Daily Current Affairs for UPSC CSE
Topics Covered
- Green Revolution its impact on India
- LPG policies and its impact on India
- Preamble
- Facts for Prelims
1 . Green Revolution its impact on India
Context: The Bharat Ratna will be conferred on former Prime Ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, as well as Green Revolution pioneer M.S. Swaminathan.
What is Green Revolution?
- It is defined as a period of rapid, scientific agricultural advancement in the mid-1960s that involved growing a high-yielding, disease-resistant variety of wheat, particularly in Punjab.
- Dr. Swaminathan was the key architect of this movement and worked in close collaboration with former Union Agriculture Ministers C. Subramaniam (1964-67) and Jagjivan Ram (1967-70 and 1974-77) towards safeguarding India’s food security.
- Short-straw or dwarf varieties of crops like rice and wheat formed the basis of India’s Green Revolution.
Issues in traditional Seeds
- Traditional wheat and rice varieties were tall and slender. They grew vertically on application of fertilizers and water, while “lodging” (bending over or even falling) when their ear-heads were heavy with well-filled grains.
- The Green Revolution entailed breeding semi-dwarf varieties with strong stems that didn’t lodge. These could “tolerate” high fertilizer application. The more the inputs (nutrients and water), the more the output (grain) produced.
What are high-yielding varieties of crops?
- High-yielding varieties of crops, or HYVs, produced a higher yield of crop per hectare in comparison to traditional variants.
- These variants are produced using a combination of traditional breeding steps and biotechnology, which includes genetic diversity. The resulting HYVs are usually disease-resistant and have a higher tolerance to conditions like drought.
- IR8, a variety of rice developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that could produce as much as seven tonnes of rice per hectare compared to traditional seeds that could produce only two tonnes per hectare, was one of the main HYVs grown during the Green Revolution.
- The “miracle rice” was first introduced in the Philippines and was produced by crossing a tall high-yielding strain from Indonesia called Peta with a sturdy dwarf variety from China called Dee-Geo-woo-gen.
- Other HYVs grown during the Green Revolution in India included Kalyan Sona and Sonalika varieties of wheat which were considered to be of good “chapati-making” quality and had “amber grains and good yield potential.
What was the need for Green Revolution in India?
- Frequent famines: In 1964–65 and 1965–66, India experienced two severe droughts which led to food shortages and famines among the country’s growing population. Modern agricultural technologies appeared to offer strategies to counter the frequency of famines.
- Lack of finance: Marginal farmers found it very difficult to get finance and credit at economical rates from the government and banks and hence, fell as easy prey to the money lenders. They took loans from landlords, who charged high rates of interest and also exploited the farmers later on to work in their fields to repay the loans (farm labourers).
- Low productivity: In the context of India’s rapidly growing population, the country’s traditional agricultural practices yielded insufficient food production. By the 1960s, this low productivity led India to experience food grain shortages that were more severe than those of other developing countries. Agricultural technological advancements offered opportunities to increase productivity.
Benefits of Green Revolution
- Increased Agricultural Productivity: The introduction of high-yielding crop varieties, improved agricultural practices, and the use of modern technologies led to a substantial increase in crop yields. This boost in productivity helped meet the growing food demands of India’s population.
- Food Security: The Green Revolution played a crucial role in enhancing food security in India. The increased production of staple crops like wheat and rice ensured a more stable food supply, reducing the risk of famines and food shortages.
- Higher Income for Farmers: Higher crop yields meant increased incomes for many farmers. The adoption of modern agricultural practices allowed farmers to cultivate more efficiently, leading to improved livelihoods for rural communities.
- Reduced Dependence on Food Imports: Prior to the Green Revolution, India had to rely on food imports to meet its domestic demand. The increased production of crops like wheat and rice reduced the need for costly food imports, saving foreign exchange reserves.
- Rural Development: The Green Revolution had a positive impact on rural development. Increased agricultural incomes contributed to the growth of rural economies, leading to improved living standards and infrastructure development in rural areas.
- Employment Generation: The expansion of agricultural activities and the adoption of modern farming techniques created employment opportunities in rural areas. This helped reduce rural unemployment and underemployment.
- Export Opportunities: India became self-sufficient in food production and even started exporting surplus grains. This provided additional revenue through agricultural exports, contributing to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
- Technological Advancements: The Green Revolution spurred investments in agricultural research and development. It encouraged the development of new agricultural technologies and practices that continue to benefit Indian agriculture.
- Transformation of Agriculture: The Green Revolution marked a transformation in Indian agriculture from traditional, subsistence farming to more commercial and market-oriented agriculture.
Criticism of The Green Revolution
- Environmental Concerns: Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides led to soil degradation and water pollution. Overuse of groundwater for irrigation led to the depletion of aquifers in some regions.
- Income Disparities: The benefits of the Green Revolution were not evenly distributed, and larger, wealthier farmers often gained more from the new technologies, exacerbating income inequalities in rural areas.
- Depletion of Natural Resources: The intensive farming practices associated with the Green Revolution put pressure on natural resources like soil and water, leading to long-term sustainability concerns.
- Inter-Crop Imbalances: Although all food-grains including wheat, rice, jowar, bajra and maize have gained from the Green Revolution, it is wheat which has benefited the most. It has wrested areas from coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds. The result is that an excess of production in two main food-grains (wheat and rice) and shortages in most others today prevail side by side.
How Swaminathan contributed to the Green Revolution:
- Swaminathan’s research took him to educational institutions in Europe and the US, and in 1954, he started working at the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, on transferring genes for fertiliser response from Japonica varieties to Indica varieties. He described this as “The first attempt to develop high yielding varieties which can respond to good soil fertility and good water management.”
- This was needed because post-independence, Indian agriculture was not very productive. Years of colonial rule impacted its development and the nation lacked the resources to modernise the sector. As a result, crops necessary for staple foods also had to be imported from countries like the US
- In 1947, when India became independent, we were producing about 6 million tonnes of wheat a year. By 1962, wheat production went to about 10 million tonnes a year. But between 1964 and 1968, annual production of wheat increased from about 10 million tonnes to about 17 million tonnes which was a quantum jump in production, and that is why, it was called a revolutionary step.
- After Swaminathan’s work on rice, he and other scientists would work on doing the same to enhance productivity for the wheat crop. For Wheat, they had to get Norin dwarfing genes from Norman Borlaug in Mexico. Borlaug was an American scientist who was working on developing more productive crop varieties. He would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, “for having given a well-founded hope — the green revolution”.
- Many researchers and scientists were involved in this work. But there isn’t any doubt that the basic strategic vision underpinning the Green Revolution in India — introducing a new genetic strain or ‘plant type’ responsive to increased fertiliser and water application — came from Swaminathan.
- The problem with the traditional wheat and rice varieties was that they were tall and slender. These ‘lodged’ – fell flat on the ground — when they grew and their earheads were heavy with well-filled grains produced in response to high fertiliser doses. Through Swaminathan’s research on rice, a reduction in plant height was sought to make them less lodging-prone. But this was not easy to do.
- His strategy of developing semi-dwarf wheat varieties using mutagenesis, exposing plants to chemicals or radiation to introduce desirable modifications in their DNA , did not, however, work: The lowering of plant heights led to a simultaneous reduction in the size of the grain-bearing panicles or earheads.
- The search for an ideal variety led him to contact American scientist Orville Vogel. He played a role in developing a ‘dwarf wheat’ called Gaines, which had a high yield. It contained dwarfing genes from a dwarf wheat called the Norin-10. Vogel agreed but was unsure of the wheat’s potential in the Indian climate.
- He thus advised Swaminathan to approach Norman Borlaug, who had incorporated the same dwarfing genes through Vogel’s lines into his spring wheat varieties in Mexico that were better suited for India. Borlaug would also later visit India, after Swaminathan proposed so to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, allowing for the wheat breeding programme to commence.
- They started working seriously on dwarf wheat breeding programme in 1963, and within five years, there was what was called the “Wheat Revolution”. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, released a special stamp to mark the achievement.
The side effects of the Green Revolution:
- Despite its landmark role in achieving food sufficient in India, the Green Revolution has been criticised on multiple counts, such as benefiting the already prosperous farmers as it was introduced in states with higher productivity.
- Swaminathan recognised such issues as early as January 1968, addressing the Indian Science Congress at Varanasi.
- He spoke of the dangers of the rapid replacement of numerous locally adapted varieties with one or two high yielding strains in large contiguous areas, the intensive cultivation of land without conservation of soil fertility that could lead ultimately to the springing up of deserts.
- He also warned against the indiscriminte use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides and “unscientific tapping of underground water”. These predictions have indeed become a reality today.
- He also lent his support to farmers. As the head of the National Commission on Farmers from 2004-06, he recommended that the Minimum Support Price at which farmers sell their crops to the government should be at least 50 per cent more than the weighted average cost of production.
- For his contributions, Swaminathan was awarded the first World Food Prize Laureate in 1987, for developing and spearheading the introduction of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties into India during the 1960s when that country faced the prospect of widespread famine
- Wheat production doubled in just a few years, making the country self-sufficient and saving millions from extreme food deprivation.
2 . LPG policies and its impact on India
Context: The Bharat Ratna will be conferred on former Prime Ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, as well as Green Revolution pioneer M.S. Swaminathan, adding to the two awardees already announced earlier this year.
What is LPG ?
- Liberalization- Liberalisation refers to process of making policies less constraining of economic activity and also reduction of tariff or removal of non-tariff barriers.
- Privatization- The term “Privatisation” refers to the transfer of ownership of property or business from a government to a private owned entity.
- Globalization- Globalisation refers to the expansion of economic activities across political boundaries of nation states. More importantly perhaps it refers economic interdependence between countries in the world economy.
Features
- Abolition of Industrial licensing / Permit Raj
- Beginning of privatisation.
- Freer entry to foreign investment and technology
- Industrial location policy liberalized
- Specific changes include the reduction in import tariffs
- Deregulation of markets
- Reduction of taxes
Positive Impact of LPG on Indian Economy
- Increase in GDP growth rate:India’s GDP growth rate is increased. During 1990-91 India’s GDP growth rate was only 1.1% but after 1991 reforms due LPG policy India’s GDP growth rate is increased year by year and in 2015 it was recorded 7.26 and in 2015-16 it is estimated to be 7.5% by IMF.Because of the Abolition of Industrial licensing, privatisation, advanced foreign technology and Reduction of taxes India’s GDP is increased after 1991 reforms.
- Increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)- Since 1991, the regulatory environment in terms of foreign investment has been consistently eased to make it investor-friendly.India has also firmly established itself as a lucrative foreign investment destination, with foreign capital inflows of over US$ 31 billion in 2015 – surpassing the US and China. India has allowed 100% FDI in medical services, Telecom sector, and single brand retail etc.FDI cap increased in insurance & sub-activities from 26% to 49% and also in Private Sector Banking- Except branches or wholly owned subsidiaries (74%) FDI is allowed and in Public sector banking 20% FDI is allowed under Make In India scheme. In 1991FDI inflow was 408crores only but after India has made those reforms of Globalization and Privatization and free entry policy as a result FDI inflow in India was 106,693 Croresin 2015.
- Increase in per capita income- Per capita income or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.). It is calculated by dividing the area’s total income by its total population. In 1991 India’s Per capita Income was Rs. 11235 but in 2014-15 Per Capita Income is reached to Rs. 85533.
- Unemployment rate reduced- In 1991 unemployment rate was 4.3% but after India adopted new LPG policy more employment is generated because of globalisation many new foreign companies came in India and due to liberalisation many new entrepreneurs have started new companies because of a abolition of Industrial licensing / Permit Raj so, employment is generated, and due to which India’s unemployment rate is reduced from 4.3% in 1991 to 3.6% in 2014.
Limitations of LPG policy
- Low Growth of Agriculture Sector- Agriculture has been and still remains the backbone of the Indian economy. It plays a vital role not only in Providing food and nutrition to the people, but also in the supply of raw material to industries and to export trade. In 1991, agriculture provided employment to 72 per cent of the population and contributed 29.02per cent of the gross domestic product. However, in 2014 the share of agriculture in the GDP went down drastically to17.9 per cent. This has resulted in a lowering the per capita incomeof the farmers and increasing the rural indebtedness.
- Threat from foreign competition- Due to opening up of the Indian economy to foreign competition through Liberalization and FDI policy more MNC’s are attracted towards India after 1991 reforms and they are competing local businesses and companies. Since, these MNC’s have lot of financial capacity or those are big organizations with advanced foreign technology so, they have large production capacity and huge money for promotion and other research activities they are easily defeating our Indian local companies. And they had acquired many Indian companies as well. Because of financial constraints, lack of advanced technology and production inefficiencies our Indian companies are facing problem in the globalization period.
- Adverse Impact on Environment- Globalization has also contributed to the destruction of the environment through pollution and clearing of vegetation cover. With the construction of companies, the emissions from manufacturing plants are causing environmental pollution which further affects the health of many people.
- Increase in Income disparity- Globalization leads to widening income gaps within the country. Globalization benefits only those who have the skills and the technology in the country. The higher growth rate achieved by an economy can be atthe expense of declining incomes of people who may be rendered redundant.Globalization has widened the gap between the rich and poor, raising inequalities.
3 . Preamble
Context: The Supreme Court on Friday asked if the Preamble of the Constitution could have been amended without changing the date of its adoption on November 26, 1949.
About the Preamble
- Preamble is an introductory statement in a document that explains the document’s philosophy and objectives. In a Constitution, it presents the intention of its framers, the history behind its creation, and the core values and principles of the nation.
- It is based on the Objectives Resolution, which was moved in the Constituent Assembly by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946 accepted on 22 January 1947 and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, coming into force on 26 January 1950, celebrated as the Republic Day of India.
- The ideals behind the Preamble to India’s Constitution were laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru’s Objectives Resolution, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 22, 1947.
- Although not enforceable in court, the Preamble states the objects of the Constitution, and acts as an aid during the interpretation of Articles when language is found ambiguous.
What do the key words in the Preamble stand for?
- The words, “We, the people of India…” indicate the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. Sovereignty means the independent authority of the State, not being subject to the control of any other State or external power.
- The text declares India to be a “Republic” — indicating a government by the people and for the people.
- It states “social, economic, and political justice” as an objective.
- Liberty”, “equality”, and “fraternity” have also been made ideals.
- 42nd Amendment to the Constitution, passed in 1976, replaced the words “sovereign democratic republic” to “sovereign socialist secular democratic republic”. It also changed “unity of the nation” to “unity and integrity of the nation”.
SC Judgements
- The Supreme Court of India originally stated in the Berubari case presidential reference that the preamble is not an integral part of the Indian constitution, and therefore it is not enforceable in a court of law. However, the same court, in the 1973 Kesavananda case, over-ruled its earlier decisions and recognized that the preamble is a “Basic Structure” of the constitution and it may also be used to interpret ambiguous areas of the constitution where differing interpretations present themselves.
- In the 1995 case of Union Government vs LIC of India, the Supreme Court once again held that the Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution.
Constituents of the Preamble:
- Sovereign: means the independent authority of a State—that it has the power to legislate on any subject; and that it is not subject to the control of any other State / external power.
- Socialist: Before the term was added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976,the Constitution had socialist content in the form of certain Directive Principles of State Policy. The term socialist used here refers to social democracy, i.e. achievement of socialist goals through democratic, evolutionary and non-violent means. Essentially, it means that (since wealth is generated socially) wealth should be shared equally by society through distributive justice, not concentrated in the hands of few, and that the government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socio-economic inequalities.
- Secular: Secular means that the relationship between the government and religious groups are determined according to constitution and law. It separates the power of the state and religion. By the 42nd Amendment on December 18, 1976, the term “Secular” was also incorporated in the Preamble. There is no difference of religion i.e. Hinduism,Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity and Islam are equally respected and moreover, there is no state religion. All the citizens of India are allowed to profess, practice and propagate their religions.
- Democratic: The people of India elect their governments by a system of universal adult franchise, popularly known as “one person one vote”. This representative form of government is suitable for governing the country because of its huge and diverse population. Every citizen of India 18 years of age or older and not otherwise debarred by law is entitled to vote.
- Republic: In a republican form of government, the head of state is elected and not a hereditary monarch. Thus, this word denotes a government where no one holds public power as a proprietary right. As opposed to a monarchy, in which the head of state is appointed on a hereditary basis for life or until abdication, a democratic republic is an entity in which the head of state is elected, directly or indirectly, for a fixed tenure. Thus, India has a president who is indirectly elected and has a fixed term of office. There is an absence of a privileged class and all public offices are open to every citizen without discrimination.
- Justice: Justice stands for rule of law, absence of arbitrariness and a system of equal rights, freedom and opportunities for all in a society. India seeks social, economic and political justice to ensure equality to its citizens.
- Social Justice:Social Justice means the absence of socially privileged classes in the society and no discrimination against any citizen on grounds of caste, creed, color, religion, gender or place of birth. India stands for eliminating all forms of exploitations from the society.
- Economic Justice: Economic Justice means no discrimination between man and woman on the basis of income, wealth and economic status. It stands for equitable distribution of wealth, economic equalities, the end of monopolistic control over means of production and distribution, decentralization of economic resources, and the securing of adequate opportunities to all for earning their living.
- Political Justice:Political justice means equal, free and fair opportunities to the people for participation in the political process. It stands for the grant of equal political rights to all the people without discrimination. The Constitution of India provides for a liberal democracy in which all the people have the right and freedom to participate.
- Liberty: The idea of Liberty refers to the freedom on the activities of Indian nationals. This establishes that there are no unreasonable restrictions on Indian citizens in term of what they think, their manner of expressions and the way they wish to follow up their thoughts in action. However, liberty does not mean freedom to do anything, and it must be exercised within the constitutional limits.
- Equality: The term ‘equality’ means the absence of special privilege to any section of society, and the provision of adequate opportunity of all the individuals without any discrimination.
- Fraternity: This refers to feeling of oneness and a sense of belonging with the country among its people.
- The word “Fraternity” is derived from French word which declares that it has to assure two things—the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. The word ‘integrity’ has been added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976).
4 . Facts for Prelims
Sada Tanseeq:
- The inaugural edition of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ commenced at Mahajan, Rajasthan.
- The Saudi Arabian contingent comprising 45 personnel is being represented by Royal Saudi Land Forces. The Indian Army contingent also comprising 45 personnel is being represented by a Battalion from the Brigade of the Guards (Mechanised Infantry).
- Aim of the Exercise is to train troops of both sides for Joint Operations in Semi Desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Exercise will enable both the sides to share their best practices in the tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting operations in sub-conventional domain. It will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops from both the sides.
- The Exercise will involve Establishment of Mobile Vehicle Check Post, Cordon & Search Operation, House Intervention Drill, Reflex Shooting, Slithering and Sniper Firing. The Exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond. It will act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives, enhance the level of defence cooperation and foster bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.
Indian Ocean Conference
- The IOC is a yearly global gathering that centers on the geopolitical, economic, and strategic significance of the Indian Ocean area.
- It is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the region, organised annually by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in association with the India Foundation.
- It convenes policymakers, academics, corporate executives, and members of civil society to deliberate on matters concerning security, commerce, and collaboration in the Indian Ocean region.
- The seventh edition of the conference is being held in Perth in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian government along with Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies and Perth-US Asia Centre.
- The theme of this edition of the conference is ‘Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean’.