) of article 39” in Article 31C with the words “all or any of the principles laid down in Part IV”.

• The court in Property Owners Association case clarified when striking down the amendment in Minerva Mills, the words “all or any of the principles laid down in Part IV” would not simply be deleted as this would lead to “absurd outcomes or render the text wholly unworkable”.

• Instead, the version of Article 31C that was upheld in Kesavananda Bharati — the first part of the original provision — would remain. The court thus held that the repeal of the earlier wording in the Constitution and the substitution of the new one are a part of the same action by Parliament.

• Question 2: Interpretation of Article 39B- The court in Property Owners Association, however, drew a distinction between whether private property can be considered as “material resources of the community”, and if all private property is included in this phrase (as Justice Iyer had held). It held that if Article 39(b) was meant to include all private property, the provision would have been worded differently to make this clear.

• The majority opinion provided four factors that must be considered to determine whether private property may be deemed as a material resource of the community:

– The nature of the resource and its inherent characteristics;

– The impact of the resource on the well-being of the community;

– The scarcity of the resource; and

– The consequences of the resource being concentrated in the hands of private owners.

Do You Know:

• Falling under Part IV of the Constitution titled “Directive Principles of State Policy” (DPSP), Article 39(b) places an obligation on the state to create policy towards securing “the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good”.

• DPSP are meant to be guiding principles for the enactment of laws, but are not directly enforceable in any court of law.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Not all private property is ‘material resource of community’ for redistribution: Unpacking the SC verdict

????PRIVATE, PUBLIC

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) What is the position of the Right to Property in India? (UPSC CSE 2021)

(a) Legal right available to citizens only

(b) Legal right available to any person

(c) Fundamental Right available to citizens only

(d) Neither Fundamental Right nor legal right

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity 

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions

What’s the ongoing story: The central government recently launched a project to better monitor animal health for prevention of future pandemics.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response’ initiative

• What is the objective of this initiative?

• What is the Pandemic Fund?

• What are the interventions planned under the initiative?

• What are the zoonotic diseases?

• Read about the Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA).

• Organisations to look for: Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

Key Takeaways:

• The ‘Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response’ initiative was launched by the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, in New Delhi on October 25.

• The project aims to enhance the country’s capacity to “prevent, detect, and respond to animal health threats.”

• The project was approved by the Pandemic Fund, created by G20 countries under Indonesian presidency in 2022. The basic purpose of the fund is to assist low-and middle-income countries in strengthening their capacities to identify, report and contain future pandemics.

• The project will work with the help of three implementing agencies—Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It is expected to be completed by August 2026.

• Why is it needed?

The WHO declared six public health emergencies of international concern in the past few decades, out of them five were zoonotic (transmitted from animals to humans). The latest example of such a disease was Covid-19, which affected the entire world in 2020-21.

• About two-thirds of infectious diseases affecting humans originate from animals. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on animal health security as part of future pandemic preparedness. India, with 536 million livestock and other animals, requires measures to prevent and manage infection outbreaks.

Do You Know:

• According to the ministry, following are the five key outputs expected from the Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response’ Project:

1. Augmentation of laboratory systems and vaccine manufacturing facilities;

2. Strengthening of surveillance and early warning systems;

3. Development of human resources capacity and competency;

4. Strengthening of data systems, analytics, risk analysis, and risk communication;

5. Addressing cross-cutting institutional capacity gaps at national and regional levels.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Preparing for the next pandemic: what NITI Aayog report says

????How to make India pandemic proof

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Among the following, which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently? (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) Syria and Jordan (b) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia (c) Philippines and Papua New Guinea (d) Jamaica, Haiti and Surinam

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity 

Mains Examination: GS-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Ten wild elephants died in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve recently after consuming a “large quantity” of kodo millet plants, which had been infected with a fungus, a toxicology report released last week by ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, said.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Read about the Project Elephant.

• Which state has the highest number of elephants?

• What is Kodo millet?

• Read about the Cyclopiazonic. 

• How does toxic kodo millet affect animals?

• How may infections be avoided in coda millets?

• What are the steps taken by the government for the protection of elephants in India?

• What is the MIKE Program?

• What is the protection status of Asian Elephants?

• Map work: Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

Key Takeaways:

• Traces of cyclopiazonic acid-a toxin produced by fungi known to affect kodo millets – were found in the samples taken from the dead tuskers, according to the report.

• Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) is a grain believed to have originated in India. It is cultivated in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Tamil Nadu. It is also grown in other countries, including Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and West Africa.

• Experts suggest that it is rich in vitamins and minerals. Kodo millet is also gluten-free, easy to digest, and a rich source of antioxi- dants, experts said.

• According to a 2023 study, kodo millet crops are “more prone to fungal infection followed by bacterial and viral; these infections adversely affect the grain and fodder yield. Ergot is a parasitic fungal endophyte that grows in the ear heads of various blades of grass, most frequently on kodo millet… Consumption of such kodo grains is often found to cause poisoning”.

• Cyclopiazonic acid is one of the major mycotoxins – toxic substances produced by certain fungi or moulds that can lead to disease and death in humans and animals – associated with Kodo millet. Upon the consumption of the infected grain, the mycotoxin can cause Kodo poisoning, which was first recognised in the mid-1980s, the study said.

• Kodo poisoning mainly affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems and the symptoms include vomiting, giddiness, unconsciousness, small and rapid pulse, cold extremities, and tremors.

• There have been no reported deaths of human beings due to Kodo poisoning as patients can recover once their stomach is flushed by giving them stimulants, hot tea or milk. Previous cases have shown that pa- tients can take up to three days to recover.

Do You Know:

• Kodo millet crops are best suited for tropical and subtropical regions. They are grown on poor soil and widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions.

• In India, kodo millet is a staple food for many tribal and economically weaker communities. It is one of the “hardiest crops, drought tolerant with high yield potential and excellent storage properties,” according to researchers.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Govt printed, then shelved its report on elephant census: Count fell by 20% in 5 years

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. The leader of an elephant group is a female.

2. The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.

3. An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.

4. Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development- Social Sector Initiatives.

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security.

What’s the ongoing story: Ashok Gulati , Raya Das write–  “In an earlier article (‘The problem with free food’, IE, October 18), a case was made to repurpose a part of food subsidy — Rs 2.7 lakh crore in FY 2023 — toward investments in agri-R&D, skilling, rural roads, etc, which give much higher returns than food subsidies. Milind Murugkar in his article (‘An investment, not waste’, IE, October 25) argued that food subsidies are investments and not waste. We welcome his comment. In this context, we want to highlight three key issues.”

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)?

• What is Food Security? 

• What is the difference between food security and nutritional security?

• Know about the Public Distribution System and the National Food Security Act, 2013. 

• What are the challenges related to food security in India? 

• What are the issues and challenges associated with the public distribution system?

• What steps should be taken for ensuring food and nutritional security in India?

Key Takeaways:

• World Bank (2022) data shows that 12.9 per cent of Indians live on less than $2.15 (PPP) a day, an extreme level of poverty. The NITI Aayog report (2024) says that 248 million people came out of poverty in the last 9 years, with the multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) declining from 29.17 per cent to 11.28 per cent between 2013-14 to 2022-23.

• “Interesting issue is that of leaky PDS. We have analysed the unit-level data of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) of August 2022 to July 2023, and compared with the off-take from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for distribution under NFSA (PMGKAY), plus tide-over, non-NFSA state-level allocations, aligning it with the reference period of August 2022 to July 2023.”

• “The findings reveal a significant discrepancy — 28 per cent of the allocated grains, amounting to approximately 19.69 million metric tonnes (MMT) of rice and wheat, fails to reach the intended recipients. The leakage of 28 per cent of rice and wheat translates to a loss of about Rs 69,108 crore, calculated at the economic cost of these grains to FCI. And this is an annual loss, which will keep increasing year after year, as the costs rise. It is one of the biggest annual scams, which is swept under the carpet in the name of helping the poor!”

• “The leakages vary sharply across states (see infographics). Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Gujarat are the top three states in terms of PDS leakages, although at all-India levels, leakages stand at 28 per cent. This highlights the need for reforming PDS.”

• “To sum up, the PDS needs to be reformed. Free food to 57 per cent of the population needs revisiting. Those above antyodaya (extremely poor) need to pay at least half of the MSP. These savings can be ploughed back into agriculture. To plug leakages, direct cash transfers to beneficiary accounts are an option. Digital coupons for more nutritious food through the nutrition hubs of FPS need to be encouraged.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Ashok Gulati writes: Ration shops as nourishing centres

Previous year UPSC Prelims/ Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Prelims

(6) With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018)

1. The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains.

2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.

3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 3 only

Mains

What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make the food grain distribution system more effective? (UPSC CSE 2019)

In stark contrast to India’s current stance of staying out of the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said on Thursday (November 7) that the country is missing out on the ‘China-plus-one’ opportunity and should consider joining multilateral agreements such as RCEP and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

 

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