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Is the caste Census a useful exercise?

Context: The Central government has decided to hold a caste census as part of the next Census exercise. The dates for the next decennial Census exercise, last held in 2011, are yet to be notified by the government.
The last time that India’s entire population was counted by caste was in 1931. Since then, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been counted in the Census exercises.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains- Need For Caste based Census and associated Challenges.

Timeline of Caste based Census:

Caste census means inclusion of caste-wise tabulation of India’s population in the Census exercise.
Pre-Independence:
- 1871 Census was the first attempt to measure the population and enumerate caste data across India.
- 1931 Census was the last exercise to enumerate caste data.
Post-Independence:
- Union of India after Independence, decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste wise populations other than SCs and STs.
- Thus, India’s largest caste bloc – Other Backward Classes – have not figured in any census from 1951-2011.
- There is no proper estimate for the population of OBCs, various groups within the OBCs, and others.
- In 1961, the GOI advised States to conduct their own surveys and draw up State-specific OBC lists if they so desired.
Aftermath of Mandal Commission:
- In 1979, Mandal Commission (Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission) suggested expansion of affirmative action to include other backward classes.
- OBCs, as per 1931 census, amounted to 52% of Indian population. Based on which a 27% reservation was given to the OBCs in 1990.
- Later there appeared demand for introducing the OBC category in the decennial census to count them.
Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011:
- SECC 2011 was the first caste-based census since 1931.
- It was conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and Ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation in rural and urban areas respectively.
- This was the first time such a comprehensive exercise has been carried out for both rural and urban India, which included caste-wise population data.
- 2011 SECC data, excluding the caste data, was finalised and published by the government.
- Demand being raised to enumerate castes as part of Census 2021 itself. To make available authentic data on caste-wise population and their socio-economic conditions.

What is the need For Caste based Census?

Estimate change in demography: Present reservations and other welfare scheme entitlements to OBC are still based on the population estimates of 1931
Bring about social justice: Help governments’ welfare schemes reach the most backward and deprived castes that have been marginalised to date.
Help rationalise reservation policy as per the need of a specific caste or community: Land fragmentation and decades of agricultural stagnation have turned many upper-caste landowners into marginal farmers. Whereas rising rural wage has benefitted some of the backward classes including Dalits.
Demand for Reservations: There have been demands to expand OBC reservation (as the present 50% cap is arbitrary) and inclusion of dominant castes like Jats, Kapus, Patidars, Marathas etc. into the OBC category. Often these demands are not based on scientific evidence. Hence, a Caste based socio-economic census will bring out the real picture.
OBC Sub-categorisation: OBC membership is large and heterogeneous, with vast intra-caste differences in socio-economic conditions. Some better-off groups among OBC castes have cornered a disproportionately large share of seats reserved for OBCs giving rise to the demand for sub-classification of various caste groups among OBCs. The caste-based socio-economic census will help in such classification.
Assess the impact of Affirmative action: A socioeconomic caste census would help in assessing how far the extension of reservations to OBCs benefited them.
Identify relative deprivation of some castes.

Concerns against Caste Based Census:

Subvert India’s anti-caste struggle: Constitution, social reform movements and forces of modernity have long aspired for the annihilation of caste.
Reinforces Caste Identities: Enumeration of castes might reinforce caste identities prevalent in society.
Vote bank politics: Caste wise data may be used as a tool for caste-based political mobilisation.
New demands for Reservation: Numbers about OBCs might provide a new issue to the regional parties to mount pressure on the Centre for an OBC quota in central government jobs and educational institutions.
Federal concerns: According to the 7th schedule of the Constitution, the Census is in the domain of the Union. Thus, State governments conducting their own caste census is against the constitutional spirit.

Conclusion: While caste-based OBC enumeration is necessary for documenting discrimination, understanding current social- economic conditions of various castes and developing policy to distribute resources. A full caste census might be cumbersome as Indian society is divided into roughly 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes. However, caste as a criterion for the distribution of resources may pose significant risks, including reinforcing caste identities and promoting divisive politics.

Giant Antarctic ozone hole

Context- The ozone hole over Antarctica is one of the biggest on record, roughly three times the size of Brazil. It's a natural phenomenon, but scientists are concerned climate change could begin reopening ozone holes.

Ozone

Ozone (O₃) is a gas naturally found in the atmosphere, constituted by three oxygen atoms.
Originating from the Greek word óζειν (ozein), which means "to smell", ozone's pungent odor can be detected even in low concentrations.

Distribution in the Atmosphere:

Tropospheric Ozone:

Located in the troposphere, extending up to 10–15 kilometers (6-9 miles) from the Earth's surface.
Accounts for about 10% of the Earth's ozone.

Stratospheric Ozone:

Located between the top of the troposphere and around 50 kilometers (31 miles) altitude.
Comprises about 90% of Earth's ozone, with the highest concentration, referred to as the "ozone layer", found between 15 and 35 km altitude.
Continually produced and destroyed in reactions initiated by solar ultraviolet radiation.

Ozone Production & Destruction:

In the Stratosphere:

Ozone is formed when ultraviolet radiation splits an oxygen molecule (O₂) into two separate oxygen atoms, which then individually combine with other oxygen molecules to create ozone.
Its destruction involves reactions with a variety of natural and human-produced chemicals, such as those containing hydrogen, nitrogen, chlorine, and bromine.

In the Troposphere:

Ozone production is majorly a result of reactions involving hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide gases, all dependent on sunlight.
Human activities like fossil fuel combustion and deforestation increase the pollutants that facilitate tropospheric ozone production.
Ozone in this layer is destroyed by natural chemical reactions, human-produced chemicals, and interactions with surfaces like soils and plants.

Significance:

Stratospheric Ozone (Good Ozone):

UV Shield: Absorbs harmful UV radiation, protecting against skin cancer, cataracts, and environmental damage.
Protection Efforts: The Montreal Protocol reduces human-caused ozone-depleting substances.

Tropospheric Ozone (Bad Ozone):

Formation: Created from human-emitted pollutants.
Effects on
- Health: Causes respiratory issues and exacerbates heart and lung conditions.
- Environment: Harms crops, forests, and contributes to global warming.

Natural Ozone:

Naturally exists in the atmosphere, aiding in removing pollutants and regulating stratospheric temperatures.

Causes of Ozone depletion

Through Human Activities

Primarily caused by human-emitted gases, particularly halogens like chlorine and bromine.
ODSs: These are specific halogen source gases, like CFCs, responsible for ozone depletion and regulated by the Montreal Protocol.
CFCs & HCFCs: Used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Emissions have been controlled and reduced, thanks to international regulations.
Halons and Methyl Bromide: Used in fire suppressants and fumigation; contribute significantly to ozone depletion.

The "ozone hole" over Antarctica arises due to:

Unique Conditions: Antarctica has specific meteorological and chemical conditions that enhance ozone destruction.
Halogen Gases: These are uniformly distributed, but their effects are more pronounced in Antarctica.
Cold Temperatures: Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), which play a key role in ozone depletion, form at very low temperatures more commonly reached in Antarctica.
Isolation: Antarctic air is more isolated in winter, intensifying conditions for ozone depletion.
Role of PSCs: These clouds amplify the abundance of reactive chlorine gases, leading to ozone destruction.
Nitric Acid Removal: Large PSC particles cause nitric acid removal, prolonging ozone destruction.

Measures for controlling ozone-depleting substances (ODSs):

The Vienna Convention (1985) was an international treaty signed by 26 nations, aiming to protect the ozone layer from human-induced degradation. It primarily set a foundation for research and information exchange regarding the ozone layer.
The Montreal Protocol (1987) was the actionable response to the Vienna Convention. It specifically targeted and set controls on ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). Nations were bound legally to reduce the production and consumption of these substances. Over the years, the Protocol was fortified with amendments to adjust to the evolving scientific understanding and emerging challenges:
- London Amendment (1990): It set ambitious targets, aiming to phase out the most harmful ODSs by 2000 in developed countries and by 2010 in developing ones.
- Copenhagen Amendment (1992): Recognizing the urgency, this amendment further accelerated the phaseout dates for several ODSs. It also introduced controls on HCFCs, which were less harmful alternatives to earlier ODSs but still posed some risks.
- Kigali Amendment (2016): This amendment addressed hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). While HFCs don't deplete the ozone, they have significant global warming potentials and thus contribute to climate change.

Impact of Ozone Layer Depletion on UV Radiation:

Depletion of the ozone layer increases ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation at Earth's surface.
UV-B is harmful, causing sunburn and increasing skin cancer risks.
Ozone absorbs and reduces UV-B; less ozone means more UV-B reaches us.
UV exposure is indicated by the UV Index (UVI). A decrease in ozone leads to a higher UVI.
UV levels have risen over time, especially in areas like Antarctica due to the ozone hole.
Increased UV affects human health, causing eye issues, skin disorders, and influencing Vitamin D production.
Recovery of the ozone layer is underway, but UV-related health risks will persist for decades.

Reforms needed for Multilateral Development Banks

Context: As per the Centre for Global Development’s Tracker (CGD), World Bank and six other multilateral banks (MDBs) have made good progress in integrating global challenges like climate change into their agendas, more reforms are needed for better functioning of these institutions.

More information:

The tracker assessed progress at seven multilateral development banks (MDBs) on twenty-eight specific items under five categories:
- using capital more efficiently
- expanding capital
- adding global challenges to their mandates
- mobilising private finance
- making country engagements more efficient.
Results found by the tracker:
- Highly uneven results among the institutions and no single MDB excelled in all reform categories.
- World Bank Group was at some stage of pursuing 96 per cent of the agenda items.
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was close behind with 93 per cent.
- Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Group had taken action on half the agenda.
On Climate challenges:
- The US, the World Bank’s biggest shareholder and other countries are pushing the bank and its sister development banks to focus on climate change alongside poverty reduction and development and to take on more risk to expand their lending.
- Developing and emerging economies need $2.4 trillion per year to meet global climate challenges (far exceeding the amount of financing now available).
- As per the CGD, banks had largely recognized the urgency and importance of addressing climate change within the financial sector and all seven MDBs assessed had either included global challenges in their mandates or were in the process of doing so.
In October, 2023, G20 finance ministers and central bank governors at a meeting in Marrakech (Morocco) have taken up recommendations suggested by the second volume of the Independent Expert Group on Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks.

What are Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)?

A multilateral development bank (MDB) is an international financial institution established by two or more countries with the primary objective of promoting economic advancement in low income and developing nations.
These MDBs comprise member countries that represent a mix of developed and developing nations.
MDBs extend financial support in the form of loans and grants to their member nations.
Multilateral development banks operate under the framework of international legal principles.

Objectives

While commercial banks primarily aim to generate profits through loans and other financial services, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) makes grants and affordable loans to enhance the economic conditions of impoverished or developing nations.
MDBs extend non-concessional financial support to middle-income countries' governments, private sector enterprises in developing countries, and select governments of low-income nations.
MDBs supply concessional aid, including grants and low-interest loans, to low-income country governments.
Focus is on development-oriented goals, such as eradicating extreme poverty and reducing economic disparities.
Provide loans at minimal or no interest rates or issue grants to finance projects in infrastructure, energy, education, environmental sustainability, and other sectors that foster development.

Evolution of MDBs

At the end of World War II, representatives from 44 nations convened in Bretton Woods, USA, to establish a new framework for international cooperation and post-war reconstruction.
This meeting in 1944 gave rise to the establishment of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG).
The World Bank assumed the responsibility of providing financial aid to facilitate the post-war rebuilding and economic progress of underdeveloped nations.
World Bank Group's role has evolved, and presently, it consists of various institutions:
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which extends loans to both low- and middle-income countries (LICs and MICs);
- International Development Association (IDA), which provides loans to Low Income Countries;
- International Finance Corporation (IFC), support to the private sector;
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), which encourages private enterprises to invest in foreign countries;
- International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) for resolving disputes.

Types of (MDBs):

The first category comprises the largest and most renowned institutions, which offer loans and grants. Example: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), established in 1959.
The second category of multilateral development banks is formed by the governments of low-income countries, which then collaborate to borrow collectively through the MDB, enabling them to secure more favourable interest rates. Example: Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), established in 1969.

Challenges for multilateral development banks

Within the realm of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), the major share of responsibility for extending financial support to emerging and developing economies (EDEs), predominantly rests with the World Bank (WB) system.
The degree of competition and cooperation within the realm of MDBs is currently suboptimal, leaving significant room for improvement, particularly concerning customer service and the ease of borrowing.
Regional MDBs often find their autonomy limited, particularly when their major shareholders overlap, resulting in the formulation of similar policies.
MDB governance and the distribution of country voting shares present considerable challenges when seeking to increase capital. Additionally, criticisms are frequently directed at the bureaucratic procedures within MDBs, which can hinder project implementation and decision-making.
The original purpose of Multilateral Development Banks was to address challenges of the period after Second World War. The contemporary world introduces new concerns related to global public goods, climate change, inequality and pandemics.
Another issue pertains to the absence of adequate representation, influence, and voice for developing countries in the decision-making processes of MDBs. Ensuring transparency, accountability, and legitimacy in their actions and outcomes remains a significant challenge.
MDBs grapple with constraints in their resources as they contend with the increasing demands for development financing. This is particularly evident in areas like climate change mitigation, adaptation, and infrastructure development.
Encouraging private sector investments in development projects poses challenges. MDBs must create an environment conducive to attracting private capital by addressing risks and offering financial incentives for private sector engagement.
MDBs face the challenge of addressing climate change and supporting sustainable development initiatives. This necessitates the incorporation of climate considerations into their policies, strategies, and project financing decisions.

Reforming Multilateral Development Banks

The independent expert group has proposed a comprehensive triple agenda for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This agenda focuses on three core areas:

Eliminating Extreme Poverty: MDBs should prioritize initiatives aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating extreme poverty.
Tripling Sustainable Lending Levels by 2030: The report recommends increasing annual sustainable lending levels to $390 billion by the year 2030.
Flexible Funding Mechanisms: MDBs should create flexible funding mechanisms to engage investors actively supporting MDB goals.

The recommendations are:

Encouraging Private Sector Engagement: The report emphasizes the importance of private sector engagement. It suggests that MDBs should break away from limited operational interaction between their private financing arms and their sovereign activities, encouraging a more collaborative approach with the private sector.
Optimizing Balance Sheets and Cooperation: The report underscores the significance of optimizing balance sheets and enhancing cooperation among MDBs. These steps are seen as critical for achieving the objectives of the triple agenda.
Leveraging Private Capital: Currently, MDBs leverage only $0.6 in private capital for every dollar they lend from their own resources. The expert group recommends that MDBs aim to at least double this figure to attract more private investment.
Establishment of a Global Public Goods (GPGs) Funding Mechanism: The report proposes the creation of a funding mechanism for global public goods (GPGs). This innovative mechanism has the potential to unlock an additional annual lending capacity, estimated at a minimum of $20 billion. To achieve this, a flexible legal and institutional framework needs to be established.
Focus on "Country Platforms": G20 expert panel recommends that MDBs shift their focus from individual projects to helping countries build and operationalize "country platforms." These platforms are voluntary country-level mechanisms set out by respective governments to foster collaboration among development partners based on shared strategic vision and priorities.
Co-Creation of Multi-Year Programs: The expert group suggests that MDBs should prioritize programs identified by national governments with a sectoral focus and long-term transformation plans. This approach aligns MDBs more closely with the developmental priorities of individual nations and encourages the co-creation of multi-year programs.
Independent Assessment Mechanism: The expert panel recommends that G20 finance ministers establish a mechanism to advise and independently assess the first-year implementation of the proposed roadmap, ensuring transparency and accountability in the reform process.
Recommendations for Operational Improvements: Several smaller, well-defined improvements are suggested, including board monitoring of new targets, changing procedures, easing the utilization process, improving managerial incentives for small ticket lending, and providing training for giving warranties.
Building Bankable Projects: Countries are encouraged to create bankable projects that can compete for finance on the country platforms. Technical support can help in developing granular asset specifics, measurement, disclosure, and appropriate incentives. Transparency and competition are key factors in reducing the impact of geopolitics in project decisions.
Green Concessional Lending Arm: The report proposes the creation of a green concessional lending arm for the World Bank (WB) with more equitable voting shares, which could make it easier to raise capital for environmentally sustainable projects.

Other Recommendations:

Reform and Incentive Structures, which may involve implementing first loss guarantees, establishing realistic return targets, and improving risk management. Additionally, incentive structures should be designed to foster innovation and adaptability.
Global South Representation to should ensure that the voices and perspectives of the Global South, including countries such as India, are not only heard but also advocated for in decision-making processes. This ensures a more inclusive and equitable approach to their operations.

Global Hunger Index 2023: India ranks 111 out of 125 countries

Context: India's ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) has slipped from 107th place out of 121 countries in 2022 to 111th place out of 125 countries in 2023, according to the report jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. This indicates a worsening situation with regards to hunger and underlines the ongoing challenges in addressing food security and malnutrition in the country.

More about Report:

The GHI score is calculated on a 100-point scale reflecting the severity of hunger, where zero is the best score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst.
India’s ranking is based on a GHI score of 28.7 on a 100 point scale. This categorises India’s severity of hunger as “serious”.
The country came after neighbouring countries Pakistan (102nd), Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th) and Sri Lanka (60th). However, India fared better than South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara, which recorded a score of 27 each.
While the rate of undernourishment in India stood at 16.6 percent and under-five mortality at 3.1 percent, the prevalence of anaemia in women aged between 15 and 24 years stood at 58.1 percent.
As per the index, India also has the highest child wasting rate in the world at 18.7 percent, reflecting acute undernutrition.

Global Hunger Index:

Each country’s GHI score is calculated based on four indicators.

Undernourishment – calculated by the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake.

Child stunting - calculated by the share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition.

Child mortality - Calculated by the share of children who die before their fifth birthday, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.

Child wasting - Calculated by the share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.

What is Hunger?

Hunger is a condition in which a person cannot eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. Hunger can manifest itself in different ways – undernourishment, malnutrition and wasting.

Concerns/Effects

Human Well-being: Ensuring that people have access to sufficient and nutritious food is fundamental to their health and well-being. Hunger can lead to malnutrition, which in turn can cause a range of physical and mental health problems, particularly among children.
- While mortality has declined by half and fertility by two-fifths, malnutrition has only come down by about one-fifth in the last 40 years. The inescapable conclusion is that further progress in human development in India will be difficult to achieve.
Economic Development: A well-nourished population is more productive. When people are not hungry and malnourished, they can work effectively, contribute to the workforce, and participate in economic activities, leading to overall economic growth.
- Malnutrition costs India at least $10 billion annually in terms of lost productivity, illness, and death and is seriously retarding improvements in human development and further reduction of childhood mortality (World Bank).
- This inter-generational cycle of undernutrition transmitted from mothers to children greatly impacts India’s present and future.
Educational Attainment: Malnourishment can also significantly lower cognitive development and learning achievement during the preschool and school years, and subsequently result in lower productivity.
- Nutritional anaemia is implicated in low physical and mental performance.
- Malnutrition not only blights the lives of individuals and families but also reduces the returns on investment in education and acts as a major barrier to social and economic progress.
- Widespread child undernutrition greatly impedes India’s socio-economic development and potential to reduce poverty.
Reducing Inequality: Hunger often affects marginalized and vulnerable communities disproportionately. Addressing hunger is a step toward reducing socio-economic disparities and promoting social equity.
Food Security: It is important for a country's stability and security. Addressing hunger helps ensure social stability and reduces the potential for social unrest and conflict.
Global Commitments: India, like many nations, has made international commitments to eradicate hunger and improve nutrition under initiatives like Goal 2 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda seeks to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and double agricultural productivity between 2015-2020.
- According to UNICEF, one in three malnourished children in the world is Indian. It is estimated that reducing malnutrition could add some 3% to India’s GDP.

Reasons behind India’s persistent problem of hunger:

Inappropriate child feeding practices:

The WHO and UNICEF recommend that breastfeeding should be initiated within the first hour of birth and infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months.

NFHS-5 says that only 42% of infants are breastfed within one hour of birth and only 64% of infants are exclusively breastfed for first 6 months.

Low Female literacy:

Nutrition levels are majorly affected by the education level of women. It increases awareness about nutrient-rich diet, personal hygiene, good feeding practices etc. Educating women also help in containing the family size in poor, malnourished families. But female literacy in India is only 65% and the rate is much lower for the states like Bihar and Rajasthan that recorded high levels of malnutrition in children.

Poor Sanitation:

Repeated infection with diarrhoeal diseases due to poor sanitation contributes to chronic malnutrition by inhibiting intestinal absorption of nutrients and is strongly correlated with stunting. The proportion of people with access to improved sanitation facilities in India is only 49% as per NHFS-4.

Micro nutrient deficiency:

According to studies, more than 80 per cent of the Indian population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, contributing to compromised immunity. This is mainly due to lack of dietary diversification, changed dietary habits, food processing resulting in plant micronutrient loss, crop homogenisation.

Food inflation:

With rising food inflation families become less able to buy and eat nutritious food. According to a report of ADB, 1 per cent increase in food inflation leads to an increase of 0.3 per cent in both infant and child mortalities, and 0.5 per cent in undernourishment.

Limitations of existing schemes:

The ICDS program, while successful in many ways, has not made a significant dent in child malnutrition. This is mostly due to the priority that the program has placed on food supplementation, targeting mostly children after the age of three when malnutrition has already set in.
Stringent conditions to avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana has led to the exclusion of teenage mothers and poor women who birth more than one child, thereby abetting the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition. Exclusion errors, non-inclusion of nutritious items such as pulses and edible oil in the PDS basket failed to improve the nutritional status of poor households.

Poverty: Poverty restricts food choices and has been the causative factor of hunger-related deaths.
Climate change impact: Erratic rainfall and increasing frequency of extreme events have impacted agricultural activities everywhere creating unfavourable conditions for food production.
- Natural disasters: Natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and long periods of drought are on the increase with catastrophic consequences for the hungry poor in developing countries.

Gender inequality: In many parts women’s nutritional requirements are often unmet as they consume whatever is left after everyone else has eaten.
A person’s ‘nutritional quotient’ is also dependent on demographic factors like gender, caste, age, etc. For instance, the nutritional needs of girl children and the elderly are not adequately addressed in our society.
Corruption: Corruption in PDS is widely recognised. PDS a food distribution scheme is mired with inefficiencies and corrupt practices denying food to many.

Measures taken by the Government:

POSHAN Abhiyaan is an overarching umbrella scheme to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers by holistically addressing the multiple determinants of malnutrition. It involves convergence of multiple programs and schemes: ICDS, PMMVY, NHM (with its sub components such as JSY, MCP card, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, RBSK, IDCF, HBNC, HBYC, Take Home Rations), Swachh Bharat Mission, National Drinking water Mission, NRLM etc.
Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) for providing one hot cooked meal in Government and Government – aided Schools.
Food fortification:
- Fortification of wheat is being implemented in 12 states on pilot basis.
- Fortification of edible oil, too, was made compulsory across the country by FSSAI in 2018.
- Fortification of milk was started in 2017 under which the National Dairy Development Board of India (NDDB) is pushing companies to add vitamin D.
- States have been scaling up the use of double-fortified salt in an effort to combat iron and iodine deficiencies.
Price stabilisation fund to regulate the price volatility of important agri horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses.

Measures to be Taken

Systemic overhaul of the public administration and service delivery systems, as well as engagement from the community.
Need to invest in the infrastructure of ICDS and the Anganwadi centres as well as improve their coverage.
Need to better target nutritional programs and substantially increase their quality and impact.
Inclusion of all vulnerable groups (children, adolescent girls, mothers, expectant women) under the safety cover of ICDS.
Fortification of essential food items with legal provisions (e.g., twin fortification of salt with both iodine and iron).
Popularize low-cost nutritious food.
Control of micro-nutrient deficiencies with a special focus on vulnerable groups. Some district-level interventions have aimed to address this issue. For instance, Angul district in Odisha, which has a large geographically isolated tribal population, has periodic grievance redressal camps set up in areas far from the Anganwadi centres to provide ICDS services.
Need to address gaps and inefficiencies in the present setup through public awareness, community engagement and empowerment, while such an intervention would assist the community in realising their rights and entitlements, and then act as a deterrent to inefficiencies and gaps, it would also help in developing community-based solutions to malnutrition, unburdening the stressed public healthcare and ICDS infrastructure.
Strengthen inter-departmental convergence and resource allocation based on real-time data. In this regard, the approach undertaken by Bangladesh has been successful and replicable in India.

Conclusion

For solving the malnutrition challenges in India requires the nutrition policy and program to have lasting and old challenges, as well as keep pace with new and emerging challenges.

Mission Poshan 2.0 (Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0) has been announced in the Budget 2021-2022 as an integrated nutrition support program is the right step in this direction.

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report 2022-2023

Context: NSSO has released Periodic Labour Force Survey for the year 2022-23. As per the report, India’s unemployment rate in urban areas decreased to 6.6% in April-June (Q1FY24), down from 6.8% in Q4FY23.

Considering the importance of availability of labour force data at more frequent time intervals, National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017.

The objective of PLFS is to estimate key employment and unemployment indicators like Labour force participation rate, unemployment rate and Worker-population ratio etc.

This is the sixth Annual Report being brought out by NSSO on the basis of data collected in Periodic Labour Force Survey for the period July 2022 - June 2023.

Unemployment rate = Unemployed people / Total labour force Labour participation rate = Labour force / Total population

Key findings of the PLFS report:

Labour force participation rate:

The LFPR in urban areas increased from 47.5% in April-June 2022 to 48.8% in April-June 2023.

Worker-Population Ratio:

Unemployment rate:

UR in urban areas decreased from 7.6% in April-June 2022 to 6.6% in April-June 2023 for persons of age 15 years and above

Unemployment measurement Methodology:

Unemployment is measured through labour force surveys using the following indicators:

Usual Principal Status (PS): It measures the status of activity on which a person has spent relatively longer time of the preceding 365 days prior to the date of survey. E.g., An individual who is reported to have been employed for more than a total of six months will be treated as employed.
Usual Principal and Subsidiary Status (PS+SS): According to this approach all individuals who are either unemployed or outside the labour force, but have worked for a minor period of not less than 30 days during the reference year are classified as subsidiary status workers.
Current Weekly Status (CWS): In this approach current activity status relating to the week preceding the date of survey and those persons are classified as unemployed who did not have gainful work even for an hour on any day in the preceding week.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) measures the unemployment status using Usual status (PS+SS)and Current weekly status (CWS) annually.

Issues with unemployment methodology:

Definition of Unemployment:
- A definition of unemployment that focuses on actively searching for a job may underestimate the true picture in a developing economy. Because:
  - Decisions to search for work are constrained by social norms like patriarchy.
  - Unemployment cannot be restricted to merely those “searching for work” in a country where seasonal unemployment is prevalent. During non-agricultural seasons, some workers might not venture out into labour markets and actively seek work, but would be available for employment if suitable opportunities arise.
- The definition of unemployment, which equates ‘work’ with economic activity in monetised economy, doesn’t include unpaid care work done by women.
UPS limitations:
- Not suitable to measure seasonal or Cyclical unemployment:
  - UPS approach, which emphasises on majority time criterion, may not reflect the true picture of unemployment in India where there is prevalence of seasonal employment and most of the workers are informal.
  - It can measure chronic unemployment where individuals remained unemployed for a relatively longer period of the year, but fails to measure cyclical unemployment due to temporary fluctuations in business cycle.
- Recall Errors: Usual status requires a recall over a whole year of what the person did. But for those engaged in irregular and multiple forms of work, it becomes a challenge and may result in recall errors.
CWS limitations:
- In Indian labour markets, where the demand for labour is non-uniform throughout the year with regional variations, CWS either under-estimates or over-estimates the unemployment status.

Disguised unemployment: The existing approaches fail to estimate the extent of under employment and disguised unemployment which are prevalent in Indian economy, especially in agrarian sector.
Regional variations: The periodic labour surveys conducted by NSO do not take into account of the regional variations in nature and extent of unemployment. For instance, unemployment is a rural phenomenon in several states, while in others it is concentrated in urban areas.

Measures to improve:

Revise the definition of “labour force” and “worker” to include persons not engaged in care economy and also individuals not actively seeking work due to barriers like social norms or lack of short-term gainful employment in rural areas.
The labour survey should be conducted multiple times throughout the year to overcome the challenge of non-uniformity of demand for labour throughout the year.
Since CWS overestimates labour force and workforce, it should be replaced with Modified CWS(MCWS), which include only those who were in the labour force for the major part of the week, for a better picture.

What are Generic Drugs?

Context: The use of quality generic medicines holds plenty of promise to reduce the burden on the common man. However, India needs to ensure people have access to quality generic drugs.

About Generic Drugs

Generic Drugs refer to a medication that is equivalent to a brand-name product in terms of its active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and intended use.
It is marketed either by a salt or brand name. They have the same potency, quality, and implications and work in an identical manner as the branded medicine.
India is the largest producer of generic drugs globally.

Need for generic drugs

Reduce Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: In India, around 94 million people are pushed into poverty due to expenditure on healthcare. About two-thirds of the expenditure is incurred on medicines.
Accessibility, availability and affordability: It may become available once the patent on the brand-name drug expires. This allows for competition in the pharmaceutical market, which often results in lower prices for consumers. This makes generic medicines price 30% to 70% less than branded medicines.
Effectiveness: It works in the same way as their brand-name counterparts. They have the same intended use and are equally effective.
Rise in the number of fatal diseases: It has increased over the years and the cost of medicines for such diseases is very high.

Challenges to generic drugs

Falsified and counterfeit drugs: Due to lack of transparency in the licensing procedures of Drugs, and lack of quality facility, it has resulted in the increased supply of low-quality, spurious and substandard drugs.
- In 2018, the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) identified nearly 4.5 per cent of all generic medicines in the domestic market to be substandard due to lack of testing facilities.
- Counterfeit products have entered the supply chain with severe consequences, as seen in Gambia and Uzbekistan.
Absence of appropriate scientific standards: Doctors do not prescribe a generic drug due to their lack of trust in the quality available in the Indian market, which lacks scientific standards in India.
Lack of resources and manpower: Drug control procedures in India suffer from a lack of resources and manpower. Widespread corruption within the system makes matters worse.
Problem of naming a fixed-dose combination (FDC): Many fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) drugs contain even 8 or 9 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. To prescribe a generic name for each of the eight or nine ingredients is a very tedious and impractical task.

Government Initiatives

Guidelines by the National Medical Commission (NMC) make it mandatory for doctors to write generic drug names legibly and preferably in capital letters.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP): To provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices. Prices of medicines sold through these outlets are 50-90% less than that of branded medicine prices in the open market.
Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) 2015: It was launched under the National Health Mission (NHM) on procurement of generic essential medicines at low prices, eliminating irrational medicines and unscientific fixed-dose combinations.
Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has recommended that retailers should maintain a separate rack/shelf solely for the storage of generic medicines sold in the proper name.

Way Forward

Utilising anti-counterfeiting technologies for counterfeit drugs: Through imaging technologies, variable data printing of unique numbers or barcodes with speciality inks, including invisible inks, and with RFID.
Strong regulatory framework: Strengthen and enforce regulations that ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of generic medicines. Create a clear approval process for generic drugs to enter the market.
Drugs Controller General of India need to work in close association with the pharmaceutical companies and local drug control authorities to combat the menace of counterfeit drugs.
Research and Development Support: Provide grants or incentives to pharmaceutical companies to invest in research and development of generic versions of essential medicines.
Pharmacy Incentives: Reward pharmacies for promoting and dispensing generic medications.
API Sourcing: Ensure the sourcing of APIs from reputable and approved manufacturers, preferably those that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure the quality of drugs.

New royalty rates for strategic minerals

Context: The Union Cabinet approved royalty rates for lithium, niobium, and Rare Earth Elements (REEs). For lithium and niobium a royalty rate of 3% each has been fixed, while for Rare Earth Elements (REEs), the rate has been set at 1%.

Strategic / Critical Minerals

Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for economic development and national security. The lack of availability of these minerals or concentration of extraction or processing in a few geographical locations may lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies.
Critical minerals are the foundation on which modern technology is built. From solar panels to semiconductors, and wind turbines to advanced batteries for storage and transportation, the world needs critical minerals to build these products. Simply put, there is no energy transition without critical minerals, which is why their supply chain resilience has become an increasing priority for major economies.

Critical / Strategic Mineral in India and India’s Dependency on Imports

Lithium

It is a soft, silvery metal. It has the lowest density of all metals. It reacts vigorously with water.
The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles. Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys and clocks.
Lithium metal is made into alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter. A magnesium-lithium alloy is used for armour plating. Aluminium-lithium alloys are used in aircraft, bicycle frames and high-speed trains.
Lithium oxide is used in special glasses and glass ceramics. Lithium chloride is one of the most hygroscopic materials known and is used in air conditioning and industrial drying systems (as is lithium bromide).
Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature lubricant. Lithium carbonate is used in drugs to treat manic depression, although its action on the brain is still not fully understood. Lithium hydride is used as a means of storing hydrogen for use as a fuel.

Niobium

A silvery metal that is very resistant to corrosion due to a layer of oxide on its surface.
Niobium is used in alloys including stainless steel. It improves the strength of the alloys, particularly at low temperatures. Alloys containing niobium are used in jet engines and rockets, beams and girders for buildings and oil rigs, and oil and gas pipelines.
This element also has superconducting properties. It is used in superconducting magnets for particle accelerators, MRI scanners and NMR equipment.
Niobium oxide compounds are added to glass to increase the refractive index, which allows corrective glasses to be made with thinner lenses.

Rare Earth Elements

The 17 rare earth elements (REE) include the 15 Lanthanides (atomic number 57 — which is Lanthanum — to 71 in the periodic table) plus Scandium (atomic number 21) and Yttrium (39). REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE).
Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs, which is one of the leading producers of REEs, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global production.
The rare earth elements are used in Electric vehicles. They are used in motors and not the batteries. These EVs consist of a permanent magnet motor. The magnets used in these motors are made with REEs such as neodymium, terbium, and dysprosium.

Nuclear option to Energy Security

Context: India is already the third-highest consumer of energy globally. Developmental aspirations of India require a manifold increase in meeting per-capita energy requirements. Further, transition to net-zero GHG emissions necessitates the rapid deployment of new nuclear energy capacity.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Nuclear Energy Production in India.

Mains: Need for Cleaner Energy Alternatives; Challenges to scaling Nuclear Energy in India.

Need for Cleaner Energy Alternatives:

Increasing Energy Requirement: Total clean energy requirement to support a developed India is estimated to be around 25,000 — 30,000 TWhr/yr. This is more than four times our present energy consumption.
Reduce dominance of Thermal Power: Major share of India’s energy mix is thermal power, producing 73% of the electricity of India. However, coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel and leads to massive greenhouse gas emissions.
Limited potential for Hydropower Expansion: India has very limited growth potential for hydropower, as scaling new projects poses concerns like- threat to biodiversity, seismological factors in fragile Himalayas, and high costs of rehabilitation and compensation to land owners.
Unreliability of Green Alternatives: Solar and Wind power are fairly good alternatives, but the energy generated is variable. Also, high cost is associated with Solar photovoltaic cells and storage batteries.
Meet Environmental Targets: India has the target to cut carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030 and achieve net-zero emission status by 2070. India needs to diversify its energy mix and increase the share of renewable clean energy like Nuclear energy.

Brief background: Nuclear Energy Production in India:

Process (Nuclear fission): It involves disintegrating a heavy atom’s nucleus, such as uranium or plutonium, into two or more smaller nuclei. This process releases a substantial amount of energy, which is harnessed and converted into steam to power a turbine that generates electricity.
Fuel used: U-235 (low-enriched or reactor-grade uranium)
Utility:
- Addressing burgeoning electricity demand
- Reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and help the country transition to a cleaner energy source/fuel.
Present Capacity: Presently, India operates 22 nuclear reactors across eight sites, with a total capacity of 6,780 MWe. Among these 18 reactors are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and 4 are Light Water Reactors (LWRs).

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Advantages of Nuclear Energy:

Clean Energy: Nuclear Energy does not produce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, which contribute to climate change. Therefore, it is a cleaner source of energy compared to fossil fuels.
High Energy Density: Nuclear power plants can produce a large amount of energy from a small amount of fuel.
- For operating a plant like Kudankulam over a year — 1,000 megawatts at 90% PLF (plant load factor) —the requirement is only 25 tonnes of low-enriched uranium fuel. Low enrichment means below 5% (proportion of fissile uranium).
- Compared to a coal plant (of similar capacity) — approximately five million tonnes of coal is required. Furthermore, thermal power plants are polluting and coal produces ash. (Ash contains many heavy metals which are detrimental to the water source).
Firm/Reliable Power: Nuclear power plants can run continuously for months or even years without needing to refuel, providing a reliable source of electricity.

General Concerns regarding Nuclear Energy:

Resistance to nuclear energy is driven by fears about safety, nuclear proliferation, or some other concerns related to its use, including:

Risk of Nuclear Accidents: Nuclear reactors are capable of catastrophic accidents, as witnessed in Fukushima and Chernobyl. A single nuclear disaster can contaminate large tracts of land with radioactive materials, rendering these areas uninhabitable for decades..
High Cost: Nuclear power plants are expensive to build and maintain and thus high cost of nuclear power can make it difficult for some countries to afford.
Nuclear Waste: There is no universally agreed-upon solution for the long-term storage and disposal of nuclear waste.
Public Perception: Due to concerns about safety and the risk of accidents, public opposition can make it difficult to build new nuclear power plants.
Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: Spent Nuclear fuel can be enriched and Nuclear technology can be used to create nuclear weapons. There is particularly a concern in countries with less-than-transparent governments that can use nuclear power programs as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons.

Challenges to scaling Nuclear Energy in India:

Availability of Fuel: India does not have large reserves of natural Uranium and must import much of its nuclear fuel from other countries. This can make it difficult to plan for and maintain a stable supply of fuel, which in turn can limit the growth of the nuclear energy industry.
Limited contribution to Energy Mix: Presently, India has 22 nuclear reactors in operation at seven plants, as well as eight reactors under construction. Nuclear power is around 2% of India’s installed and generated power.
Government Monopoly: One of the major reasons that the growth of nuclear power is hindered is due to the Government monopoly in the nuclear energy sector (all reactors are operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited).
Nuclear Liability:
- India's nuclear liability laws have also been a barrier to the growth of the nuclear energy industry. India’s strict liability laws place the burden of compensation for nuclear accidents on the plant operator, which can deter private companies from investing in nuclear power.
- Also, according to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, the liability can be shifted from the operator to the vendor or supplier in case the accident is due to equipment or material. This was the reason nuclear companies pulled out of India, made it difficult to attract foreign investment in the industry and limited the growth of the sector.

E.g., Nuclear liability continues to be the major issue behind why the deal to install French European Pressurised Reactors at Jaitapur, Maharashtra has not made progress.

Regulatory Environment: India's regulatory environment for nuclear power is still evolving, and there is a need for clear and consistent regulations to govern the industry. This includes regulations related to safety, security, and waste management.

Way Forward:

Expansion of Indigenous Nuclear Reactors:
- Indigenous 700 MW PHWR, the first unit of which is already in commercial operation at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project in Gujarat, should be the prime workhorse for base load electrical capacity addition. Fifteen more such units are already under construction in fleet mode.
Build indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at a large number of sites by retiring old thermal power plants.
Speed up Second and Third-stage Nuclear-Power Programme development to unleash thorium energy potential in accordance with the pre-existing plans for long-term sustainable energy supply.
Phased induction of other public sector companies like National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to get into the Nuclear Power sector. Amendment of the Atomic Energy Act1962 to allow the private sector to set up SMRs.
- Given the strategic importance of the sector, the government has kept the private players out of the ambit of operation and fuel management for nuclear power generation.
Utilising bilateral co-operation frameworks for extending cooperation in the Civil-Nuclear Energy Sector. (E.g., India-US Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, 2008)

India needs a National Programme guided by bold policy support that provides a level playing field for nuclear energy on par with renewable energy.

Singareni Collieries belongs to Telangana, rules Home Ministry

Context: In a major relief to Telangana, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ruled that the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) belongs to Telangana.

Background:

A stalemate prevailed over the division of assets pertaining to the SCCL between the two States.
The Telangana State government has been firm that the company belonged to it on the basis of location and this has been confirmed by the Attorney General.
The Andhra Pradesh government has raised objections to the Attorney General’s opinion. It wanted to conclude that SCCL was an interstate company.

The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL)

It is a Government coal mining company jointly owned by the Government of Telangana and the Government of India on a 51:49 equity basis.

The Singareni coal reserves stretch across 350 Km of the Pranahita – Godavari Valley of Telangana with a proven geological reserve aggregating to a whopping 8791 million tonnes.
SCCL is currently operating 18 opencast and 24 underground mines in 4 districts of Telangana

What is Rail Gauge?

Rail gauge is a fundamental concept in the railway industry. It refers to the spacing of the rails on a railway track and is measured between the inner faces of the load-bearing rails.

Rail Gauge

The gauge determines the width and stability of the railway track, which in turn impacts the size and design of the rail vehicles that can operate on the track.

Over 60% of the world's railway network uses the standard gauge of 1435 mm.

India has four distinct kinds of railway gauges:

Broad gauge
Meter gauge
Narrow gauge
Standard gauge (specifically used for the Delhi Metro)

Broad gauge:

Broad gauge is a railway track configuration where the separation between the two tracks in these railway gauges is 1676 mm.
- Any gauge above the conventional gauge measurement of 1,435 mm is often referred to as a broad gauge.
The first railway line constructed in India was a wide gauge track from Bore Bunder (now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) to Thane in the year 1853.
The use of broad-gauge railway systems is also seen at port facilities for the purpose of accommodating cranes and other related equipment.
Thicker gauges provide enhanced stability and surpass thinner gauges in terms of performance.

Meter gauge:

The separation between the two tracks is 1,000 mm.
The installation of meter-gauge lines was undertaken with the objective of minimising expenses.
Under the Unigauge project, it is planned to convert all meter gauge lines in India, except the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (a historical railway operating on a meter gauge) into a wide gauge.

Narrow gauge:

The smaller gauge is sometimes referred to as a narrow gauge or little line.
The narrow-gauge railway refers to a kind of railway track characterised by a distance of 762 mm and 610 mm between the two tracks.
The Darjeeling Mountain Railway was officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Kalka Shimla Railway is well recognised and has significant popularity.

Standard gauge:

The railway gauge in question exhibits a distance of 1435 mm between its two tracks.
In the context of rail transportation systems in India, it is observed that the standard gauge is only used for urban rail transit systems such as Metro, Monorail, and Tram, the only standard gauge railway line in India was the Kolkata (Calcutta) tram system.
In metropolitan regions, it is preferable to construct metro lines only using the standard gauge due to the greater accessibility of rolling equipment for this gauge, as opposed to the Indian gauge.

Global Gender Gap Index

Context: The 17th edition of the Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (published on June 20, 2023), based on data from 146 countries, has concluded that at the current rate of progress, it will take 131 years to close the global gender gap; it is 149 years in populous South Asian countries including India

What is Global Gender Gap Index

It is an annual report highlights the current state and evolution of gender parity.
It was first introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006.
It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps.

Key findings of the Global Gender Index 2023 Report:

According to the WEF no country has yet achieved full gender parity.
For the 14th year running, Iceland (91.2%) takes the top position. It also continues to be the only country to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap.
For the 146 countries, the Health and Survival gender gap has closed by 96%, the Educational Attainment gap by 95.2%, Economic Participation and Opportunity gap by 60.1%, and Political Empowerment gap by 22.1%.
The current rate of progress from 2006 to 2023 suggests that it will take considerable time to close the gender gaps.
The Political Empowerment gender gap is projected to take 162 years to close, while the Economic Participation and Opportunity gender gap is estimated to require 169 years.
On the other hand, the Educational Attainment gender gap is expected to be resolved within 16 years. However, the time needed to close the Health and Survival gender gap remains uncertain.
Achieving gender parity in the labour market continues to pose a significant challenge. Notably, women's participation in the global labour market has declined in recent years, and there are substantial disparities between men and women in various aspects of economic opportunity.
Despite women globally returning to the labour force at higher rates than men, resulting in a slight improvement in gender parity in labour force participation since the 2022, significant gaps persist in multiple dimensions (like leadership roles).

Status of South Asia & India in the Global Gender Index:

India was ranked 127 among 146 countries in gender parity, up eight places from last year’s place, in the Gender Gap Report, 2023 of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
India was ranked 135 in 2022 and has since improved by 1.4 percentage points, indicating a partial recovery towards its 2020 parity level.
The report highlights that India has closed 64.3% of the overall gender gap. However, India has only reached 36.7% parity in economic participation and opportunity.
India has achieved parity in enrolment across all levels of education.
In India, while there has been an improvement in parity in wages and income, the representation of women in senior positions and technical roles has slightly decreased since the last edition.
India has a 25.3% parity in political empowerment, with women comprising 15.1% of MPs.
Among 117 countries with available data since 2017, 18 countries, including Bolivia (50.4%), India (44.4%), and France (42.3%), have achieved women’s representation of over 40% in local governance.
In India, a 1.9 percentage point improvement in the sex ratio at birth has contributed to increased parity after more than a decade.
Compared to top-scoring countries with 94.4% gender parity at birth, India’s indicator stands at 92.7%.

Evidence-based Traditional Medicine

Context: Outrightly denying traditional medical systems would be a hasty dismissal of valuable medical experience and a disservice to the scientific attitude. India needs to work on evidence-based traditional medicine. The acceptability of traditional medicines in the scientific community would increase if evaluated by the methods of modern science in a way that does not compromise with the wholeness of Ayurvedic formulations.

Evidence-based medicine vs traditional medicine

Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM): EBM is based on the integration of the best available scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences and values. It is based on empirical data rather than anecdotal evidence.
Traditional Medicine: Rooted in tradition and experience, traditional medicine is based on long-standing practices passed down through generations. It may include herbal remedies, cultural rituals, and practices.

Reasons for non-development of alternate medicine in India

Lack of scientific validation: Alternative medicine is often not based on scientific evidence or rigorous testing. Without proper scientific validation, it can be difficult for alternative medicine to gain acceptance in the medical community and among the general public.
Limited government support: While India has a rich tradition of alternative medicine, government support for research and development in this field, in the past has been limited, which has hindered the growth of alternative medicine. E.g., Lack of dedicated funding mechanisms for research and development of alternative medicine.
Competition from conventional medicine: Conventional medicine, including modern pharmaceuticals, is highly developed and widely accepted in India. This has made it difficult for alternative medicine to gain a foothold and compete in the marketplace.
Lack of standardisation: Unlike conventional medicine, which is highly standardised and regulated, alternative medicine often lacks standardisation. This can lead to inconsistencies in the quality and efficacy of alternative treatments, which can undermine public confidence in these therapies.
Scepticism among medical professionals: Some medical professionals remain sceptical about the efficacy of alternative medicine, particularly when it comes to treating serious or life-threatening conditions.

Recent developments

The government has established the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to promote the integration of traditional Indian medicine with modern medicine.
In May 2023, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Ministry of AYUSH for collaboration and cooperation in health research in the field of Integrated Medicine.
Integrated medicine in India refers to the practice of combining traditional Indian medicine systems, such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH), with modern medicine.
Aim: To provide patients with a holistic approach to healthcare that takes into account physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of health. By combining different therapies, healthcare providers can tailor treatment plans to individual patients.
The Ministry of AYUSH and ICMR have joined hands to undertake quality human clinical trials to generate evidence on the benefits of using Ayurveda along with modern medicine (evidence-based medicine) in treating certain disease conditions of national importance.
- ICMR will design and conduct these trials as it holds decades of experience in conducting human clinical trials. In the initial phase, the collaboration will be restricted to Ayurveda.
- Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy may be included in future and each system will be tested together with modern medicine.

Significance of the fusion of the traditional Indian medicine system with modern medicine:

The recent COVID-19 Pandemic has underscored the importance of AYUSH thus calling for its revival and fusion with modern medicine to build a holistic health system, which provides:

Comprehensive care: Traditional Indian medicine, such as Ayurveda, focuses on a holistic approach to health and wellness. This means that it considers the individual as a whole, including physical, mental, and emotional factors. By combining this approach with modern medicine, patients can receive more comprehensive and personalized care.
Accessibility: Traditional Indian medicine is often more accessible and affordable than modern medicine. By incorporating these therapies into modern healthcare systems, it reduces out-of-pocket expenditure.
Innovation: By combining traditional Indian medicine with modern medicine, new and innovative treatments can be developed, which can lead to better healthcare outcomes for patients and advances in medical research.
Overcome the challenge of doctors’ shortage: The existing doctor-patient ratio in India is 1:1700 and the ratio improves to around 1:800 (below the WHO’s mandate of 1:1000) with the integration of the AYUSH practitioners.
Help tackle multidrug-resistant diseases such as tuberculosis, lifestyle disorders and long-term diseases. It can reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases- The WHO Report highlights that non-communicable diseases account for 63% of deaths in India.
Reduces the pollution in the manufacturing and waste management of allopathic medicine.

Steps to build a holistic health system:

Invest in research and development of AYUSH for integration with modern medicine.
Update curriculum in medical courses to integrate traditional Indian medicine system with modern medicine.
Introduce bridge courses for AYUSH practitioners and health professionals for interdisciplinary learning.
Co-locate AYUSH facilities in hospitals and primary health centres.
Build awareness in the Public about the benefits and limitations of integrated medicine through public health campaigns, community outreach programs, and partnerships with traditional healers and practitioners.