MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. Governments now operate more effectively, transparently, and accountablely thanks to e-governance, a vital instrument of governance. What shortcomings prevent these functionalities from being improved?
GS II – E-Governance related issues
Introduction:
- The term “e-Government” refers to the broad application of information and communication technologies with the goal of achieving smart government with increased accountability, transparency, and responsiveness.
The advantages of e-government:
- Effectiveness: Lower operating costs and increased accessibility lead to a larger reach, which improves governance effectiveness.
- Transparency: With the majority of government applications and procedures now being traceable online, corrupt activities are less likely to occur.
- Accountability: The real-time tracking of files and ongoing initiatives has improved official accountability.
Deficits in electronic governance:
- Poor Coverage: Inadequate coverage in remote and rural areas causes different social groups to become isolated.
- Downtime: Technical problems such as slow internet access, power outages, server malfunctions, etc., frequently result in downtime that affects how well e-governance systems work.
- Privacy: Because of its vulnerability to hacking and trespassing, using the internet has always been problematic.
- Infrastructure Cost and Maintenance: Hardware and software must be updated on a regular basis, which results in ongoing maintenance expenses.
- Accessibility: One of the most important components of excellent governance is establishing communication to reach the last person. When the general public has low levels of digital literacy, this presents a dilemma.
Way Forward:
- Even though e-governance benefits society, its shortcomings must be taken into consideration to ensure that it is available to everyone equally.
Q2. Dam failures are invariably disastrous, particularly when they occur downstream and cause enormous losses in terms of both lives lost and property. Examine the several reasons why dams break. Give two instances of significant dam failures.
GS III – Government Policies and Interventions
Introduction:
- Simply said, a dam failure occurs when water escapes a reservoir through the dam uncontrollably due to structural flaws or defects. India is the third-largest dam builder in the world. If one of these dams fails, a lot of water may spill out, endangering people or property downstream.
Dam collapse causes include:
- Overtopping: This occurs when a reservoir fills too high, usually during periods of intense rainfall, as a result of inadequate spillway design.
- Foundational Defects: Water may infiltrate beneath a dam due to slope instability.
- Operational Failures: Inadequate water discharge might result from improperly operating valves and conduits.
- Geological instability: Earthquakes and landslides caused by plate tectonics might endanger dam constructions.
- Dam ageing: Increasing flood frequency and other environmental variables might hasten the dam’s ageing process.
- Structural Failure: Dam collapse may result from poor design, subpar building supplies, or poor maintenance.
Large-scale dam failure examples:
- Machchu II Dam Failure (1979): The Machchu II Dam in Gujarat ruptured, causing a disastrous flood, because of excessive rainfall and poor design. More than two thousand individuals lost their lives because of the deluge, which demolished settlements.
- 2019 saw the failure of the Tiware Dam in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, because of heavy rains. The dam flooded seven villages and claimed multiple lives.
Way Forward:
- The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) and the Dam Safety Act 2021 are two initiatives that are headed in the correct way to avert disastrous dam breakdown incidents in India.
