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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: Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To understand the topography of various reliefs of peninsular plateau.
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 emphasising the vast special extension of the Peninsular plateau.
Body:
Write about various landforms constituting the Peninsular plateau such as the Deccan, Bundelkhand, Chotanagpur, Bundelkhand & Northeast plateaus, the western & eastern ghats, Vindhya & Satpura ranges etc and a brief description of their reliefs
Conclusion:
Conclude by saying that the diversity and vastness of the landforms of the peninsular plateau has led to a rich biodiversity of the region.
Introduction
The Peninsular Plateau is a one of the oldest landforms of earth and is roughly triangular in shape with its base coinciding with the southern edge of the great plain of North India. It covers a total area of about 16 lakh sq. km. The average height of the plateau is 600-900 m above sea level. Most of the peninsular rivers flow west to east indicating it’s general slope.
Body
Various reliefs of Peninsular plateau
Deccan trap
- Region formed by the outpouring of basalt over the peninsular surface through fissure eruption during cretaceous period
The Deccan Plateau
- This is bordered by the Western Ghats in the west, Eastern Ghats in the east and the Satpura, Maikal range and Mahadeo hills in the north.
- Western Ghats are locally known by different names such as Sahyadri in Maharashtra, Nilgiri hills in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and Anaimalai hills and Cardamom hills in Kerala.
- Western Ghats are comparatively higher in elevation and more continuous than the Eastern Ghats.
- Their average elevation is about 1,500 m with the height increasing from north to south.
- ‘Anaimudi’ (2,695 m), the highest peak of the Peninsular plateau, is located on the Anaimalai hills of the Western Ghats followed by Dodabetta (2,637 m) on the Nilgiri hills.
- Most of the Peninsular rivers have their origin in the Western Ghats.
Malwa Plateau
- The Malwa plateau is enclosed in west by Vindhya Range
- This mainly consists of the Deccan traps
- Region has black soil
Bundelkhand
- Drought stricken
- Region is made of hard crystalline igneous rock
- Region is characterized by senile topography
Chota Nagpur Plateau
- It is composed of Archean Granite and gneiss rocks with patches of Dharwar rock
- This region has undergone series of upliftment, folding and denudation
- The pat land of western margin are converted into laterite and bauxite due to weathering
- ChotaNagpur consists of series of plateaus standing at different elevations known as pat lands
- Region is drained by rivers like Damodar, Barakar, Subarnarekha, North Koel, South Koel
- Region is known for numerous minerals like Iron, coal, Bauxite etc
The North-eastern Plateau
- In fact it is an extension of the main Peninsular plateau. It is believed that due to the force exerted by the north-eastward movement of the Indian plate at the time of the Himalayan origin, a huge fault was created between the Rajmahal hills and the Meghalaya plateau.
- Later, this depression got filled up by the deposition activity of the numerous rivers. Today, the Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong plateau stand detached from the main Peninsular Block.
- The Meghalaya plateau is further subdivided into three: (i) The Garo Hills; (ii) The Khasi Hills; (iii) The Jaintia Hills, named after the tribal groups inhabiting this region. An extension of this is also seen in the Karbi Anglong hills of Assam.
- Similar to the Chotanagpur plateau, the Meghalaya plateau is also rich in mineral resources like coal, iron ore, sillimanite, limestone and uranium.
- This area receives maximum rainfall from the south west monsoon. As a result, the Meghalaya plateau has a highly eroded surface. Cherrapunji displays a bare rocky surface devoid of any permanent vegetation cover.
Telangana Plateau
- This region has two units a)Telangana and b)Rayalaseema
- Telangana region is peneplain developed over gneiss rock
- Semi-arid region
- Rayalaseema is extension of Karnataka plateau and has cuddapah rocks
Karnataka Plateau
- Dharwad and cuddapah rocks are found so minerally rich belt
- Northern part is covered by basalt lava
- Mullayangiri is highest peak followed by Kudremukh
- Northern uplands has monotonous plateaus while southern uplands are series of rolling plateaus
Dandakaranya
- Densely forested region, known for left wing extremism
- Region covers parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh
- It is drained by Mahanadi, Sabari and Sileru
Vindhya Range
- It has Narmada Tapi rift at its north
- It forms important watershed and constitutes northern boundary of Deccan
- Western part of range is covered under Deccan lava
- Rocks like limestone, shale sandstone are found
- Eastern part of range has moist deciduous forest while west is dry deciduous
Satpura Range
- Parallel to Vindhyas between valleys of Narmada and Tapi
- It extends from Rajpipla in West to Maikal in east
- Rajpipla is covered by Deccan lava and Maikala range has Amarkantak
- Highest point is Dhupgarh near Pachmarhi
- Southern slopes drained by Wainganga, Wardha,Tapi rivers
Western Ghats
- It extends in 6 states from Tapi to Kanyakumari
- Erosion of Basalt Lava gave it step like Topography
- It has 4 important passes, Thalghat-Mumbai to Nashik, Bhor Ghat-Mumbai to pune, palghat ,shencottah gap
- Western and Eastern ghats meet at Nilgiri, Doddabetta
- They have steep slope towards west and gentle slope towards East
- Highest point is Kalsubai while Middle range highest is Kudremukh and southern part highest is Anai mudi
- Ecological sensitive zone
- Known as Ecological hotspot
- Its height decreases till goa and then again increases
Eastern Ghats
- They are old fold mountains and now relict mountains
- They hardly extend south of Nilgiris
- They depict true mountainous character between Mahanadi and Godavari
- Predominant rocks are Khondalites and Charnokites
- Nallamala and palkonda hills are composed of cuddapah and kurnool rocks
Conclusion
This Peninsular plateau has undergone recurrent phases of upliftment and submergence accompanied by crustal faulting and fractures. These spatial variations have brought in elements of diversity in the relief of the Peninsular plateau.
Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To understand the importance of Andaman & Nicobar Islands both strategically and economically for India.
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 a brief on the geographical location of Andaman & Nicobar Islands with respect to mainland India.
Body:
Mention the economic importance such as the prospects of blue economy, tourism sector and strategic importance such as critical role it plays in India’s engagement with the East Asian nations, potential to act as a check on Chinese aggression in the seas, access to important trade routes and sea routes etc. Next mention the need to develop the island to harness its importance through regional infrastructure development as well as robust policy formulation.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating that the island is filled with best opportunities and needs to be harnessed rightly for India’s benefit.
Introduction
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are situated on the eastern side of the India’s mainland and is one of the prettiest islands chain of the Indian Ocean Region. These Islands are situated in Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. These islands are very close to Southeast Asia. These islands are divided by Ten Degree Channel in two parts that is Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands. The total land area of these islands is about 8073km square. The Andaman Group has 325 islands (6170 km2) and Nicobar Group has only 24 islands (1765km2).
Body
As the geopolitical importance of the Indo-Pacific increases, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, located in the Bay of Bengal, will attain increased strategic significance.
Economic importance:
- These islands are full of natural resources.
- Fishing is the major source of income here.
- The main agricultural crops are rice, red oilseeds, rubber, palm and cashew.
- Small scale handicrafts industries are the major contributor of the economy of the people.
- Above all the tourism has become the major industry here during the past few decades.
- The lush green islands are full of floras and faunas.
- Thousands of Indian and foreign tourists came to these islands every year.
- According to Government of India information, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have notified 23 ports for various uses. The biggest and busiest port is Port Blair port.
Geostrategic importance:
- Strategically located, the A&N Islands, larger than several island countries in themselves, are an asset in India’s defence and strategic calculus.
- The Six Degree and Ten Degree Channels in the Andaman Sea which lead to the Malacca Strait are vital to the sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) along which flows global commerce, including energy trade, between Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
- The A&N Islands are at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, and further to the Pacific Ocean, an important fulcrum of the strategic concept of the Indo-Pacific.
- The Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands could be used as a basis for Indian maritime power projection into the Indo-Pacific and even beyond into the south-west Pacific.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be used for India’s Third Fleet and the trans-shipment hub at Car Nicobar, the northernmost island in the chain, could potentially be a strategic game changer, rivalling the ports of Singapore or Colombo.
- India, Japan and the United States could also install sonar surveillance systems in the islands to track Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean. Australia might also choose to take part in such an arrangement.
- the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is an important marker of India’s strategic presence in the Eastern Indian Ocean. In recent years, the Bay of Bengal has emerged as a critical area of interest for China and Chinese companies have been setting up critical shipping and energy infrastructure in Bay states. In a bid to emphasise its regional pre-eminence, the Indian Navy has raised the tempo of naval operations in the Bay of Bengal.
- Beyond active surveillance and submarine hunting, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) is an important marker of India’s strategic presence in the Eastern Indian Ocean.
Conclusion
The A&N Islands have played a key role in enhancing India’s regional engagement with the Bay of Bengal littorals. The GOI constituted the Island Development Agency (IDA) in 2017 for the development of islands.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
3. Critically analyse the various policies aimed at development of tribals in India. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ celebrations to mark the birth anniversary of iconic tribal leader Birsa Munda, who led a rebellion against the British.
Key Demand of the question:
One has to critically present in what way tribal communities have been on the rear end of receiving benefits of the development strategy.
Directive word:
Critically analyze – 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. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start introduction by giving some data justifying the statement. Like, overall poverty in India is 21.9%, whereas for tribal population it stands at 46%.
Body:
Start by explaining how development has had negative impact on tribals overall socio economic development. For eg. Forced migration, loss of livelihood, displacement, acculturation issues, etc. Mention report by Virginius Xaxa committee.
Write about the different measures and recent schemes by Govt. for tribal development such as FRA, PESA, Tribal sub plan approach, Van bandhu scheme, Eklavya scheme, etc.
Add case study and maps to support your discussions above. For eg. Niyamgiri hills-Vedanta group case, Sardar sarovar dam case, Can also add data on development indicators like MMR,IMR ,Literacy rate ,etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
Article 366 (25) of the Constitution defined scheduled tribes as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this constitution”. Article 342, which is reproduced below, prescribes procedure to be followed in the matter of specification of scheduled tribes.
Body
The Scheduled Tribes are notified in 30 States/UTs and the number of individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as Scheduled Tribes is 705. The tribal population of the country, as per 2011 census, is 10.43 cr. constituting 8.6% of the total population. 89.97% of them live in rural areas and 10.03% in urban areas.
Government schemes towards Tribal Welfare
- Pradhan Manti Van Dhan Yojana: It is a market-linked tribal entrepreneurship development program for creating clusters of tribals and strengthening them.
- Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana: Aims at creating enabling environment for need based and outcome oriented holistic development of the tribal people.
- Ekalavya Model Schools: To provide good quality middle and high-level education to Scheduled Tribe students in remote areas, not only to enable them to avail of reservation in high and professional and ensure access to best opportunities in education at par with non ST population.
- Minor Forest Produce: To safeguard fair monetary returns to MFP gatherers for their labours in the collection, primary processing, storage, packaging, transportation etc.
- Vocational Training Centres in Tribal Areas: The main aim of this scheme is to upgrade the skills of the tribal youth in various traditional/ modern vocations depending upon their educational qualification, present economic trends and the market potential, which would enable them to gain suitable employment or enable them to become self-employed.
Shortcomings
- The benefits, have been unsuccessful in reaching the lower strata of the societyand got concentrated in the hands of the upper crust of the tribal community.
- The most important drawback of the tribal in development blocks is that the entireprogram has been carried out depriving the participation of tribal people. The tribals had no predominant say in the programs articulated for their development, nor were their co-operation gained in the implementation of these programs.
- The unchanging bureaucracy has been unsuccessful to fulfil the role of development agency.
- Local politicians and local elite power were also not in the interest of the tribal population.They perpetuated the situation in their self-interest.
- Nutrition and health of the tribal community: It was identified a while ago that sickle cell anaemia is one of the major diseases afflicting the tribal community in the country and a lot of effort is being made to improve the health status of the community.
- Research by the Indian council of Medical research has further shown that the scheduled tribal community is generally at the lower level of nutrition.
- Tribal Housing: Most of the tribals live in single room houses and faced challenges in accessing potable drinking water, Sanitation and electricity access.
Various initiatives have been taken by the Government of India over the years for the development of tribal people in the country, comprising the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes Commission, and TRIFED.
Way forward
- Infrastructure facilities like road connectivity will improve the quality of life in tribal areas, in terms of quick access to health services, better education, and social service. Special focus is also given for repair and maintenance of existing roads in tribal areas.
- The High-Level Committee (Virginius Xaxa committee) has made numerous recommendations such as exclusive mining rights for tribals, greater freedom for tribals to make decisions on land acquisition and other common property resources and, strict implementation of the new land law, Forest Rights Act and strengthening of the PESA.
- It has also proposed a complete overhaul of the legal constitutional regime by recommending that laws and policies enacted by the Parliament and state legislatures shouldn’t be applied automatically in the Fifth Schedule areas.
- State government should be made to obtain permissions from owners and occupiers of land for major minerals, and consult with Gram Sabhain 5th and 6th schedule areas for minor minerals.
- It should be mandated that all clearances (forest and environment) under forest conservation act and wildlife protection act should be taken before a lease was given.
- Tribal cooperatives should be made eligible for grant of license of minor minerals in 5th and 6th schedule areas.
Conclusion
Strengthening of institutions meant for delivery of goods and services with adequate administrative, technical and financial powers such as Tribal Welfare Departments as nodal Department, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs) and creation of new ones where they do not exist etc. Convergence of scattered resources and activities being undertaken under various components is need of the hour.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The latest data on inflation, both in retail and wholesale prices as well as industrial output estimates, suggest it would be prudent to adopt caution on the outlook for the economy.
Key Demand of the question:
To understand the implications of inflation on the economy and its ideal range.
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:
Begin by giving a brief of what is inflation and how it is measured.
Body:
Write about the impact of inflation on growth and recession first and also on the employment generation and its impact of value of dollar and purchasing power parity.
Next, write about how high rate of inflation may have high demand but its has negative impact of unemployment, incomes, wealth etc.
Next, mention the need for a low and steady inflation rate supported by a low rate of borrowing that would promote employment generation and further boost the economy.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating that policy measures must be restrictive or expansionary based on the inflation rates to bring it back to an ideal range for the benefit of the economy.
Introduction
Inflation refers to the increase in the prices of goods and services of daily and common use. Inflation measures the average change in prices of a basket of commodities and services over time.
The latest data on inflation, both in retail and wholesale prices as well as industrial output estimates, suggest it would be prudent to adopt caution on the outlook for the economy.
Body
Positive Impact of Inflation
- Ensures that the central bank regulate the interest rates.
- Encourages non-monetary investment
Negative impacts of Inflation
- Causes a decrease in real value of money and other monetary articles over time.
- Causes uncertainty over the yet to come and this may dampen investment and savings.
- Higher inflation rates may not translate into positive growth or increase in employment generation.
- Higher inflation would reduce the purchasing power parity.
- May lead to deficiencies in goods if consumers start hoarding out of speculation that prices will increase in the future.
Need for stable and low inflation
- improves the well-being of the population
- Promotes the efficient use of productive resources.
- Reduces uncertainty. It has been observed that economies with high inflation also suffer from a more variable type of inflation.
- Prevents arbitrary redistribution of income and wealth, which particularly affect the poorest sectors of society, with the result that wage earners and retired people have fewer mechanisms to protect themselves against the inflationary erosion of their income.
- Can promote stability, confidence, and security thereby encourages investment.
- Low inflation and steady growth rate would make it possible for the government to announce reforms like GST.
- Would encourage employment generation and support positive growth.
Conclusion
Policy measures should be restrictive or expansionary based on the inflation rates to bring it back to an ideal range for the benefit of the economy.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference : The Hindu
Why the question:
Russia has carried out an Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite (DA-ASAT) test by shooting down an old satellite on Monday which has created a huge debris in the low earth orbit
Key Demand of the question:
To understand how space debris is created and ways to avoid 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:
Begin by stating the what is a space debris.
Body:
Explain the various factors leading to production of space debris such as routine space activities and testing or use of destructive anti-satellite weapons. Also, mention the threat posed by space debris to satellites especially to those in the lower earth orbits.
Next, write about international policy on space debris management needs to be put in place mainly to reduce the debris due to routine activity and also destructive testing should go through a rigorous regulation and taking responsibilities by countries who create the debris.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing measures for effective management of Space Debris.
Introduction
Space debris is a term for the mass of defunct, artificially created objects in space, most notably in Earth orbit. It includes the fragments from their disintegration, erosion and collisions. The European Space Agency estimates there are currently 128 million pieces of debris smaller than 1cm, about 900,000 pieces of debris 1–10cm in length, and around 34,000 pieces larger than 10cm in Earth orbit.
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Causes
- Sources of space debris are dead spacecrafts, spent rocket stages, lost equipment, boosters, weapons etc.
- Space debris has become a pressing issue, with objects in orbit flying out of control, posing a risk to satellites and to astronauts.
Impacts
- Space debris poses a global threat to the continued use of space-based technologies that support critical functions like communication, transport, weather and climate monitoring, remote sensing.
- Space junk is a threat to active satellites, unmanned spacecrafts and spaceships.
- International space station:
- Although the ISS uses Whipple shielding to protect itself from minor debris, portions (notably its solar panels) cannot be protected easily.
- There is also the risk, known as the Kessler Syndrome or Kessler Effect, where one piece of debris breaks off and hits another so that it becomes a cascade, which could end up polluting an entire orbit for satellites.
- Earth:
- Although most debris burns up in the atmosphere, larger objects can reach the ground intact. According to NASA, an average of one catalogued piece of debris has fallen back to Earth each day for the past 50 years
Way forward
- An old-fashioned bridge-building between spacefaring nations would help.
- The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, negotiated during an earlier space race with little input from China, is badly in need of an update.
- In particular, provisions that grant countries permanent property rights to their objects in space may complicate efforts to clean up debris.
- Space agencies should fund research into debris-removal technologies—such as those recently demonstrated by Astroscale, a Japanese startup, which hold promise— and consider partnerships with companies developing them.
- The US should also seek to expand the Artemis Accords, a framework for space cooperation that includes (so far) 11 other countries.
- As more nations join, debris-mitigation protocols, such as a requirement to specify which country has responsibility for end-of-mission planning, should become routine.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a non-profit based in New Delhi, will be launching its week-long campaign on ‘Rethinking the AMR agenda’ to mark the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021 starting from November 18-24.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about concerns surrounding AMR and initiatives taken to tackle it.
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:
Define AMR and its causes.
Body:
First, write about the why there is global cause of concern – Superbug, Multi drug resistance to bacterium and viruses, Increased cost of treatment, prolonged hospitalisation, increased mortality and less effective inoculation.
Next, write about the various initiatives to tackle AMR – Global Action Plan on AMR, World Anti-microbial awareness week, Delhi Declaration on AMR, National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance etc. Evaluate its efficacy.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The WHO defines antibiotic resistance (AMR) as a condition wherein microbes survive when exposed to the drug which would have normally caused them to die. It is the resistance acquired by any microorganism like bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasite, etc. against antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarial, and anthelmintic) that are used to treat infections and is regarded as a major threat to public health across the globe.
Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.
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A growing list of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood poisoning, gonorrhoea, and foodborne diseases – are becoming tougher, and at times impossible, to treat as antibiotics become less productive, emergence and spread of resistance is made worse because of procurement of antibiotics for animal and human consumption without a doctor’s supervision or a prescription etc.
AMR: a global threat
- AMR represents an existential threat to modern medicine.
- All these effects will be felt globally, but the scenario in the low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) of Asia and Africa is even more serious.
- 7 million people worldwide die annually because they cannot access drugs for infections that are treatable.
- Without concerted action, Drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, and trigger an economic slowdown to rival the global financial crisis of 2008.warned the UN Ad Hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance in a report.
- It added that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty. In the worst-case scenario, the world will lose 3.8% of its annual GDP by 2050.
- Currently, at least 7,00,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases, including 2,30,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
- It also noted that more and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are becoming untreatable.
- Lifesaving medical procedures are becoming riskier, and food systems are getting increasingly precarious. A very significant part of out-of-pocket expenditure on health care is on medicines. The ineffective drugs and/or second line expensive antibiotics is pushing the treatment costs higher.
- The report noted that the world is already feeling the economic and health consequences as crucial medicines become ineffective.
- Without investment from countries in all income brackets, future generations will face the disastrous impacts of uncontrolled antimicrobial resistance.
Steps to fight AMR:
- Rationalizing antibiotic use to limit antibiotic resistance in India.
- Improving regulation of drug production and sales
- Better managing physician compensation
- Encouraging behaviour change among doctors and patients are of immediate priority.
- Regulation of the e-Pharmacies which gives an easy access to drugs.
- Improved management of the health care delivery systems, both public and private, will minimize conditions favourable for the development of drug resistance.
- Improved awareness of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication. WHO’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week is one such event.
- Reducing the incidence of infection through effective infection prevention and control. As stated by WHO, making infection prevention and hand hygiene a national policy priority.
- Discourage non-therapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in veterinary, agriculture and fishery practices as growth-promoting agents.
- Promoting investments for antimicrobial resistance activities, research and innovations
- Strengthening India’s commitment and collaborations on antimicrobial resistance at international, national and sub-national levels.
- Regulate the release of antibiotic waste from pharmaceutical production facilities and monitoring antibiotic residues in wastewater.
- International alignment and coordination are paramount in both policymaking and its implementation.
- Solutions in clinical medicine must be integrated with improved surveillance of AMR in agriculture, animal health and the environment.
Conclusion
Anti-Microbial Resistance is not a country specific issue but a global concern that is jeopardizing global health security. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health problems. Reducing the incidence of infection through effective infection prevention and control. As stated by WHO, making infection prevention and hand hygiene a national policy priority is need of the hour.
Value addition
Reasons for the spread of AMR:
- Antibiotic consumption in humans
- Unnecessary and injudicious use of antibiotic fixed dose combinations could lead to emergence of bacterial strains resistant to multiple antibiotics.
- Social factors
- Self-medication.
- Access to antibiotics without prescription.
- Lack of knowledge about when to use antibiotics.
- Cultural Activities
- Mass bathing in rivers as part of religious mass gathering occasions.
- Antibiotic Consumption in Food Animals
- Antibiotics which are critical to human health are commonly used for growth promotion in poultry.
- Pharmaceutical Industry Pollution
- The wastewater effluents from the antibiotic manufacturing units contain a substantial amount of antibiotics, leading to contamination of rivers and lakes.
- Environmental Sanitation
- Untreated disposal of sewage water bodies – leading to contamination of rivers with antibiotic residues and antibiotic-resistant organisms.
- Infection Control Practices in Healthcare Settings
- A report on hand-washing practices of nurses and doctors found that only 31.8% of them washed hands after contact with patients.
AMR in India:
- Burden of infectious disease (Bacterial infections) is high and healthcare spending is low.
- The National Health Policy 2017 highlights the problem of antimicrobial resistance and calls for effective action to address it.
- The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) identified AMR as one of the top 10 priorities for the ministry’s collaborative work with WHO.
- In 2012, India’s medical societies adopted the Chennai Declaration, a set of national recommendations to promote antibiotic stewardship.
- India’s Red Line campaign demands that prescription-only antibiotics be marked with a red line, to discourage the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics.
- National Policy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance 2011.
- National Action Plan on AMR resistance 2017-2021.
- India has instituted surveillance of the emergence of drug resistance in disease causing microbes in programmes on Tuberculosis, Vector Borne diseases, AIDS, etc.
- Since March 2014 a separate Schedule H-1 has been incorporated in Drug and Cosmetic rules to regulate the sale of antimicrobials in the country.
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned the use of antibiotics and several pharmacologically active substances in fisheries.
- The government has also capped the maximum levels of drugs that can be used for growth promotion in meat and meat products.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;
7. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)
Difficulty level: Easy
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote and highlighting its core meaning about importance of culture
Body:
Write about how independence by nature should allow people to express their culture. If there are restrictions place of people’s culture, it will defeat the purpose of independence.
Conclusion:
Summarise by highlighting the importance of the quote in the present day.
Introduction
Before independence of India, all nationalist political parties and freedom fighters had a single aim, to get independence and to drive the British away. But what independence means and how we are going to develop our country and our people, are the most important issues. In this light, Deendayal Upadhyaya made this famous quote.
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Culture is the set of practices in a social system. India- Bharat, has its unique culture- The Bharatiya culture. Its main feature is that it views life as an integrated whole, as against the Western culture, where life is treated as various parts which are mended together. He firmly advocated that “one culture policy” is this policy that can preserve the unity and integrity of India and can solve all our problems. The base of our culture is diversity and plurality.
Independence is closely related to one’s own culture. What one means by independence is being dependent on one’s traditions, religion, life style, behaviour, history, principles etc. Independence is being able to do what one desires. Folks should not be forced by the government or by any other agencies to follow a culture. So independence must give freedom for each person to express his/her culture. It shouldn’t be curtailed. Only then, independence of India will contribute to our progress in future.
A nation creates for itself some social systems/ associated cultures. How we live socially is our social culture. Some of these social systems later become an interruption to prosperity of the country. At that point we must give up those systems. As time progresses, those systems may again be useful for us in our future. Certain cultural practices may not be useful in later phases of a country. Forcing to stick to the old culture/ traditions and not being adaptive is a loss of cultural independence. Independence can be summarized as the amalgamation of all the elements that create what we are at a given point of time. Not being able to adapt ourselves like this is a loss of cultural independence
Conclusion
Along with political independence, Indians must have cultural independence too. Else it’s as bad as not getting independence from British.
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