UPSC Key: Urban Local Bodies, CBAM, and Senior care economySubscriber Only

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

What’s the ongoing story: Flagging concerns on the health of urban local bodies, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has found that city self-governments in 18 states that cater to 241 million residents are facing a 42 per cent gap between their resources and expenditure and that only 29 per cent of their expenditure goes towards programmatic and development work.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the role and function of the CAG?

— What is the process of appointment of the CAG?

— What are the concerns related to the CAG?

— What is the 74th Constitutional Amendment?

— How are the Urban local bodies regulated in India?

— What are the financial sustainability of the ULBs?

— What are the challenges of the ULBs?

Key Takeaways:

— The CAG found that 31 years after the 74th Constitutional Amendment to empower urban local bodies came into effect in 1993, these 18 states were yet to fully implement the law in spirit.

— On Monday, the CAG released a compendium of audit reports into the implementation of the 74th amendment in 18 states.

— The CAG found that on average, 32 per cent of the revenue of the urban bodies was their own, with the rest coming from the Union and state governments. The urban local bodies were able to realise 56 per cent of their property tax demand.

— Only 29 per cent of the current expenditure of the urban local bodies was directed towards programmatic and development work. There was an average vacancy of 37 per cent against the sanctioned staff strength. On the other hand, urban bodies of 16 states had limited or no power over recruitment.

— As per the 74th Amendment, states were meant to devolve 18 functions, including urban planning, regulation of land use and construction, water supply, planning for economic and social development and public health, to the urban local bodies. The CAG found that on average, 17 out of the 18 functions had been devolved.

— The CAG said that the states had shown weak compliance with the “in-spirit reading” of the 74th amendment. Only four of the functions devolved to urban local bodies were with “complete autonomy”. The CAG recommended that states involve urban local bodies in critical functions like planning.

— “Considering that 50 per cent of India will be residing in cities by 2050, robust ULSGs are pertinent, for they are critical players in delivering good quality of life to their citizens…”

Do You Know:

— Urban local bodies (ULBs), i.e. Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, or Nagar Panchayats are the fundamental unit of urban governance in our cities. They are the first point of contact for citizens and are responsible for providing essential services such as waste management, sanitation, and urban planning.

— Municipal bodies are stretched thin, managing everything from waste collection to city planning. ULBs have insufficient resources and limited personnel to address a wide variety of complex urban problems. The main challenges that hamper the effectiveness of ULBs are their limited financial resources, constrained political autonomy and low state capacity.

— ULBs struggle with their finances. A major source of municipal revenue is property taxes, with remaining funds coming from the state government. While ULBs can raise revenue through bonds or other securities (such as the Ahmedabad Municipal Bonds in 1994), lack of administrative and technical expertise remains a problem.

— They also charge low user fees such as parking charges or commercial taxes, especially when many of these activities happen in the prime areas of the city.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Significance of empowering local bodies for effective urban governance in India

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in (UPSC CSE 2017)

(a) Federalism

(b) Democratic decentralisation

(d) Direct democracy

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

“The states in India seem reluctant to empower urban local bodies both functionally as well as financially.” Comment. (UPSC CSE 2023)

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

What’s the ongoing story: China and India confronted the European Union (EU) once again on Friday on the issue of trade barriers disguised as climate action and warned that unilateral trade measures could be detrimental to multilateral cooperation.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is carbon trading?

— What is a carbon tax?

— What is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?

— What is the COP29?

— What is the carbon financing mechanism?

— What are the concerns related to CBAM?

— What is the UNFCCC?

— What are the BASIC countries?

— What is the New Cumulative Quantitative Goal on climate finance (NCQG)?

— What are the various global initiatives related to controlling carbon emissions?

Key Takeaways:

— China and India, along with other BASIC country partners Brazil and South Africa, have been complaining against the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduced by the EU last year.

— CBAM seeks to impose a tax on a certain class of goods imported in the EU, if the production of those goods had an emission footprint higher than the emission standards in EU. Ostensibly a step to control emissions, CBAM will have the effect of goods from developing countries like China or India becoming non-competitive in the European markets.

— On the opening day of the COP29 meeting Monday, China, on behalf of the BASIC countries, had moved a proposal to include a discussion on “unilateral restrictive trade measures” — without mentioning CBAM — in the formal agenda of the COP meeting.

— The EU had strongly opposed the move, and decisions at COP are taken only by consensus. The COP presidency — the host country presides over the conference — had then referred the matter for informal presidential consultations — the first round was held Friday morning.

— The BASIC group said CBAM unfairly targeted developing countries. Chinese and Indian negotiators also argued that it violated several provisions of existing international regulations related to both trade and climate change. The EU, however, denied that CBAM was aimed at any particular group of countries or was discriminatory.

— COP29 is hoping to deliver a comprehensive agreement on finance to enable greater flows of money for climate action. Called the New Cumulative Quantitative Goal on climate finance (NCQG), the expected agreement is supposed to mobilise at least a trillion dollars every year for climate action, through various sources.

— But India said this entire amount must be raised by developed countries to help the developing nations, as is their mandated responsibility under the UN Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement.

— India’s point is that if investments in green projects are also counted as climate finance, this would partially, shift the burden of mobilising resources on the developing countries as they can be blamed for not creating the right conditions for attracting investments.

Do You Know:

— Carbon trade, being relied upon to accelerate emission cuts around the world, has been largely ineffective till now, and only a very small number of projects have resulted in real emissions reductions, a new study published in Nature journal has found.

— The study by a group of researchers from several European and American institutions looked at thousands of projects that together generated carbon credits worth one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, and found that only 16 per cent of these credits represented actual reductions in emissions.

— These credits were generated mostly by a mechanism created under the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 climate agreement that was replaced by the Paris Agreement in 2015. Those mechanisms have died with the Kyoto Protocol. Under the Paris Agreement, new, more robust, mechanisms for carbon trade are being created, with some progress expected to happen at the ongoing COP29 meeting in Baku.

— Carbon markets allow for trade in carbon credits by incentivising emissions reductions. An industrial unit which outperforms its emission standards, meaning that it produces less emissions than it is mandated to, can earn carbon credits.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Knowledge nugget of the day: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

????Only 16% of past carbon credits represented actual emission cuts: Study

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) ‘BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes’ is managed by the (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) Asian Development Bank

(b) International Monetary Fund

(d) World Bank

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Should the pursuit of carbon credit and clean development mechanism set up under UNFCCC be maintained even through there has been a massive slide in the value of carbon credit? Discuss with respect to India’s energy needs for economic growth. (UPSC CSE 2014)

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

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

What’s the ongoing story: In just over a week since Donald Trump won the US Presidency, Hong Kong-based brokerage firm CLSA raised its India allocation to a 20 per cent overweight, while cutting exposure to China. This is seen as a tactical reversal from its early October update when it went ‘overweight’ on China following Beijing’s first stimulus on September 24. China’s second tranche of a $1.4 trillion package came on November 8 and yet another likely in January 2025.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is CLSA allocation of ‘overweight’ to a country?

— How trade war between China and the USA is going to impact India?

— What was the impact of a trade war between the U.S. and China on the global economy?

— What precautionary measures need to be taken by India in light of the change in US leadership?

— What is the Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)?

— What were the reasons for the recent FPI pullout from India?

Key Takeaways:

— Turning ‘overweight’ essentially means Indian equities should perform better compared with other markets. The reversal is also attributed to an escalation of a trade war between US and China with Trump proposing up to 60 per cent tariff on Chinese imports into the US during his Presidential campaign and an underwhelming stimulus package by the Chinese government.

— Trump’s victory has made the brokerage reverse its October call, with China now an ‘equal weight’, and India turning ‘overweight’. This incidentally comes when India has recorded steady net foreign investor selling of a cumulative $14.2 billion since early October (almost fully unwinding the $16.6 billion of net purchases from June through September).

— While highlighting that valuations in India continue to be “expensive”, CLSA underlined that India appears as among the least exposed of regional markets to Trump’s adverse trade policy. Indian government officials are of the view that Trump as President would not be as detrimental on India’s export basket as those of other countries, especially China.

— This comes as China’s overall annual trade surplus, expected to soon surpass a record $1 trillion, groundwork for a more aggressive US trade war against China during Trump’s second term—backed by a Republican-controlled Senate—has begun to take shape.

— The likelihood of a Trump-led trade war with China comes at a time when China’s trade surplus with the US in 2023 reached $380 billion. The comparable number barely stood at $70 billion in 2005.

Do You Know:

— Higher tariffs and a trade war would most certainly lead to higher inflation in the US. This, combined with runaway deficits and a possible dilution of institutional autonomy could lead to foreigners beginning to rethink if they should lend unlimited money to the US Treasury — which has been a given thus far.

— Such a shift could mark a possible watershed moment — of the scale, perhaps, of the decision in early 2022 to freeze Russian foreign assets, which forced central banks around the world, including RBI, to buy physical gold rather than derivatives or exchange-traded funds that track the yellow metal’s price.

— The possible induction of Elon Musk into the new administration could have repercussions for India. A proposal rushed through by New Delhi to accommodate Musk’s demand to import Tesla cars at a lower duty earlier this year was not quite accepted by the President elect’s billionaire supporter. There could be pressure now to sweeten the deal further.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????In Trump, stronger and bigger, America has chosen The Great Disruption. Brace for the ride

????After a 10% fall in 7 weeks, the market trajectory still a cause for worry amid foreign selling

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Which of the following is issued by registered foreign portfolio investors to overseas investors who want to be part of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly? (UPSC CSE 2019)

(a) Certificate of Deposit

(b) Commercial Paper

(d) Participatory Note

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of Trade War’, especially keeping in mind the interest of India? (UPSC CSE 2018)

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues

Main Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary.

What’s the ongoing story: Abhishek Singhvi writes: The recently retired CJI, usually referred to by his acronym DYC, firstly did what all judges, including CJIs, are supposed to do, but frequently do not. That is the dual activity of judging and writing judgments. Both as a puisne judge and as CJI, DYC has authored more nine, seven, five and three-judge judgments than any of his predecessors in the past two decades.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the process of appointment of the Chief Justice of India?

— What is the Collegium system?

— What are the arguments for and against the Collegium system?

— What is the National Judicial Appointments Commission?

— What are the concerns related to the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court?

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the appointment of judges?

Key Takeaways:

— Seminally vital issues were jurisprudentially addressed with high intellectual quality — not by mere numbers alone. They range from the nine-judge Puttaswamy privacy judgment to Common Cause on the right to die with dignity to Shafin Jahan on the right to marry freely to an expansion of abortion rights in X vs NCT.

— From striking down the criminality attached to same-sex consensual sex in Navtej to the recognition of queer couples’ right to relationships to overruling his father not once but twice while decriminalising adultery and negating the infamous ADM Jabalpur, DYC has painted with a broad brush.

— Federalism issues, from the five-judge decision in the NCT case to the very recent nine-judge decision in States versus Centre mining rights, have coexisted with his judgments on religious issues like Sabarimala and Ayodhya as also the Electoral Bonds case.

— Merits apart, to wield the pen (actually the computer) with such dexterity has not been seen since the 1960s and ’70s. If judging and writing judgments, and writing them well, is the primary test for a judge (something too easily forgotten), no fair view can say that DYC has not passed it with flying colours.

— No CJI has done so much for infrastructure and technology. Accessibility issues, so much in sync with his passion for facilitation of the differently abled, staff training and exam centres, staff library, a national judicial museum, archives, the beautification of the lawns, the new enclosed spaces with air-conditioning, renovation of courtrooms and bar rooms, media enclosures, crèche facilities, the new cafe by the differently abled, all sit majestically with his most important contribution — the institutionalisation of virtual hearings in most courts and tribunals across India, despite resistance.

— Equally blameworthy may be the decision not to decide the Shiv Sena/NCP disqualification cases as also the NCT vs LG constitutional cases. He listed them time and again, never refused to hear them but allowed time to run out under his watch.

Do You Know:

— Apart from being an Indian citizen, the person must (a) have been for at least five years a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession or (b) have been for at least ten years an advocate of a High Court or of two or more such Courts in succession, or (c) be, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.

— The Chief Justice of India and the other judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Indian Constitution. It is mentioned in Article 124 that appointment by the President is to be done “after consultation” with judges of the Supreme Court, as the President may “deem necessary”.

— Article 217, which deals with the appointment of High Court judges, says the President should consult the CJI, Governor, and Chief Justice of the High Court concerned. Further, the tenure of a CJI is until they attain the age of 65 years, while High Court judges retire at 62 years.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Knowledge nugget of the day: 7 landmark judgements by CJI Chandrachud

????Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes: D Y Chandrachud, a Chief Justice of his time

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Who/Which of the following is the custodian of the Constitution of India? (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) The President of India

(b) The Prime Minister of India

(d) The Supreme Court of India

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Critically examine the Supreme Court’s judgement on ‘National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014’ with reference to appointment of judges of higher judiciary in India. (UPSC CSE GS2, 2017)

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

What’s the ongoing story: A quarter-century ago, over 200 scientists from the US, Europe, the Maldives, and India came together to study the haze over the Indian Ocean. Led by atmospheric scientist V Ramanathan of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) undertook intensive field observations using aircraft, ships, surface stations, and satellites. They discovered a giant brown layer of cloud hanging over much of the Indian Subcontinent and the Indian Ocean between October and February, which they termed the Indian Ocean Brown Cloud or Asian Brown Cloud

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the AQI?

— How is AQI measured in India?

— What is an Asian brown cloud?

— What are the major air pollutants?

— What is the impact of these air pollutants on human health?

— What is the significance of PM Ujjwala Yojana?

Key Takeaways:

— INDOEX revealed that this layer was primarily created by the burning of biomass in fields and homes, as well as fossil fuels like coal in industries, and that it traveled thousands of kilometres. The study also found that the haze significantly affected regional temperatures, precipitation patterns, and ground-level pollution, reducing agricultural productivity and causing widespread respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

— When the UN Environment Programme published the INDOEX report in 2002, some prominent Indian scientists called it sensationalist and argued that the “Indian Ocean” or “Asian” Brown Cloud was not unique to India or Asia and should, therefore, be renamed. Because of their opposition, the name was changed to “Atmospheric Brown Cloud with a Focus on Asia”. Governments in South Asia ignored the report.

— This episode underscores two key points: First, the causes of air pollution have been known for at least 25 years and second, we have been avoiding the issue for just as long.

— The result of this obfuscation is that today, from Amritsar in Punjab to Agartala in Tripura, an arc of brown haze, up to 3 km thick, has engulfed the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP), impacting lives, livelihoods, and the economy.

— In a study conducted by my colleagues and me in 2023, we estimated that India emits about 52 lakh tonnes of PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size, which has high health impacts) annually, excluding dust from natural and manmade sources.

— Around 48 per cent of these emissions come from biomass use — such as agricultural residue, fuelwood, and dung cakes — for cooking and heating in homes. Stubble burning contributes an additional 6.5 per cent, making biomass burning responsible for 55 per cent of total PM2.5 emissions.

— Industry and power plants are the second-largest emitters, contributing about 37 per cent, primarily from coal burning. The transport sector, a major focus of air pollution mitigation, contributes about 7 per cent of the emissions, while the remainder comes from sources such as open garbage burning.

— These findings are not surprising if we follow the dictum: What we burn the most, pollutes the most. In India, we burn about 220 crore tonnes of fuel and waste. Of this, 85 per cent is coal and biomass, while 15 per cent comprises other fuels such as petrol, diesel, and natural gas. Naturally, most of our pollution is due to burning biomass and coal. Additionally, dust from roads, construction sites, and barren land contributes to particulate pollution, especially PM 10.

— To address air pollution decisively, we must follow a scientific approach, and move beyond optics like odd-even, construction bans and artificial rain, and instead focus on the real solution – energy transition. Shifting households to LPG, biogas, or electricity for cooking and heating will eliminate a significant proportion of PM 2.5 emissions.

— Though challenging, this is achievable through targeted policy initiatives like a new PM Ujjwala Yojana that provides sufficient incentives to encourage low-income households to move away from traditional biomass.

— Similarly, energy transition in industry, especially in MSMEs, along with rigorous monitoring and enforcement, is necessary to reduce pollution. A programme encouraging MSMEs to adopt cleaner fuel and technologies, such as electric boilers and furnaces, could curb emissions significantly.

— On the other hand, eliminating stubble burning is essential to decrease severe and hazardous pollution days in October and November. Technological interventions along with incentives/ disincentives can solve this problem. The simplest technological solution is to modify or mandate combine harvesters that cut closer to the ground, like manual harvesting, leaving minimal stubble behind.

— As far as automobiles are concerned, scaling up electric vehicles and public transport is crucial. This will need clear targets for EV adoption and the promotion of public transport as a lifestyle choice. Lastly, to reduce local sources of pollution — dust from roads and construction, garbage burning, and traffic congestion — local bodies must be strengthened and held accountable.

Do You Know:

— With ‘severe’ air quality in Delhi on Saturday, and predictions of air quality index (AQI) in the ‘very poor’ category over the next six days, the government in the national capital has issued anti-pollution measures for the safety of Delhiites.

— It has mandated that primary schools transition to online classes, until further notice. A ban has also been placed on all construction and demolition activities with exceptions made for specific projects related to defense, Metro, railways, airports, and healthcare facilities.

— GRAP, according to a report in The Indian Express, is a set of emergency measures that kick in to prevent further deterioration of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold.

— While Stage 1 is activated when the AQI is in the ‘poor’ category (201 to 300), the second, third and fourth stages are brought to use as the AQI reaches the ‘very poor’ category (301 to 400), ‘severe’ category (401 to 450) and ‘severe +’ category (above 450) respectively.

— Measures being imposed under the previous categories will continue even when the subsequent category is activated.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????What measures have the Delhi government taken to counter ‘severe’ AQI?

????Knowledge Nugget of the day: Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. Carbon dioxide

2. Carbon monoxide

3. Nitrogen dioxide

4. Sulfur dioxide

5. Methane

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

What’s the ongoing story: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working on amending the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and updating the National Policy for Older Persons, 1999 to promote India’s senior care economy, including the senior living sector.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the objective of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007?

— What are the challenges faced by senior citizens in India?

— How is the problem faced by the senior citizens have changed over the years?

— What is the impact of globalisation on older persons?

— What are the potential and significance of the senior care economy?

— Why is there a need to regulate the senior living market?

— What are the Digital Life Certificates (DLCs), or Jeevan Pramaan?

— What are the various initiatives taken by the government for the welfare of the older person in India?

Key Takeaways:

— Both the 1999 policy and the 2007 act, which was amended in 2019, include clauses dealing with protection of property rights and old age homes. The changes are likely to address the evolving landscape of senior care, now characterised by active participation from private service providers, developers, and operators.

— In their current form, both policy and legislation deal primarily with old age homes supported by state or local governments. However, the senior living market now encompasses a much broader array of players, services, unit types, and a new dynamic between buyers, developers, and operators.

— The share of citizens aged 60-plus is set to increase from 157 million in 2024 (11 per cent of total population) to 260 million in 2040 (16 per cent) and 346 million in 2050 (21 per cent).

— Since 2022, senior living launches in India have averaged 2,000 units per year, almost double of around 1,100 units launched annually between 2014 and 2021, according to a new JLL report launched at the event.

— The report added that 60 per cent of India’s senior living market is concentrated in the south, followed by 20 per cent in the north, 16 per cent in western India, and 4 per cent in east India.

— “By 2050, one in every five Indians will be a senior. That represents about 70 per cent of the world’s population of seniors. It’s a very large and staggering number.”

— In terms of government support, Mehta suggested there should be one nodal agency that deals with senior care, which deals with issues of social justice, health, housing, and infrastructure. He added that a taskforce can also be created to study best practices followed in countries like Japan and Switzerland, where senior care is very developed.

— Mehta also suggested that when master planning is done for cities, land should be demarcated separately for senior living so that allocation is easier and costs more manageable.

— In its report on elderly-friendly living/housing sector reforms, NITI has recommended the development of a regulatory framework “to support the development of the private sector and provide necessary market stewardship while ensuring the highest quality of service delivery”.

Do You Know:

— Once limited to the southern states, India’s senior living market is rapidly expanding nationwide, driven by evolving societal norms and the increasing nuclearisation of families. Seniors are no longer waiting for medical needs to consider a move to specialised housing—many in their early 60s are opting for independent units to enhance their quality of life. Project developers, too, are targeting growth in temple towns like Varanasi, where more seniors are choosing to spend their later years in a culturally and spiritually rich environment.

— Despite its projected fivefold growth over the next six years, the market will remain undersupplied, with penetration expected to reach just 3 per cent by 2030—still far behind the 10 per cent in some developed countries. Unlike markets like the US, where leasing dominates, Indian seniors overwhelmingly prefer to purchase their homes.

— While demand for senior living is rising across the country, roughly 60 per cent of the market continues to be concentrated in South India.

— “In the South, there has traditionally been a higher acceptance of independent senior living and senior care facilities due to evolving family structures, higher levels of urbanisation, and growing population of seniors. In contrast, north India still has traditional joint family structures, with capabilities to provide family-based care to seniors. Hence, the shift towards independent senior living communities has been slower but is picking up traction,” said Rajit Mehta, MD and CEO of Antara Senior Living, a Max Group company.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Senior living in India: As demand expands beyond the South, developers and policymakers try to keep up

????In ‘life certificate’ month, how Govt’s Jeevan Pramaan has been faring

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate. (UPSC CSE 2018)

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