Surabhi Yadav: GS3 answer copy

CPI as better measure than WPI

→ Since CPI includes Value Addition, it gives better picture of what end consumer recieves.

→ Since it includes all the products, as well as services give an holistic overview.

→ It helps RBI decide monetary policy that impact larger population.

Issues with CPI

→ Since Includes Food inflation, which is highly volatile.

→ Difficult to calculate price of all products - vary regionally & daily.

They both need to be viewed holistically RBI also divides CPI < Headline Core Inflation to come up with better economic policy to keep inflation b/w 2-6%.

Ans 2. Indian economy sees the jobless growth as evident from increasing GDP growth rate but the job growth has been lower than

Reason for High Unemployment-

(1) Disguised Unemployment in agriculture sector.

(2) Manufacturing sector not able to consume population → leading towards automation.

(4) Jump from agriculture sector to tertiary sector which has paucity and stagnancy after reaching a threshold.

(4) Lack of employable skills -

Indian Skills Report, 2022 says only 48% of population employable.

(5) Lack of equitable distribution of resources

(6) Educated unemployed are higher due to demand of better jobs but paucity in their availability.

Measures to Improve overall employment growth rate

(1) Skill based education (focus of New Education Policy)

(2) Consuming population in gig economy as its the growing sector.

(3) Increase investment in infrastructure development (employ unskilled worker)

(4) Boost startup ecosystem

(5) Safety measures for women to encourage their employment

Gout has taken various positive steps to increase employment - PMKVY etc

Ans 3. Indian government provide Nutrient Based Subsidy to non-urea fertiliser, but urea sees excessive subsidy due to lack of regulation. If urea is bought under NBS scheme it could rationalise use of urea in agriculture.

Issues related to Urea Management

1. High subsidy leads to excessive use:- Desired ration of NPK 4:3:1 while its 8:4:1 currently.
2. Leads to soil degradation
3. Burden on the government- Balance of Payment (Fiscal Deficit)
4. Leads to Environmental pollution

• Entrophication & killing marine animals

Reforms to improve Usage of Urea

1. Voluntary giving up of Urea subsidy by affluent farmers.
2. Soil Health Card report before sanctioning Urea to farmer.
3. Checks on border of Urea smuggling to Nepal.
4. Fixing the number of Urea packets per farmer.
5. Better technology : Nano Urea liquid trials and usage.

Government has taken various steps, it could help farmer reduce their investment and increase income. Adoption of Parampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana → Natural farming could also help.

Ans 4. Food Security is an important task since India ranks on Global Hunger Index.

Challenges to India's food security

Domestic Factors

1. Crop failure due to extreme weather events (floods, draught in Vidarbha region)
2. Excessive reliance on Rice & wheat, lack crop diversification
3. 52% of India's agriculture is Rainfed increasing vulnerability.
4. Hidden hunger due to lack of nutrient specific crops.
5. Distribution issues: incident of Rats eating wheat in FCI godowns while PDS lacks food.

Global Factors

1. Distruption in supply chains due to events like Russia-Ukrain war. (Vegetable oil dependency)
2. WTO measures and restriction under Agreements on Agriculture hamper food distribution

Ways to strengthen food security

1. Increase crop diversification - 'International Millets Year 2023' to promote millet production.
2. Develop infrastructure: godowns, cold storage to ensure 24x7x365 days food availability
3. Distribution of food to BPL families through PDS - streamline One Nation One Ration Card to serve migrant workers.

Food security is the primary responsibility of any government. Through PM Anna Yojana & POSHAN 2.0 govt making posers.

Ans 5. Artemis Accord is NASA mission to lead explorations to Moon, Mars, asteroids and other space objects. India has signed the mission recently.

Implication for Space Exploration Programmes in India

Positive

→ Access to better technology in space missions (Information Exchange)

→ Co-ordination with NASA in launch, use of cryogenic engine etc.

→ Shared human resource and greater access to startup in space in India

→ India could benefit in its Gaganyaan Mission

→ It provides avenues for better R & D & joint projects in future.

→ Encourage youth to join space research programmes

Challenges

1. Development of India-US-China triangle & alignment in Space war, hampering India's strategic autonomy.

2. Huge funding requirements, since NASA missions are costly than ISRD's research programme.

India needs to align its interests with NASA mission and engage cooperation while maintaining its autonomy

Ans 6. Carbon cycle is important geo-chemical cycle that regulates the carbon content in atmosphere and the soil.

Contribution of Decomposition of Organic matter in soil

Factors that influence these process

1. Humidity and sunlight accelerates the decomposition process.
2. The presence of bacteria and fungi in the region
3. Breakdown by decomposers like earthworms also help fasten the process.
4. The quantity of dead organic matter influence decomposition.
5. The quality:
   • plant organic matter decompose faster than animal organic matter.

Thus carbon cycle affected by the decomposition process.

Ans 7. Changing climate change has increased carbon in atmosphere as well as Ocean Acidification. To mitigate these changes UNFCCC suggests reduce carbon (phase down at COP26) and remove carbon - Carbon, Capture, Utilisation & Storage Carbon sequestration.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage

Carbon capture → at point-source (Industry)

↓

Direct air capture

means to capture the carbon that has been emitted already.

It includes the process of separating it from other gasses.

Then Utilisation → by compressing it and transporting. It can be used in Dry Ice Production.

The Storage: of excess carbon in Compressed forms into the rocks of the lithosphere.

Progress of International Community

(1) Discussions at UNFCCC COP's to coordinate in technology sharing with Developing nations.

(2) EU has started the process of carbon capture.

(3) India is developing the techniques and co-ordinating with EU and USA.

Its important to mitigate & remove CO2 from atmosphere to remain below the taget of 1.5°C.

Ans 8. Urban fires have become a common phenomenon due to reckless behaviors. (Eg) Fire in Mumbai Mall because they did not follow building code.

Reasons for Urban fires

1. Poor building designs with no ventilation leads to suffocation and instant deaths.

2. Violations of Building codes: Spacing between towers, wiring structure - leads to short circuit and no escape mechanism. → Non compliance of installing fire extinguisher on each floor.

3. No fire safety instructions and trainings to citizens.

4. Delays in arrival of fire service due to congestion on streets escalate death rates.

5. Other Reasons → Increasing climate change due to redo Urban Heat Island effects - leads to fire in parks etc.

Mitigation Measures

1. Nagar Panchayat / Municipality to ensure compliance of Building Code
2. Reduce encroachment of urban spaces.
3. Installation of fire extinguisher in markets and other congested areas.
4. Readily available fire service (working telephone)
5. Capacity building of people to evacuate fire spaces.

Urban fire need technological solution and coordination between government and people.

Ans 9. India shares porous border with Bangladesh and Myanmar which leads to conflict in North-Eastern Region.

Issues with India's internal security (1) Changing ethnic demography → fights for limited resources → illegally participate in political process - impact policy & decision making → Conflict with ethnical local population for customs & traditions (2) Cross border migration & illegal Drug trafficking leads to other organised crimes. (3) Prostitution & human trafficking remains an issue.

Ways to Deal with the Issues (1) Border checkpoint. (2) Coordination & Operation with Myanmar. (3) measures like CAA and NRC to identify local & migrants. (4) Assam Peace Accord to settle insurgent issues due to ethnical conflicts.

government is making constant efforts to connect N-E to mainland to ensure better regulation & checks (eg look East through North East, UDAN 3.0)

Ans 10. ED investigates crimes related to money laundering under Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA)

Challenges faced by Agencies

In Investigation → Affluent personalities involved. → Lack of distinction of Politically Exposed Personalities. → Overlap of crimes - to hid income, they are generally sourced from illegal income - related to other Organised crimes. → Overseas nature of Money laundering → Hawala system, Casino etc. → Cryptography : Blockchain remains hidden from investigating agency → Lack of KYC norms by Banks

In Prosecuting → Very low conviction Rate. FATF says below 2%. → Since various mechanism to covert black money to white (loopholes in law) difficult to prove. → Benami Transactions are prevalent

Way Forward → Updation of PMLA in 2023 could help. → Greater power to ED to investigate affluent personality → Coordination between agencies → Narcotics Act, Local Police, RAW, ED etc to trace overseas cases → Better use of technology : track online transactions (Help from NPCI)

Thus, ED could help in reducing illegal Money Production & prevent money from/none

Ans 11. Tax buoyancy refers to the increase collection of tax with increase in GDP.

Low tax buoyancy means government gets less revenue than its spends in welfare to increase overall GDP.

Effect of Higher Direct Tax Rate

Other Steps that could be taken

1. Ensure ease in filling returns to ensure smooth compliance of tax laws.

2. Voluntary disclosure of Income without attracting charges if not from illegitimate sources.

3. Optimum tax Rate (Laffer Curve) so people pay taxes without finding measures to evade.

4. Increase taxes on luxury items like imported cars, high end brands (clothing) etc to increase share of tax demand.

5. Increasing the tax base instead of tax rates: Increase employement & income level of the people.

6. Tax collection at source (TCS) reduces chances of evasion

7. Bring Agricultural Income into Tax Regime ↳ Huge evasion by affluent farmers. ↳ Disguise income as income from agriculture

Thus, various measures could be taken to reduce tax evasion and increase tax-buoyancy.

Ans 12. India has more than 100 unicorn startups yet they are struggling to sustain and others have reached a small growth rate.

Reasons why Indian Startups Failed to realise their potential

1. Research & Development investment is very low. Startups need many years of research to build a substantial business.
2. Funding system in India is hooked towards certain sectors like education, while textile sector attract low investment.
3. Regional disparity: confined to urban spaces while 60% of the population live in

rural areas. (Untapped potential)

(4) Competetion for established brands

(5) nykaa competetion from AJIO or TATA cliq.

(5) Leadership: young entrepreneurs lack clarity on sustaining business in long run.

Steps to Improve Profitability & Performance

(1) Funding under MUDRA scheme.

(2) Diversification of market to traditional sectors: steel, medicine

(3) Use of technology: AI, chatgpt to increase Data Analytics of the Business.

(4) Entrepreneurial Education (Diploma, Courses on clarity of fund, growth avenues, profit calculation etc)

(5) Concept life GIFT city where Startup only compete. Reduce competition from bigger brands. (CCCI role could be enhanced)

(6) Access to R&D of the government-branches (es: Antrix sharing data with Space Startups.)

Startups can help reach our goal of $2 trillion economy. They can also address India's employment problems, hence needs to be promoted.

Ans 13. India imports majority of its edible oil from Ukraine but the war has disturbed the supply chain and hence created the need to look for measures to grow edible oil domestically. It could also reduce import bill.

Importance of National Mission on Edible oils and Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

1. It aims to increase area under palm oil production (2025-26)
2. The focus area includes North East and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
3. It will reduce import dependency
4. It can help increase farmers income
5. It will help in development of North east → establishment of Oil Pressing Industry → Increased Employment in North East ↓ Reduced Insurgency
6. It can also help develop Andaman as strategic base for security.

Environmental Concerns related to Increasing Palm oil Production

1. Deforestation : to clear land for agriculture (forest survey - India's Forest Land already below 33% requirement)
2. Need for high Irrigation : extraction of groundwater

(3). Use of Fertilisers : leads to soil Salinity and eutrophication. (4). Unsustainable crop : imasive to the North East & Andaman. impact other local crops.

Way Forward (1). Conduct Environmental Impact Assessment of clearing forest to grow palm oil. (2). Educate farmers about right kind of fertilisers, irrigation, time of sowing & reaping → through Knowledge Banks

Thus, sustainable ways to develop Palm oil can have future long term benefits.

Ans 14. Integrated Farming System with livestock can help secure farmer's income and reduce farm distress.

Role of livestock Economy (1) India is the largest Milk producer in the world. (2) Parallel income source to rural farmers. → low cost when integrated with agriculture : since no waste

(3) Women Empowerment : cattles & Selling of milk generally controlled by women - hence a source of Income for women.

1. Prement farm distress in case of crop failure.

Challenges by livestock sector

1. High expenditure on diseases (eg. lumpy Skin disease) → Death could lead to losses.
2. High cost of cattle & pigs etc
3. Specific nutrient food to the cattle/pigs/sheep etc remains a challenge to a small farmer (86% of farmers have less than 2ha of land.)
4. Space is declining due to increasing population : livestock kept in open - death due to heat stress or cold waves.

Interventions that can help

1. Geo-tagging of animals : can help track their location, health etc.
2. Streamling meat production can help increase income.
3. Increasing Veterinary doctors in villages to reduce cost on diseases of animals.
4. Increasing Startups in milk, meat, wool sector could co-ordinate with farmers in an area & increase farmers negotiating power as well as benefit startups.

Thus, increasing livestock sector could realise government goal of Doubling Farmer Income.

Ans 15. Nuclear fusion refers to a phenomenon where two atoms combine to form one single atom and release huge amount of energy. This energy is clean, since no burning like coal.

Scientific Principles behind Nuclear Fusion

• Two light nuclei fuse to form Larger nuclei

Challenges in Nuclear Fusion Harness

1. Need extremely high temperature to reach fusion state (Plasma state)
2. Still in developmental stage, lack of commercial level development
3. Need huge amount of land, away from human habitation for development.
4. Prone to nuclear disasters.
5. Skill gap lack Nuclear Scientists and engineers to carry Research & development

opportunities in Harnessing this Technology

1. No nuclear waste - thus environmental friendly.

2. Can be produced from Deutrium & Tritium which is available in abundance.

3. Can be used in submarines powered by nuclear -reduce threat to aequatic life.

4. It can help in genetic mutation of crop plants & develop new varieties.

5. Energy produced by Nuclear fusion plant will be 100x greater than coal. Further goal of rural electrification.

6. Can help diagnose & treatment of cancer cells.

Thus, Nuclear fusion has various opportunities in future. It can help in sustainable development by meeting SDG 7.

Ans 16. Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) are the legally recognised rights for the invention of mind, innovation or novel work.

Difficulties in Administration of IPRs in India

1. Vacancies in Patent offices lead to delays. It takes 3-6 yrs to grant a patent in India compared to 18 months in China.
2. Though traditional knowledge has been excluded but lack of clear indication on what constitute traditional knowledge, many misrepresented IPRs.
3. Evergreening of Patents specially in Pharmaceutical.

Sector with small change in salts. (4) Majority of patent by foreign companies in India → lack R&D only 0.7% of GDP. (5) Delay in inviting public objection to granting IPR.

Measures to improve (1) Complete Traditional knowledge Digital Infrastructure (library) to ensure transparency. (2) Increase Research & development (3) Focus on Startups to promote Innovation under Atal Innovation Mission (4) Indian Patents Act could be update with changing technology. (5) Control piracy, counterfeiting activities. (6) Expand fields of IPR to cultural values. (7) Foster Industry - Academia linkage.

IPR forms the foundation of any industry. It ensures that trade rights are protected. Internationall collaboration such as WIPO have helped increase innovation.

Ans 17. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 ensures protection of endangered plants and animals. It works in sync with CITES agreement to ensure biodiversity survival.

Recent amendment has reduced the 6 categories to 4 categories of plants & animals to ease the process & include CITES animals.

Implications of Illegal Wildlife Trade

1. Endangers Biodiversity: Decline in Tiger population due to trade of its skin. Promotes poaching.
2. Creation of parallel economy & give rise of associated crimes like money laundering.
3. Elephant tusks have high value.
4. Can created Biological Hazards & spread of diseases.
5. Declining Environment: Issues like Deforestation due to illegal trade of Red Sanders in Andhra forests.

Effectiveness of Recent Amendement to address the issue

1. Help ease the regulation process by Forest Dept (Chief Wildlife Warden) and Custom as clear indication of Category 1

and category 2 animals as protected. 2. Inclusion of CITES animals in category 3 help in international collaboration with other nations. 3. Even endangered plants are protected - preserving the overall biodiversity.

Thus, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 protect aminals. However, concern over Elephant ownership & its protection could be further addressed.

Ans 18. Urban floods have become a common phenomenon with cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi facing frequent incidence and causing harm to life and property.

Factors for increasing incidence & severity

Natural Causes → Extreme rainfall due to climate change (eg: Floods in Rajasthan) → change river course (eg: Guwahati)

Anthropogenic causes → Encroachment of wetlands & lakes that could absorb excess water (eg) Kogunda lake in Bengaluru

→ Developing concrete jungles reduces seepage into ground. → Unsustainable development

• Chocked drainage system → Lack interconnectivity of drains (Eg) Delhi, Kanpur floods → Lack of water management → eg Sudden release of water from dams - Delhi 2023

Ways to Reduce Risk and enhance Resilience

(1) Development of sponge cities (2) Developing Rain Water Harvesting system - reservoirs

• Revive traditional methods
  • Tankas (Rajasthan)
  • Phads (Maharashtra) (3) Planned Development → even IVC had better
• Chandigarh drainage system (effective even during Pakistan flood) (4) Resilience of Population ↳ evacuation and safe rehabilitation (eg: During Cyclone Biparjoy) ↳ move people away from low lying areas. ↳ Availability of Medicine, Food, shelter. (5) Redenvelop lakes and wetlands (MISHTI scheme) to absorb excess water.

Thus various methods along with NDMA guidelines could be implemented for effective mitigation.

Ans 19. Organised crimes and terrorism are dealt with multiple agencies → NSG, ED, RAW, IB for Intelligence and law implementation along with support from local police.

Link between Organised crimes and Terrorism

1. Funding → Money laundering to fund terror activities.
2. Drug trafficking to get money (eg Taliban)
3. Skill resources & human resource act as common fabric
4. Similar network structure, same technology for communication (eg Dark Web [ Illegal smuggling ISIS

Resources and Capabilities with Agencies to tackle link

1. Organised Crime Control Units coordinate among agencies & focus on intelligence gathering.
2. FIU combat money laundering
3. Powers under IT Act to access information online
4. Access to latest technology in cyber space, coded communication

Challenges faced by Agencies

1. Evolving technology and ways to hid communication (eg Crypto mixers prevent tracking Blockchains
2. Lack of IT Act implementation → concerns with Right to Privacy
3. Low recruitment of forces and

resignation due to dangerous nature of job. (4) Multiplicity of agencies leads to lack of coordination and blaming responsibilities. (5) Necessary legal clearances may sometime hamper efficiency in decision making.

Way Forward (1) Strengthen Intelligence sharing → Swift & Verified (2) Strengthen Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)

Thus, helping in better tackling of crimes in India and provide National Security.

Ans 20. S.C in T.S Poonawala case has urged the Parliament to update IT Act, 2000 to ensure better security.

Cyber space threaten Internal Security of India by (1) Radicalisation of the youth eg) Khalistani groups OR Lawrence Bishnoi appreciation post on social media. (2) Dark web to communicate and organise attacks on the forces. (3) Non-state actors funding crimes like terrorism.

Issues with current IT Act, 2000 (1) No government regulation of fake news or instigating messages on social media.

1. Government demand from Social Media Intermediaries for tracing source of content pose two issues → Privacy of customer. Technical Development.

2. Issue of control over Data, where India demands Data localisation for its sovereignty & security to Critical infrastructure.

3. Non-comprehensive about what constitutes as posts against threatening security vs post-as mere criticism. Ambiguity prevales.

But, government is constantly updating IT rules to ensure better internal & external communication security.

Recent IT Rules update:

• Includes gambling.
• Includes creation of a committee that will identify fake news.
• Grievance Redressal Mechanism.