Sociology Optional Question Paper 1 & 2 UPSC Mains 2019

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Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) are the marginalized section of the Scheduled tribes of India. They are relatively isolated, educationally and socio-economically backwards, living in a habitat far away from amenities. PVTG is not a Constitutional category, nor are these constitutionally recognized communities. It is a government of India classification created with the purpose of enabling improvement in the conditions of certain communities with particularly low development A separate category of PVTGs was constituted based on the recommendations of the Dhebar Commission in 1975. PVTGs are identified by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs based on the recommendations from the state governments or Union territories. The highest numbers of PVTGs are found in Odisha. Criteria for identifying PVTGs The criteria followed for determination of PVTGs are as follows. A pre-agriculture level of technology; A stagnant or declining population; Extremely low literacy; and A subsistence level of the economy. After ensuring the criteria is fulfilled, the Central Ministry selects those groups as PVTGs. History In accordance to the provisions conferred in the Clause (1) of Article 342 of the Constitution of India, the notification of STs is state-specific and their identification is done on the basis of the following characteristics- a) Primitive Traits (b) Distinctive Culture (c) Geographical Isolation (d) Shyness with contact with the community at large, and Backwardness. However, Dhebar Commission (1960-61) and other studies suggested that there exists inequality amongst tribal communities in terms of their development. In 1975, based on the Dhebar Commission report, the government created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category and identified 52 such groups. In 1993, 23 more groups were added making it 75 PTGs.In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Statistical overview Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12), Bihar including Jharkhand (9) Madhya Pradesh including Chhattisgarh (7) Tamil Nadu (6) Kerala and Gujarat having five groups each. The remaining PVTGs live in West Bengal (3) Maharashtra (3), two each in Karnataka and Uttarakhand and one each in Rajasthan, Tripura and Manipur. All the four tribal groups in Andaman and one in the Nicobar Islands are recognised as PVTGs The Saharia people of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are the largest among the PVTGs with the population more than 4 lakhs. Smallest population size among the PVTGs are the Sentinelese (as per the last contact effort on March 9, 2005, groups of 32 and 13 persons were sighted at different places). Legislative view The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) has a special section regarding the 75 PVGTs and the Act recognises forest and habitat rights of PVTGs. The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA): It extends Scheduled Areas of India under the purview of the national framework of Panchayat. However, this act is not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram and certain other areas including scheduled and tribal areas. The Sentinelese and other aboriginal tribes of the Andaman& Nicobar Islands are protected under The Andaman and Nicobar (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956 Under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a “Restricted Area” in which foreigners with a restricted area permit (RAP) can stay. The habitats of the PVTGs of Andaman and Nicobar Island has protected Tribal Reserveunder the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956 In August 2018, in a bid to promote tourism and encourage investment, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decided to exclude 30 islands from Andaman and Nicobar from the RAP or Restricted Area Permit regime notified under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963. North Sentinelese island was among the 30 islands According to critics, the removal of RAP from North Sentinel Island sent an extremely dangerous message that the island was now open for visitors. Further, it has also put uncontacted Sentinelese tribe at the risk of contracting diseases. Scheme for development of PVTG The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing a scheme namely “Development of PVTGs” which covers the 75 identified PVTGs among Scheduled Tribes in 18 States/ UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.   It is a flexible scheme and covers funding for activities like housing, land distribution, land development, agricultural development, animal husbandry, construction of link roads, installation of non-conventional sources of energy for lighting purpose, social security including Janshree Beema Yojana or any other innovative activity meant for the comprehensive socio-economic development of PVTGs.  Priority is also assigned to PVTGs under the schemes of Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Tribal Sub-Scheme(TSS), Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, Grants-in-aid to Voluntary Organisations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes and Strengthening of Education among ST Girls in Low Literacy Districts. Challenges faced by PVTGs Incoherency in identification: The process of identification of PVTG adopted by the states differs in its methods. The spirit of the direction made by MoTA was loosely considered. As a result, there has been no uniform principle adopted in identifying the PVTGs. Outdated List: The Anthropological Survey of India observes that the list of PVTG is overlapping and repetitive. For example, the list contains synonyms of the same group such as the Mankidia and the Birhor in Odisha, both of which refer to the same group. Lack of baseline surveys: The Anthropological Survey of India observed 75 PVTGs, baseline surveys exists for about 40 groups, even after declaring them as PVTGs. Lack of baseline surveys hinder effective implementation of welfare schemes Unequal Benefits from welfare schemes: In some cases, a PVTG receives benefits only in a few blocks in a district, while the same group is deprived in adjacent blocks.  For example, the Lanjia Saora is recognized as a PVTG across Odisha but the micro-projects are established only in two blocks. The rest of the Lanjia Saora are treated among the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and do not receive benefit from these projects. Impact of developmental projects: In 2002, a Standing Committee formed by the

Agroecology

Agroecology Agroecology is recognised worldwide as a system that enhances fertile landscapes, increases yields, restores soil health and biodiversity, promotes climate resilience and improves farmers’ well-being.  Its practices are supported by many agricultural scientists, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, farmers’ groups and several NGOs. Agroecology is the solution proposed to the current industrial food systems which are failing and harming the environment. What is Agroecology? Agroecology is the study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Application of ecological principles to agroecosystems can help in developing novel management approaches and techniques in agriculture systems.  The field of agroecology is not associated with any one particular method of farming, whether it be organic, integrated, or conventional, intensive or extensive. However, it has much more in common with organic and integrated farming. Agroecology is not against the use of technology in agriculture but assesses how, when, and if technology can be used in conjunction with natural, social and human assets. It recognizes that there is no universal formula or recipe for the success and maximum well-being of an agroecosystem and is context- or site-specific. Agroecology is not defined by certain management practices, instead, it studies questions related to the four system properties of agroecosystems: productivity,  stability,  sustainability and  equitability.  Agroecologists see all four properties as interconnected and integral to the success of an agroecosystem and study them through an interdisciplinary lens, using natural sciences to understand elements of agroecosystems as well as  using social sciences to understand the effects of farming practices on rural communities, economic constraints to developing new production methods, or cultural factors determining farming practices. Agroecologists do not limit themselves to the study of agroecosystems at any one scale: gene- organism- population- community- ecosystem- landscape- biome, field- farm- community- region- state- country- continent- global. Read Also National Clean Air Programme What are the benefits of Agroecology? Agroecology is all about the design and management of sustainable farms. It provides a robust set of solutions to the environmental and economic pressures facing agriculture today.  The current industrial food system has gone off the rails, increasingly dependent on health-harming pesticides and other chemical inputs that degrade soil, threaten pollinator populations and pollute water.  By shifting farming policies and practices to embrace agroecology, we can create a food system to sustain this and future generations — one rooted in productivity, resilience, equity and sustainability. Agroecological farming can double food production within ten years without harming the environment. Agroecology recognizes the multifunctional dimensions of agriculture – which not only produces food, jobs and economic well-being but also creates cultural, social and environmental benefits.  Agroecology also protects and provides ecosystem services like pollination, natural pest control, nutrient and water cycling and erosion control. Agroecological farming has been shown to Increase ecological resilience, especially with respect to volatile weather conditions; Improve health and nutrition through more diverse, nutritious and fresh diets and reduced incidence of pesticide poisonings and pesticide-related diseases; Conserve biodiversity and natural resources such as soil organic matter, water, crop genetic diversity and natural enemies of pests; Improve economic stability with more diverse sources of income, the spread of labour needs and production over time, and reduced vulnerability to commodity price swings; and Mitigate effects of climate change through reduced reliance on fossil fuels and fossil fuel-based agricultural inputs, increased carbon sequestration and water capture in soil. Issues Threats from Powerful Elites Farming sector in India has an overarching influence of powerful lobbies with vested interests and connections to deep pockets which include fossil fuel, fertilizer and seed companies as well as scientists with funding connections to agribusiness. These lobbies perceive large-scale transitions to agroecology as a substantial threat to their influence on farming systems. Hence these powerful elites are lobbying against natural farming which is still a small player in the margins. For example, recently, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, based on a brainstorming session that included industry representatives has sent a letter to the Prime Minister opposing Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF). Zero Budget Natural Farming Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) is a method of chemical-free agriculture drawing from traditional Indian practices. It is a form of agroecology as it promotes ecological practices to improve productivity while protecting the environment. It was originally promoted by Maharashtrian agriculturist and Padma Shri recipient Subhash Palekar, who developed it in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution’s methods driven by chemical fertilizers and pesticides and intensive irrigation. Instead of commercially produced chemical inputs, the ZBNF promotes the application of jeevamrutha — a mixture of fresh desi cow dung and aged desi cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, water and soil — on farmland. This is a fermented microbial culture that adds nutrients to the soil, and acts as a catalytic agent to promote the activity of microorganisms and earthworms in the soil. A similar mixture, called bijamrita, is used to treat seeds, while concoctions using neem leaves and pulp, tobacco and green chillies are prepared for insect and pest management. The ZBNF method also promotes soil aeration, minimal watering, intercropping, bunds and topsoil mulching and discourages intensive irrigation and deep ploughing. Conclusion Agroecology is a knowledge-intensive & inclusive system at the same time improves the adaptive capacity of agroecosystems and reduces vulnerability to natural disasters, climate change impacts, and new and emerging environmental and economic system stresses and shocks.  It could be the answer to our woes about food security in a changing climate, increasing natural disasters and growing population. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports. It was brought in 1974– in response to the Indian nuclear test (smiling Buddha). It is a multilateral export control regime. The NSG first met on November 1975 in London, and is thus popularly referred to as the “London Club”. It is not a formal organization, and its guidelines are not binding. Decisions, including on membership, are made by consensus. Overall responsibility for activities lies within NSG Plenary meetings that are held once a year. A rotating Chair has the overall responsibility for the coordination of work and outreach activities. There are currently 48 Participating Governments (PGs) of the NSG. The NSG Chair Country (2019-20) is Kazakhstan and the European Commission and the Chair of the Zangger Committee participate as observers. The NSG Guidelines also contain the so-called “Non-Proliferation Principle,” adopted in 1994, whereby a supplier, notwithstanding other provisions in the NSG Guidelines, authorizes a transfer only when satisfied that the transfer would not contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The Non-Proliferation Principle seeks to cover the rare but important cases where adherence to the NPT or to a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty may not by itself be a guarantee that a State will consistently share the objectives of the Treaty or that it will remain in compliance with its Treaty obligations. The NSG Guidelines are implemented by each Participating Government (PG) in accordance with its national laws and practices. Decisions on export applications are taken at the national level in accordance with national export licensing requirements. Read Also Terrorism Financing Factors are taken into account for participation  Be able to supply items (includes transit items) covered by the Annexes to Parts 1 and 2 of the Guidelines; Adhere to and act in accordance with the Guidelines; Have in force a legally -based domestic export control system that gives effect to the commitment to act in accordance with the Guidelines; Be a party to the NPT, the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Pelindaba, Bangkok, or Semipalatinsk, or an equivalent international nuclear non-proliferation agreement, and in full compliance with the obligations of such agreement(s), and, as appropriate, have in force a full-scope safeguards agreement with the IAEA; Be supportive of international efforts towards the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and of their delivery vehicles. India and NSG India and Pakistan are non-signatories to NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty). China has been objecting to India’s participation in the grouping since May 2016 when India applied for the membership of the NSG. China has been firm on its stand that only those countries which have signed the NPT should be allowed to enter the organization. China wants to block the entry of India in any way while other remaining countries like New Zealand, Ireland and Austria said that they are opposing Indian entry because India did not sign on Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Majority of the NSG member states including the US, Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway back for India’s membership in the grouping considering its non-proliferation record. The benefit of India’s NSG membership India is keen to become a member of NSG as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in the coming years. Access to technology will boost the economic growth of India. If India becomes the member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group; it will have greater access to uranium than it does currently under its 2008 agreement with the USA. In addition to this India will be able to import uranium from other countries to boost up its energy security. India will get an opportunity to voice its concern if in case of a change in the provision of the NSG guidelines. Factors in favour of India’s membership France got membership in the elite group without signing the NPT. Commitment to nonproliferation: India’s commitment to bifurcate its civilian and military nuclear programs along with its nonproliferation record ensured indigenously developed technology is not shared with other countries. Transparency: India has also ratified an Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which means that its civilian reactors are under IAEA safeguards and open for inspections. UPSC Mains 2019  General Studies Paper 1  Question Conclusion The recently framed draft proposal for accepting new members into the Nuclear Suppliers Group increases India’s chances of entry into NSG. It’s a welcome development for India as NSG membership would definitely boost the economic and strategic development in the future. Therefore, India should take up this opportunity to aggressively pursue the development of nuclear energy while providing the essential emphasis on safety and addressing concerns of the public. It will also pave the way for clean energy initiatives and continued focus to achieve our commitments to reduce the carbon footprint pledged       Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now

Scheduled Tribes

Scheduled Tribes The Constitution of India does not define Scheduled Tribes as such. Article 366(25) refers to ST as those communities who are scheduled in accordance with Article 342 of the Constitution. According to Article 342 of the Constitution, the ST are the tribes or tribal communities or part of or groups within these tribes and tribal communities which have been declared as such by the President through a public notification. As per the 1991 Census, the Scheduled Tribes account for 67.76 million representing 8.08 percent of the country’s population. ST are spread across the country mainly in forest and hilly regions.The essential characteristics of these communities are: Primitive Traits Geographical isolation Distinct culture Shy of contact with the community at large Economically backwards Distribution The Scheduled Tribes are notified in 30 States/UTs and the number of individual ethnic groups notified as ST are 705. Broadly the STs inhabit two distinct geographical areas – Central India and the North- Eastern Area. More than half of the Scheduled Tribe population is concentrated in Central India, i.e., Madhya Pradesh (14.69%), Chhattisgarh (7.5%), Jharkhand (8.29%), Andhra Pradesh (5.7%), Maharashtra (10.08%), Orissa (9.2%), Gujarat (8.55%) and Rajasthan (8.86%). The other distinct area is the North East (Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh). Read Also  Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Scheduled Tribes – Constitutional provisions Article 46: The State shall promote with special care, the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the society and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. Reservation in the educational institution has been provided in Article 15(4) while reservation in posts and services has been provided in Article 16(4), 16(4A) and 16(4B) of the Constitution. Article 23: prohibits traffic in human beings and the beggar and other similar forms of forced labour have a special significance for Scheduled Tribes. In pursuance of this Article, Parliament has enacted the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. Article 24: prohibits employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory or mine or in any other hazards activity is also significant for Scheduled Tribes as a substantial portion of child labour engaged in these jobs belong to Scheduled Tribes. Article 243D: reservation of Seats for ST in Panchayats. Article 330: reservation of seats for ST in the House of the People. Article 332: reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes in Legislative Assemblies of the States. Article 334: reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and the State Vidhan Sabhas (and the representation of the Anglo-Indian Community in the Lok Sabha and the State Vidhan Sabhas by nomination) would continue up to January 2020. Acts and rules Forest rights act 2006: The Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 is being implemented to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land to forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes Protection of civil rights act: An Act to prescribe punishment for the preaching and practice of – “Untouchability” for the enforcement of any disability arising therefore for matters connected therewith SC/ST Prevention of atrocities act: An Act to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, to provide for Special Courts for the trial of such offences and for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of such offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Provision of panchayats act 1996: It mandates that the Gram Sabha or the Panchayats at the appropriate level shall be consulted before making the acquisition of land in the Scheduled Areas or development projects and before resettling or rehabilitating persons affected by such projects in the Scheduled Areas. National Commission for Scheduled Tribe NCST was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely- (i) the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).  NCST is empowered to investigate and monitor matters relating to safeguards provided for STs under the Constitution or under other laws or under Govt. order. The Commission is also authorized to inquire into specific complaints relating to rights and safeguards of STs and to participate and advise on the Planning Process relating to the socio-economic development of STs and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and States. Read Also  Agroecology The Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) strategy The Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) strategy is a Government of India initiative aimed for the rapid socio-economic development of tribal people. The funds provided under the Tribal Sub Plan of the State have to be at least equal in proportion to the ST population of each State or UTs. Similarly, Central Ministries/Departments are also required to earmark funds out of their budget for the Tribal Sub-Plan. As per guidelines issued by the Planning Commission, the Tribal Sub Plan funds are to be non-divertible and non-lapsable. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes is vested with the duty to participate and advise in the planning process of socio-economic development of STs, and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State. Enroll today with the best civils service academy in Trivandrum and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now

National Nutrition Mission ( Poshan Abhiyaan )

National Nutrition Mission / Poshan Abhiyaan National Nutrition Mission (renamed as POSHAN Abhiyaan) was set up in December 2017. It is a flagship program of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. This mission is aimed at improving the nutritional status of children from 0-6 years, Adolescent girls, Pregnant women and lactating mothers in a time-bound manner during a three year period starting from 2017-2018.  Key proposals The NNM, as an apex body, will monitor, supervise, fix targets and guide the nutrition-related interventions across the Ministries. Mapping of various Schemes contributing towards addressing malnutrition. Introducing a very robust convergence mechanism. ICT based Real-Time Monitoring system. Incentivizing states/UTs for meeting the targets. Incentivizing Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for using IT-based tools. Eliminating registers used by AWWs. Introducing measurement of the height of children at the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Social Audits. Setting-up Nutrition Resource Centres, involving masses through Jan Andolan for their participation in nutrition through various activities, among others. Key facts POSHAN ABHIYAAN will address three aspects—the food that should be given to rein in stunting, undernourishment, low birth weight and anaemia; the delivery system required for it; and monitoring of the entire process. Under the mission, the government is targeting a reduction of 2% a year in stunting, under-nutrition and low birth weight among 100 million people. Also, it aims to reduce anaemia among young children, women and adolescent girls by 3% a year. The mission would include several components like an ICT (information and communications technology)-based real-time monitoring system, incentivizing of states and Union territories to meet their targets, social audits, and setting up of nutrition resource centres.  Implementation Under the National Nutrition Mission, the ministries of women and child development, health and family welfare, and water and sanitation work together. The implementation strategy for the National Nutrition Mission was based on intense monitoring and a convergence action plan up to the grass-roots level. The programme is undertaken in a phased manner, covering 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and the remaining districts in 2019-20. National Nutrition Mission is implemented using information technology as the basic tool. Read Also  Shanta Kumar Committee Recommendations The Progress and achievements till date All districts of 36 States/UTs have been covered for roll-out. State, District and Block level Convergence meetings are held regularly in most of the States/UTs. 17,477 Master Trainers have been trained. States/UTs are at various stages of procurement of smartphones. 3.2 lakh Smart Phones have been procured by the States/UTs. The guidelines /manuals of POSHAN Abhiyaan covering all aspects of the ICDS-CAS software, implementation, etc. have been formalized, printed and distributed up to district level. A ‘Call Centre’ has been established for interventions and beneficiary feedback. A comprehensive Jan Andolan Guidelines have been prepared in consultation with all partners and released to States/UTs and has been implemented by the States/UTs. Mass Media Campaign has also been rolled out through Television and Radio. September 2018 was celebrated as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah(Month) across the country. Under Incremental Learning Approach (ILA), functionaries have been trained on thematic modules following the cascade mode of training of State Resource Group (SRG), District Resource Groups (DRGs) and Block Resource Groups (BRGs  Community-Based Events (CBEs) are organized in a converged manner in Anganwadi Centres with the field functionaries.  Conclusion It is very important to invest in nutrition in India because a balanced diet and healthy nutrition play a pivotal role in the overall development of women and children. Healthy women deliver healthy children and nurture a good society, and healthy and nourished children are the country’s future. Therefore, to tackle under-nutrition problem in the country, various ministries need to work in convergence and not silos and  POSHAN ABHIYAAN is a platform to do so. POSHAN ABHIYAAN will ensure convergence and lead to better results. Read Also Paris Climate Agreement Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join Now

UPSC Mains 2019 Question, English Compulsory Paper

UPSC Mains 2019 Question, English Compulsory Paper Maximum Marks: 300 Time Allowed: Three Hours Question Paper Specific Instructions Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions. All questions are to be attempted. The number of marks carried by a question is indicated against it. Answers must be written in ENGLISH only. Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to and if answered in much longer or shorter than the prescribed length, marks will be deducted. Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck off. English (Compulsory)  Questions  Download Here Read Also  UPSC Mains 2019 Questions   GS1     GS2    GS3   GS4

Green Crackers and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation

Green Crackers and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation Introduction Apart from human activities like mining, construction, transportation, industry, etc. and natural phenomena like volcanic eruptions, wildfires etc., Firecrackers during festivities add to the air pollution which is one of the most serious environmental issues. The Supreme Court of India, in 2018, ruled out complete ban of firecrackers and allowed the use of green crackers. A network of CSIR labs has developed the idea of green crackers since. Why is there a need for Green Crackers? Traditional firecrackers cause air pollution and noise pollution. They contain harmful chemicals such as lead, chromium, cadmium, magnesium, aluminium, nitrates, carbon monoxide, copper, potassium, sodium, manganese dioxide, zinc oxide etc. which can bioaccumulate and damage health. They cause severe health effects like heart diseases, respiratory or nervous system disorders. It also aggravates lesser conditions such as the common cold and coughs. Noise pollution causes restlessness, temporary or permanent hearing loss, high blood pressure; sleep disturbance and even poor cognitive development in kids. Supreme Court Directive The Supreme Court has imposed a ban on the use of five harmful heavy metals like lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of firecrackers as they cause air pollution. The apex court held that it is the responsibility of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) to ensure compliance of ban order particularly in Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu where there are large numbers of firecracker manufacturers. It also asked CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and PESO to make collaborative efforts for setting up of standards with regard to air pollution caused by the bursting of fire-crackers. PESO Suggested that Improved formulation for manufacturing green crackers would reduce the emission of pollutants by 25-30 per cent. What are Green Crackers? Green crackers are crackers devoid of harmful chemicals and within the permitted decibel range. They cause fewer emissions than conventional firecrackers. Hence, they cause reduced air pollution and sound pollution. Components in firecrackers are replaced with others that are less dangerous and less harmful to the atmosphere. It avoids the use of ash or filler materials and uses charcoal as per specifications of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). Commonly used polluting chemicals like aluminium, barium, potassium nitrate and carbon have either been removed or sharply reduced to slow down the emissions by 15 to 30%. Read Also Project 75 I SWAS, STAR and SAFAL The research teams of CSIR labs have come up with 3-4 formulations and tried to reduce 30-40% of active materials which reduce particulate matter. Several crackers such as Bijli (electric) crackers devoid of ash and sound-emitting functional prototypes that do not emit sulphur dioxide are in the testing stage. SWAS is Safe Water Releaser, STAR is Safe Thermite Cracker and SAFAL is Safe Minimal Aluminium. The particulate matter will be reduced by 30-35 per cent in SWAS and 35 to 40 per cent in SAFAL and STAR. These crackers release water vapour, have air as a dust suppressant and diluents for gaseous emissions and are on par with traditional conventional crackers in sound. Several crackers are now in a testing stage at the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) is a non-statutory body that controls and administers the usage of explosives, petrol stations in India. The agency issues licenses for Operation of Petrol Stations, Licenses to operate Petroleum Product Transportation vehicles, Licenses for Refineries, Petrochemical Complexes, etc. The Department is headed by Chief Controller of Explosives and is headquartered at Nagpur. It is responsible for the administration of a host of laws pertaining to the regulation of explosives. These include the Explosives Act, 1884; the Inflammable Substances Act, 1952 and the Explosives Rules, 2008. Objectives: PESO is a subordinate office under the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP). The organization is serving the nation since 1898 as a nodal agency for regulating the safety of substances such as explosives, compressed gases and petroleum. Over the years, the role and responsibilities of PESO have increased manifold and expanded into diverse fields. Today, the organization deals with a wide range of subjects related to explosives, petroleum, compressed gases, pressure vessels, gas cylinders, cross-country pipelines, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Auto Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Auto LPG) etc. The increase in workload is manifested in the quantum jump in the number of licensed premises and other activities. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards yours Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. JOIN NOW

UPSC Mains 2019 Question Paper, Indian Language ( Malayalam )

UPSC Mains 2019 Question Paper, Indian Language ( Malayalam ) Maximum Marks: 300  Time 3Hr. Download UPSC PYQ UPSC Mains 2019 Question Paper, Indian Language ( Malayalam ) DOWNLOAD  Read Also, UPSC Mains 2019 Questions   GS1     GS2     GS3     GS4     English (compulsory) Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now

Methods used by the Farmers Organisations to Influence Policymakers in India

Methods used by the Farmers Organisations to Influence Policymakers in India What are the methods used by the farmers’ organisations to influence policymakers in India and how effective are these methods? Approach It is a direct question. The candidate is expected to enumerate protest and pressuring methods used by farmer organisations to showcase their case and get policy concessions from the government. The answer may be either divided into two parts to explain the effectiveness of the methods as a whole later or the effectiveness of a particular method explained together with the method itself. The candidates are expected to write examples and link current situations to enrich their answer. Content for Answer Methods used by farmer’s organizations Prayers and Petitions The organisations send letters and petitions to the ministries and other executives of the government to argue their case and get concessions. For example, the representatives may meet ministers and civil servants and submit their demands at the stage of policy formulation or release of the budget. Read Also Project 75 I Protests and Demonstrations Protests may take any form – from a peaceful gathering to competing elections against some unpopular politician or even bandhs and hartals. Such methods help get media attention as well as the government’s attention. For eg, recently above 70 farmers filed nominations against a politician to pressure the party to include their demands in the manifesto. Vote Bank and Pressure group Farmers form a very big part of our population. They form several homogenous voting groups and pressure groups to put forward their case. For Eg, Kisan Sabhas Electoral Politics Often farmers’ organisations directly fight the elections and enter the Parliament and State Assemblies. They try to influence the government policies either supporting the government or pressuring it with the opposition. Ex: Political outfits such as Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathan in Maharashtra Read Also National Nutrition Mission / Poshan Abhiyaan Effectiveness These methods have only been partially successful and helped the farmers to gain some concessions such as loan waivers and raising of minimum support prices. Since agriculture still remains the major economic activity in India, any government cannot totally ignore farmers needs. But structural reforms are long overdue in the sector. Such major policy decisions have not been achieved through these methods. The loan waivers and assurances normally coincide with elections and later farmer demands are not properly followed up and goes into cold storage. For example, the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan waived loans off immediately after coming to power but failed to follow up it with any real structural reforms in the agriculture sector of the states Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now