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General Studies -01

Hints

By reaching about 72 million women and their families in 3 years, Pradan mantri Ujjwala yojana had become the largest program on access to clear fuel in Indian history.

Health benefits to rural women

1. Cleaners energy: as it Contains less amount of sulphur .
2. Saves time: Cooking becomes faster and provides free time for other activities.
3. Improved health : as it curbs indoor air pollution
4. Less incidence of respiratory illness
5. Getting rid of back & knee join pains associated with lifting of solid fuel materials/firewood

According to research by indian chest society, this scheme has reduced women chest congestion in rural areas by 20%.

Women empowerment as a whole

Political empowerment:

• Involvement in local bodies and politics as they gets more time.
• Women in CSR- Women giving awareness about the benefits of LPG themselves set example for women to step out.

Eg: Leadership roles taken by women to operate LPG bottling plant in ladak.

Economic Empowerment:

Income generation-Saved time from fuel collection can be used to obtain income from SHG, MGNREGA..etc to support household and female labor force.

Social empowerment:

1. Bridges gender inequalities to a great extent.
2. Provides opportunity for better health conditions.
3. Ensures their voice heard in decision making.

Thus PMUY scheme is making remarkable impact in lives of women as a whole. This coupled with ongoing schemes can bore more fruits.

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Monsoons dominate India’s climate. Monsoons are strong, often violent winds that change direction with the season. Monsoon winds blow from cold to warm regions because cold air takes up more space than warm air. So, monsoons blow from the land toward the sea in winter and from the sea toward land in the summer.

Reasons behind unpredictable nature of Indian monsoon

1. ITCZ variations: Dynamic nature of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone.
2. Global warming.
3. Pressure condition in Atlantic Ocean.
4. ENSO in Pacific Ocean.
5. Indian Ocean dipole.
6. Disturbances in Mediterranean sea.
7. Irregularity in jet stream flow.

Ways in which Monsoon vagaries Affecting Indian economy

Agriculture (primary sector)

1. ~70% of Indian agriculture depends on monsoon and disruption affects productivity and hence food security.
2. ~15% contribution to GDP will be affected with farm losses.
3. ~50% indian depends on agriculture and vagaries affects economy.
4. Need of more imports which inturn affects states expenditure.

Secondary sector

• As lionshare depends on agriculture, money in hand will be lower and hence sectors like fast moving consumer goods, auto, fertilizers and cement are likely to go down.
• Impact on GDP :If monsoon fails , it will reduce the percentage points from the overall GDP growth of India. This will also have a detrimental effect on demand in the non-agricultural sector.
• Impact on the hydro-power sector and irrigation facilities: Most of the Indian power project installed on the Perennial Rivers. If monsoon fails, it would lower the water levels that have detrimental effects on the power generation as well as irrigation facilities.

Service sector

1. Possibility of new fatal diseases and hence more expenditure on health.
2. Loan waivers and associated rise in NPA
3. RBI rate cut
4. food inflation
5. Volatility in forex..etc
6. fluctuation in reserves

Need of greater efficiency in rain water storage

1. To prevent disturbance in cropping even if monsoon vagaries arises
2. To lower pressure on ground water for irrigation
3. To prevent farmer suicides associated with droughts.
4. Rainwater harvesting can reduce storm water runoff from a property.  The elimination of runoff can reduce contamination of surface water with pesticides, sediment, metals, and fertilizers.
5. Rainwater can be used for irrigation use, indoor non-potable water use, and/or potable water supply.
6. Rainwater harvesting can provide an independent water source in areas where other water sources are unavailable, or the water quality is unacceptable, or they are too expensive to develop, or they are too difficult to obtain.

Our government has started endeavors to tackle monsoon vagaries with policies like Atal Bhujal Yojana and tech missions by ISRO. Further making roof top rain water harvesting mandatory and promoting drip irrigation would be way forward.

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Hints

Ethical dilemmas associated

1. Responsibility to public v/s responsibility to parents
2. Official duty v/s personnel health
3. Staying in quarantine v/s parents final wish
4. Not tested positive v/s chances of spreading to ministers
5. Personnel comfort v/s leading disaster management.
6. Greater good to public v/s fear of parents.

My actions in that situation.

Step 1

• I will consult a doctor to clarify symptoms and necessary precautions.
• If doctor suggests to quarantine, I will follow it to avoid transmission to public including ministers if gone to meeting.
• I will take necessary steps for testing to get confirmation whether affected or not.

Step 2, As an IAS Officer leading team,

• I will call CM to explain situation and request to appoint someone to lead team. If possible I will present current status via video conferencing. If not , will assign best person from my team to present the same in ministerial meeting.
• I will keep connected with team via video conferencing/calls whenever necessary.

Step 3, As a son/daughter.

• I will make video call with my parents to explain the situation as traveling is strictly prohibited. I will try to convince /remind them about my responsibility as public servant.
• I may not reveal about symptoms to avoid giving stress to parents BUT will assure that i will be there at the earliest once issues are over.
• I will keep in touch whenever they wish to see or hear voice.

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