- 3 2...q5) why water crisis is increasing in different parts of india. international organisations...

1 MTS GS Paper 3_2 Byju’s Classes: 9873643487

Q1) Indian climate governance and strategy to tackle air pollution lacks in substance. Discuss the need for their complete overhaul.

(200 words/12.5 marks) The recent report by WHO that identifies 14 of the top 15 polluting cities in India paints a sorry state of affairs of pollution management and response in India. This situation needs to be rectified soon and hence requires an examination of our strategy and

implementation. Climate governance is the diplomacy, mechanisms and response measures "aimed at steering social systems towards preventing, mitigating or adapting to the risks posed by climate change. India’s strategy to tackle air pollution:

• Graded Response action Plan by CPCB • Odd- even scheme in Delhi • Ujjwala yojana to provide free LPG connections

and hence tackle indoor air pollution • Air Quality Index to rank cities with colour on

basis of particulate matter. • Banning of pet coke and crackers in certain

regions • Fly ash app to connect ash producers and users

and hence curb its menace on environment

Why they lack in Substance?

• The budgetary allocation for the environment ministry for 2018-19 stood at Rs 26.75 billion (Rs 2,675.42 crore), identical to last Budget's allocation.

• The Economic Survey 2017-18 had suggested heavy penalties for burning agricultural waste and more incentives for farmers to prevent the "alarmingly" poor air quality in Delhi-NCR and adjoining areas. However implementation is still far behind.

• Due to a loophole in India’s environmental taxes, petcoke has become an attractive raw material for power stations and cement plants.

• Pet coke is yet to be banned nationwide • Crop residue burning is still in practice

Q2) Explain the role of Coastal Regulatory Zone in protecting environment. Why some times it is accused of neglecting the local aspirations? (200 words/12.5 marks)

COASTAL REGULATION ZONE Coastal regulation zone is the boundary from the high tide line upto 500m in the land -ward side- area between the low tide line and high tide line. In the case of rivers, creeks and backwaters, the distance from the high tide level shall apply to both sides and this distance shall not be less than 100 meters or the width of the creek, river or backwater whichever is less. (Ministry of Environment and Forests Notification, Feb 1994). There are four type of category in coastal regulation zone.

Category - I (CRZ I) Areas that are ecologically sensitive and important such as national parks, marine parks, sanctuaries, reserve forests, wildlife habitats, mangroves, corals/coral reefs, areas close to breeding and spawning grounds of fish and other marine life, areas of outstanding natural beauty. Category - II (CRZ II) Areas which have already been developed up to or

close to the shoreline. For this purpose, developed area is referred to as area within the municipal limits or other legally designated urban areas which is already substantially build up ad which has been provided with drainage and approach roads and other infrastructure facilities such as water supply and sewerage lines. Category - III (CRZ III) Area that are relatively undisturbed ad those which do not belong to either I or II. These will include coastal zone in the rural areas developed or undeveloped and also areas within municipal limits or in other legally designated urban areas which are not substantially built up. Category - IV (CRZ IV) Coastal stretches in the Andaman & Nicobar islands, Lakshadweep and other small islands except those designated as category I, II and III.

COASTAL ZONE PROBLEMS Coastal zone faces a problem of environment degradation due to following factors.

• Population pressure • Wastewater deposal • Destruction of mangroves • Increasing Urbanization • Solid waste disposal • Coastal constructions • Natural Disasters • Impacts of ports • Coastal erosion • Atmospheric population • Impact of aquaculture • Impact of tourism • Ingress of seawater • Coastal mining • Impact of power plants • Sea Level rise and • Coastal highways

Role of CRZ –

• Construction activities are regulated in coastal zones

• By allowing only exploration of natural gas and extraction of salt in CRZ-1, it protects the ecologically sensitive areas, essential in maintaining ecosystem of the coast.

• It ensures protection of ecotone areas. • It regulates other economic activities in coastal

areas like agriculture, fishing etc

GENERAL STUDIES

PAPER- 3_2

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, DISASTER MANAGEMENT,

INTERNAL SECURITY


The CRZ notification, 1991 saw a series of reviews and amendments and was eventually replaced with a new notification in 2011. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has framed a new draft Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2018. The new draft if implemented will not only have an effect on how common areas used by fisherfolk are managed, but also bifurcate coastal zones along rural areas based on population density. Environmentalists claim that the draft has opened up fragile inter-tidal areas to real estate agents, and framed with an intent to favour large-scale industry at the cost of fishing communities. The new draft aims to conserve and protect the unique environment of coastal stretches and marine areas, besides livelihood security to the fisher communities and other local communities in

the coastal areas and to promote sustainable development based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards, sea level rise due to global warming. A major change in the new draft pertains to the CRZ limits on land along “tidal influenced water bodies”. The proposed limit has been reduced from 100 metres to 50 metres or the width of the creek, whichever is less. However sometimes, it ignores the local aspirations:

• Coastal erosion problems in certain areas. Eg: Satabhaya village in Odisha

• Requirements of local population are not taken into account

• Regional problems posed by a disaster varies from place to place and a straight jacket formula cannot be applied. Q3) Discuss the relevance of Paris agreement. How India, China & European Union may contribute towards mitigating climate change effects post US exit from it?

(200 words/12.5 marks) The 2015 Paris Agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties 21 (COP21) reflects a new international governance model that seeks to balance ambition, accountability and transparency in commitments with fairness, equity, justice and sustainable development goals. Critical to the success of these commitments is the rapid mobilization of $100 billion a year annually until 2025 to build resilience and aid in the transition to a low-carbon economy. To build trust and accountability in the process, countries will need to demonstrate they are meeting their commitments and, in many cases, increasing their ambition and updating their adaptation plans. Without effective institutions and political commitment at the national level, this is unlikely to happen.

Post US Withdrawal

• By withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the U.S. gains itself more emission space and lower mitigation costs while squeezing other countries' emission space and raising their mitigation costs and this will in turn make it more difficult and

expensive to achieve the 2 °C target of the Paris Agreement.

• Trump’s withdrawal may not have any direct impact on India; however, it will affect India’s future climate policies with some repercussions on its development projects. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's pledges to the Paris accord, it will not be easy for the country to keep its promises intact. India's participation in the agreement was conditional upon receiving financial aid from developed countries to reduce its carbon footprints. India accounts for four percent of global emissions and, at Paris, it promised “to reduce its carbon footprint by 35 percent from its 2005 levels, by 2030.” In order to attain this ambitious target, India needs to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy sources. With Trump’s decision to stop the

financial assistance to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the future of India’s renewable energy projects will be in trouble.

• Another possible effect is India's stake in the future climate negotiations. If China dominates future negotiations, the ongoing tensions between the two nations will have a significant impact on India’s place in such negotiations. However, there is some good news as well for India. First, like for China, for India also the US pull out is an opportunity to lead the future climate change negotiations.

• India could make use of the uncertainty of US renewable energy projects and invest more in its own renewable energy market. To meet its solar targets, India needs around USD 100 billion, and this sector has enormous potential for foreign investments. It will not only boost ‘Make in India' policy but could also challenge the Chinese monopoly in solar energy technology.

• Following the establishment of a strategic partnership in 2004, the EU has reinforced its ties with India through annual Summits that cover a broad range of topics, including environmental issues. This comprises the Initiative on Clean Development and Climate Change, the EU-India Environment Forum, as well as the Clean Energy and Climate Partnership agreed to during the 2016 Summit. Unlike the Environment Policy Dialogue with China, however, there is no institutionalized framework for bilateral EU-Indian cooperation at the Ministerial level on climate and environmental issues. Thus, the EU and India should establish formal regular meetings between the European Commissioner for Climate Action and his Indian counterpart to consolidate their partnership within the climate regime. Cooperation between India and Europe is arguably made easier by the fact that they share common democratic values. Thus, as India's economy continues to grow, the EU-Indian climate partnership will likely become key to the future evolution of the global climate regime. Q4) Examine the increasing man versus wildlife conflict in India. Is it linked to the faulty wild life conservation model? (200 words/12.5 marks) Human - Wildlife Conflict (HWC) is defined as 'interaction between humans and wildlife where negative consequences, whether perceived or real,


exists for one or both the parties when action of one has an adverse effect on the other party.

Reasons behind the Human Interaction

• Degradation of wildlife habitat • Deforestation • Decline in Prey • Injured or Old Animal • Growing Human Population • Creation of abundant secondary vegetation due to

human activities in the forest fringes attracting elephants

• Artificially maintained water sources during drought

• Blocking of the traditional movement paths. • Animals, especially elephants, when crammed into

smaller areas by habitat loss and poaching could end up in crop-raiding in the surrounding areas.

Results of Human Wildlife Conflict • Crop Damage • Animal Deaths • Loss of Human Life to People • Injuries to Wildlife • Livestock Depredation

Solutions to Reduce Human Interaction and Wildlife Conflict

• Fencing; Electronic fencing has been proved successful in reducing human - elephant conflict in many places in India but fails due to inadequate or poor maintenance

• Land-Use Planning • Livestock Protection • Avoid stepping out after dark • Disrupting stimuli: Use of electronic devices which

produce stimuli such as sounds, chemicals or light

annoying to animals when they approach a protected resource has been tested but are very expensive and complicated to use.

• Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department had taken certain steps such as erecting solar-powered fences, elephant-proof walls, digging trenches, etc. to mitigate the problem.

Role of Wildlife Conservation Model Wildlife conservation models to some extent have failed to protect wildlife habitat and biodiversity due to which animals migrate and encroach in human populated areas. Water scarcity problems in protected areas due to climate change effect have not been addressed very well. Allowing non-hazardous economic activities in periphery areas of National parks brings man and animal in greater proximity. Light pollution is another concern. Q5) Why water crisis is increasing in different parts of India. International organisations suggest privatisation of water utilisation, whereas there is successful traditional conservation model at the local level; based on this suggest a suitable model for India. (200 words/12.5 marks)

Reasons for increasing water crisis in India • Population pressure • Ground water contamination

• Climate change and increasing instances of drought in many parts of India

• Cultivation of water intensive crops in water scarce areas

• Irrational wastage of water • Illegal use of jet pumps in urban areas • Water loss during transportation

Privatisation of Water Utilities Privatisation of water services means transfer of ownership, property or the business of water services from the government to the private sector. This includes services such as operation and maintenance of water services, bill collection, metering, revenue collection, etc.

Benefits

• It will create competition and that the consumer will benefit.

• It will address issues related to water loss in a better manner as private sector works on profit maximization

• It will address corruption related problems in water governance

• Better management of water resources • It will increase private investments in this sector

Challenges with privatization Some of the problems include higher water rates, and the difficulty in ensuring that the new managers respect their obligation to develop the water supply in poorer areas, where consumption is lower. In many places where most of the water sector remains in the public domain even where some piecemeal water privatisation has been implemented, re-municipalisation is the trend. The private sector works on one bottom line: profit maximisation. But the management of water supply is an issue of rights and a basic need, as acknowledged by the judiciary. Moreover, water is embedded in the ecosystem. Any attempt to see water only as a commodity is bound to have multiple disruptive consequences. India has witnessed the violation of standards of operation by private companies who indulge in price fixing and amplify prices after they take over. It is the poor who face disconnections and are often forced to drink contaminated water, consequently. The Sheonath river project in Chhattisgarh was one of the initial water privatisation projects in India. Thousands of people protested against the

government’s decision to hand over 23 kms of the river to private companies and the banning of the locals from using the river water. In this case, privatisation was not limited to the water service but extended to the river itself. Private extraction of groundwater happened in a competitive race to get water from greater and greater depths. It leads to “mining” of groundwater, with both water tables and water quality falling precipitously. In Punjab, people are drinking water that has uranium in it; in Bengal there is arsenic. This is because groundwater has been treated as a private resource, which has been subject to destructive competitive extraction. A classic example is that of a soft drinks giant


depriving the people of gram panchayat Plachimada in Kerala access to drinking water. As the recently drafted National Water Framework Law (NWFL) states, “water is the common heritage of the people of India; an inseparable part of a people’s landscape, society, history and culture; and in many cultures, a sacred substance, being venerated in some as a divinity”. Such a resource must never be privatised.

Nagpur Model: An Example Nagpur has both a 24x7 water distribution project as well as a 100% privately funded 200 mld sewage treatment plant for reuse. The sewage treatment project with private funding has multiple benefits for society. If we are able to re-use treated water from thermal power stations in Nagpur (thanks to Central and State government policies and this is in an advanced stage), the city will be free of both capital and operational expenditure for 30 years. The contamination of nearby rivers/lakes will stop. The 200 mld of fresh water being currently used by thermal power stations will be available for the city to use, sufficient for almost 18 lakh people, which means that their interests are taken care of for the next 20-25 years despite population growth.

Way Forward

• It is possible and necessary to improve public water governance.

• Better water conservation methods like- rooftop rain water harvesting, building check dams etc.

• Some of the traditional water conservation methods that are in use in India can be put into use in other parts too:

Kuls in J&K, Himachal Pradesh Bamboo drip irrigation system in Meghalaya Eri in Tamil Nadu Johads in Rajasthan • PPP model where private sector efficiency can be

harnessed with structures ensuring

accountability, leading to sustainable development • Because private sector focuses on profit it is

important that Government’s restructure Water Utilities to reverse the infrastructural decay and improve their performance. There is a need to have greater engagement with the public and make Water Utilities accountable and capable of delivering water services. Q6) How marine ecosystem is fast deteriorating in India. Discuss steps taken by the government to contain this problem and at the same time not compromising with the development aspirations.

(200 words/12.5 marks)

Causes of Marine Ecosystem Deterioration in India

• Plastic pollution/ Plastic waste disposal in coastal and marine areas

• Waste disposal in rivers by industrial plants • Oil spill in water resources • Climate change • Deep sea mining • Loss of biodiversity and thus causing loss of food

chain

Steps taken by the government to protect marine ecosystem India is a signatory to several major international conventions relating to conservation and management of wildlife. Some of these are Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals etc. Financial and Technical assistance is provided to State/Union Territory Governments for protection and Management of Protected Areas as well as other forests under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Indian Government has taken various marine ecosystem protection steps. Important measures include:

• The Central Government has enacted the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The Act, inter alia, provides for the creation of Protected Areas for the protection of wildlife and also provides for punishment for hunting of specified fauna specified in the schedules I to IV thereof.

• Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2010 have been framed for the protection of wetlands, in the States.

• The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-System also provides assistance to the States for the management of wetlands including Ramsar sites in

the country. Q7) What is a chemical disaster? Discuss the causative factors. Mention the role of various stake holders in prevention of chemical disasters.

(200 words/12.5 marks) CHEMICAL DISASTER: It is an accident that is severe and involves a chemical substance. Large-scale damage usually results, causing injuries and loss of many animals, plants, or humans, as well as the destruction of an environment. Chemical disasters may arise in number of ways, such as:-

1. Process and safety systems failures - Human errors - Technical errors - Management errors 2. Induced effect of natural calamities 3. Accidents during the transportation 4. Hazardous waste processing/ disposal 5. Terrorist attack/ unrest leading to sabotage

Role of various stake holders in prevention of chemical disasters: Government: A number of regulations covering the safety in transportation, liability, insurance and compensations have been enacted. Following are some of the relevant provisions on chemical disaster management, prevailing in country:-

• Explosives Act 1884 • Factories Act 1948 • Environment Protection Act 1986 • Public Liability Insurance Act 1991 • Disaster Management Act 2005


• Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996 National Disaster Management Authority: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of India had come out with very specific guidelines on Chemical Disaster Management. The guidelines have been prepared to provide the directions to ministries, departments and state authorities for the preparation of their detailed disaster management plans. These guidelines call for a proactive, participatory, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach at various levels for chemical disaster preparedness and response. Further, NDMA has provided specific inputs to the GOM for avoidance of future chemical disasters in the country, along with suggested amendments on the existing framework. Public: By taking care of small measures, people

can avoid the risk or mitigate the problem. Eg: • Do not smoke, lit fire or spark in the identified

hazardous area • Sensitize the community living near the industrial

units and they should be more vigilant about the nature of industrial units and associated risks.

• Keep the contact numbers of nearest hazardous industry, fire station, police station, control room, health services and district control room, for emergency use.

• Avoid housing near the industries producing or processing the hazardous chemicals, if possible.

• Participate in all the capacity building programmes organized by the government/ voluntary organizations / industrial units. National Green Tribunal: Through various judgements and objections. The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control treaty that outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors. It is also known as Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. It thus reduces the risk of human induced chemical disasters. Q8) Give a detailed account of National Disaster Response Force. Critically examine its role in disaster management efforts.

(200 words/12.5 marks) The National Disaster Response Force is a unit created by the government for the purpose of specialised response to natural and man-made disasters. The NDRF works under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) which lays down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management. NDRF is a force of 12 battalions, organised on para-military lines, and manned by persons on deputation from the para-military forces of India: three BSF, three CRPF, two CISF, two ITBP and two Sashastra Seema Bal. for the purpose of specialist response in disaster situations. NDRF, in a short span of nine years, has acquired a niche for itself as a highly professional force. Over the period, the force has established itself as visible and reliable response force to provide specialist response during disasters be they natural or man-made. This force is one of its kinds

of single largest stand-alone disaster response force in the world. The practice of “proactive availability” of this Force to the States and that of “pre-positioning”, in a threatening disaster situations have immensely helped minimise damage, caused due to natural calamities in the country. NDRF did commendable work in the Nepal earthquake 2015 when our responders saved 11 precious human lives out of 16 lives saved and retrieved 131 dead bodies. The work done by NDRF was acclaimed globally. Be it the devastating floods in Bihar, UP, MP in 2016, the Uttarakhand forest fire 2016, the Chennai floods 2015, the Assam Meghalaya floods 2014, the J&K floods 2014 or disasters like building collapse and train accidents like Kanpur Dehat train accident 2016, the NDRF has been the most prompt, proactive

and visible force to save the people. NDRF has saved thousands of lives in various disasters within country and abroad. Apart from its forte of response, the force has actively conducted continuous community capacity building programmes in the country with a vision to work towards a disaster resilient nation.

Critical Issue The effectiveness of the National Disaster Response Force has been hampered because of

• Shortage of trained manpower and • Absence of appropriate training facilities, • Infrastructure and • Equipment • The Force does not have own air wing so in case of

disaster to move its won forces and for relief it is dependent on air force

• Lack of proper remunerative facilities and less salary than the counterparts causes the paramilitary forces aversion in joining NDRF Q9) Insurgency in North East is not new, however it has a waxing and waning phase. What are the responsible factors? Critically analyse the role of central and state government to curb it.

(200 words/12.5 marks) After partition, the Northeastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act, 1971 created three states – Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya and two Union Territories, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh effective from January 21, 1972. The two Union Territories became states in 1987. All the states in the Northeast are in the grip of insurgency or have been through insurgency in the past. The reasons for these are similar and have been enumerated below:

• The roots of insurgency in the area go back to pre-independence days. The tribes were not brought under a strict political control and rigid regulations. The British tribal policy and Christian education are believed to have queered the pitch for Independent India.

• Setting up of reserved forests by British led to the loss of tribal control over natural resources

• Migration of people from the plains posing economic, cultural and political threat to the tribals.


• Lack of good governance and transparency, • Faulty nation-building strategies (economic

deprivation). • Inappropriate development • Large scale unemployment • Hostile neighbours extending moral and material

support. • Lack of good leadership and popular support. • Not anti–India but anti-establishment.

The kind of insurgencies in different states had been different. They had different demands. But with periodic interventions by government, both centre and states, through direct talks or via interlocutors, peace process has been initiated and deliberated upon.

Role of Government Appointment of Interlocutors by central government: Dineshwar Sharma was appointed as the interlocutor for the tripartite talks between the Centre, the Manipur government and the Kuki-Zomi armed organisations. AB Mathur as the interlocutor to hold talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Successful negotiations with the insurgents leading to the conclusion of agreements remain an important strategy. Taking advantage of the improved security situation, centre is reportedly considering reducing the footprints of the security force personnel in the

northeast. The Home Ministry is proposing to hold a security audit to assess the actual number of security forces needed to remain deployed in the region and implement a plan to reduce the number of Central Armed Police Personnel. Global investment summit, titled “Advantage Assam” in Assam’s capital Guwahati. Attended by business tycoons, the Assam government used the summit to seek investment in 12 sectors and also to project Guwahati as a destination for doing business with south-east Asian countries. Decline of violence in the region and operational weakness of the existing insurgencies has indeed allowed the state governments and New Delhi to initiate a range of development initiatives in the strategically important region. With peace, central govt aim to spread economic development by building roads, railways and airports. Then it wants to encourage trade, mainly via Myanmar, with South-East Asia, part of his “Look East, Act East” policy of expanding Indian influence in the region. Q10) Enumerate the major challenges to internal security of India. Also discuss the internal security doctrine adopted by the country.


Major challenges to Internal Security of India

• Border management • Cyber threats • Radicalisation of youth • Money laundering • Centre-state coordination • Intelligence infrastructure

Why do we need an Internal Security Doctrine?

1) India has seen crisis after crisis resulting from militancy, insurgency, terrorist attacks, unsettled border disputes etc. For Ex, Terrorist attack on Pathankot air base (2016), 26/11 Mumbai blasts, Church Street bomb blasts in Bangalore (2015), border disputes with China, Pakistan, Insurgency in the Northeast etc. The Pathankot debacle has triggered a serious debate on the need for a National Security Doctrine.

2) There is opacity in the functioning of Intelligence agencies. For Ex, no credible external audit happens, No cohesive command and control structure.

3) To fill the gaps in India’s security policy planning Previous Attempts towards strengthening National Security:

• National Security Council (NSC)(1998) It advises the PM on matters of national security and strategic interest. Headed by the National Security Advisor. It has not lived upto the expectations.

• Nuclear Doctrine (1999) “Minimum credible nuclear deterrence” doctrine and “No first use” policy It’s major objective is to deter the use and threat of

use of nuclear weapons by any State or entity against India and its forces. Also, India will not be the first to initiate a nuclear strike, but will respond with punitive retaliation if deterrence fails. It is confined to only one aspect of India’s security framework.

Where can we Draw Inspiration from? In US, each President, on assuming charge, is required by law to make public the National Security Doctrine that his administration intends to follow. For Ex, national security doctrine of the

Obama Administration is integration of diplomatic engagement, domestic economic discipline and amity among communities at home with military power to bolster America’s standing in the world. How will it look like? National Security Doctrine + National Security Strategy National Security Doctrine: It must encompass the totality of this country’s military, diplomatic, economic and social policies that will protect and promote this country’s national security interests. National Security Strategy: It must include the Command and control structures for meeting eventualities like terror strikes etc. Both the Doctrine and Strategy are inter-related.

Army Doctrine (2004)

• Doctrine: Defines its role in national security. Primary role is to preserve national interests and safeguard sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of India against any external threats by deterrence or by waging war. Secondary role is to assist Government agencies to cope with ‘proxy war’ and other internal threats and provide aid to civil authority when requisitioned for the purpose.


• Strategy: To perform the above role, Army has a command and control structure with the President of India as the Supreme Commander. Indian Army is controlled by the elected political leadership of the nation (Government of India). Executive control is exercised sequentially through the Union Cabinet, the Defence Minister and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Ministry of Defence handles matters related to personnel, financial and resource management.

What purpose will it Solve? Will define India’s role in the world and its commitment to protecting the life, liberty and interests of its people.

Internal Security Scheme The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave its approval for the implementation of the umbrella scheme, Modernisation of Police Forces. The MPF scheme will be implemented between 2017 and 2020. Out of the total financial outlay, the Central government’s share will be about 75% and the rest will be that of the states. The noteworthy provisions in the scheme cover the following diversified areas:

Internal security.

Law and order.

Women’s security.

Availability of modern weapons.

Mobility of police forces.

Logistical support.

Hiring of helicopters.

Upgradation of wireless, satellite communications for police.

Crime and criminal tracking network and systems

(CCTNS)

e-prisons. The scheme also earmarks a specific sum for internal security-related expenditure for J&K, north-eastern states and states affected by Left-Wing Extremism. The government’s grant for police modernisation would be followed by steps to grant the force autonomy from political masters. Police stations would be integrated to set up a national database of crime and criminal records which will be linked with other criminal justice system machineries. Besides, it also provides for:

setting up a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory in

Amravat

upgradation of the i) Sardar Patel Global Centre for Security, ii) Counter Terrorism and Anti-Insurgency in Jaipur, iii) Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar.

Objectives of the Government Following the 14th FC's recommendations, the Centre delinked from its support various centrally sponsored schemes which included modernisation of police. The state governments showed little interest to make any investments, and thus police modernisation witnessed a setback leading to increased security challenges.

The prime objective of the new scheme is thus to strengthen the law and order mechanism and mordernise the police forces. The new initiatives aim at providing assistance to States for upgradation of police infrastructure, forensic science laboratories, institutions, etc. It provides for the objective of a SMART Police who are expected to be strict, sensitive, modern, mobile, alert, accountable, reliable, responsible, tech-savvy and trained. Very importantly, the scheme aims at granting police, autonomy from political masters. This will help them render their service as 'People’s Police' rather than as present 'Ruler’s Police'. The scheme can thus go a long way in ensuring a solid foundation of good law and order promoted by a structured and accountable police machinery.

Q11) Examine the perpetual rise in cases of mob lynching. In this regard discuss the role of government and social media to curb this menace.

(200 words/12.5 marks) From vigilante violence targeting cattle traders in the name of cow protection, it has taken a new turn. While the former was organised vigilantism, the recent spate of killings seemingly comprises impulsive and unplanned acts of violence, fuelled by rumour and panic-inducing social media messaging. While the incidence of lynching and violence committed by self-styled gau rakshaks appear to have reduced since then, the killing and attacks on those mistaken to be child-kidnappers have had a disquieting rise. The police say the circulation of videos and other messages about child-lifters through messaging apps is the main reason.

Some Instances of Mob Lynching in India

• Brutal killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri by angry villagers, following a rumour that his family was in possession of cow meat.

• In Dhule five persons from a nomadic community were bludgeoned to death on suspicion of being child-lifters.

• A mob in Katani village in Assam’s Sonitpur district tied a woman to a pole and thrashed her. But some villagers intervened and informed the police, who rescued the woman and admitted her in the hospital.

• 65-year-old woman Rukmini, beaten to death by 200 people at Athimoor village in Polur taluk in Tiruvannamalai on May 9 after they mistook her and four family membes for child kidnappers.

Role of Social Media Many incidents of mob attacks are triggered by social media posts. Rumours spread like wildfire on instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp about children being kidnapped from neighbouring villages and killed for organ harvesting, leading to mob violence in many parts of the country. However, to blame social media and WhatsApp would be to shoot the messenger. These are merely communications tools to which no particular moral value adheres.


How can social media be used to curb this menace? Government can use this platform to raise awareness on fake news and associated cases of mob lynching. It can devise better regulations over the use of this platform to spread rumours. Merely blaming applications and media platforms cannot work because behind these apps sit the human minds who spread and forward messages without checking its validity. The recent changes brought by WhatsApp to trace whether the message is forwarded or not is a welcome step to check the validity of the information. Role of Government to curb this menace Increasing reports of people being lynched on suspicion of being child-lifters speaks poorly of the law and order situation in the country. The right

course for the people would be to alert the police and let them do their job. Governments need to launch campaigns to stop this trend of taking the law into one’s hands. Make separate law to deal with mob violence. A three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India has mooted the idea of making lynching a separate offence. It says a special law would “instil a sense of fear” among those involved. Set up fast track courts to deal with cases of mob lynching. Stronger regulations over the use of social media apps Government should drive home the message that while the misuse of these media with disruptive and murderous motives is unacceptable, acting upon the message will invite immediate and clear consequences. Such internet messages usually advertise themselves as “forwarded as received”, apparently absolving the sender of complicity. They are difficult to trace to the origin because of encryption, but those who act upon incitement to violence are much more easily identified and should be firmly discouraged. Q12) Nanotechnology is a science of immense possibilities. Comment


Nanotechnology now and in the future While much of the promise of nanotechnology is yet to be realised, current applications of nanotechnology include:

• nanosized particles in sunscreens, lipsticks and paints

• antibacterial nanosilver in wound dressings, plasters, catheters, and even socks

• breathable, waterproof, wear-resistant, wrinkle-resistant and stain-resistant textiles

• nanofilters for water purification • nanomembranes in fuel cells and batteries • nanoparticles in new generation solar cells • nanoclays in plastics, tennis balls and many more • stain-resistant fabrics • self-cleaning, water-repellent and antibacterial

glass • tough, erosion-resistant cutting tools • self-repairing, corrosion-resistant coatings.

Scientists are also working on • Medicine: nanorobots as vehicles for drug

delivery; durable implants, prosthetics and heart valves; artificial retinas and cochleas, organ replacements

• Food and nutrition: atomically engineered food and crops that can be produced on less land and using less labour; nutritionally enhanced ‘smart’ foods

• Energy: more efficient fuel cells; lightweight, high-energy density batteries; lighting that uses very little energy

• Environment: self-cleaning filters to produce clean drinking water from waste water; techniques to clean up hazardous chemicals; sensors able to detect single molecules to monitor pollution; nanoscale traps to remove pollutants from the environment and remediation of toxic waste

• Security: new imaging, detection and personal identification systems; decontamination equipment; nanoforensics

• Information technology: smaller, lighter, more powerful and cheaper computers; miniature data storage systems that can store vast amounts of

information; high resolution displays that can be rolled up like a poster

• Manufacturing: ultra-strong, durable materials that are very light and can be used, for example, to build aircraft; nanoceramics for more durable automotive components or high-temperature furnaces; wear-resistant tires; paints that can change colour by the flick of a switch. Nano-optimists believe that this technology will transform the world for the better. They look forward to clean and abundant energy, fantastically strong materials, environmentally friendly production processes, and smart drugs able to detect and treat diseases super-effectively. Nano-sceptics are worried about unpredictable health and environmental risks, as well as uncertainties around its sociopolitical consequences into the future. Along with optimism about the promise of nanotechnology, there are uncertainties about its potential impact on health, the environment and societies in general. Questions sparking debate include:

• Nano-hype: Some believe that scientists working in the field of nanotechnology are inflating the potential promise of nanotechnology and that many of the promised innovations will never become a reality.

• Nanoparticles could be toxic • Food safety concerns • Who will take responsibility? Some are worried

that nanotechnologies are advancing too fast for policies and regulations to keep up.

• Who will benefit? If nanotechnology is driven by an affluent agenda, it will widen the gap between rich and poor countries because of their different capacities to develop and exploit nanotechnologies, leading to a so-called ‘nanodivide’. Producers in developing countries could also suffer if natural products (such as rubber, cotton, coffee and tea) are replaced by nano-equivalents.

• Is nanotechnology ethically acceptable? Some people are uneasy about the claim that nanotechnology (much like genetic modification) is


‘messing’ with the building blocks of nature and therefore ‘unnatural’ and even unethical. The social response to nanotechnology is important on both sides of the debate. Supporters of nanotechnology wish to guarantee that its development is not impeded by public opinion, while the negativists hope to ensure it is not too readily and blindly accepted. Q13) Discuss the nuclear energy generation programme of India. What are the major obstacles to it? Do you think Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, has provided a way. Examine carefully.


India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme

• India’s three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India. The ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the thorium reserves of India to be utilized in meeting the country’s energy requirements.

• Thorium is particularly attractive for India, as it has only around 1–2% of the global uranium reserves, but one of the largest shares of global thorium reserves.

• However, at present thorium is not economically viable because global uranium prices are much lower.

• The recent Indo-US Nuclear Deal and the NSG waiver, which ended more than three decades of international isolation of the Indian civil nuclear programme, have created many hitherto unexplored alternatives for the success of the three-stage nuclear power programme.

• Thorium itself is not a fissile material, and thus cannot undergo fission to produce energy.

• Instead, it must be transmuted to uranium-233 in a reactor fueled by other fissile materials [plutonium-239 or uranium-235].

• The first two stages, natural uranium-fueled heavy water reactors and plutonium-fueled fast breeder reactors, are intended to generate sufficient fissile material from India’s limited uranium resources, so that all its vast thorium reserves can be fully utilized in the third stage of thermal breeder reactors. Present State of India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme After decades of operating pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWR), India is finally ready to start the

second stage. A 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam is set to achieve criticality any day now and four more fast breeder reactors have been sanctioned, two at the same site and two elsewhere. However, experts estimate that it would take India many more FBRs and at least another four decades before it has built up a sufficient fissile material inventory to launch the third stage.

Obstacles • The U.S. could perhaps emerge as the greatest

obstacle to plutonium commerce. • S. cannot prevent countries from trading in

plutonium, it has the power to make it uncomfortable for them via sanctions, reduced scientific cooperation, and other mechanisms.

• The strong non-proliferation lobby in the U.S. would not like a non-signatory of the NPT [India] to open and regulate trade in plutonium.

• The challenge for Delhi is to convince Washington to sponsor rather than oppose such a venture. The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) act was passed in 2010 with its focus on setting liabilities on suppliers in case of a nuclear accident. However it has acted as a bone of contention in moving ahead the India-US civil nuclear agreement deal signed in 2008.

The CNLD law affects in following ways

• The government will create an ‘Nuclear Insurance pool’ of Rs 1500 crores of which it will contribute Rs 750 crore. In case of Nuclear damage government will be liable to additional Rs 1110 crores (1500+1110=2610). Hence in doing all these, the government will end up spending the Indian taxpayers money which should be the suppliers liability.

• The suppliers will be paying nominal premium to the ‘Nuclear Insurance Pool’, hence this cost will be added in the total cost of building a nuclear plant and thus will finally have to bear by Indian consumers.

• The capped amount of Rs 2610 will not be sufficient in case of a Nuclear accident as we have seen in the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The

potential victims will suffer due to this. • The section 17 of CNLD acts specifies that the

right to recourse of an operator is not mandatory but merely an enabling clause. This it will prohibit operators to sue suppliers. Thus overall it will make victims more vulnerable to potential accidents.

• Section 46 prevents the Indian victims from moving to a foreign court. It also prohibits from claiming compensation under other laws. The CNLD act was primarily designed to protect the victims of any unfortunate nuclear accident but ended up virtually putting the burden on average Indian as a taxpayer, energy consumer, and potential victim of any nuclear accident.

Q14) Analysing the health system of India, suggest measures for its revival. Do you think National Health Policy 2017 is a step in right direction?


Indian healthcare delivery system is broadly categorised into two components: public and private. Public delivery system consists of basic healthcare facilities in the form of primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in rural areas, secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions in key towns and cities. Private sector primarily caters to secondary, tertiary and quaternary care.


Statistics related to Healthcare • The Indian healthcare market, which is worth

around US$ 100 billion, will likely grow at a CAGR of 23 percent to US$ 280 billion by 2020.

• It offers employment to around 4% of the population.

• The doctor-patient ratio in India is 1:1,700. • India’s total healthcare expenditure is 4.1% of its

GDP (1.2% public expenditure) which is one of the lowest in the world.

Challenges in Healthcare Sector

1. The existing infrastructure is not enough to serve the needs of the growing population.

2. Rural-Urban disparity 3. Low government spending 4. High out of pocket expenditure 5. Low insurance penetration. 6. Dual disease burden 7. Malpractices in the sector 8. Adequate attention has not been given to

alternative healthcare practices like Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani.

Opportunities

• National Health Policy 2017 recommends increasing the public expenditure on health, which should be adhered to. This could help reduce out of pocket expenses.

• Focusing of primary care • Focus should be shifted to preventive healthcare

from curative healthcare. • Universal immunization helps reduce the

incidence of communicable diseases and thus reduce the costs of curative care.

• Private investment in educational institutions should be encouraged.

• Proper implementation of initiatives like Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Yojana is needed to increase insurance penetration.

• A National Health Regulatory and Development Framework needs to be made for improving the quality (for example registration of health practitioners), performance, equity, efficacy and accountability of healthcare delivery across the country.

• Establishment of Ministry of AYUSH provides an opportunity to explore alternative medical

practices. • Leveraging the benefits of Information Technology • Start-ups are investing in healthcare sector from

process automation to diagnostics to low-cost innovations.

The National Health Policy 2017 The main objectives of the National Health Policy 2017 are as following:

• To achieve Universal Health Coverage by assuring the availability of free, comprehensive primary health care services, ensuring improved access and affordability, of quality secondary and tertiary care, achieving a significant reduction in out of pocket expenditure due to health care costs.

• To make a predictable, efficient, patient-centric, affordable and effective health care system.

• Bringing in healthy and vital private sector contribution.

• Bring a policy thrust by –

1. By increasing public investment (raise it to 2.5% of the GDP).

2. To coordinate various non-health departments to improve the environment for health (by linking areas like – Swatch Bharath, balanced diet, reduced stress at workplace, Yatri Suraksha etc).

3. Incorporating health education as part of the curriculum, promoting hygiene and safe health practices within the school environs and by acting as a site of primary health care and also promoting healthy practices via AYUSH and Yoga at workplaces and schools.

4. Organising public health care delivery. • To enhance National health programs. • Utilising the potential of AYUSH and

mainstreaming it. • Improving women health and addressing gender

violence. Initiatives like Janani Suraksha Yojana,

new norms of addressing domestic violence, family planning program etc. can go a long way.

• Enhancing tertiary care services – via specialized consultative and intensive care facilities, tertiary services via advanced medical colleges and health institutes.

• Improving the healthcare personals by- 1. providing better health education 2. incentivising doctors for rural services 3. enhancing nursing and other paramedical services 4. developing and encouraging ASHA volunteers. • Collaborating with non-governmental

organisations and private sector to – 1. Train, encourage skill development programs 2. Utilise and direct Corporate social responsibility

into health investments 3. Encourage the personnel training in mental health

care and disaster management etc. • Establishing a strong regulatory framework to

include regulation of clinical establishments, professional and technical education, food safety, medical technologies, medical products, clinical trials, research and implementation of other health-related laws.

• Involving and providing more role to local self-governments, bringing in decentralisation and enhancing accountability of government institutions to ensure effective efficient delivery of services. Among key targets, the policy intends to increase life expectancy at birth from 67.5 to 70 by 2025 and reduce infant mortality rate to 28 by 2019. It also aims to reduce under five mortality to 23 by the year 2025. Besides, it intends to achieve the global 2020 HIV target.

Deficiencies The indication that the policy would adopt an “assurance-based approach” itself abandons a radical change proposed in the draft policy of 2015 — that of a National Health Rights Act aimed at making health a right. It replicates portions of the health section of the 2017 Budget speech given by Finance Minister. It reiterates health spend targets set by the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) set up by the erstwhile Planning Commission for the 12th Five Year Plan (which ends on March 31, 2017), in addition to failing to make health a justiciable right in the way the Right to Education 2005 did for school education.


Q15) India is criticised for succumbing to the pressure of western countries, and modifying it's Intellectual Property Regime. Discuss this allegation in context of India’s new IPR policy. (200 words/12.5 marks)

India has a well-established legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns. India has a Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) compliant, robust, equitable and dynamic IPR regime. The Indian IP system maintains a fine balance between private rights through IPRs on one hand, and rights of the society as public interest on the other hand. TRIPS Agreement has allowed policy space to countries to evolve a regime that best suits its condition. This policy space is a sine qua non for sustainable development of the country. India is a party to Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health which clarifies that TRIPS agreement does not and should not prevent members from taking measures to protect public health. A comprehensive National IPR policy has been approved that will not only stimulate innovation and creativity across sectors, but also provide a clear vision regarding IPR issues.

The Policy lays down Seven Objectives

• IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion- It seeks to create public awareness about the social, economic and cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society.

• Generation of IPRs: It seeks to stimulate the generation of IPRs.

• Legal and Legislative Framework: It call for a strong and effective IPR laws, which will have balance the larger public interest and interests of rights owners.

• Administration and Management: It seeks to strengthen and modernize service-oriented IPR administration.

• Commercialization of IPRs: Provide appropriate value for IPRs through commercialization.

• Enforcement and Adjudication: Seeks to strengthen the adjudicatory and enforcement mechanisms for combating IPR infringements.

• Human Capital Development: Seeks to expand and strengthen human resources, capacities and institutions for teaching, research, training and skill building in IPRs.

Other Highlights of the Policy

• Recognises abundance of innovative and creative energies in the country and prioritizes the need to tap and channelize these energies towards a better and brighter future for all.

• Exploit and create synergies between all forms of intellectual property (IP), concerned agencies and statutes in the country.

• Sets in place an institutional mechanism for monitoring, implementation and review of IP regime.

• Aims to incorporate and adapt global best practices to the Indian scenario.

• Makes the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the Union Commerce Ministry nodal agency for regulating IP rights in the country.

• Seeks to weave in the strengths of the Government, R&D organizations, educational institutions, corporate entities including start-ups, MSMEs and other stakeholders in the creation of an innovation-conducive environment.

• Facilitates a transparent, stable and service-oriented IPR administration in the country.

• Recognizes that India has well-established TRIPS-compliant administrative, legislative and judicial framework to safeguard IPRs.

• Meets international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to

address its developmental concerns. • Reiterates India’s commitment to the Doha

Declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement and Public Health.

Analysis

• The Policy, to be reviewed every five years, aims to push IPRs as a marketable financial asset, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, while protecting public interest including ensuring the availability of essential and life-saving drugs at

affordable prices. • The government has clarified that the policy will

ensure that no changes are made in that Section (which prevents ever-greening of drug patents) and the patent-disabling Compulsory Licensing regime.

• The policy comes in the backdrop of the US Trade Representative (USTR), in its annual (2016 edition) Special 301 Report (on the global state of IPR protection and enforcement) retaining India on the ‘Priority Watch List’ this year for “lack of sufficient measurable improvements to its IPR framework.” India’s intellectual property rights regime is fully in compliance with global norms and the country will not succumb to "any pressure from anywhere" to modify it. We are TRIPS compliant in every way. We move forward being consistently with the global expectations without yielding to any pressure from anywhere and India's legislative framework particularly in protecting patents is very strong and we would like to keep that strong framework.

Q16) Discuss CRISPR technology. What is its application in medical sciences? Explain. (200 words/12.5 marks)

CRISPR is a dynamic, versatile tool that allows us to target nearly any genomic location and potentially repair broken genes. It can remove, add or alter specific DNA sequences in the genome of higher organisms. CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) are sections of DNA and are sections of genetic code containing short repetitions of base sequences followed by spacer DNA segments. It allows scientists to selectively edit genome parts and replace them with new DNA


stretches. CRISPR is a collection of DNA sequences that direct Cas9 where to cut and paste. CAS-9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) is an enzyme. It uses a synthetic guide RNA to introduce a double strand break at a specific location within a strand of DNA. It is a system used by bacterial cells to recognize and destroy viral DNA as a form of adaptive immunity.

Application in Medical Sciences • Research • Treatments

Now that we are able to read and write DNA fairly cheaply, with even more advances to come, we can use this to help personalize medical care. Consider these examples. Pharmacogenomics uses genetic information to determine what drugs and dosages work for each person. Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, scientists were able to repair mutation in the MYBPC3 gene which causes a common heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is marked by thickening of the heart muscle.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited cardiac disease and the presence of even one copy of the defective gene can cause symptoms, which usually manifest as heart failure. There is currently no cure for the condition. The correction of the mutation in the embryo using CRISPR-Cas9 has ensured that the child is born healthy and the defective MYBPC3 gene is not passed on to future generations. In the field of cancer diagnostics, new liquid biopsies can look at free-floating DNA in a simple blood sample, and sometimes identify cancer before it would show up on a body scan. Moreover, by genetically engineering a person’s bone marrow cells, we can basically reprogram their immune system, and their circulatory system. Some new cancer treatments are based on this. Q17) “The bane of Indian Military is poorly equipped soldiers.” Critically analyse the statement in the light of Shekatkar Committee recommendations. Also briefly discuss potential impacts of the recommendations. (200 words/12.5 marks) Govt of India had constituted Shekatkar Committee “to recommend measures for enhancing combat capability and re-balancing defence expenditure of the Armed Forces with an aim to increase “Teeth To Tail Ratio”. The Committee submitted its report in December 2016. The Report was taken up by the Ministry of Defence to frame key action points and roadmap for implementation. Some Recommendations taken up for implementation include:

• Optimization of Signals Establishments to include Radio Monitoring Companies, Corps Air Support Signal Regiments, Air Formation Signal Regiments, Composite Signal Regiments and merger of Corps Operating and Engineering Signal Regiments.

• Restructuring of repair echelons in the Army to include Base Workshops, Advance Base Workshops and Static / Station Workshops in the field Army.

• Redeployment of Ordnance echelons to include Vehicle Depots, Ordnance Depots and Central Ordnance Depots apart from streamlining inventory control mechanisms.

• Better utilization of Supply and Transportation echelons and Animal Transport Units.

• Closure of Military Farms and Army Postal Establishments in peace locations.

• Enhancement in standards for recruitment of clerical staff and drivers in the Army.

• Improving the efficiency of the National Cadet Corps.

Analysis The Committee, which submitted the final report has noted that if majority of its recommendations are implemented over the next five years, the government can save up to Rs 25,000 crore from its current expenditure. The Committee has however warned that the implementation cannot be selective. As the report has apparently noted: the redeployment of manpower from and downsizing of some of the organisations under the MoD will have to be across the board and ruthless

to be effective. Moreover, the Shekatkar Committee has made it clear that the saving made as a result of its recommendations must be redeployed in enhancing the combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces and not be merged in the general budget. After taking into account the nature threats that the country is likely to face in coming decades, the committee has in fact recommended that the defence budget should be in the range of 2.5 and three per cent of the GDP. This would however require a substantial change in approach and outlook of the government towards the armed forces. For the last five years for instance, defence budget has remained below two per cent of the GDP. One of the major recommendations of the committee is to review the definition of ‘Capital’ and ‘Revenue’ budget heads in the funds allocated to the three armed forces, particularly the Indian Army. The panel notes that the Indian Army—unlike the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force—will have to remain a manpower-intensive force because of its major deployment in the mountains against both its major adversaries, China and Pakistan. As a result the sustenance budget of the Indian Army will be higher than the other two services leaving very little money for capital acquisition. The committee has also suggested the establishment of a Joint Services War College for training for middle level officers (the higher command course for instance), even as the three separate War Colleges—currently at Mhow, Secunderabad and Goa—for Army, Air Force and Navy could continue to train younger officers for their respective service. Similarly it has recommended that the Military Intelligence School at Pune be converted to a tri-service Intelligence training establishment.


Q18) Explain the term “Artificial Intelligence”. What are the potential utilities and threats associated with its increasing role?

(200 words/12.5 marks) Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans and other animals. In computer science AI research is defined as the study of "intelligent agents": any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals.

Potential Utilities

• Faster service delivery • Greater efficiency • Substitute of labor in low population countries • Lesser average cost of production for the

companies using AI as an input

Potential Threats • Unemployment • Safety and privacy • National security threats • Human-machine conflict

Q19) Discuss the concept of Green Biotechnology. Also point out its significance to Indian agriculture. (200 words/12.5 marks) Green biotechnology deals with the use of environmentally-friendly solutions as an alternative to traditional agriculture, horticulture, and animal breeding processes. An example is the designing of transgenic plants that are modified for improved flavor, for increased resistance to pests

and diseases, or for enhanced growth in adverse weather conditions. Green biotechnology involves the use of environmentally friendly solutions as an alternative to traditional industrial agriculture, horticulture and animal breeding processes.

• Use of bacteria to facilitate the growth of plants • Development of pest-resistant grains • Engineering of plants to express pesticides • Use of bacteria to assure better crop yields instead

of pesticides and herbicides • Production of superior plants by stimulating the

early development of their root systems

Indian agriculture suffers from low productivity and crop loss.

• Green biotechnology can be utilized to prevent pest attacks.

• It can also increase crop productivity. • Lesser use of fertilizers and production of organic

food • Better quality crops with a potential to compete in

international markets Q20) “Entry of private sector heralds a new era in Indian Space sector”. Examine the possible opportunities and obstacles in the light of increasing role of private players in Indian space sector. (200 words/12.5 marks) AS Kiran Kumar, the chairman of ISRO has consistently reiterated on many occasions that

with the current manpower of ISRO it is simply not possible to meet the increasing demands of satellite launches and the heightened expectations that will arise, and hence the involvement of the emerging private sector becomes crucial.

Possible Opportunities

• Greater resources can be tapped and hence more number of launches

• It will make Indian private firms competitive to international players

• Greater participation of Indian private firms will

give lesser space to foreign firms and hence govt can save expenditure and resources spent

• ISRO can delegate the launch work to private firms and concentrate more resources on research and development

• Save on foreign exchange • Greater employment opportunities

Obstacles

• Technological advancement of Indian private firms is still far from international comparisons

• Threat of crony capitalism

• Difference in responsibility between ISRO and a private firm

• Private firms would aim for profit maximization and less on R & D for public welfare.

• Cost concerns for private firms and hence viability of their operation.

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