03 October 2023

Q1. In light of the recent restoration of close relations between India and Egypt, describe Egypt’s strategic importance to India.  

GS II – International Relations

Introduction:

Recent restoration of closer connections between Egypt and India:  

• In 1955, the two nations signed a Friendship Treaty, and in 1961, the Non-Aligned Movement was founded with both nations as founding members because to India’s backing of Egypt, notably during the Suez Canal Crisis in 1956.
• During the Cold War, India and Egypt were united by their desire to avoid becoming “camp followers” of either the United States or the Soviet Union. India and Egypt were also crucial to the G-77 alliance and “South-South Cooperation” projects.
• More recently, India and Egypt have taken positions on the Ukraine crisis that are strikingly similar: they urge for a diplomatic settlement while refusing to condemn Russia’s actions.
• India gained a lot of favour in Cairo last year by choosing to provide wheat to Egypt, one of the largest importers in the world who was adversely affected by the ban on shipments from Russia and Ukraine.
• Along with a memorandum of understanding in agriculture, antiquities and archaeology, and competition law, India and Egypt are also working to expand their collaboration in the fields of green energy, medicines, and defence.
• Ministerial-level political and diplomatic engagements between Egypt and India have increased, particularly as important ministers from both nations have visited one another, demonstrating the increased focus on enhancing all facets of the bilateral relationship.

Egypt’s strategic importance to India:

• Egyptian control of the Suez Canal and its proximity to the Red Sea ensure the Arab nation’s capability as a nodal link by providing a different connectivity route to Europe via the Red Sea-Mediterranean Sea route, similar to Chabahar and International North. Additionally, Egyptian control of the Suez Canal and its proximity to the Red Sea ascertain the Arab country’s capability as a nodal link by providing a different connectivity route to Europe via the Red Sea-Mediterranean Sea route.
• Strategic defence partnership: Egypt appears to be a lucrative partner as a market for Indian defence platforms given that India is focusing on self-production and indigenisation in the defence sector and that Egypt is one of the 42 countries to which India currently exports defence goods. Additionally, Egypt has expressed interest in purchasing India’s Tejas aircraft.
• India has always stood for multilateralism and multilateral institutions, and with the failure of the world to be mindful of the plight and concerns of the Global South, India and like-minded countries like Egypt, wish to work for multi-alignment politics. China’s rise has prompted India and the United States to enhance diplomatic and security relations in recent years.
• Energy resources: As a major importer of Egyptian petroleum products, India looks on Egypt as a dependable partner in meeting its energy demands. Egypt provides India with a sizeable amount of crude oil and natural gas.
• Egypt, a member of the Organisation of Islamic collaboration (OIC), is regarded as a moderate Islamic voice, and as such, Egypt can aid in encouraging collaboration between India and other OIC states.
• Egypt will provide a dedicated cluster for India within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), which holds significant significance for Indian trade. Out of the total 4.8 million barrels per day of crude oil shipped and transported through the canal, 500,000 barrels per day of crude are shipped to India. The presence of India in SCZONE would allow it to maintain a two-pronged approach in the region, which can be beneficial for both countries.
• India and Egypt are clearly attempting a closer relationship that considers both future economies and autonomous foreign policies. As India and Egypt continue to strengthen their relationship, the potential for further growth and diversification in the years to come becomes increasingly promising.

Q2. The beginning of climate change has led to a resurgence in millet farming. Analyse. What actions has the government done to boost millet output in India?

GS III – Environmental Conservation related issues

Introduction:

• Due to the fact that a region’s climate influences the type of flora and crops that can grow there, the agricultural industry is particularly vulnerable to climate change. A region’s food security, agricultural production, and food stability are all being impacted by climate change. The growth of plants is severely hampered by rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, and protracted droughts that occur during crucial crop periods.  Investigating crops that can endure the effects of climate change is necessary in light of this.

As a result, millets are encouraged for cultivation for the following reasons:

• Due to its resilience and capacity to flourish in a variety of agro-climate locations, weather intense heat and drought, and endure temperatures as high as 46 degrees Celsius, millets are once again being grown as a crop.
• Millets also grow well in arid climates as rain-fed crops, require less water, have a lower carbon footprint per hectare than wheat and rice, and may be grown on marginal soils and grazing grounds.
• Millets are renowned as “famine reserves” due to their short growing season and capacity to be kept for two years or more. They are also inexpensive to maintain because they are often grown using natural farming practises.
• Millets are a significant dietary source since they are high in macronutrients and micronutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, protein, and vital amino acids. They also contain lots of antioxidants and are non-glutinous.
• The fibrous roots of millet plants help to improve soil quality, control water runoff, and aid soil conservation in erosion-prone places, ultimately restoring natural ecosystems. This makes intercropping millets with other crops very advantageous.

Given the advantages offered by millet crops, the government has implemented a number of initiatives to encourage millet cultivation, including:

• The first steps in boosting millet intake and production for nutritional security in India were taken with the introduction of the Initiative for Nutritional Security through Intensive Millet Promotion (INSIMP) in 2011–12.
• Declaring 2018 the National Year of Millets: As part of the National Food Security Mission, the government declared 2018 the National Year of Millets and launched the Millet Mission.
• Under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM), the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) has been implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) in 212 Districts of 14 States since 2018–19 to promote millets.
• Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based Products: The PLISMBP, or Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry for Millet-based Products, has been approved for implementation from 2022–2026 by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
• The government is also encouraging farmers, FPOs, and entrepreneurs to apply for the Agri-Infrastructure Fund Scheme, which offers interest subsidies on loans up to $2 crore for the establishment of primary millet processing units.
• An increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi has been announced in an effort to entice farmers to grow millet.
• Additionally, the government has permitted “nutri-cereals” to be a part of the Mid-Day Meal and Public Distribution System (PDS) programmes.
• Millets offer food, nutrition, fodder, and livelihood security, and they haveenormous potential in our fights against poverty and climate change. The value chain for millets and millet-based goods has to be promoted and strengthened because the UN has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.

Q3. Over time, caste has acquired a new meaning, and it now functions as a tool for political mobilisation. Investigate the place of caste in politics in light of this assertion.

GS I – Social issues

Introduction:

• A hereditary endogamous group known as a caste is one that shares a common name, a common traditional occupation, and a common culture. Castes are also characterised by having different social statuses and being somewhat restrictive in terms of mobility. The institution of caste, which is ingrained in Indian society, has evolved to fit within contemporary democratic politics. Additionally, the politicisation of caste in India has greatly influenced the nature of Indian politics.

Caste’s beneficial significance in Indian politics:

• Caste as a unifying factor in Indian politics: Caste serves as a unifying factor for the group’s members. Caste, for instance, serves as a uniting factor in rural India when the social universe of rural power is constrained to a small area.
• Caste and the Empowerment of the Disadvantaged: It has enabled members of underprivileged groups to demand an equitable share of the power. People from SC/ST and Backward Castes now have better access to decision-making thanks to caste politics. Caste unity has become their safety net, ensuring better representation for them. Due to the pervasiveness of caste politics in India, laws protecting the rights of the weak and marginalised have been passed. As an illustration, consider the Civil Rights Act of 1976’s protection.
• Caste and electoral politics: A caste succession process began among both the elite and middle-status castes before independence and was accelerated after it with the institution of the adult franchise. Following the election, new leaders from castes who had not previously been represented or had been underrepresented started to emerge and mobilise castes. Take, for instance, the post-land reform rise of the dominant caste in rural areas.
• Castes communicate their interests through the formation of caste organisations. Caste associations and caste federations are the two types of organisations. Castes have founded their organisations in order to further their interests, such as their demand for government representation, for educational opportunities, for government employment, etc. for their caste, and for social mobility.
• Caste associations as pressure groups: Caste associations serve as pressure groups that support the beliefs of members of lower castes, ensuring that they are fairly represented in politics.

Caste’s detrimental influence on Indian politics:

• Vote bank politics: During election campaigns, caste is invoked as a justification for voting. Political parties make pledges that are specific to certain caste groups and communities in an effort to win over such groups, which is seen as risky. Critics contend that in such a situation, parties start preferring only particular groups that form the core of their support, so impeding overall societal progress. The “vote banks” in turn see this as an opportunity to have their demands met, if their choice of the party comes to power.
• Caste as a dividing factor in Indian politics: Caste has frequently resulted in an unhealthy power struggle and has divided society into various caste groups. It serves as the foundation for the emergence of numerous interest groups in the Indian system, each of which competes with the other groups in the quest for power.
• Caste politics can also cause the government to focus on caste violence and tension rather of other pressing issues like poverty, development, and corruption.
• Social unrest and violence on the rise: Due to the guarantees made for the protection of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, there has been a rise in social unrest, political unrest, and even acts of violence directed against specific caste groups.
• Influences government decisions and policies: The caste issue has also had an impact on government policies and decisions, which have a tendency to prefer the dominant caste groups and develop policies favouring these groups, alienating the overwhelming majority in the process.
• Against the idea of equality: The democratic political system upholds individual freedom and equality of status with an emphasis on the idea that no one is above the law, in contrast to the hierarchical nature of caste, which determines a person’s status in the social system based on birth.

Q4. Describe the key components of the PM PRANAM plan. shed some insight on the relevance of this programme for India’s agriculture industry.

GS III – Government Policies and Interventions

Introduction:

• The overuse of artificial fertilisers has led to an imbalanced application of nutrients and a loss in crop yield response. The federal government has unveiled a new programme called PM PRANAM, which stands for PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth, in an effort to discourage the use of artificial fertilisers by providing states with incentives. The scheme’s primary goal is to promote the balanced use of fertilisers in addition to bio and organic fertilisers.

Important characteristics of the PM PRANAM Scheme:

• The programme won’t have a distinct budget; instead, it will be funded by “savings of existing fertiliser subsidy” under programmes managed by the Department of Fertilisers.

The state that saves money will receive a grant equal to 50% of the subsidy savings:

• States are allowed to spend 70% of the grant money provided by the programme towards the establishment of assets connected to the production of alternative fertilisers and the adoption of alternative fertiliser technology at the block, village, and district levels.
• The remaining 30% of the award funds can be used by states to provide incentives to panchayats, farmer producer organisations, farmers, and self-help organisations engaged in spreading awareness and lowering fertiliser use.
• The amount of urea consumed on average by a state over the previous three years will be used to compare any changes in urea consumption throughout a given year. For this, information from the iFMS (Integrated Fertilisers Management System) dashboard of the Ministry of Fertiliser would be used.

The following highlights the PM PRANAM Scheme’s importance to the agricultural industry:  

• Using urea excessively on crops has a negative impact on the soil, the quality of the crop, and the ecosystem as a whole, in addition to encouraging pest and insect attacks. Due to the negative health impacts of prolonged exposure, the programme attempts to minimise the usage of chemical fertilisers, especially urea.
• Taking care of environmental pollution: Chemical fertilisers wreak havoc on aquatic life by creating algal blooms and water pollution. This plan would stop environmental harm.
• Reduced use of artificial fertilisers may eventually lead to an improvement in soil health. It will increase Indian agriculture’s productivity and yield.
• Maximising fertiliser subsidies: Between 2017–2018 and 2021–2022, demand for four fertilizers—urea, DAP (di-ammonium phosphate), MOP (muriate of potash), and NPKS (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium)—increased by 21%. The government has increased the subsidies it offers for chemical fertilisers as a result. The savings from the subsidies can be put towards improving agriculture’s technical capabilities.
• Use of fertilisers in balance: The current ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N:P:K) in agricultural soil in numerous states is skewed towards nitrogen, which is indicative of India’s unbalanced use of fertilisers. In Punjab, the N-P-K application ratio is 31.4:8:1, but the ideal ratio is 4:2:1. Problems result from this imbalance, including stagnant or declining productivity, soil illness, soil alkalinity, and soil salinity. The plan tries to solve this issue.
• promoting the use of organic manure and bio-fertilizers: Compared to synthetic fertilisers, organic manure and bio-fertilizers have a far smaller impact on the environment. The secret to healthy soil and plants is soil microbial life, which is supported by organic fertilisers. Organic fertilisers also boost soil organic carbon and provide critical plant nutrients.
• The government hopes to achieve a balance between agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability by adopting the PM PRANAM plan. The plan might revolutionise the agriculture sector since it would promote organic farming, lessen the financial burden of subsidies, and boost crop yields.