2023

Most nations that fall in the category of developed states were centres of manufacturing at some point or other. Manufacturing creates the most value, at mass for nations. Small industries can contribute immensely to the GDP considering 50% of our imports and around 30% of GDP comes from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Government policies to boost manufacturing

• Make in India Initiative: The programme aims to facilitate investment, foster innovation, and build infrastructure for manufacturing. It aims to promote India as a global manufacturing hub.
• Industrial Corridor Development Programme: This is implemented in collaboration with state governments to develop greenfield industrial regions.
• Ease of Doing Business: The objective is simplification of procedures, rationalisation of legal provisions, digitisation of government processes, for an ease of doing business.
• National Single Window System: It provides a one-stop shop and support to investors, including pre-investment advisory, provide information related to land banks and facilitate clearances at Centre and State level.
• PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP): It seeks to facilitate data-based decisions related to integrated planning of multimodal infrastructure, thereby reducing logistics cost.

Policies particularly for MSMEs

• Udyami Mitra Portal: It improves accessibility of credit and handholding services.
• MSME Sambandh: To monitor the implementation of the public procurement from MSMEs by Central Public Sector Enterprises.
• MSME Samadhan: It provides resolution on cases related to delayed payment by Government organisations.
• Digital MSME Scheme: It provides cloud-based infrastructure for MSMEs.

MSMEs contribute around 8% to India's GDP, employ over 60 million people, and have a significant share in exports and manufacturing. Therefore, they are crucial for the overall economic development of India. In the last few years, MSMEs have grown considerably and will continue to do so considering the growing trends and conducive policies.

Digitalization is the process of moving to an internet-based infrastructure of doing things which generally increases economic and managerial efficiency in a business.

Indian economy has ample scope and potential of digitalization as around 77% of the population has active cellular connection and 1/3 of the population uses social media. With penetration rate of 48.7% India has around 700 million internet users.

Problems in digitalization

• Cost: While digitalization reduces operational costs for the business, setting up infrastructure is a high-cost occurrence.
• Infrastructure: The unavailability of internet and its regular services in areas with less infrastructural development is a problem.
• Privacy: A grave concern with digitalization is the vulnerability to security breaches and subsequent compromising of data.
• Digital Literacy: Digital literacy in India is also low especially in rural areas. Women have even lower digital literacy.

Possible improvements

• Comprehensive Policy: Policies that address the current issues of privacy, security, digital literacy and work towards building infrastructure are needed.
• Investments: Digital infrastructure and digital literacy need to be worked on and thus significant investing needs to be done.

While the digitalization in India has grown sharply in the past few years, with digital economy’s contribution to Gross Value Added (GVA) increasing from 5.4% in 2014 to 8.5% in 2019 much work still needs to be done.

e-Technologies include digital information-based systems which have grown exponentially in the past few years pervading all parts of our life. Agriculture too has redeemed benefits with its integration.

Benefits in agriculture

• Irrigation: With the induction of artificial intelligence (AI) enabled methods, watering the crops has become much easier and more efficient with reduced water usage.
• Climate Prediction: Predicting the climate via processing of data gathered from sensors over a period can help the farmer make decision on crop cycles and cropping patterns.
• Crop Safety: Using sensors and integrated systems, the safety of crops from vermin and pests can be ensured.
• Easy Financing: Faster sanction of loans is possible due to increased banking networks established upon internet and databases.
• Alternative Methods: Methods such as aquaponics and hydroponics can be integrated with e-technology to automate, control and perform functions generally done by humans

Benefits in marketing

• Online Marketplace: Selling of agricultural produce has become much easier thanks to online platforms that can show real-time availability of products.
• Shorter Supply Chain: This can be achieved due to increased information dispersal leading to an optimised transportation and warehousing process.
• Real Time Price Updation: Farmer and the consumer can both benefit from real time price updation due to enhanced transparency.

e-Technology has made agriculture much more transparent and provided farmers with efficient crop production tools that greatly reduce the stress.

Land holding, introduced on the recommendation of the Kumarappa committee, has transformed India immensely in various social, political and economic dimensions.

Objectives of land reform

• Restore Rights of Cultivators: Through introduction of these reforms, rights of the small farmers who were traditionally owners of their lands was restored.
• Records: Updation of records to reduce disputes among citizens has been achieved.
• Empowerment: It has led to empowerment of marginalised communities as they often have low land holding that contribute to reduced socioeconomic status.
• Social Equality: Equitable distribution of resources leads to reduced social marginalisation.

Measures taken

• Land Ceilings: Government put up a cap on the amount of land that could be kept by a person or family.
• Abolition of Zamindari: This was achieved through passing of various legislations by states, e.g., the Zamindari Abolition Act, 1950 (Uttar Pradesh).
• Cooperative Farming: Farmers were encouraged to pool resources and do farming as a community.

The land ceiling policy imposes limits on the maximum extent of land an individual or family can own. By limiting land ownership, land ceiling policies aim to reduce the concentration of land in the hands of a few wealthy landowners.

Land ceiling as an effective reform

• Increased equitable land distribution contributes to a wider base of population that can contribute immensely to economic growth of the country.
• With a wider population experiencing economic growth, people are bound to get better health, and prefer better education for their offspring. This elevates standard of living.
• Wider tax base is provided with increased number of farmers earning from their lands, which leads to better tax collection.

Land reforms in India have not just helped in providing resources to the landless, but also in addressing historical injustices and imagining a more inclusive future.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the epitome of information technology excellence in the world right now. It is the closest that we have come to developing a human-like intelligence in a computer and it is based on processing a plethora of data.

AI in clinical diagnosis

• Comprehensive Analysis: AI can help process a large amount of data and based on previous medical history it can provide a comprehensive analysis of the patient’s health.
• Early Detection: Patterns in data are easily detectable by AI. Through data sets of thousands of people, AI can predict a disease that is possible for a particular individual with particular symptoms.
  • For example, AI has been reported to recognize patterns in people with family history of heart disease and suggest which ones of them were at risk.
• Helping Hand: Rather than replacing doctors, AI can help by supplementing their efforts and making the decision easier to take.
• Monitoring: AI based wearable devices can help monitor the levels of various parameters of health of an individual.
  • For example, monitoring of blood pressure by smart watches.

Threats of privacy

• Big Data: AI becomes ‘intelligent’ by processing huge amounts of data. People's consent becomes necessary, but it is generally not adhered to.
• Data Breach: With big databases comprising individual’s medical records, the value of security goes up significantly as the data breach can lead to serious repercussions.

The advent of Artificial Intelligence continues to cause massive changes throughout the world in all sectors. Healthcare has already been revolutionised by technology but its better utility depends on proper redressal of concerns.

Microorganisms like algae, bacteria etc., can be used to generate several fuels, including ethanol, hydrogen, methane, lipids, and butanol out of raw organic materials, thereby converting the chemical energy in the biomass into chemical energy in the form of fuels.

Microorganism can help in meeting the current fuel shortage

• Biofuel Production: Certain microorganisms such as algae and bacteria can be used to produce biofuels like biodiesel and bioethanol. For example, algae can convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into lipids, which can be processed into biodiesel.
• Biogas Production: Microbes are used in anaerobic digestion to break down organic waste, such as agriculture residues, sewage etc. to produce biogas.
• Hydrogen Production: Several microorganisms can produce hydrogen gas through fermentation processes which can be further used as a clean fuel in various applications, including fuel cells, which can power vehicles.
• Bioremediation: Microorganisms can help in cleaning oil spills and contaminated sites by breaking down hydrocarbons which can be used to recover useful hydrocarbons from polluted areas.
• Carbon Capture and Utilization: Microorganisms can capture and convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industrial processes into biofuels.

The development of pilot plants for microbial energy fuel production is necessary to mitigate the fuel shortage and not only can it reduce the higher crude prices but also can serve the environment in a sustainable way.

A dam failure is simply an uncontrolled release of water from a reservoir through a dam because of structural failures or deficiencies in the dam. Ranked third in terms of building large dams, dam failure in India can potentially result in a release of large quantities of water imposing risks on the people or property downstream.

Causes of dam failures

• Overtopping: It is caused due to poor spillway design, leading to a reservoir filling too high, especially in times of heavy rainfall.
• Foundational Defects: Instability of slopes can lead to seepage of water beneath the dam.
• Operational Failures: Valves and conduit failures often cause improper functioning which can lead to inadequate water discharge.
• Geological Instability: Tectonic induced calamities like landslides, earthquakes can pose a threat to dam structures.
• Ageing Dams: Rising frequency of flooding and other environmental changes can accelerate the dam’s ageing process.
• Structural Failure: Inadequate design, construction materials, or maintenance can lead to dam collapse.

Examples of large dam failures

• Machchu II Dam Failure (1979): Due to heavy rainfall and improper design, the Machchu II Dam in Gujarat burst, resulting in a catastrophic flood. The torrential flow destroyed villages, claiming the lives of over 2,000 people.
• Tiware Dam Failure (2019): Situated in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, the Tiware dam breached due to excessive rainfall, flooding seven villages and killing several people.

Efforts like the Dam Safety Act 2021 and Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) are the steps in right direction to prevent catastrophic events of dam failure in India.

Oil pollution, also known as oil contamination or oil spills refers to the release of crude oil or refined petroleum products into the water bodies caused due to accidents involving oil tankers, pipelines, offshore drilling rigs, or other industrial processes.

Its impacts on the marine ecosystem

• Harm to Marine Life: It causes difficulty in regulating marine animals body temperatures by coating feathers of seabirds, fur with oil spills which leads to hypothermia.
• Toxicity: Crude oil components are toxic to marine organisms and causes damage to their organs, impairing reproduction.
• Habitat Destruction: Oil spills can damage coral reefs, seagrass beds, and marshes which are critical for marine life.
• Disruption of Food Chain: Loss of biodiversity can have a cascading effect, as many species are interdependent. For example, phytoplankton, the primary producer can be killed due to oil contamination.

Oil pollution is particularly harmful for a country like India for several reasons

• Economic Impact: India is world's second-largest aquaculture nation and the third-largest fish producer after China. Oil pollution can disrupt fishing and tourism industries.
• Environmental Consequences: India is home to diverse marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves etc., oil pollution can lead to loss of biodiversity.
• Health Implications: India has a coastline of over 7500 km. Oil spill can pose a significant health threat to coastal communities and people who rely on sea food.

Oil pollution is a matter of concern for India and efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of oil spills are essential to protect the country’s coastal environment, economy and well-being of its coastal communities.

Winning of ‘Hearts and Minds’ refers to the government backed people-centric approach to win support of the local people to restore their trust in the system in conflict ridden regions like Kashmir where goal is to counteract the influence of terrorism.

Measures adopted by the government with respect to Kashmir

• Abrogation of Article 370: For greater integration of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of India and bringing youth into mainstream, special status of Jammu & Kashmir has been abrogated.
• Youth participation:
  • Under project Sadhbhavana, Army Goodwill Schools (AGS), hostels and vocational courses were launched; teenagers and the elderly were taken on a ‘Bharat Darshan’ and cricket tournaments were organized for youth in the Valley.
  • Project Himayat was launched for capacity building and Project Umeed for empowering J&K women.
• Infrastructure Developments: Emphasis has been laid on creating infrastructure in transportation, health etc. For example, PM’s development package for J&K, Khelo India centers in J&K.
• Development of Tourism, Arts and Crafts Sectors: The new Wool Processing, Handicrafts and Handloom Policy, 2020 has been adopted for promotion and development of handicrafts and handloom sector.
• Anti-Radicalisation Drives: To make people of Kashmir feel less alienated and more incorporated towards Indian cause, anti-radicalisation drives were launched.
• Political Engagements: Engagement with young breed of political leaders for encouraging political dialogues and promoting regional youth participation in local politics is being promoted.

Though the government approach is to restore peace, stability, and development in the region, the situation in Kashmir remains complex. It is high time that government implements more such policies for complete integration of the state's people with the rest of India.

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a “remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry cameras, sensors, communications equipment or other payloads like arms/ammunitions, drugs. It can be used by our adversaries across the border and can be a serious threat to internal security.

Cause of concern

• They can fly at high altitudes and low speeds making it difficult for border security forces to detect and intercept them.
• They can be remotely controlled and flown from a safe distance, reducing the risk to human operatives engaging in infiltration attempts.
• Drones can also be used for espionage purposes, allowing unauthorized individuals to gather sensitive information about military installations, critical infrastructure, and other key targets.

Measures taken by Indian government to tackle threats

• Technological Upgradation: Deployment of anti-drone weapons, detection systems like radars, jammers, e.g., anti-drone systems like the SkyWall 100 and the DroneGun Tactical CHIMERA anti-drone system, developed using French technology.
• Military Intelligence: The BSF conducts round-the-clock surveillance through patrolling, checkpoints, and observation posts, erected a border fence and installed floodlights.
• Institutional: MHA has established Anti Rogue Drone Technology Committee (ARDTC) to evaluate the technology available to counter rogue drones.
• Governmental Collaboration: Active collaboration with countries like Israel for high end drones.
• DRDO Nishant: Primarily designed for intelligence-gathering over enemy territory, it is also used for reconnaissance, training, surveillance, target designation, artillery fire correction, and damage assessment.
• Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) strategy: It includes blocking communication lines and bringing down unwanted drones.

With the emergence of technology comes the threat to internal security. Therefore, a comprehensive drone strategy that includes private participation for developing high end drones is the need of an hour.

Structural unemployment is basically an involuntary unemployment that occurs because of a structural change in the economy, such as the development of a new technology or industry or due to the mismatch in skills possessed by the populations and the job available in the market.

Major reasons for structural unemployment in India include labour market rigidities, geographic mismatch, agriculture dependency, infrastructure bottlenecks, and regulatory challenges.

Methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country

• Computation by NSSO using:
  • Current Weekly Status (CWS): Under this, a shorter reference period of a week is adopted. Individuals are counted as employed if they have worked for at least one hour on at least one day in the preceding seven days. For example, Labour Force Participation Rate in CWS in urban areas for persons aged 15 years and above increased to 48.2 per cent in the October-December quarter of 2022.
  • Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (UPSS): It is determined based on the activity one spent the most time in the previous year.
  • Current Daily Status: It indicates the number of people who did not find work for one or more days in a week.
• Labor Bureau Surveys: Labor Bureau conducts survey to obtain data on unemployment and employment in India. For example, All-India Quarterly Establishment-based Employment Survey (AQEES).

Way forward

• Increase in Frequency of Surveys: It is important to ensure timeliness and updating of the surveys as increased frequency provides better understanding of changing employment trends.
• Modernizing Agriculture: Increase in investment in agriculture could have a multiplier effect through backward and forward linkages, e.g., promoting cold storages.
• Incorporation of Informal Sector: More than 80 percent of the labour force is employed in informal sector which needs to be incorporated in the formal sector.
• Seasonal Adjustments: Improve seasonal adjustment techniques to account for the impact of agriculture and other seasonal employment trends.

To conclude, it is high time that certain computational methodologies need to be enhanced to envisage making India as one of the largest economies and nurture the rich demographic dividends with few bottlenecks and unemployment hurdles.

The ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’ deal with nature and value of the work and are two different aspects of economic activities.

Care economy refers to the unpaid or underpaid work related to caregiving and providing social support, often performed within households. For example, childcare, eldercare, domestic work etc. Inter alia, it also involves paid labour encompassing nurses, caregivers, etc. (often females). The compensation is generally absent or very meagre compensation is awarded for such activities. It is highly undervalued even though it supports human development and social cohesion.

Monetized economy includes all economic activities that are dealt with in terms of monetary value, which includes production of goods, e.g., finance, trade, etc. It is mainly aimed at profit generation. The compensation is received in terms of monetary value. Work done and goods produced in the economy are compensated in terms of wages, salaries, etc. It is assessed by its contribution to GDP and is often used as a measure of economic growth.

Ways to integrate care economy into monetized economy through women empowerment

• Social protection measures are required that provide income security for women in caregiving roles. For example, pension insurance for women engaged in such roles.
• Development of skills for better transformation and incorporation of women into formal sector should be emphasized.
• Supportive government policies should be there to promote gender-neutral reforms and collaboration between government and civil society organizations in care giving economy.
  • For example, National Creche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers, enhancing of maternity benefits, etc.
• Technological solutions for care sector that reduces time and frees up women for formal sector employment can be considered.

Integration of care economy into monetized economy will not only enhance economic opportunities for women but also contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Changes in cropping patterns reflect the evolving demands of consumers, market dynamics and economic factors and are closely associated with changing consumption pattern and marketing dynamics.

Changing market conditions influencing cropping patterns

• Improved market access through better road and rail connectivity has expanded market access for farmers and thus, in turn, fuelled cultivation of certain crops.
• Availability of international markets for certain crops like Alphonso mango, basmati rice, etc. has led to their increased cultivation.
• Government initiatives like Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism incentivize the farmers to grow the crops covered under it.
• The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) was launched to provide for better price discovery and easy accessibility of market for the crop growers.

Changing consumption pattern influencing cropping patterns

• With rising income and urbanization, there is rising demand for protein-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, etc.
• Increased health consciousness has led to higher demand for organic and nutrient rich foods.
• With the rise in demand for chemical-free food, growth in hydroponics and aeroponics crops, has led to an increase in demand for exotic food.

Change in cropping patterns are shaped by complex factors, including consumer preferences, market conditions, government policies, technological advancements, among others.

A subsidy is a form of financial assistance or support provided by the government to individual or specific sectors of the economy. The primary purpose of subsidies is to reduce the cost of goods and services and stimulate economic activity.

Direct and indirect subsidies provided to the farm sector in India

• To make the fertilizers affordable for farmers, the government provides subsidies for NPK fertilizers.
• Subsidies are offered on certified seeds to encourage the use of HYV and genetically improved varieties of seeds.
• Direct Cash Transfer of Rs. 6,000 per farmer per year by the central government under PM-Kisan yojana.
• Subsides for the purchase of agriculture machinery and equipment's are provided. For example, Sub-mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) Scheme.
• Government provides Minimum Support Price (MSP) for some major crops in India, ensuring a guaranteed price to farmers.

Issues raised by WTO in relation to agricultural subsidies

• WTO assesses the MSP mechanism as trade distorting particularly on rice where subsidies have breached prescribed limits.
• WTO also considers India’s agriculture practices as environment degrading as over exploitation of ground water and overuse of fertilizers are a cause of concern.
• Government support for domestic agriculture exporters to increase the export quantity of agriculture goods has also been a cause of concern.

Agriculture in India employs half of its population and subsidies here plays a major role in mitigating the food insecurity and unemployment. Global trade practices should be carved out in a way that provides ample room for the developing countries to lift the major chunk of their population out of poverty.

The adoption of electric vehicles has been on the rise globally due to increased environmental awareness and increasing government incentives for ensuring more sustainable transport options and controlling rising temperatures.

Role of electric vehicles in reducing carbon emissions

• EVs being more energy efficient consume less energy than traditional vehicles and emit less GHG emissions.
• They reduce dependency on fossil fuels, particularly gasoline products and hence, diversify energy baskets.
• EVs run on electricity which can be generated from cleaner sources like renewables. It reduces direct emissions of GHGs like carbon monoxide, CO2, etc.
• The transition from internal combustion engines to electric motors reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and other pollutants, contributing to improved air quality and a greener future.

Key benefits of EVs compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles

• Having lower fueling and maintenance costs, EVs offer cheaper alternate than gasoline products.
• They can reduce a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, especially when charged from renewable sources.
• EVs deliver instant torque, providing quick acceleration and a responsive driving experience.
• They are quieter than traditional vehicles, which can lead to lower noise pollution promoting a more pleasant environment.
• EVs generally have lower center of gravity which offers better handling and comfort.

EVs offer numerous advantages over traditional vehicles but sustainable generation of electricity is still a cause for concern. However, with technological advancements, and government incentives, EVs can offer a potential solution for emission less future.

The Chandrayaan-3 created history for India and the world by doing the first soft landing on the south pole of moon. India joined the United States, Russia, and China to become the 4th nation to land on the moon.

The Chandrayaan-3 comprised the Vikram Lander and Pragyaan Rover. The rover aims to move around the landing site conducting experiments and sending data to the lander which in turn will send data to the orbiter that will eventually be communicated back to the earth. The Chandrayaan-3 could become a game-changer because the ‘permanently shadowed regions’ near the South Pole may contain potential water-ice and resources. For this, the various subsystems onboard Chandrayaan-3 seek to undertake several experiments.

Lander payloads

• Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): It measures thermal conductivity and temperature.
• Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): It measures the seismic frequencies around the landing site.
• Langmuir Probe (LP): It estimates the plasma density and its changes over time.

Rover payloads

• Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): It determines elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks.
• Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): It derives chemical composition and infers mineralogical composition of lunar surface.

Propulsion module payload

• Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE): It aims to study exo-planets for habitability.

Role of Virtual Launch Control Centre

• Nerve centre of the operation: All procedures and operations of the launch and the mission are controlled from this place.
• Master control: In case of any abnormalities, safety protocols or the final abortion of the mission can be initiated from here.

With the success of Chandrayaan-3, India can now look forward to the sample retrieval from the moon surface under Chandrayaan-4 mission that will help deepen our understanding of the lunar surface. The morale boost from a successful landing has also provided the much-needed motivation for further missions.

Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands. A wetland listed under the Convention is called wetlands international importance. Important Ramsar sites in India include the following:

• Karikili bird sanctuary (Tamil Nadu): It is home to cormorants, grey heron and open-billed stork.
• Pichavaram mangrove (Tamil Nadu): It is an island of vast mangrove forest.
• Chandra Taal: It is one of the two high altitude Ramsar wetlands.

The National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) was initiated to protect wetlands considering the benefits provided by them such as freshwater supply, resource pool, biodiversity, flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation. The NWCP seeks to conserve wetlands and prevent degradation while providing local communities access to the benefits provided by them.

Importance of NWCP

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has identified 115 wetlands that require urgent conservation and management.
• It defines wetlands in the same way as prescribed under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
• While wetlands are administered by state governments, the central government is responsible for funds, technical assistance and overall coordination.

Objectives of NWCP

• Laying down policy guidelines for conservation and management of wetlands.
• Preparing and maintaining inventory of wetlands.
• Allocation of financial assistance to states.
• Monitoring the implementation of the program.
• Sponsoring multidisciplinary research by institutions.

The National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) and National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) were merged under National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) to synergise efforts and avoid overlap of administration. India had achieved a great deal in safeguarding its wetlands.

Global warming and its associated problems, which were once educated assumptions have now become actual problems. The rise of global sea level and its impact has been widely talked about since the report by IPCC released.

Impact on India and the region

• Environmental impact:
  • Shrinkage of Coastline: India derives immense economic benefits from its vast coastline. It will be threatened if the coasts start submerging in ocean.
  • Costal Wetland Degradation: Wetlands near coastal zones have a threat of degradation and even extinction.
  • Coral Bleaching: Fresh water dilution resulting from an increased sea surface level is bound to cause coral bleaching.
  • Fauna Displacement: Animals and biodiversity gets displaced from their environment which causes distress.
  • Groundwater Salination: The water table gets contaminated by the incoming saltwater from the ocean, therefore reducing availability of usable groundwater.
• Economic impact:
  • Property and Resource: Damage to the property and resource due to increased occurrence of costal disasters will incur a high cost for the nation.
  • Loss of Livelihood: Employment in costal based professions will take a hit as the people would have to relocate due to lack of livelihood options. Employment patterns will also change.
• Social impact:
  • Displacement of People: Climate refugees are a group of people that have been displaced by the horrors of climate change. The number of people losing their houses to the impact of climate change is rising every year.
  • Stress on Inland Location: People displaced by the changes on the coastal areas are bound to move towards inland locations thereby putting pressure on already stressed resources.

Measures

• Activities such as mangrove plantation can help in mitigating the problems of rising sea surface.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules and Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan seek to regulate the management and resource utilization in coastal areas.

Various other researches predict an even early onset of these effects with much more devastating consequences. Considering the impacts of the rise of sea levels, the government must work on a policy to address the issues related specifically to the rising sea level.

A sovereign nation's foremost responsibility is the safety of its citizens from external as well as internal challenges. Since independence, India has tackled various internal security challenges including insurgency, militancy and externally induced rebellions.

Internal security challenges for India

• Separatist Movements: Separatist feelings have been present ever since the birth of our nation and still continue to be a cause of misery for law and order. For example, Nagaland separatism, Kashmiri separatism etc.
• Communalism: The contentions between the two major religious groups have often led to brewing of hatred and fights. This further fuels separatist tendencies. Hate among groups makes our citizens easy targets to be motivated for terrorist activities.
• Illegal Migration: Over the years, illegal migration has led to a lot of associated problems such as demographic change and increased unemployment thereby straining the nation’s resources.
• Left-Wing Extremism: It is noticed in the central and eastern parts of India and is marked by Marxism or Maoism as its political ideology. Socio-economic disparities and land alienation are the factors responsible for its emergence.

Various intelligence and investigative agencies work in India with different mandates of performing actions.

• National Investigation Agency (NIA): It is the premier counter-terrorism law enforcement agency of India, investigating offences that affect the sovereignty, security and integrity of India.
• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB): It is the apex body to coordinate between various narcotics and drug law enforcement agencies. It works to prevent drug trafficking across India.
• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI): This is the body dealing with intelligence of smuggling of contrabands and investigating cases related to it. It also looks to prevent proliferation of black money and money laundering.
• Intelligence Bureau (IB): It is the apex intelligence body responsible for collecting information within the country and executing counter-terrorism operations. It deals with matters of domestic intelligence and internal security.
• Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW): It took the operations of handling foreign intelligence from Intelligence Bureau. It now collects foreign intelligence, conducts counter-terrorism operations and advises Indian policymakers.
• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI): It is the premier investigating police agency made on the recommendation of the Santhanam Committee. It carries out investigation and also acts as the point of access for the Interpol.

Internal security is imperative for the growth of a nation. Indian Intelligence and Investigative Agencies are the unsung heroes of our nation and have done a great deal in securing our lives.

Ever since its birth in 1947, India has been a witness to various kinds of terrorist and insurgent activities. Over the years India has learned from its mistake and evolved numerous ways to tackle terror funding and other related activities.

Major sources of terror funding

• State Sponsorship: The use of terror to further diplomatic interests is a known practice. States sponsor crimes and support terrorist to be able to use them when needed for their purpose.
• Counterfeit Currency: It involves directly printing and circulating fake currency in the market. Alternatively, this is a tool used by neighbouring states to destabilize the Indian economy.
• Organised Crime: Criminal organizations generally work in nexus and are often connected to bigger terrorist groups. The flow of resources is two-ways between these two.
• Extortion: This remains the biggest source of funding of terrorism in India especially in the North-East.
• Hawala System: This is an illegal method of transferring money, generally through international borders that is used by criminal networks.

Efforts to curtail sources

• National Investigation Agency (NIA): It is the premier agency in India for combating terror across states without special permission from the states.
• Unlawful Activities Prevention Act: This anti-terror legislation seeks to designate an individual as a “terrorist”.
• National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID): It is a centralised data library of terror and crime related information.
• SAMADHAN Doctrine: Developed specifically for the Left-Wing Extremism problems, it also aims to curb the access of terror organizations to funds.

Recently, the third No Money for Terror (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing was held in New Delhi, India. It sought to:

• Collaborate with countries around the world to curtail terror and extremist funding.
• To set up a secretariat regarding the same in the country, which won't be an investigative body but operate on the concept of collaboration and cooperation.
• To investigate new and emerging threats and methods of propagating terrorism.

Being surrounded by two hostile neighbours does not allow India any leeway for complacent behaviour on the question of internal security. Through several measures, India continues to fight the battle against terrorism.