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NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The recent round of the National Family Health Survey 2019-2021, shows that 3% of all pregnancies in India result in abortion. More than half (53%) of abortions in India are performed in the private sector, whereas only 20% are performed in the public sector — partly because public facilities often lack abortion services. More than a quarter of abortions (27%) are performed by the woman herself at home.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the barriers to maternal health services and steps needed to overcome them.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving context and statistics regarding accessibility for women in family planning and maternal health services.
Body:
First, give the various attempts at improving accessibility for women in family planning and maternal health services undertaken by the government in the last few years.
Next, write about the various barriers which prevent women from availing these services and the impact of such barriers.
Next, write about measures that are required in order to ensure safe family planning and maternal health services.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Women, pregnant people and transgender persons in India struggle every day to exert their choice about birthing and their bodily autonomy. According to the World Health Organization, six out of 10 of all unintended pregnancies end in induced abortion. Around 45% of all abortions are unsafe, almost all of which (97%) take place in developing countries.
Body
Background: Family planning and maternal health
- The recent round of the National Family Health Survey 2019-2021, shows that 3% of all pregnancies in India result in abortion.
- More than half (53%) of abortions in India are performed in the private sector, whereas only 20% are performed in the public sector — partly because public facilities often lack abortion services.
- More than a quarter of abortions (27%) are performed by the woman herself at home.
- In another a fact-finding study published in The Lancet in 2018, 73% of all abortions in India in 2015 were medication abortions, and even though these may have been safe — many of these are illegal as per the MTP Act, if they occur without the approval of a registered medical practitioner.
- Another 5% of all abortions were outside of health facilities with methods other than medication abortion.
- These risky abortions are performed by untrained people under unhygienic conditions using damaging methods such as insertion of objects, ingestion of various substances, abdominal pressure, etc.
Barriers to women accessing maternal health services
- Law/legislation: The MTP Act, first enacted in 1971 and then amended in 2021, certainly makes ‘medical termination of pregnancy’ legal in India under specific conditions.
- However, this Act is framed from a legal standpoint to primarily protect medical practitioners because under the Indian Penal Code, “induced miscarriage” is a criminal offence.
- This premise points to a lack of choice and bodily autonomy of women and rests the decision of abortion solely on the doctor’s opinion.
- Not inclusive: The MTP Act also only mentions ‘pregnant woman’, thus failing to recognise that transgender persons and others who do not identify as women can become pregnant.
- Not by choice: MTP Act does not recognise abortion as a choice, they need the approval of medical professionals even in the first few weeks of the pregnancy.
- Stigma: Unmarried and transgender people continue to face stigma and can be turned away from health facilities, forcing them to resort to unsafe care.
- Sexual offences: mandatory reporting requirements under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill (POCSO), 2011 law against child sexual offences, impact privacy and hinder access of adolescents to safe abortion
- Contraception: many are still coerced into agreeing to a permanent or long-term contraceptive method as a prerequisite for getting abortion services.
- Bias of healthcare providers: Health-care providers may impose their own morality by insisting on ‘husbands’ or ‘parental’ consent for abortion.
Ensure safe family planning and maternal health services
- Integrating family planning services into maternal health services can be an effective strategy for reducing unmet need, especially in situations where maternity care is a woman’s primary contact with the health care system.
- Antenatal care provides an opportunity for postpartum family planning education, allowing women to establish healthy birth spacing practices.
- This strategy also benefits women by increasing their participation in the workforce, which in turn raises household income and allows women to invest in themselves and their families.
- Effective contraceptive measures and intrauterine programs especially targeting families of low-income group.
- Government efforts must be localised through village family groups. Creation of Family welfare assistants to reach remote places and isolated families.
- Community training: By training members of the village community, the government can also create village self-help groups. These groups can educate villagers on available birth control measures.
- In cities, areas should be identified with low-income families and trained health workers should be sent to spread awareness on other contraception methods.
Conclusion
There is an urgent need in our country to shift the discourse on abortions from just being a family planning and maternal health issue to one of a sexual health and reproductive rights issue. The situation in India shows that one law alone is insufficient and we must raise the bar on reproductive justice. We must improve our health systems to ensure good quality and respectful abortion care. As the focus on abortion rights in the U.S. rages, we call upon all to self-reflect and to stand in solidarity with people in the U.S. and other places where reproductive rights are in jeopardy. Reproductive injustice anywhere is a threat to the lives of people everywhere.
Value addition
Family planning initiatives in India
- Mission Parivar Vikas: The Government has launched Mission Parivar Vikas for substantially increasing access to contraceptives and family planning services in146 high fertility districts with Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 3 and above in seven high focus states.
- New Contraceptive Choices: New contraceptives viz. Injectable contraceptive and Centchroman have been added to the existing basket of choices.
- A new method of IUCD insertion immediately after delivery i.e.post-partum IUCD (PPIUCD) has been introduced.
- Redesigned Contraceptive Packaging: The packaging for Condoms, OCPs and ECPs has now been improved and redesigned so as to increase the demand for these commodities.
- Scheme for Home delivery of contraceptives by ASHAs at doorstep of beneficiaries.
- Scheme for provision of Pregnancy Testing Kits in the drug kits of ASHAs for use in communities.
- Family Planning Logistic Management and Information System (FP-LMIS): A dedicated software to ensure smooth forecasting, procurement and distribution of family planning commodities across all the levels of health facilities.
- National Family Planning Indemnity Scheme (NFPIS) under which clients are insured in the eventualities of death, complication and failure following sterilization.
- Ensuring quality of care in Family Planning services by establishing Quality Assurance Committees in all states and districts.
Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
A document released on Wednesday by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on “Inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons in the world of work” recommended member countries, employers’ organisations and representatives of workers to launch social protection programmes to remove barriers that LGBTIQ+ persons face in the society.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the discrimination and injustice faced by the LGBTQIA+ community at work and steps needed to end it.
Directive word:
Comment- here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by stating that even though LGBTQIA+ people are given legal backing by abolishing section 377, they are still at the bottom of the hierarchy when it comes to basic human rights within the unit of family and society.
Body:
First, state that the social media campaigns and corporate ads for an inclusive society with respect to LGBTQI+ community have only been to a limited urban population. Many LGBTQI+ persons and their families face the economic costs of their sexual orientation.
Next, write about the steps that are needed to end their harassment and exclusion at work.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
A recent advisory from the National Medical Commission (NMC) emphasising the need to avoid derogatory references to the LGBTQIA+ community in medical textbooks or teaching methods has underscored the value of institutional awareness on issues concerning queer and trans people. The advisory came after the Madras High Court voiced concern over “unscientific and derogatory information” in some textbooks.
Body
Background
- The Delhi High Court’s verdict in Naz Foundation vs Government of NCT of Delhi (2009) was a landmark in the law of sexuality and equality jurisprudence in India.
- The court held that Section 377 offended the guarantee of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution, because it creates an unreasonable classification and targets homosexuals as a class.
- In a retrograde step, the Supreme Court, in Suresh Kumar Koushal vs Naz Foundation (2013), reinstated Section 377 to the IPC.
- However, the Supreme Court in Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. vs Union of India (2018) declared that the application of Section 377 IPC to consensual homosexual behaviour was “unconstitutional”.
- This Supreme Court judgment has been a great victory to the Indian individual in his quest for identity and dignity.
Issues faced by LGBTQIA+ community in India
- No legal recognition of marriage: Same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in India even though many countries like USA, UK have legalised it.
- Issue of rights: The rights enjoyed by opposite-sex couples are not enjoyed by same-sex couples. They are prohibited from those rights. For example-
- The lack of a legal structure around their relationship became increasingly stark when they tried to bring each other on as nominees in insurance and financial plans, just as a married couple did.
- Lack of family support: Lack of communication between LGBT children and the parents often leads to conflict in the family.
- Many LGBT youths are placed in foster care or end up in juvenile detention or on the streets.
- Most often than not, LGBTQ children from poor families are abandoned. They end up begging as there is no avenue for education or employment.
- In some parts, secret honour killings are planned so that the only way for a young gay man to survive is to run away in the cover of the night to some city, with no money or social support.
- Sanctioned rape: In other parts, lesbian women are subjected to family-sanctioned corrective rapes, which are often perpetrated by their own family members.
- Village medics and babas often prescribe rape to cure lesbians of homosexuality. Refusal to marry brings more physical abuse
- Education and health: The LGBTQ children are abandoned and marginalised, who end up being isolated by the rest of the society. They are denied the fundamental right of education as well as health.
Time for changing the societal behaviour towards LGBTQ community
- Change starts at school: Once educational institutions throughout the country, future generations will have a better chance of living up to the ideals of equality.
- Each time a school or college decides to participate in LGBT activism, we come closer to bridging the gap between reality and a truly inclusive society.
- Question the stereotypes: Bridging the gap between academic knowledge and everyday experience means we need people to question stereotypes.
- Say, for example, the rampant telling of homophobic jokes. We need people to pause and ask what’s so funny about such an oppressive take.
- Activism: Creating a critical mass of such an aware group is an important part of activism.
- There must be awareness that such discrimination can impact their dignity and freedom.
- Internet for the rescue: In the absence of family support, online groups and social media have offered accessible alternatives to form a community outside of family. Platforms like Gaysi and Gaylaxy, and publishers like Queer Ink have helped carve out spaces for LGBT people to interact, share and collaborate.
- Such spaces and platforms need to multiply to encourage more people to embrace their sexuality without the fear of backlash from the society.
Conclusion
The LGTBQ community needs an anti-discrimination law that empowers them to build productive lives and relationships irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and place the onus to change on state and society and not the individual. Government bodies, especially related to Health, and Law and Order need to be sensitised to ensure that the LGBTQ community is not denied public services or harassed for their sexual orientation.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Multiple studies show that adolescence is a nutritionally demanding phase of life. Susceptibility of adolescent girls to anaemia is 40% compared to boys at 18%. This is why promoting dietary diversity is crucial during adolescence, as dietary habits are in the formative stage and evidence shows that behaviour imbibed during adolescence has a higher chance of being continued in adult life.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the achievements of POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0 in tackling malnutrition and further steps that are required to make it more holistic.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0, its aims and objectives.
Body:
First, write about the successes of Begin by writing about POSHAN Abhiyaan 1.0 and 2.0 in tackling the issue of hunger and malnutrition.
Next, write about the further changes to its design that are needed to ensure it becomes very holistic in improving overall health.
Next, suggest steps to further streamline POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0 to overcome the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stressing on the fact that by making POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0 a resounding success, India takes a step towards achieving SDG-2.
Introduction
Poshan Abhiyan, which vowed to make India free of malnutrition by 2022, repositioned nutrition as central to development and emphasised its multi-factorial and multi-sectoral nature. It was launched to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcome, with renewed focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition in the country.
Last year, the Ministry for Women and Child Development inaugurated Poshan 2.0 and urged all Aspirational Districts to establish a Poshan Vatika (nutrition garden) during the Nutrition Month (Poshan Mah) from 1st September 2021.
Body
Poshan 2.0: Overview
- Under Poshan 2.0, several related schemes have been merged to tap the synergies.
- Malnutrition hotspots are being identified and 112 aspiring districts will receive extra attention.
- Poshan Maah: It includes a month-long activity focussed on antenatal care, optimal breastfeeding, Anaemia, growth monitoring, girls education, diet, right age of marriage, hygiene and sanitation and eating healthy (Food Fortification).
- The activities focus on Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) and are based on Jan Andolan Guidelines.
- Under the current Poshan Maah, the drive to identify children suffering from severe acute malnutrition has been intensified and Anganwadi workers have been asked to refer those having medical complications to health institutions and NRCs.
- Poshan Vatika: Its main objective is to ensure supply of nutrition through organically home-grown vegetables and fruits simultaneously ensuring that the soil must also remain healthy.
- Plantation drives for Poshan Vatikas would be taken up by all the stakeholders in the space available at anganwadis, school premises and gram panchayats.
Changes required to make POSHAN 2.0 more holistic and comprehensive
- Promoting dietary diversity: Susceptibility of adolescent girls to anaemia is 40% compared to boys at 18%. This is why promoting dietary diversity is crucial during adolescence.
- Anaemia prevalence: The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019 shows that even before the pandemic, consumption of diverse food groups among adolescents was low. The fallout of COVID-19 has further worsened dietary diversity, especially of women, adolescents and children.
- Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation: First, along with continued service delivery of WIFS, the government’s health and nutrition policies need to emphasise on strong compliance to diverse diets and physical activities. This includes locally sourced fruits and vegetables, seasonal diets, and the inclusion of millets.
- Counselling: There is a need for strengthened nutrition counselling for adolescent girls through community workers’ home visits, by building a strong ecosystem in schools to promote healthy habits and diets, virtual counselling, and comprehensive nutrition counselling through community-based events and Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Days.
- Nutri-smart schools: We need to promote good nutrition among adolescents through Nutri-Smart schools (building kitchen gardens in schools), which are already being implemented in some States. Such initiatives will increase awareness, improve availability, and accessibility to diverse foods groups.
- Increasing marriageable age: Further, food diversification is required to be complemented with reformative steps such as the recent amendment of increasing the legal age of marriage for women from 18 years to 21 years.
- However, for such legislation to have the best impact, it is equally crucial to ensure that girls remain in school or formal education, their safety is ensured, and their health and nutrition are prioritised.
- Micro-nutrients and Hidden Hunger: Currently, 80% of adolescents suffer ‘hidden hunger’ due to micro nutrient deficiencies.
- The trend is more prevalent in girls as they already suffer multiple nutritional deprivations.
- We need to strengthen our policy initiatives to address deficiencies of not just iron and folic acid, but also vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc.
- Tackling Obesity: Given that over 10% of adolescents are overweight in 12 States of India, strict action plans need to be devised against the sale and advertisement of unhealthy foods and beverages.
Way forward and conclusion
- Community management protocols: For those facing severe acute malnutrition without medical complications, community management protocols should be strengthened, so that they do not go on to develop medical complications in times of the pandemic.
- Adaptation: Fresh waves of Covid cannot be ruled out in the near future, and we must adapt our nutrition interventions to the possibility of such repeated shocks.
- Document Learning: Rising above political differences, it is important to document and learn from states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which have scaled up Community-based Management of Malnutrition practices in recent times, so that best practices can be adopted and incorporated.
- Revamp health awareness and monitoring: Other activities, such as making new mothers breastfeed for longer, managing childhood diarrhoea, distributing deworming tablets and iron and folic acid diligently while convincing target groups to take these diligently will go a long way in improving the nutrition status of children and new mothers.
- Food fortification to ensure essential micro nutrients reach the body.
Value Addition
POSHAN Abhiyaan
- Also called National Nutrition Mission, was launched by the government on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on 8th March, 2018.
- The Abhiyaan targets to reduce Stunting, undernutrition, Anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.
- It also targets to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 4% to 25% by 2022.
Malnutrition in India
- India, currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the worlde. around 195 million.
- Nearly 47 million or 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential because of chronic undernutrition or stunting.
- 9% of children under 5 years are stunted and 20.8% are wasted, compared to the Asia average of 22.7% and 9.4% respectively.
- Rate of overweight and obesity continues to rise, affecting almost a fifth of the adults, at 21.6% of women and 17.8% of men.
- Inequities in food and health systems increase inequalities in nutrition outcomes that in turn can lead to more inequity, perpetuating a vicious cycle.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3.
Key Demand of the question:
To bring out the interlinkage between climate change, farming, poverty alleviation and food security in India and the role climate smart agriculture can play in this regard.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining climate smart agriculture.
Body:
First, write about describing the vagaries of agriculture brought about by climate change such as higher ambient temperatures, less predictable rains, frequent droughts and cyclones.
Next, write about the major features of climate smart agriculture and benefits offered by climate smart agriculture – increase sustainable productivity, strengthen farmers’ resilience, reduce agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration. Substantiate with examples.
Next, mention the limitations associated with by climate smart agriculture and ways to overcome it.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Climate change directly affects agricultural production as this sector is inherently sensitive to climatic conditions and is one of the most vulnerable sectors at the risk and impact of global climate change.
FAO defines Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as “agriculture that sustainably increases productivity, enhances resilience (adaptation), reduces/removes GHGs (mitigation) where possible, and enhances achievement of national food security and development goals”
Body
India’s vulnerability: Need for Climate-Smart agriculture in India
- India’s agricultural ecosystem is distinguished by high monsoon dependence and with 85% small and marginal landholdings, it is highly sensitive to weather abnormalities.
- There has been less than normal rainfall during the last four years, with 2014 and 2015 declared as drought years.
- There are also reports of an escalation in heat waves, which in turn affecting crops, aquatic systems and livestock.
- The Economic Survey 2017-18 has estimated farm income losses between 15% and 18% on average, which could rise to 20%-25% for unirrigated areas without any policy interventions.
- These projections underline the need for strategic change in dealing with climate change in agriculture.
- There will be an increased risk of pests and diseases due to change in the pattern of host and pathogen interaction. For every two-degree rise in temperature, the agriculture GDP of India will reduce by five percent.
- The recent locust attack is also attributed to climate change, which can have highly disastrous effect on food security.
- Poor agricultural performance can lead to inflation, farmer distress and unrest, and larger political and social disaffection, all of which can hold back the economy. It will force farmers to either adapt to challenges of climate change or face the risk of getting poorer.
Climate Smart Agriculture: Solving food security and climate change problems
- Increased productivity: Produce more food to improve food and nutrition security and boost the incomes of 75 percent of the world’s poor who live in rural areas and mainly rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
- Enhanced resilience: Reduce vulnerability to drought, pests, disease, and other shocks; and improve capacity to adapt and grow in the face of longer-term stresses like shortened seasons and erratic weather patterns.
- Reduced emissions: Pursue lower emissions for each calorie or kilo of food produced, avoid deforestation from agriculture and identify ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere.
- The climate-smart agriculture approach seeks to reduce trade-offs to make crop and livestock systems, forestry, and fisheries and aquaculture more productive and more sustainable.
- Climate-smart agriculture explicitly looks for where there are synergies and trade-offs among food security, adaptation and mitigation. Climate smart agriculture works through several dimensions to reorient agricultural development and management to take climate change into account.
- Management of farms, crops, livestock, aquaculture and capture fisheries to balance near-term food security and livelihoods needs with priorities for adaptation and mitigation.
- Ecosystem and landscape management to conserve ecosystem services that are important for food security, agricultural development, adaptation and mitigation.
Way forward and Conclusion
- Farmers, especially smallholder farmers, need handholding during their scaling up to adopt CSA.
- Mobile telecommunication systems are increasingly cost-effective and an efficient way of delivering weather-based agro-advisories to farmers at a large scale (Kisan app).
Radio (especially community radio), television, newspapers, folk media, and village level public address systems will also need to be used to bridge this “communication divide.” - Weather-based agro-advisories must be locale-specific, crop-and farmer-specific; need to also recommend soil, water, and biodiversity conservation practices. Integrating this with Soil Health Card scheme will be a good step forward.
- Build adaptive capacities to climate variability and strengthen the sustainability of farming systems.
- On-site training and awareness campaigns, technology demonstrations, farmer-specialist interactions, and engagement with local governance bodies.
- Soil health and need-based irrigation management need to be addressed adequately.
- Closer collaboration between public, civil society, and private technology and financial service providers so that farmers get access to accurate information, and affordable technologies.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the scope and limiting factors in the growth of nuclear energy.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context regarding the development of nuclear energy in India.Body:
First, mention about the huge potential for growth, emission-free nature and consistent nature of nuclear energy production in contrast with wind and solar energy.
Next, evaluate the various factors for a running nuclear power plant such as land requirement, man power, financing, fuel enrichment and manufacturing needs etc.
Next, highlight the delays in rolling out the second stage of the nuclear fuel program. Technological problems arising in the process of commissioning the Pressurized Fast Breeder Reactor and the associated time and cost overruns.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Introduction
Nuclear energy is undoubtedly most controversial, yet critical part for India’s future energy security. As we know India’s annual energy demand is expected to rise to 800 GW by 2032, it is very important to consider every source of energy in the optimum energy mix. Arguments in favor of nuclear energy become even more compelling if we consider vast thorium reserves that India have.
Body
Background
- India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) outlines its intent to scale up the country’s clean-energy capacity.
- At the same time, India’s energy poverty remains a big challenge, and the pursuit of the country’s development agenda is contingent on extending energy access to millions of citizens who continue to lack connectivity to the power grid.
- While successive governments have long touted nuclear power as the solution to India’s energy woes, actual performance has merely flattered to deceive.
- India’s waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group and its agreement with the global atomic body, IAEA, have resulted in limited breakthroughs in the last decade.
Scope of nuclear energy in India
- Availability of Thorium: India is the leader of the new resource of nuclear fuel called Thorium, which is considered to be the nuclear fuel of the future.
- With the availability of Thorium, India has the potential to be the first nation to realise the dream of a fossil fuel-free nation.
- Cuts Import Bills: Nuclear energy will also relieve the nation of about $100 billion annually which we spend on importing petroleum and coal.
- Stable and Reliable Source: The greenest sources of power are definitely solar and wind. But solar and wind power, despite all their advantages, are not stable and are dependent excessively on weather and sunshine conditions.
- Nuclear power, on the other hand, provides a relatively clean, high-density source of reliable energy with an international presence.
- Cheaper to Run: Nuclear power plants are cheaper to run than their coal or gas rivals. It has been estimated that even factoring in costs such as managing radioactive fuel and disposal nuclear plants cost between 33 to 50% of a coal plant and 20 to 25% of a gas combined-cycle plant.
Various factors and issues in running a nuclear reactor
- Supply of raw materials for nuclear power: India’s domestic Uranium Reserve can support only 10000 MW of energy. So, our future potential depends upon development of third stage of Nuclear Program.
- Otherwise, there will be again overdependence upon imported Uranium as it is case with Oil currently. Hence, long term strategy will be only determined when third stage is functional.
- Water consumption: Current Nuclear reactors consume significant amount of water. So, most of upcoming plants will be set up near sea coasts.
- It will put pressure on the coastline as India’s Western coastline is home to fragile ecology of Western Ghats.
- Operationalisation: Further, till now only 21 plants have been operational. There are long gestation periods which increase costs of the plant
- Only a Nuclear Industry revolution in the future in nuclear energy can make this achievable.
- Safety: New safeguard requirements post Fukushima disaster, has pushed per MW costs of nuclear reactors significantly higher in comparison to Thermal, solar and wind plants.
- Jaitapur plant in Maharashtra (AREVA) is expected to cost 21 crore/ MW in comparison other sources cost 8-10 crore/ MW.
- It is to be seen that whether differences of operational/ running costs justify such higher capital expenditure on nuclear plants.
- Lifecycle costs: Some argue that Total costs of a Nuclear Lifecycle which involves Mining of Uranium, transportation and storage, capital costs of plants, processing/ reprocessing of plants, possible disasters and then handling of waste generated for hundreds of years is significantly more that economic value generated during lifetime of the functioning of the plant, which is generally 40-50 years.
- Terror attacks and sabotage: Nuclear installations will be favourite targets of terrorists (also in case of war) which can cause irreversible damage to people living in nearby areas.
- Russia targeting Ukraine nuclear reactor in the recent crisis.
- Proliferation: In long run if worldwide dependence on nuclear energy increases, it will be most unavoidable way of nuclear proliferation as interest and attempt to invest in indigenous industry will increase.
- Otherwise, smaller counties will continue to buy relevant technologies or components from a few western countries which will serve private interest of few.
- Waste disposal: India doesn’t yet have credible waste disposal policy and infrastructure in place.
- Acquisition of Land: Land acquisition and selection of location for Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is also a major problem in the country.
- NPP’s like Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu and Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh have met with several delays due to the land acquisition related challenges.
Conclusion
India’s nuclear power could provide a reliable solution to India’s power demand as against wind and solar that is not available round the clock. This could further lead to a reduction in India’s contribution to global Green House Gases (GHG) which stood at 6.55%, with energy sector contributing a little over two-third towards it. India’s current nuclear power capacity of 6,790 MW is expected to increase to 22,480 MW by 2031. This in turn is going to assist the country in meeting zero energy targets along with other clean energy sources.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Work culture, Quality of service delivery.
Difficulty level: Tough
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key demand of the question:
To write about ethics and importance of core values in a ever changing environment.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin the answer by defining core values.
Body:
Explain in detail the importance of core values system – form the foundation on which an organisation performs work, accomplish missions, how to reward, Guide us in making decisions, Govern personal relationships and Articulate what we stand for etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stressing on the importance of core value system.
Introduction
Core values can be defined as those which are inherent and sacrosanct; they can never be compromised, either for convenience or short-term economic gain. In the context of business ethics or company ethics, they are the source of a company’s distinctiveness and must be maintained at all costs.
Body
Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or organization. These guiding principles dictate behaviour and can help people understand the difference between right and wrong. Core values also help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their goals by creating an unwavering guide.
Integrating Core Values into company’s actions
- Core values need to be integrated into every employee-related process—hiring methods, performance management systems, criteria for promotions and rewards, and even dismissal policies.
- From the first interview to the last day of work, employees should be constantly reminded that core values form the basis for every decision the company makes.
- Core values usually complement the corporation’s mission statement. There are many examples of common core values for a business or other type of organization.
- Eg: A commitment to sustainability and to acting in an environmentally friendly way.
- Govern personal relationships: Core values helps in creating peer to peer relationships in a company. They strive to keep employee relations amicable, respectful and enagaging.
- Guide business processes: Any business decision is guided by core values, be it creativity, innovative, commitment towards society while execution and so on.
- Objectives of Core values:
- Guides in making decisions
- Underpin the whole organization
- Require no external justification
- Essential tenets
Conclusion
In an ever-changing world, core values are constant. Core values are not descriptions of the work done by a company or the strategies employed to accomplish some mission. The values underlie the work, how they interact with each other, and which strategies are employed to fulfil a company’s mission. The core values are the basic elements of how one goes on about their work.
Topic: Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about taking an empathetic approach towards reducing hate and aggression in order to end gun violence.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the various causes of gun violence.
Next, state the need for a humane and persuasive approach to ensure that aggression and hate are addressed leading to a attitudinal change. Also, mention about the role of strong gun control laws in curbing violence.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The U.S. once again faced the grim consequences of its unwillingness to tackle gun violence at its source when a man shot dead at least 19 children and two adults, including a teacher, at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
Gun violence is an urgent, complex, and multifaceted problem. It requires evidence-based, multifaceted solutions. Psychology can make important contributions to policies that prevent gun violence.
Body
Causes of gun violence
- The factors that contribute to a child picking up a gun are varied and often poorly understood. However, in the context of urban communities, youth violence can be associated with fear, need for protection, distrust of police due to entrenched discrimination and discriminatory policing, and desire for peer respect and approval, as well as involvement in criminal activities.
- Gun violence is particularly prevalent in the Americas where easy access to firearms, weak regulation or poor implementation of laws designed to combat firearms violence prevail.
- Any kind of aggression is linked to socio-economic and environmental factors — creating a self-perpetuating cycle often more prevalent in marginalized communities where discrimination has taken a toll. Due to a lack of alternatives, these communities often become hotbeds for gun violence and substance abuse.
Prevention of gun violence
- Sensible gun laws: Reduce easy access to dangerous weapons by requiring universal background checks without loopholes, instituting waiting periods, and reinstituting the assault weapons ban immediately.
- Establish a culture of gun safety: Reduce firearm access to youth and individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others. This includes keeping guns out of the hands of those who have been violent toward their partners and families, and those with previous violent convictions.
- Hold the gun industry accountable and ensure there is adequate oversight over the marketing and sales of guns and ammunition.
- Insist on mandatory training and licensing for owners.
- Require safe and secure gun storage.
- Health system: Establish a comprehensive health system in which violence prevention is a health system responsibility and imperative.
- Community healing: Prevent community trauma. Invest in communities to promote resilience and mental health and wellbeing.
- Support healthy norms about masculinity: Explore the pathways between gun violence and harmful norms that have been about maintaining power and privilege.
Conclusion
Endemic firearm violence and associated insecurity can have a particularly serious impact on children and adolescents, including by disrupting school attendance and retention, damaging the learning environment, and reducing the quality of teaching. This can in turn lead to poorer life outcomes regarding employment and income, and perpetuate cycles of deprivation, crime and violence.
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