Paper - II Final -2 Geography Model Answer By : Neetu Singh Main Answer Writing Practice 2018

Ans.1 Map Location

(a) Malaygiri is a mountain peak in the hills ransituated in the Pal Lahara town near Kendujhar in the district of Kendujhar of Orissa, . It is the highest mountain in Orissa at an elevation of 1,187 metres. It is the peak of Garjat hills in Orissa known for its iron ore reserves Drained by Baitarni River (b) Salsett Island The largest of the harbour’s islands is Elephanta, which is famous for its 8th- and 9th- century cave temples.Salsette Island was linked with the mainland by a bridge across Thana Creek, the headwaters of Mumbai Harbour.TANSA, a small river in Salsett island, in the Thane district of Mumbai, which provides the city of Mumbai with its water-supply. (c) Adam’s Bridge also called Rama’s Bridge, chain of shoals, between the islands of Mannar,near northwestern Sri Lanka, and Rameswaram, off the southeastern coast of India. The strait is incompletely separated from the Gulf of Mannar to the south by a group of islands, known as Adams Bridge. (d) Farakka Barrage the Indian diversion barrage at , just inside the Indian border development, began to route water from the Ganges into the Hugli (Hooghly) It froms one of the aveneues of political turmoil existing between india & Bangladesh. (e) Rajmahal Hills These are the shield extension, know for the Kavartals fresh water lakes The valleys are cultivated by tribal Santals.

Ans. 1 (b) India’s climate is controlled by a number of factors which can be broadly divided into two groups — factors related to location and relief, and factors related to air pressure and winds. Latitude: Northern part of the India lies in sub-tropical and temperate zone and the part lying south of the Tropic of Cancer falls in the tropical zone. The tropical zone, being nearer to the equator, experiences high temperatures throughout the year with small daily and annual range of temperature. The area north of the Tropic of Cancer which is away from the equator, experiences extreme climate with high daily and annual range of temperature. The Himalayan Mountains: The lofty Himalayas in the north along with its extensions act as an effective climatic divide. The towering mountain chain provides an invincible shield to protect the subcontinent from the cold northern winds. These cold and chilly winds originate near the Arctic circle and blow across central and eastern Asia. The Himalayas also trap the monsoon winds, forcing them to shed their moisture within the subcontinent.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 1 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Distribution of Land and Water: India is flanked by the Indian Ocean on three sides in the south and girdled by a high and continuous mountain-wall in the north. As compared to the landmass, water heats up or cools down slowly creating different air pressure zones in different seasons in and around the Indian subcontinent. Difference in air pressure causes reversal in the direction of monsoon winds. Distance from the Sea: With a long coastline, large coastal areas have an equable climate. Areas in the interior of India are far away from the moderating influence of the sea. The seasonal contrasts in weather at places in the interior of the country such as Delhi, Kanpur and Amritsar affect the entire sphere of life. Altitude : Temperature decreases with height. Due to thin air, places in the mountains are cooler than places on the plains. For example, Agra and Darjeeling are located on the same latitude, but temperature of January in Agra is 16°C whereas it is only 4°C in Darjeeling. Relief : The physiography or relief of India also affects the temperature, air pressure, direction and speed of wind and the amount and distribution of rainfall. The windward sides of Western Ghats and Assam receive high rainfall during June-September whereas the southern plateau remains dry due to its leeward situation along the Western Ghats. The differences in local climates of India, is caused by the mechanism of the following three factors: · Distribution of air pressure and winds on the surface of the earth. · Upper air circulation caused by factors controlling global weather and the inflow of different air masses and jet streams. · Inflow of western cyclones generally known as disturbances during the winter season and tropical depressions during the south-west monsoon period into India, creating weather conditions favourable to rainfall.

Ans. 1.(c) Elephant is the largest terrestrial mammal of India . Elephant being wide ranging animal requires large areas . The requirement of food and water for elephants are very high and therefore their population can be supported only by forests that are under optimal conditions. The status of elephant can be the best indicator of the status of the forests. About 60% of the Asian elephant population is in India. However current distribution of wild elephant in India is confined to South India ; North East including North ; Central Indian states of Orissa , South WB and Jharkhand; and North West India in Uttarakahnd and UP. Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following objectives : 1. To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors 2. To address issues of man-animal conflict 3. Welfare of captive elephants Financial and Technical support are being provided to major elephant bearing States in the country. The Project is being mainly implemented in 16 States / UTs , viz. , Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, , Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, , Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.The all India enumeration of wild population of elephants in the country is carried out at every five year interval. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 2 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Elephent Reserves:Till now 28 Elephant Reserves (ERs) extending over about 61830.08 sq km have been formally notified by various State Governments. Consent for establishment 2 more ERs – Khasi Elephant Reserve in Meghalaya and Dandeli Elephant Reserve in Karnataka has been accorded by MoEF&CC. Inclusion of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Mysore Elephant Reserve has also been approved by the Ministry. The concerned State Governments are yet to notify these ERs. Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants ( MIKE ) Programme Mandated by COP resolution of CITES , MIKE program started in South Asia in the year 2003 with following purpose – To provide information needed for elephant range States to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions, and to build institutional capacity within the range States for the long-term management of their elephant populations. The main objectives of the MIKE are: To measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants; To determine changes in these trends over time; and To determine the factors causing or associated with such changes, and to try and assess in particular to what extent observed trends are a result of any decisions taken by the Conference of the Parties to CITES.Under the programme data are being collected from all sites on monthly basis in specified MIKE patrol form and submited to Sub Regional Support Office for South Asia Programme located in Delhi who are assisting Ministry in the implementation of the programme. Mike Sites in India Chirang Ripu (Assam ) ,Dhang Patki ( Assam ),Eastern Dooars ( WB ), ( Arun Pradesh ),Garo Hills ( Meghalaya Mayurbhanj ( Orissa ), Mysore ( Karnataka ),Nilgiri ( T N ),Shivalik ( Uttarakhand ),Wayanad ( Kerala).

Ans. 1(d) Peninsular plateau is recognized to be the part of ancient Gondwanaland. It thus represents one of the significant examples of shield of the world. Developed in Azoic, it incorporates Paleozoic reconstruction and Cenozoic modifications. The triple tectonic characteristics of India is individually justified in this relief thereby. As per the present relief profile in general, this shield has reached old stage of cycle of erosion. Its general configuration is that of a rolling Plateau with isolated relict hills in the central part and chain of hills surrounding it. Physiographically, this relief is divided on the basis of both location as well as geological structure. The central highlands include the Aravallis range, the Vindhyans and the Satpuras. These relief features belongs to the Paleozoic era. Aravallis are majorly made up of limestone, dolomite deposited in the geosynclines. It also incorporates metalliferous minerals as the reference of Azoic construct. Extending for 800 km, this range registers an increase in height towards south. It is Gurushikhar that represents the highest peak of range. As water divide, it demarcates inland seasonal drainage Banas to its east. The Vindhyan range though represents limestone dominated construct as Aravalli, it is Paleozoic block. Like Aravallis, it has Cenozoic basaltic modification towards its west covering considerable stretch in central India with average elevation of 300 m. The main features of the region are scarps of Vindhyan sandstone. The range also includes Bandher plateau, Kaimur hills and Baghelkland as its physiographic constituents. It slopes gently towards the north and abruptly towards south. The Panna hills forms the diamond bearing horizon. This entire belt structurally belongs to DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 3 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Archean and Purana, Upper Pre-Cambrian construct. South of Vindhyans, lies narrow valley of Narmada, the example of rift valley. The river flows westwards forming several waterfalls as Dhuandhar falls near Jabalpur. The Satpura range also forms the example of Paleozoic block. More extensive and high elevation, this block is incorporating Cenozoic basalt construct. Generally, this range has elevation between 600-900mts extending between Narmada and Tapi rift valleys. It extends from Rajpipla in Gujarat to Maikala range in Chattisgarh. The Gwaligarh range, Betul Plateau, Mahadio hills are the other physiographic constitutents. Dhupgarh in Panchmarhi is the highest elevation. Amarkantak represents the radial drainage of Narmada, Hasdo and Johilla rivers. South of river Tapi, Satmala and Ajanta ranges are identified. Majorly made up of Upper Precambrian construct, it has significant basaltic construct of Cenozoic. The Azoic relief includes crystalline plateau with major structural and relief features. The is a triangular plateau extending between Eastern and Western Ghats, south of river Tapi. The relief is dominated with denuded hills and dissected plateaus. The Maharastra plateau and Malnads of Karnataka has major basaltic construct developed over Archean Gnesis and Schist as well as Dharwar series. The plateaus of Telengana and Dandkarnya are majorly the Archean structure with Dharwar/Cuddapah structure. The gradient of these tablelands are generally towards east. Western Ghats demarcates the western boundary. Also called Sahyadris, these mountain escarpments represents continuous profile barring Thalghat, Bhorghat gaps. Acting as water divide between Sahyadri basin and rest of peninsular basin, it is physiographically extending till Nilgiris. The Phalghat gap and Shenkotta gaps further forms the divides. Though considerably narrow, Sahyadris have Balaghat and Harishchandra ranges in Maharastra along with Baba Budan, Melagiri, Schechacalam hills and Banglore-Mysore Tableland as extensive parts in Karnataka. The structural characteristics of the Sahyadris are similar to that of peninsular plateau with Archean, Dharwar and basaltic Cenozoic construct. The are more low-lying and dissected owing to riverine deposits. , Nallamalla, Palkonda are the significant constituents. Tikarpara, Nayagarh forms the discontiguous and Mahengragiri due to Brahmani, and Rushkuliya rivers. It is delta deposits of Godavari and Krishna that demarcates Nallamalla and Mahendragiri. The Penneru river incorporates the tributary network that forms the cause of Erramalla, Velikonda, Palkonda and Nagari hills. The southern hills as Javadi, Sheveroy and Panchimalai hills demarcate the plains of Tamil Nadu. Structurally it though has Azoic built, it has Cuddapah structure. The Malwa–Bundelkhand tableland has the similar geological construct to that of Deccan trap. It however has flat topped feature and it is majorly dissected by peninsular tributaries of Yamuna. The Chottanagpur plateau though is the extension of shield, it represents lack of Cenozoic construct. The Hazaribagh Plateau, Garjat hills, Ramgarh hills and Rajmahal hills are the physiographic units. The far eastern uplands are discontiguous extension of Chottanagpur plateau. It however is distinguished on the grounds of more lateritic construct. On to the extreme west is the Kathiawar upland, known for its basaltic construct. It has Gir range, Girnal hills, Barda and Mandvr hills as its physiographic subdivides. Radial drainage forms its characteristics also with Bhader, Shetrunji, Bhogawa and Machhu rivers.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 4 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Ans. 1(e) The National Forest Policy 1988 aims for 33% of the country’s geographical area under the forest cover for ecological and environmental security. While aiming to expand the forest cover in the country, it is equally important to improve the state and quality of existing forests and protect them against various threats and drivers of degradation. The threats to forests include encroachments, forest fires, illicit felling for timber and firewood, grazing, diseases and incursion of weeds and other invasive species, etc. With a view to minimizing fire hazards and controlling forest fires a Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Integrated Forest Protection Scheme” was launched during the 10th plan period. In 2009, the Integrated Forest protection Scheme (IFPS) has been revised and renamed “Intensification of Forest Management Scheme” (IFMS). The components of the scheme included forest fire control and management, survey, demarcation and preparation of working plans, strengthening of infrastructure such as roads, camp offices, watch towers, improved mobility, providing fire arms and use of modern information and communication technology etc. The funding pattern is on cost sharing basis for N-E States including Sikkim and special category States Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir & Uttarakhand, the Central Share is 90% and the State’s Share is 10%. For rest of the states the Central Share is 75% and State’s Share is 25%. During the 12thPlan Period Intensification of Forest Management Scheme (IFMS) and National Afforestation Programme will be under a new scheme called Afforestation & Forest Management. The Provision for procurement of Arms and Ammunitions is made under this Scheme in which the Ministry of Environment and Forests provides financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid to State/Union Territory Governments for strengthening of infrastructure and protection machinery according to the proposal received from them. Main components of Intensification of Forest Management Scheme (IFMS) are: 1. Forest Fire Control & Management: Creation of fire-lines, Construction of watch towers, and Engagement of firewatchers and assistance to Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC) 2. Strengthening of Infrastructure: Construction of field offices, transit camps, inspection huts, forest roads and provision for field vehicles, computers, GIS and other equipments including arms and ammunitions. 3. Survey, Demarcation and Working Plan Preparation: Field survey, boundary demarcation, enumeration, Purchase of Material for working plan preparation and Purchase of equipment for survey and enumeration (GPS etc). 4. Protection and conservation of Sacred Groves: Inventorization of the Sacred Groves in each State/ UT, Cultural operations including weeding, bush cutting, ANR, soil moistureconservation works and Research/ studies and other miscellaneous works. 5. Conservation and Restoration of Unique Vegetation & Ecosystem: Inventorization of the resources and Research & Development studies to develop protocols to improve its regeneration,mass multiplication, specific studies related to trade, policy and support for various cultural operations. 6. Control and Eradication of Forest Invasive Species: Providing assistance to the State/ UT Forest Department and their research organisations for carrying out studies and research on Forest Invasive Species, and their control and management. The Studies and research include activities such as survey, surveillance, biological studies, field control trials, etc.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 5 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. 7. Preparedness for Meeting Challenges of Bamboo Flowering and Improving Management of Bamboo Forests: The activities under this component would include- support to the State/UT Forest Department and to their research institutions for carrying out studies, research, surveillance and survey of the bamboo areas and in the event of detection of flowering (gregarious/ sporadic). In addition to this it aims to improve the management of bamboo areas for removing decongestion, improving clump/ Culm quality, gap planting, use of quality planting material, etc.

Ans. 2(a) Salt affected soils differ from normal soils in respect of soil reaction (pH) and soluble salt content. Visually, they are recognized by the presence of a white or grayish-white efflorescence of salts on the soil surface during dry months. Commonly they are devoid of good natural vegetation Salt affected soils in India are broadly classified into groups of alkaline or saline soils. Soluble soils in alkali soils are mostly carbonates and bicarbonates of sodium. The exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of these soils often exceeds 15%. In barren alkali soils, the exchange complex may be largely occupied by sodium ions, and the presence of large amounts of exchangeable sodium dispersed in the soil resulting in their poor physical condition. The presence of sodium carbonate and hydrolysis of exchangeable sodium increases the soil pH, which in highly deteriorated soils may be as high as 10.5. Alkali soils are known as ‘Usar’ in Uttar Pradesh and ‘Kallar’ in Punjab and Haryana. The factors inhibiting crop/tree growth in alkali soils are: A high pH throughout the profile which causes problems of nutrient availability. A highly deteriorated soil structure, with poor water transmission characteristics leading to water stagnation and reduced aeration of roots. A hard calcium carbonate layer at about one metre depth in the profile action as a physical barrier for the vertical penetration of tree roots, although the location of this layer in the profile and its thickness varies in different soils. Often compact sub-surface horizons also restrict root penetration in alkali soils. Saline soils contain an excess of neutral soluble salts, generally chlorides and sulphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium. Saline soils rich in such divalent cat-ions have low ESP and pH and a good physical condition. Owing to the flocculating effect of neutral salts, saline soils are very permeable and can be reclaimed by leaching with good quality water provided the ground water table is deep. The factors inhibiting crop/tree growth in saline soils include The salinity induced high osmotic pressure of soil water The toxic effect of specific ions Nutritional disorders occur due to competitive uptake of ions. A high water table and therefore regular and/or prolonged water logging is associated with such soils. The ground water found in saline areas is often of poor quality, while fresh water is scarce. Poor rainfall and high temperature of arid and semi-arid regions are very favourable conditions leading to formation of saline and alkali soils. The low rainfall in these regions is not sufficient to leach down the soluble weathered products and hence the salts accumulate in the soil. In summary, salts move up with water due to evaporation. As water is evaporated in the atmosphere, the salts are left behind in the soil.Use of basic fertilizers like sodium nitrate, basic slag may develop soil alkalinity. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 6 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Leaching of salts: Leaching and draining away of salts by rain and irrigation water can be achieved effectively. The main objective in the reclamations of these soils is to leach the salts below the root zone. Hence, drainage system should be installed, if necessary. This is achieved by flooding and ensuring that water is drained away to lower depths in soil. To make it effective, bunds are raised around plots prepared according to their textural classes and water is applied depending on their water requirement to leach salts. Water needed to leach salts varies according to soil texture. The heavy soil need more water than sandy or light soils. Scraping: Scraping off surface salts from highly saline patches can be done. However, this is a very tedious job and required lot of labour and energy. Use of gypsum: If saline soil contain a little amount of sodium, application of gypsum is necessary to displace sodium. This is followed by leaching. In these soils, the exchangeable sodium is so great as to make the soil almost impervious to water. Large quantities of gypsum are applied to replace sodium and leached downward and out of reach of plant roots. Gypsum is applied on the soil surface and mixed by harrowing two to four weeks before sowing “2.5 to 5.0 tonnes per hectare depending on the density of the salts present in the salt affected soil. Artificial drainage and deep ploughing: In saline soils, with high water table, artificial drainage should be practiced. If there is any hard pan in the sub-soil layer, that may prevent downward movement of water, deep ploughing or chiseling should be done to break such layers and open the soil for free downward movement of water. Use of mulches: In areas where water resources are limited, application of surface organic mulch shows surface evaporation, salt movement by evaporative water is decreased and net downward movement of salt is increased. Use of sulphur: In extreme cases, sulphur is used to reduce alkalinity. Ground sulphur is incorporated into the soil several weeks before planting of the crop. The quantity of sulphur required is depending upon the intensity of salt affected soil and climatic conditions. The pH up to 8, the 1.25 to 2.5 tonnes of sulphur and 5 to 7.5 tonnes of organic matter per hectare will be required to reduce the pH to about 6.5. Application of pyrite: Pyrite is a mineral containing iron and sulphur (FeS2). The pyrite should be grinded into small particles and broadcasted followed by a light irrigation. It takes about 4-6 weeks to oxidize on the surface of soil after which it should be incorporated into the soil. Pyrite is oxidized to sulphate. The oxidation is a chemical and microbiological process. Increasing the ratio of application of pyrite increases the surface available for oxidation and results in an increase in the amount of pyrite oxidized. Top dressing of pyrite increases its oxidation and is more effective. Application of manure: Salt affected soils are deficient in organic matter and nutrients particularly nitrogen and zinc. Because of high pH, many plant nutrients are fixed up in unavailable forms. Application of farmyard manure results in increasing fertility and improving soil physical conditions. The maintenance of flooded condition for 15-30 days following incorporation of farmyard manure at the rate of 20-25 tonnes/ha reduced exchangeable sodium percentage to a great extent by minimizing the escape of CO2 released during fast initial decomposition besides facilitating the leaching of sodium replaced from the exchange complex. Use of acidifying fertilizers: The use of some acidifying fertilizers can help to reduce the salts toxicity for growing of the crop plant and trees. For example single superphosphate or ammonium sulphate which increases DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 7 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. acidity in soil and maintains fertility of soil impoverished by leaching and cropping are the best source of plant nutrients in salt affected soils. Green manuring: In alkali soil green manuring of dhaincha has been found to be beneficial along with gypsum in resorting physical condition and enriching the soil in nitrogen and organic matter. In addition to dhaincha, sunhemp can also be grown for reclamation of salt affected soils. Use of molasses: Molasses are used to reclaim soils at the rate 5 tonnes/ha along with 2.5 to 5 tonnes of press mud. It provides source of energy for micro-organisms and on fermentation, produce organic acids which reduce alkalinity while press mud help in reducing exchangeable sodium. Growing salt tolerance crops and varieties: Crops and their varieties vary a great deal in their tolerance to salinity and alkalinity conditions. Sesbania aculeate (dhainacha) is a tolerant legume in these soils; rice is tolerant to flooding conditions and has a shallow root system. The selection of crops can be done based on the intensity of the salt affected soils for better utilization of the finite resource (land). Bio-saline agriculture: As highly saline Vertisols are difficult to reclaim especially under rain-fed situations, bio- saline agriculture forms an alternative to bring these lands under cultivation. Economic potential of some halophytes can be exploited for saline agriculture on salt affected black soils of Gujarat.It may be concluded that the problems of soil solidicity, salinity and poor quality are likely to increase in the near future due to planned expansion in irrigated area and intensive use of natural resources to meet food, fodder, fibre and timber requirement of the burgening human and livestock populations. Tentative estimate indicates that the salt affected soils will constitute nearly 13 million ha area in the country by 2025. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reclaim the presently salt affected soils, and also to avoid the further deterioration in the soil quality by appropriate management techniques.

Ans. 2.(b) The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides a framework and direction to the government agencies for all phases of disaster management cycle .The NDMP is a”dynamic document” in the sense that it will be periodically improved keeping up with the global best practices and knowledge base in disaster management. It is in accordance with the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005, the guidance given in the National Policy on Disaster Management 2009 (NPDM), and the established national practices. Relevant agencies – central or state – will carry out disaster management activities in different phases in the disaster-affected areas depending on the type and scale of disaster. The NDMP provides a framework covering all aspects of the disaster management cycle. It covers disaster risk reduction, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and betterment reconstruction. It recognises that effective disaster management necessitates a comprehensive framework encompassing multiple hazards. The NDMP incorporates an integrated approach that ensures the involvement of government agencies, numerous other relevant organisations, private sector participants, and local communities. The NDMP recognizes the need to minimize, if not eliminate, any ambiguity in the responsibility framework. It, therefore, specifies who is responsible for what at different stages of managing disasters. The NDMP is envisaged as ready for activation at all times in response to an emergency in any part of the country. It is designed in such DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 8 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. a way that it can be implemented as needed on a flexible and scalable manner in all phases of disaster management: a) mitigation (prevention and risk reduction), b) preparedness, c) response and d) recovery (immediate restoration to long-term betterment reconstruction). The NDMP provides a framework with role clarity for rapid mobilization of resources and effective disaster management by the Central and State Governments in India. While it focuses primarily on the needs of the government agencies, it envisages all those involved in disaster management including communities and non- government agencies as potential users. The NDMP provides a well defined framework for disaster management covering scope of work and roles of relevant agencies along with their responsibilities and accountability necessary to ensure effective mitigation, develop preparedness, and mobilize adequate response. Objectives Along with the mandate given in the DM Act 2005 and the NPDM 2009, the national plan has incorporated the national commitment towards the Sendai Framework. Accordingly, the broad objectives of the NDMP are: 1. Improve the understanding of disaster risk, hazards, and vulnerabilities 2. Strengthen disaster risk governance at all levels from local to centre 3. Invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience through structural, non-structural and financial measures, as well as comprehensive capacity development 4. Enhance disaster preparedness for effective response 5. Promote “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction 6. Prevent disasters and achieve substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, health, and assets (economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental) 7. Increase resilience and prevent the emergence of new disaster risks and reduce the existing risks 8. Promote the implementation of integrated and inclusive economic, structural, legal, social, health, cultural, educational, environmental, technological, political and institutional measures to prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerabilities to disaster 9. Empower both local authorities and communities as partners to reduce and manage disaster risks 10. Strengthen scientific and technical capabilities in all aspects of disaster management 11. Capacity development at all levels to effectively respond to multiple hazards and for community-based disaster management 12. Provide clarity on roles and responsibilities of various Ministries and Departments involved in different aspects of disaster management 13. Promote the culture of disaster risk prevention and mitigation at all levels 14. Facilitate the mainstreaming of disaster management concerns into the developmental planning and processes Sendai Framework The NDMP is consistent with the approaches promoted globally by the United Nations, in particular the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (hereafter “Sendai Framework”)adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan, 2015 as the successor instrument to the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015. It is a non-binding agreement, which the signatory nations, including India, will attempt DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 9 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. to comply with on a voluntary basis. However, India will make all efforts to contribute to the realization of the global targets by improving the entire disaster management cycle in India by following the recommendations in the Sendai Framework and by adopting globally accepted best practices. The Sendai Framework was the first international agreement adopted within the context of the post-2015 development agenda. Two other major international agreements followed it in the same year: The Sustainable Development Goals 2015 – 2030 in September, and the UNCOP21 Climate Change agreement to combat human-induced climate change in December. DRR is a common theme in these three global agreements. The Paris Agreement on global climate change points to the importance of averting, minimizing, and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage. These three agreements recognize the desired outcomes in DRR as a product of complex and interconnected social and economic processes, which overlap across the agendas of the three agreements. Intrinsic to sustainable development is DRR and the building of resilience to disasters. Further, effective disaster risk management contributes to sustainable development. In the domain of disaster management, the Sendai Framework provides the way forward for the period ending in 2030. There are some major departures in the Sendai Framework: For the first time the goals are defined in terms of outcome-based targets instead of focusing on sets of activities and actions. It places governments at the center of disaster risk reduction with the framework emphasizing the need to strengthen the disaster risk governance. There is significant shift from earlier emphasis on disaster management to addressing disaster risk management itself by focusing on the underlying drivers of risk. It places almost equal importance on all kinds of disasters and not only on those arising from natural hazards. In addition to social vulnerability, it pays considerable attention to environmental aspects through a strong recognition that the implementation of integrated environmental and natural resource management approaches is needed for disaster reduction Disaster risk reduction, more than before, is seen as a policy concern that cuts across many sectors, including health and education As per the Sendai Framework, in order to reduce disaster risk, there is a need to address existing challenges and prepare for future ones by focusing on monitoring, assessing, and understanding disaster risk and sharing such information. The Sendai Framework notes that it is “urgent and critical to anticipate, plan for and reduce disaster risk” to cope with disaster. It requires the strengthening of disaster risk governance and coordination across various institutions and sectors. It requires the full and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders at different levels. It is necessary to invest in the economic, social, health, cultural and educational resilience at all levels. It requires investments in research and the use of technology to enhance multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS), preparedness, response, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. The four priorities for action under the Sendai Framework are:

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 10 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. 1. Understanding disaster risk 2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk 3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience 4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction India is a signatory to the Sendai Framework for a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders. It aims for the “substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods, and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities, and countries.” India will make its contribution in achieving the seven global targets set by the Sendai Framework: 1. Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower the average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005– 2015; 2. Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005–2015; 3. Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030; 4. Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030; 5. Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020; 6. Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate 7. and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of the present Framework by 2030; 8. Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.

Ans.2.(c) Growing trees on farms is a triple-win strategy for combating simultaneously the challenges of increasing food and production, mitigating greenhouse gases and adapting to climate change. It is an instrument of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA).It was fitting, therefore, that ‘Trees for Life’ was the theme of the World Agro-forestry Congress Benefits of tree-based farming While planting trees on farms is as old as settled cultivation, ‘agroforestry’ is a recently coined term derived from agriculture and forestry. It describes practices developed and employed by farmers over many centuries to cultivate trees on farmland together with crop and animal husbandry. While agroforestry comprises agriculture and forestry in seemingly separate land uses, its essence is of an integrated tree-based farming system. The science and technology, the institutions, and policy sphere of agroforestry is uniquely its own and characterized by a landscape approach.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 11 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. When strategically applied on a large scale, with appropriate mix of tree species, with appropriate mix of tree species, agroforestry promotes productive and resilient cropping environments, prevents deforestation, protects watersheds and enables agricultural land to withstand extreme weather events, and climate change. Tree-based systems contribute robustly to livelihoods by providing both tree products and tree services. The bounties they offer include tree products such as fruit, fodder, fuel, fibre, fertilizer and timber which add to food and nutritional security, and income generation and insurance against crop failure. These products are tangible, have money value and are tradable in the markets. Trees also generate wealth through the services they provide in the form of soil and water conservation, nutrient recycling, carbon storage and biodiversity preservation. These services are intangible, not easy to quantify, and do not lend themselves to monetary valuation. At present there is no payment for eco-services provided by tree-based farming systems. Agroforestry has significant potential to provide employment to rural and urban populations through production, industrial application and value addition ventures. Current estimates show that about 64 percent of the country’s timber requirement is met from the trees grown on farms. Agroforestry has the potential for augmenting energy capacity through biomass, biodiesel, biochar and biogas production. It is also recognized that agroforestry is perhaps the only alternative to meeting the target of increasing forest green cover. Despite all this, agroforestry has not become the movement it should have. For a long time, the subject fell between the cracks of ‘agriculture’ and forestry’ with no ownership by either sector. The value and position of agroforestry in the national system remains ambiguous and undervalued. It has been disadvantaged by adverse policies and legal bottlenecks. Its adoption by tenant-farmers is constrained due to insecurity of tenure. The subject lies fragmented in several Ministries with hardly any mechanism for convergence and coordination. Inadequate investment in the sector is also a cause for neglect. Unlike the credit and insurance products available for the crop sector, the provisions for growing trees-on farms are minimal. Weak marketing infrastructure, absence of price discovery mechanisms and lack of post-harvest processing technologies further compound the situation. Wood Based Industries (WBI) have played an important role in the promotion of agroforestry and economy in Punjab, Haryana, western U.P. and in Uttarakhand. However, over the years, the regulations governing the WBI have become stringent. The procedure for setting up new units is cumbersome.

The way forward The National Agro-forestry Policy has pointed the way forward to foster innovation in tree-based farming systems, among various stakeholders. For lawmakers this would mean amending unfavourable legislation and simplifying regulations related to forestry and agriculture. Policymakers are to incorporate agroforestry in all policies relating to land use and natural resource management, and encourage government investments in agroforestry-related infrastructure, research and education and in the establishment of sustainable enterprises. Development administrators are to develop an institutional framework to ensure coordination between various elements of agroforestry scattered in existing missions and programmes. Farmers are to demand improved agroforestry science and technology from the public research and extension systems, loan and insurance products from financial institutions, and adopt DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 12 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. suitable varieties and agronomic practices. Scientists and researchers are to develop location-specific tree- based technologies that complement the crop and livestock systems for sustainable livelihoods, factor in gender concerns, and incorporate the feedback from local communities. Extension agents, NGOs and farmer organisations are to demonstrate new technologies, build capacities of farmers and help in linking producers to markets and value chains. The private sector is to invest in agroforestry both as a commercial enterprise as well as through the route of Corporate Social Responsibility. Finally, the media is to communicate the benefits of agroforestry to user communities. Farmers have encapsulated the essence of agroforestry in a pithy slogan ‘har medh par pedh’ (trees on every field boundary). It is time for others to turn over a new leaf. The challenge now lies in the detail of crafting a road map for the implementation of the National Agroforestry Policy by the new government.

Ans.3.(a) There is growing empirical evidence that social capital contributes significantly to sustainable development. The traditional composition of natural capital, physical or produced capital, and human capital needs to be broadened to include social capital. Social capital refers to the internal social and cultural coherence of society, the norms and values that govern interactions among people and the institutions in which they are embedded. Social capital is the glue that holds societies together and without which there can be no economic growth or human well-being. Without social capital, society at large will collapse, and today’s world presents some very sad examples of this. It is critical for poverty alleviation and sustainable human and economic development. Social capital and rural development Rural livelihoods are to a great extent influenced by agriculture and allied activities. Social capital has become a critical issue in agriculture development as it plays important role in collective action such as management of common resources and collective marketing. Social capital is central in understanding how farm households, and the farming community in general, adopt and benefit from improved agricultural technologies. The importance of collective action, the use of social capital in information flows regarding new technology options and adoption procedures, and the actual ways in which communities enhance their collective welfare. In the realm of rural and agricultural development, the importance of social capital, perceived as a willingness and ability to work together, has been emphasized in the case of technology options such as watersheds, irrigation management, and integrated pest management strategies. The concept has thus become one of the most popular exports from sociological theory into development discourses and has evolved into a panacea for the problems and challenges that confront modern societies and their socioeconomic and political development. Social capital is a key but hidden factor that can make a critical difference in productivity. Mobilizing community force is essential force for productivity enhance and rural life improvement. Horizontal social capital among the farmers can improve the performance of agricultural sector and improve agricultural output and incomes. Following are the major areas that can bring about rural development and enhance the wellbeing of the rural population. Social capital and irrigation Local participation and cooperation among the farmers over the use of water have increased the water supply and brought welfare to all the farmers through this mutual help. Several instances can be cited to show how DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 13 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. social capital served to enhance irrigation systems. Social capital and forestry management Forests are common property resources and they contribute a lot to the subsistence and livelihoods of rural population. In the absence of local participation and cooperation, there are possibilities of excessive use of these resources leading to the degradation of forests. This threatens the availability of forest resources and dries up water sources. Thus management of forests is an inherent part of promoting the well being of rural population. There are several cases where community participation has resulted in sustainable forestry. Community Forestry by local people participation in Gujarat to manage forests are a few successful example. Social capital and farm credit Credit through a basic input for farm operations is often denied to poor farmers. This major constraint can be circumvented through group based lending schemes. Agricultural cooperative credit societies can improve farmer’s access to credit.Social capital thus serves to promote rural development. Social capital promotes rural diversification The accumulation of group activities that are not related to farming practice might have positive effects on new types of diversified activity compared to ordinary types of agricultural production activity. Agribusiness is one such rural diversified activity which provides new income sources and opportunities for rural urban exchanges. Agribusiness activities are not only the activities supported by social capital, but also the place where social capital accumulates. The issue of resource management especially forest resource must be handled through social capital since it is regarded as a part of villagers’ life. Rural diversification can allow the formation of new networks and linkages among people, and social capital can accumulate and contribute to the development of new activities in a chain reaction Social capital and women empowerment Another major field where social capital can play a vital role is women empowerment. Horizontal social capital can empower women, improve their incomes, and enable them in decision making. Kudumbasree Mission of Kerala, is woman oriented. The SHGs have played a significant role in the mobilization of savings and diversification of income sources of these poor women. Access to bank loans and pooling of savings has helped these women to meet their requirements such as health, education, sanitation etc. They have also become enterprising by successfully running several commercial micro enterprises. These have definitely enabled the poor women along with their families to enjoy better living standards and have offered them a helping hand to get out of poverty Social capital and poverty alleviation Social capital building approaches are increasingly used in poverty alleviation programs. A social capital orientation in rural development can help transform people into active citizens by adopting a bottom-up approach, influencing the ability of individuals and groups to cooperate in taking advantage of emerging opportunities. Social capital is a chief tool to mobilize physical capital, environment capital and human capital. These can play a vital role in the alleviation of poverty. Here too, the aforementioned examples of Kudumbasree, Grameen Bank, farmer cooperatives etc. are relevant as they have enabled many to battle poverty.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 14 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Thus social capital has great relevance in the present society to achieve various socio-economic goals. Frank identifies six positive effects of social capital for society and the state. These are a reduction of transaction costs, facilitation of the dissemination of knowledge and innovations, promotion of cooperative and/or socially- minded behavior, benefits for the individual and social spill-over, less capital-intensive interventions, and a people-centered perspective. These positive effects of social capital are also central to any successful rural extension program.

Ans. 3.(b) Drylands are limited by rainfall, high evapotranspiration and show a gradient increase in productivity from hyper-arid to arid and semi-arid to dry sub-humid areas, on decreasing aridity or moisture deficit. Drylands cover about 41 percent of earth’s available land surface and three quarters of world food supplies come from drylands. The challenges for global agriculture in 21st century are to produce 7 percent more food to feed a projected population of 10 billion by 2050 by making sustainable use of existing resources and responding climate change. Drylands span over 41 percent of earth’s available land surface will need to contribute their share to this yield increase. So improving dryland crop yield is important, both to maintain food security and to improve livelihoods of the poor. Drylands in India contribute 70 percent total cultivated area and about 50 percent of the geographical area is affected by desertification. Food insecurity, extreme poverty and environmental nexus are the most challenging in the drylands. Improving crop productivity is important both to maintain food security and to improve livelihoods of the people in drylands. Investments are needed for soil and water conservation in order to improve soil fertility and soil moisture. Conservation and efficient utilization of natural resources are two key components to achieve sustainability in drylands. Land degradation and over exploitation of resources prompted researchers and policy makers to evolve innovative technologies which halt degradation and restore productivity. A number of technological innovations are used which include cultural practices, engineering methods, sustainable agriculture practices, precision conservation and agroforestry. Hence transforming drylands is necessary to achieve second green revolution. Every continent contains dryland regions. Drylands are most extensive in Africa (13 M km2) and Asia (11 M km2). About three quarters of the world food supplies consisting of wheat, maize, sorghum, pulses, oilseeds, potato and fruits are grown of drylands. Dryland ecosystems are mainly categorized into four subtypes according to aridity index and annual rainfall levels into hyper-arid, arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas Dry land ecosystems occupy over 41 percent of the earth’s land surface. Desertification affects 70 percent of the world dry lands, amounting to 3.6 billion ha or one-fourth of worlds land surface. Asia possesses the largest land area affected by desertification, 71 percent of which is moderately to severely degraded. In Africa, two-thirds of which is desert or dry lands. 73 percent of agricultural dry lands are moderately to severely degraded. Africa is under greatest desertification threat, with a rate of disappearance of forest cover of 3.5 to 5 million ha per year bearing down on both surface and ground water resources and with half the contents farmland suffering from soil degradation and erosion. Limited rainfall, poor soil quality, fragile environments are the main factor behind dry land formation. There is always water scarcity in dry lands. The dryness of dry lands is due to negative balance between mean annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration rates. Besides, limited rainfall, the soils are of poor quality, low in DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 15 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. organic matter, hence less fertile. Harsh climates are another important issue which limits crop diversification in dry lands. What makes the dry lands a difficult environment is not only less rainfall, but also its erratic distribution. Inter-annual rainfall can vary from 20-100 percent and periodic draughts are common. Water scarcity due to limited rainfall, low soil fertility, mostly deep sandy soil with poor water holding capacity, shallow and rocky soils with low organic matter content. Fragile environments with unpredictable floods and droughts are other factors limiting drylands to become productive ecosystems. Lack of technologies limitation of resources and biotic pressures contribute further in conversion of drylands into deserts. Loss of resources In the world as a whole about 25000 million tonnes of soil are being washed away from land every year. In India, the figure is 6.25 thousand million tonnes. Due to erosion and degradation, the world is losing between 5-7 million ha of cultivated land every year which is nearly the same as the new land brought under cultivation, which means that the extent of cultivated land remains more or less same. According to Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Report about 10-20 percent of world drylands are degraded accounting about 6-12 million km2. Drylands in India contribute to over 70 percent of the total cultivated area and about 50 percent of the total geographic area is affected by desertification. Land degradation is particularly problematic for both environmental sustainability and poverty reduction in dryland areas. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCDD) and others use “desertification” to describe dryland degradation which is caused due to several factors including climatic variations and human activities. Depending on the level of aridity, dryland biodiversity is relatively rich, still relatively secure and is critical for the provision of dryland services. Of 25 global “biodiversity hot spots” identified by Conservation International, 8 are in drylands. So to conserve dryland are very important to ensure food security, conserve rich biodiversity of drylands and improve livelihoods of dryland people. To conserve the scarce resources of drylands a number of practices or methods are used which constitute dryland conservation technologies. These technologies are agronomic or cultural practices like conservation tillage, mulching, organic manure application, contour farming, strip cropping, use of wind breaks, allay cropping, vegetative barriers etc. and mechanical or engineering methods which include basin listing, sub-soiling, terracing, contour bunding, contour trenching, use of gully plugs, check dams and water harvesting structures like community tanks, intra-terrace water harvesting and roof top water harvesting etc. In spite of these practices or methods there are several other measures which can be applied for dryland conservation. These approaches are –Sustainable farming practices. Precision conservation, Integrated watershed approach, and Use of agroforestry Agronomic or cultural practices Agronomic or cultural practices for soil and water conservation in drylands help to intercept rain drops and reduce the splash effect, help to obtain a better intake of water by the soil by improving the organic matter content and soil structure; help to retard and reduce the surface runoff through the use of mulches, strip cropping, mixed cropping and contour cultivation. Use of vegetation on mechanical structures such as gully checks and water harvesting structures etc. enhance their strength and extent their life span. Mechanical and engineering methods These are permanent structures used to supplement the agronomical practices, when the later alone are not adequately effective. These measures play a vital role in controlling soil erosion and reducing runoff. These are used mostly in drylands where the slope of the soil is more than DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 16 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. permissible limit. The main objective of the mechanical methods for controlling soil erosion are: (i) to increase the time of concentration by intercepting the runoff and thereby providing an opportunity for the infiltration of water, and (ii) to divide a long slope into several short ones so as to reduce the velocity of the runoff and thus preventing erosion. These measures are basin listing, sub-soiling, terracing, contour bunding, contour trenching, gully plugging, check dams and water harvesting structure for hilly areas. Water harvesting structures for dry hilly areas Water harvesting is a prominent and technically feasible technology in arid hilly areas. It helps in runoff harvesting and ground water recharging. Different types of water harvesting structures are used for efficient utilization of rainfall. Such as community tanks, inter-terrace runoff harvesting, hill spring outflow harvesting and rooftop harvesting structures. Runoff utilization is increasingly becoming a common practice in dryland conservation agriculture Sustainable farming practices The past decades have witnessed a dramatic change in agriculture with food production soaring due to green revolution. The green revolution entailed the use of improved technologies like high yielding crop varieties, expansion of irrigation, mechanization and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Sustainable agriculture practices are not new, but drawn on traditional knowledge and practices, adopted to ensure food security and maintaining productivity of dryland ecosystems on sustainable basis. These practices are conservation tillage, integrated nutrient management, agroforestry, water harvesting, livestock integration, use of FYM and mulches, green manuring and integrated pest management etc. to maximize productivity without compromising the needs of the future generations. Precision conservation Precision conservation offers an alternative to integrate the use of spatial technologies such as global position system (GPS, remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) and the ability to analyze the spatial relationship within and among mapped data to develop management plans that account for the temporal and spatial variability of flows in the environment. Hence precision conservation practices helps to maintain maximum production by improving soil and water conservation by developing efficient land use management plans. Precision conservation is an innovative three tier approach comprising a set of spatial technologies and procedures linked to mapped variables, which is used to implement conservation management practices that take into account spatial and temporal variability across natural and agricultural systems. Integrated watershed approach An approach towards dry land conservation. Basically a watershed is a basin like landform defined by high points and ridge lines that descend into lower elevations and stream valleys. A watershed carried water “shed” from the land after rainfalls and snow melts. Drop by drop water is channeled into soils, groundwater, creaks and streams making its way to rivers and eventually the sea. In other words, a watershed is a geohydraulic unit or piece of land that drain at a common point. The aim of watershed management is to ensure that every drop of water and every square foot of land are best utilized. Integrated watershed approach is not only anti-erosion and anti-runoff approach but also a comprehensive integrated approach of land and water resource management. This approach is preventive, progressive, corrective as well as curative. Role of agro forestry in soil and water conservation in dry land ecosystems Agro forestry is the science of developing integrated self-sustainable land use systems in which trees are grown on farm lands along with field crops. It includes the introduction and/or retention of tree crops for timber and fodder, fruit trees, shrubs, DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 17 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. bamboos, canes and palms along with cultivated filed crops including pasture simultaneously or sequentially on the same piece of land and at the same time to meet the ecological and socio-economic needs of the people. A well planned and properly managed agroforestry programme substantially increases the yield of the land and maintains sustained productivity. Besides above mentioned systems, two main practices are adopted with the object of intensifying farming on slopes along with reducing soil erosion and increasing moisture conservation. These are (i) Sloping Agriculture Land Technology (SALT), and (ii) Biomass Transfer Technology (BTT). Sloping Agriculture Land Technology (SALT) The sloping agricultural land technology (SALT) is a farming system developed by the3 Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Centre in the southern Philippines during the 1970s. Basically attuned to the production needs of small-scale hill farmers, this agroforestry technology has gained wide popularity in Asia because it is culturally appropriate, economically sound and is designed to limit soil erosion. SALT is a technology package of soil conservation and food production that integrates several soil conservation measures. Basically, the SALT method involves planting field crops and perennial crops in bands 3-5 m wide between double rows of nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees planted along the contour. These minimize soil erosion and maintain the fertility of the soil. SALT helps considerably in the establishment of a stable ecosystem, the double hedge rows of leguminous shrubs or trees prevent soil erosion. Their branches are cut every 30-45 days and incorporated back into the soil to improve its fertility. The crops provide permanent vegetative cover which aids the conservation of both water and soil. Biomass transfer technology (BTT) Various agroforestry technologies are finding enormous application in the east and central African (ECA) region and are lifting many out of poverty and mitigating declining agricultural productivity and natural resources. One such example is biomass transfer in which trees that are rich in mineral elements (fertilizer trees), when integrated with inorganic fertilizer can double or triple crops yields in degraded lands.Biomass transfer technology involves the growing of trees/shrubs along boundaries or contours on farms or the collection of the same from off-farm niches such as roadsides and applying the leaves on field at planting. Ans. 3.(c) The southwest monsoon season By early June, they are powerful enough to attract the trade winds of Southern Hemisphere coming from the Indian Ocean. These southeast trade winds cross the equator and enter the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, only to be caught up in the air circulation over India. Passing over the equatorial warm currents, they bring with them moisture in abundance. After crossing the equator, they follow a southwesterly direction. That is why they are known as southwest monsoons. The rain in the southwest monsoon season begins rather abruptly. One result of the first rain is that it brings down the temperature substantially. This sudden onset of the moisture-laden winds associated with violent thunder and lightning, is often termed as the “break” or “burst” of the monsoons. The monsoon may burst in the first week of June in the coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra while in the interior parts of the country, it may be delayed to the first week of July. The day temperature registers a decline of 5°C to 8°C between mid-June and mid-July. As these winds approach the land, their southwesterly direction is modified by the relief and thermal low pressure over the northwest India. The monsoon approaches the landmass in two branches: The Arabian Sea branch and The Bay of Bengal branch.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 18 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Monsoon Winds of the Arabian Sea The monsoon winds originating over the Arabian Sea further split into three branches: Its one branch is obstructed by the Western Ghats. These winds climb the slopes of the Western Ghats from 900-1200 m and soon becomes cool, and as a result, the windward side of the Sahyadris and Western Coastal Plain receive very heavy rainfall ranging between 250 cm and 400 cm. After crossing the Western Ghats, these winds descend and get heated up reducing humidity in the winds. As a result, these winds cause little rainfall east of the Western Ghats. This region of low rainfall is known as the rain-shadow area. Another branch of the Arabian sea monsoon strikes the coast north of Mumbai. Moving along the Narmada and Tapi river valleys, these winds cause rainfall in extensive areas of central India. The Chotanagpur plateau gets 15 cm rainfall from this part of the branch. Thereafter, they enter the Ganga plains and mingle with the Bay of Bengal branch. A third branch of this monsoon wind strikes the Saurashtra Peninsula and the Kachchh passing over west Rajasthan and along the Aravallis, causing only a scanty rainfall. In Punjab and Haryana, it too joins the Bay of Bengal branch. These two branches, reinforced by each other, cause rains in the western Himalayas. Monsoon Winds of the Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal branch strikes the coast of Myanmar and part of southeast Bangladesh. But the Arakan Hills along the coast of Myanmar deflect a big portion of this branch towards the Indian subcontinent and the monsoon, therefore, enters West Bengal and Bangladesh from south and southeast instead of from the south-westerly direction. From here, this branch splits into two under the influence of the Himalayas and the thermal low is northwest India. Its one branch moves westward along the Ganga plains reaching as far as the Punjab plains. The other branch moves up the Brahmaputra valley in the north and the northeast, causing widespread rains. Its sub-branch strikes the Garo and Khasi hills of Meghalaya. Mawsynram, located on the crest of Khasi hills, receives the highest average annual rainfall in the world. The Tamil Nadu coast remains dry during this season because of the two factors: The Tamil Nadu coast is situated parallel to the Bay of Bengal branch of southwest monsoon. It lies in the rainshadow area of the Arabian Sea branch of the south-west monsoon. Characteristics of Monsoonal Rainfall Rainfall received from the southwest monsoons is seasonal in character, which occurs between June and September. Monsoonal rainfall is largely governed by relief or topography. For instance the windward side of the Western Ghats register a rainfall of over 250 cm. Again, the heavy rainfall in the northeastern states can be attributed to their hill ranges and the Eastern Himalayas. The monsoon rainfall has a declining trend with increasing distance from the sea. Kolkata receives 119 cm during the southwest monsoon period, Patna 105 cm, Allahabad 76 cm and Delhi 56 cm. The monsoon rains occur in wet spells of few days duration at a time that are interspersed with rainless interval known as ‘breaks’. These breaks in rainfall are related to the cyclonic depressions mainly formed at the head of the Bay of Bengal, and their crossing into the mainland. Besides the frequency and intensity of these depressions, the passage followed by them determines the spatial distribution of rainfall. The summer rainfall comes in a heavy downpour leading to considerable run off and soil erosion. Monsoons play a pivotal role in the agrarian economy of India because over three-fourths of the total rain in the country is received during the south-west monsoon season. Its spatial distribution is also uneven which ranges from 12 cm to more than 250 cm. The beginning of the rains sometimes

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 19 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. is considerably delayed over the whole or a part of the country. The rains sometimes end considerably earlier than usual, causing great damage to standing crops and making the sowing of winter crops difficult.

Ans. 4.(a) Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time. It is characterized by parameters such as temperature, humidity, rain and wind. Climate is the long term pattern of weather conditions for a given area. Climate change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate or its variability, persisting for an extended period. India is home to extraordinary variety of climatic regions, ranging from tropical in the south to temperate and alpine in the Himalayan north, where elevated regions receive sustained winter snowfall. The nation’s climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. Four major climatic groupings predominate into which fall seven climatic zones which are defined on the basis of temperature and precipitation. Climate change is the most important global environmental challenge facing humanity with implications for natural ecosystems, agriculture & health . The perusal of general circulation models (GCM s) on climate change indicate that rising levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are likely to increase the global average surface temperature by 1.5-4.5°C over the next 100 years. The difference of average temperature between the last ice age and present climate is 6°C. This will raise sea-levels, shift climate zones pole ward, decrease soil moisture and storms. More detailed analysis of rice yields by the International Rice Research Institute forecast 20% reduction in yields over the region per degree celsius of temperature rise. Rice becomes sterile if exposed to temperatures above 35 degrees for more than one hour during flowering and consequently produces no grain. The rising temperatures will adversely affect the world’s food production and India would be the hardest hit, according to the analysis by the Universal Ecological Fund (FEU-US). The crop yield in India, the second largest world producer of rice and wheat, would fall up to 30 percent by the end of this decade. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important anthropogenic gas the growth-rate of which was larger during the last 10 years at the rate of 1.9 ppm per year. Some other gases that contribute to warming include methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons. The GHGs once emitted stay in the atmosphere for decades. Impact of Elevated CO2, Temperature & Precipitation on Agriculture Some predict positive impacts on agriculture from climate change like increased temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels . Increased concentrations of CO2 may boost crop productivity, only where moisture is not a constraint. Higher levels of CO2 can stimulate photosynthesis in certain plants (30-100 per cent). Experimental observations confirm that when plants absorb more carbon grow bigger and more quickly. This is particularly true for C3 plants (so called because the product of their first biochemical reactions during photosynthesis has three carbon atoms). Increased CO2 tends to suppress photo-respiration in these plants, making them more water-efficient. The response of C4 plants would not be as dramatic. C3 plants correspond to mid-latitude food staples like wheat, rice and soy bean whereas C4 plants correspond to low-altitude crops like maize, sorghum & sugarcane. The impact on yields of low-latitude crops is more difficult to predict while the mid-latitude yields may be reduced by 10-30 per cent due to increased summer dryness. The effects of an increase in carbon dioxide would be higher on C3 crops (such as wheat) than on C4 crops (such as maize), DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 20 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. because the former is more susceptible to carbon dioxide shortage. Moreover, the protein content of the grain decreases under combined increases of temperature and CO2. For rice, the amylase content of the grain-a major determinant of cooking quality-is increased under elevated CO2. With wheat, elevated CO2 reduces the protein content of grain and flour by 9-13%. Concentrations of Fe and Zn which are important for human nutrition would be lower. A 10-15% increase in monsoon precipitation in many regions, a simultaneous precipitation decline of 5-25% in drought-prone central India and a sharp decline in winter rainfall in northern India are also projected. This implies changes in output of winter wheat and mustard crops in northwestern India. A decrease in number of rainy days (5-15 days on an average) is expected over much of India, along with an increase in heavy rainfall days in the monsoon season (Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India). These changes are expected to increase the vulnerability of Indian agriculture. This is particularly important in India, where agriculture is highly sensitive to monsoon variability as 65% of the cropped area is rain-fed . Changes in temperature and precipitation could have a significant impact on more than 350 million people who are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. The agricultural sector is a driving force in the GHG emissions and land use effects. The three major causes of the increase in GHGs observed over the past 250 years have been fossil fuels, land use and agriculture. The agricultural processes (rice cultivation, enteric fermentation in cattle) comprise 54% of methane emissions, 80% of nitrous oxide emissions and major percentage of carbon dioxide. Role of IPCC & Climate Change Mitigation The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body of over 3000 experts, indicates that rice and wheat production of India will drop significantly because of climate change. A 1.5°C rise and two mm increase in precipitation could result in a decline in rice yields by 3-15 per cent. According to IPCC’s Third Assessment Report (TAR), “The importance of climate change impacts on grain and forage quality emerges from new research.” In its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), published in 2007, the IPCC projects that, without further action to reduce GHG emissions, the global average surface temperature is likely to rise by a further 1.8-4.0°C this century, and by up to 6.4°C in the worst case scenario. The ultimate impact of loss of food grain production would be to use hard currency to increase food imports . Food insecurity and malnutrition will affect the overall health status of millions of people, with implications for infant mortality in large number. Increased human interference in modern technology based agriculture has resulted in decrease in diversity at all levels in agro ecosystem. The most serious climate change risk to the Indian economy and its people is the increased intensity, frequency and geographical coverage of drought. Higher temperatures, increased evapo-transpiration and decreased winter precipitation may bring about more droughts. The possibility of winter drought will increase in certain areas. Climate change is expected to increase the severity of flooding in many Indian river basins, especially those of the Godavari and Mahanadi along the eastern coast. The third most important risk is that of cyclonic storms, storm surge and coastal inundation. A sea surface temperature rise of 2-4°C, as anticipated in the Indian ocean over the century, is expected to induce a 10-20 percent increase in cyclone intensity (National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India). The 1999 super-cyclone killed more than 10, DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 21 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. 000 people and devastated buildings across 10 coastal and 6 inland districts. This disaster was due to the combination of storm surge, cyclonic winds and coastal flooding. The cyclone dumped heavy torrential rain over southeast India, causing record breaking flooding in the low-lying areas. The storm surge was 26 feet (8 meters). struck the coast of Odisha, traveling up to 20 km inland. 17,110 km² (6,600 mi²) of crops were destroyed, and an additional 90 million trees were either uprooted or had snapped. The climate change mitigation generally involves reductions in human emissions of GHGs which can be achieved by increasing the capacity of carbon sinks. Use of renewable energy and nuclear energy and expanding forests are the mitigating priorities. Prof. Sir Nicholas Stern in his review predicts that living conditions and livelihood opportunities of millions of people may be affected by climatic variability and hence biodiversity loss . Stern also forecasts that sea level rise could cause major displacement of people from coastal areas. Climate change demands an international response, based on a shared understanding of long term goals and agreement on frameworks for action. Conclusion It is estimated that India needs 320 MT of food grains by the year 2025. For a country like India, sustainable agricultural development is essential not only to meet the food demands, but also for poverty reduction through economic growth by creating employment opportunities in non-agricultural rural sectors. It is possible that climate change may force the pace of rural-urban migration (rurbanisation) over the next few decades . The ongoing agrarian crisis in rural India could be catalyzed by climate change into a migratory rout, driven by greater monsoon variability, endemic drought, flooding and resource conflict. The role of Science & Technology cannot be ignored. Right kind of technologies and policies are required to strengthen the capacity of communities to cope effectively with both climatic variability and changes . Adaptive actions may be taken to overcome adverse effects of climate change on agriculture. Innovative agricultural practices and technologies can play a role in climate mitigation and adaptation. This adaptation and mitigation potential is nowhere more pronounced than in developing countries where agricultural productivity remains low; poverty, vulnerability and food insecurity remain high; and the direct effects of climate change are expected to be especially harsh. Creating the necessary agricultural technologies and harnessing them to enable developing countries to adapt their agricultural systems to changing climate will require innovations in policy and institutions as well. In this context, institutions and policies are important at multiple scales. Noteworthy interventions to reduce adverse impacts of climate change include: • improvement in forecasting & early warning systems • establishing hazard & vulnerability mapping • augmenting public awareness • creating community-based forest management and afforestation projects • improvement in irrigation

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 22 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Ans. 4.(b) India has three market-based mechanisms to fight climate change; trading in renewable energy certificates (RECs), where power utilities have to buy a share of their power from renewable energy producers; the launch of the first phase of the Perform Achieve Trade (PAT) scheme for 2012 to 2015; and a pilot emissions trading scheme (targeting air pollution) launched in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Out of these three mechanisms, only the REC scheme has been fully functional since its inception. Under this scheme, utilities have to purchase a certain proportion of their power from renewable energy producers. If they aren’t able to do so, they can make this up by buying renewable energy certificates. These certificates are tradable via two power exchanges: Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and the Power Exchange of India Ltd. (PXIL). Each REC, which is generated by a renewable energy producer after getting clearances, is the equivalent of 1 megawatt hour (1 MWh). So far, this scheme hasn’t had much success. There has been an inventory pile-up of RECs as there are few takers. REC inventory has 17 million certificates at the end of September. The certificates are valid only for three years, and hence, the build-up is not good news for renewable energy producers. The pile-up has happened simply because of non-compliance by utilities. There is a huge difference between number of RECs available for sale in the exchanges and the actual amount purchased by utilities. State distribution companies (discoms) supply power at cheap rates to various classes of consumers which has led to a huge pile of debt in their balance sheets. Renewable energy, till recently, was the most expensive source of power, making it difficult for utilities to meet their obligations. But despite the falling prices, there have been few takers. One reason is that state discoms are able to get away without meeting their renewable power purchase obligations. The CERC has recommended that entities at fault be penalized by making them purchase RECs at their upper ceiling price. However, the final decision on this has to be taken by state-level electricity regulators. ‘Penalties are rarely imposed, and if at all, then only in those states whose state electricity regulatory commissions are vigilant.To be sure, there has been a slight pick-up in REC trading volumes ,which required captive power plants to be compliant with renewable power purchase obligations. Moreover, the bulk of the trading happens towards the end of the financial year, when most companies rush to fulfil their renewable purchase obligations. Theoretically, it’s a good scheme. However, it is falling because of poor RPO (renewable purchase obligation) enforcement. Even though compliance is increasing, the early setback to the system, in the form of piled-up certificates, etc., has already discouraged new investors from setting up plants which will set power through RECs. The lessons from the REC fiasco are that stricter monitoring and greater compliance are needed to ensure that market mechanisms to control climate change work. Even in the case of the pilot emissions trading scheme, which was launched in the industrial areas of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in 2011, similar challenges persist. The monitoring mechanism to keep track of particulate matter emission was put into place, but the trading process never started. Practical on-ground challenges on continuous emission monitoring, technology and data linkages, need for stronger regulatory framework, etc. Are some reasons why the take-off has been slower than expected. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 23 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. In the PAT scheme, firms that have been able to achieve certain levels of energy efficiency will be able to sell energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts) for the amount of their surplus energy improvements. Trading will happen through the two power exchanges while prices will be fully determined by the market. Government expects energy saving under the PAT scheme to amount to 6.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent in its first phase. However, as with the REC programme, regular monitoring and strict compliance will be essential for the scheme to take off.

Ans. 4.(c) Livelihoods is “a set of activities a household engages in on a regular basis in order to generate adequate cash and non-cash income to maintain a minimum desired standard of living, both on a day-to-day basis and over a longer period of time.” Usually, most livelihood activities are carried out repetitively, such as farming, shepherding, fishing, weaving, masonry, teaching or being a street performer. Thus they create a distinctive pattern of work and an identity for those households who engage in these activities. So, a weaver is not just someone who works on a handloom all day, but whose forefathers were weavers, whose immediate community are also weavers, and whose folklore and proverbial wisdom emanates from the vicissitudes of weaving. A livelihood is “adequate” when the income and quality of life it can support meets widely accepted standards. In any case, since household sizes vary considerably, being higher for the lower income groups, the same level of household income for a poorer household translates into a lower MPCE. A livelihood can sometimes generate adequate income, but may not be desirable or dignified, such as being a sex worker or a beggar. In other cases, a livelihood may generate adequate income and may even be reasonably dignified, but may not offer adequate opportunities to participate in the wider social, cultural or political aspects of the community one lives in. In yet other cases, it may be adequate, dignified and offer opportunities to participate in social, cultural or political life, but may not be sustainable, as it may be based on fast-dwindling natural resources. Near shore fishing in Kerala and timber-logging in Arunachal Pradesh are examples of this. Two popular frameworks which capture some of the complexities involved in livelihood analysis, are described below. Livelihoods – static vs dynamic view Livelihoods must be viewed not as a static phenomenon but in a dynamic, ever-changing context. One of the most commonly used frameworks for understanding livelihoods is the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework . Here, a household is posited to have access to five types of capital: human, social, natural, physical, and financial. Human capital refers to the ability to labour, skills, intelligence and talent. Social capital includes trust, status, networks, local institutions and norms. Natural capital includes land, water, forests, minerals and agro- climatic conditions. Physical capital includes tools, plant and machinery, and roads, electricity supply, etc. Financial capital includes cash, savings deposits, insurance paid up, debts given to others and bonds and shares, if any in an enterprise. These five types of capital/assets give a household a livelihood platform, and access to this is either enhanced or thwarted by social relations such as gender and caste, or by institutions such as customs, land tenure or market practices. A household adopts different livelihood strategies in the context of demographic trends, technical changes and policies and programmes, as well specific shocks like a drought, an epidemic or civil unrest. These comprise a set of natural resource-based activities such as farming, livestock DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 24 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. rearing or fishing, as well as other activities like trading. Coping strategies adopted in times of crisis include sale of assets, diversification and migration. If successful, these strategies lead to livelihood security at the level of a household, and more widely, for the community. In a happy scenario, the strategies are also sustainable environmentally. In most cases, however, livelihood strategies may barely lead to household level livelihood security and may not be able to assure sustainability. It is here that one needs to come up with policy interventions SFURTI is Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries.Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Govt. of India has launched this scheme in the year 2005 with the view to promote Cluster development.As per the revised guidelines, the following schemes are being merged into SFURTI:The Scheme for r Enhancing Productivity and Competitiveness of Khadi Industry and Artisans The Scheme for Product Development, Design Intervention and Packaging (PRODIP)The Scheme for Rural Industries Service Center (RISC) and Other small interventions like Ready Warp Units, Ready to Wear Mission, etc. Objectives of Scheme · To organize the traditional industries and artisans into clusters to make them competitive and provide support for their long term sustainability and economy of scale; · To provide sustained employment for traditional industry artisans and rural entrepreneurs; · To enhance marketability of products of such clusters by providing support for new products, design intervention and improved packaging and also the improvement of marketing infrastructure; · To equip traditional artisans of the associated clusters with the improved skills and capabilities through training and exposure visits; · To make provision for common facilities and improved tools and equipment for artisans to promote optimum utilization of infrastructure facilities; · To strengthen the cluster governance systems with the active participation of the stakeholders, so that they are able to gauge the emerging challenges and opportunities and respond to them in a coherent manner; · To build up innovated and traditional skills, improved technologies, advanced processes, market intelligence and new models of public - private partnership s, so as to gradually replicate similar models of cluster - based regenerated traditional industries · To look for setting up of multi-product cluster with integrated value chain and a strong market driven approach for viability and long term sustainability of the cluster; · To ensure convergence from the design stage with each activity of the cluster formation and operations thereof. · To identify and understand cluster s target customers, understand their needs and aspirations and develop and present product lines to meet the requirement. Substantial focus should be on the buyer segment that places a premium on natural, eco-friendly, ethically sourced and the uniqueness of the Khadi products. · To develop specific product lines out of the currently offered diversified basket of heterogeneous products based on the understanding of the target consumer segment. A brand unification exercise also needs to be done to maximize the value. · To make a paradigm shift from a supply driven selling model to a market drive n model with the right branding, focus product mix and correct positioning and right pricing to make the offering holistic and optimal DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 25 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. for each of the focus categories. · To tap the E-Commerce as a major marketing channel given the outreach and the growing market penetration of E-Commerce, there is a need to devise a quick strategy to make its presence felt in the E - Retail space. · To make substantial investment in the area of product design and quality improvement. There is a need to standardise the quality of inputs and processes so that the products meet the quality benchmarks. Research need to be done to develop new textures and finishes to cater to the prevailing market trends. Target Sectors and Potential Beneficiaries The target sectors and potential beneficiaries will include: Artisans, workers, machinery makers, raw material providers, entrepreneurs, institutional and private business development service (BDS) providers. Artisan guilds, cooperatives, consortiums, networks of enterprises, self-help groups (SHGs), enterprise associations, etc. Implementing agencies, field functionaries of Government institutions/organisations and policy makers, directly engaged in traditional industries. Criteria for Selection of Clusters The selection of clusters will be based on their geographical concentration which should be around 500 beneficiary families of artisans/micro enterprises, suppliers of raw materials, traders, service providers, etc., located within one or two revenue sub-divisions in a District (or in contiguous Districts). The clusters would be from khadi, coir and village industries, including leather and pottery. The potential for growth in production and generation of employment opportunities will also be considered in selecting clusters under SFURTI. The geographical distribution of the clusters throughout the country, with at least 10 per cent located in the North Eastern region, will also be kept in view while selecting clusters. Project Interventions The Scheme cover s three types of interventions namely “soft interventions , ‘hard interventions’ and ‘thematic interventions . Soft interventions - General awareness, counselling, motivation and trust building; Skill development and capacity building; Institution development; Exposure visits; Market promotion initiatives; Design and product development; vii. Participation in seminars, workshops and training programmes on technology up-gradation, etc. Hard Interventions - Creation of facilities such as Multiple facilities for multiple products and packaging wherever needed; Common facility centres (CFCs); Raw material banks (RMBs); Up-gradation of production infrastructure; Tools and technological up-gradation; Warehousing facility; Training center; Value addition and processing center Thematic interventions - cross - cutting thematic interventions at the sector level including several clusters in the same sector with emphasis on both domestic and international markets These will primarily include : Brand building and promotion campaign; New media marketing; e-Commerce initiative; Innovation.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 26 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Ans.5 Map Location (a) Darjiling town, extreme northern West Bengal state, northeastern India. The town is situated on a long, narrow mountain ridge of the Sikkim Himalayas that descends abruptly to the bed of the Great Rangit River. The town lies at an elevation of about 7,000 feet. The main economy is based primarily on tea, which is plantation-grown from the Tarai up to elevations of 6,000 feet. (b) Bijnor city, northwestern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It lies near the Ganges River,Bijnor is also noted for thread manufacturing.The District of Bijnor has an area of 1791 sq. m. The aspect of the country is generally a level plain, but the northern part of it rises towards the Himalayas, the greatest elevation being 1342 ft. above the sea-level.the Koh and Ramganga are the principal rivers that flow through the district,

(c) Cheeka is a city and a municipal committee in Kaithal district in the state of Haryana, Cheeka is a big hub of businesses like Rice Mills and Marble Shops. It is well known for its grain market which trades a variety of paddy and wheat mostly. (d) Lunglei is a town, situated in the south-central part of Mizoram state, northeastern. Lunglei has 9.97% of the forest land within its total area. Most of the indigenous local inhabitants of the district of Lunglei depend on agriculture and earn their livelihood from growing crops. (e) Vadodara city, administrative headquarters of Vadodara district, east central Gujarat state, west central India, on the Visvsmitra River, southeast of Ahmadabad. Vadodara district occupies (7,788 sq km), extending from the Narmada River (south) to the Mahi River (north). It corresponds roughly to the capital division, or district, of the former princely state of Baroda (the Gaekwar dominions). Cash crops are cotton, tobacco, and castor beans. Wheat, pulses, corn (maize), rice, and garden crops are grown for local use and export.

Ans.5 (b) Vegetable Oil constitutes an important part of our daily diet being source of energy, essential fatty acids and amino acids. Domestic consumption of edible oils has increased substantially over the years and is likely to increase further with enhancement in income and population against the domestic availability . Considering the importance of oilseeds, various oilseeds development schemes have been funded by the Government for encouraging cultivation of oilseeds including Oil Palm. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM), which was launched in 2004-05 and remained under implementation till March, 2014, Oil Palm Area Expansion (OPAE) programme, a sub-scheme of RKVY implemented during 2011-12 to 2013-14 have made significant contribution in increasing the oilseeds production and area expansion under oil palm. Implementations of these schemes have given fillip in augmenting the availability of vegetable oil in the country. The scheme of ISOPOM, Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs) and Oil Palm Area Expansion (OPAE) programme have been restructured into National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) during 12th Plan and launched during 2014-15 and are implemented in 28 States. The sharing pattern of NMOOP between GOI and States is 60:40 for general states and 90:10 for NE and hilly states. The diverse agro-ecological conditions in the country are favorable for growing nine annual oilseeds which include 7 edible oilseeds viz. groundnut, DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 27 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. rapeseed-mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesamum, safflower and niger and two non-edible oilseeds, castor and linseed. 6.5 Oilseeds are raised mostly under rainfed conditions and important for the livelihood of small and marginal farmers in arid and semi arid areas of the country. Strategy : The strategy to implement the proposed Mission includes increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) with focus on Varietal Replacement; increasing irrigation coverage under oilseeds, diversification of area from low yielding cereals crops to oilseeds crops; inter-cropping of oilseeds with cereals/pulses/sugarcane; use of fallow land after paddy/potato cultivation; expansion of cultivation of Oil Palm, increasing availability of quality planting materials of Oil Palm & TBOs Maintenance cost and Inter-cropping during gestation period of oil palm and TBOs would provide economic return to the farmers when there is no production. The scheme would be implemented in a mission mode through active involvement of all the stakeholders. Fund flow would be monitored to ensure that benefit of the Mission reaches the targeted beneficiaries in time to achieve the targeted results. Mission wise States under NMOOP are given below: Mini Mission – I on Oilseeds: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, J&K, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, , Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Mini Mission - II on Oil Palm: Andhra Pradesh , Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal. Mini Mission - III on TBOs :Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.

Ans.5 (c) In India 99% of coal production comes from the Gondwana coals which are found in three geological units: Raniganj Formation Upper Permian ,Barkar Formation Lower Permian Karharbari Formation Karharbari Formation is the oldest formation in India where coal has been found.The Gondwana coals of Permian times are mainly found in the Peninsular Gondwana basins of India. The field is named after the town Raniganj which is situated in the south-eastern part of this field. The coalfield is surrounded by the Archean rocks on all sides except in the east. Coal bearing Gondwana strata lie beneath the alluvium cover. Coals of the Barkar Measures are low in moisture (1-3%), low in volatile matter (20-30%)whereas coals of Raniganj Measures are high in moisture (3-10%) and high in volatile matter (30-36%). Other coalfields found in West Bengal are Barjora coalfield, Birbhum coalfield and Darjeeling coalfield. About one-third of the estimated coal reserves are distributed in the coalfields of Jharkhand and Bihar . Important coalfields of this state are Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura, Ramgarh, Daltonganj, Auranga and Hutar. Part of the Raniganj coalfield of West Bengal falls in this state. Coalfields of the Damodar valley are the DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 28 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. chief source of metallurgical coal in the country and most of the iron and steel plants get coking coal from these fields. Relative significance has declined drastically from 47 per cent of total coal production of the country in 1970 to 26 percent in 1998-99. Consequently, it has come to second place among the coal producing states.

Damodar Valley Coalfields: Jharia coalfield is the most important coalfield in India . This is because this coalfield is now the sole is the prime depository of prime cocking coal. This coalfield is situated about 260 km northwest of Calcutta in the heart of Damodar Valley mainly along the north of this river. The coalfield lies within the district of . The field is roughly sickle shaped. The coal basin extends for about 38 km in an east-west direction and a maximum of 18 km in north-south direction and covers an area of about 456 sq. km. Bokaro coalfield This coalfield is in the form of a long narrow strip extending for about 64 km in an east-west direction with a maximum width of about 11 km in the north-south direction. The Barkar Formation is the chief coal bearing horizon. This field is divided in to two parts by Lugu Hills- East Bokaro and West Bokaro . Karanpura coalfield Just to the west of Bokaro coalfield lies the Karanpura coalfield. This coalfield is divided in to two parts – North Karanpura and South Karanpura . In Karanpura coalfield there is full development of Lower Gondwana and the younger rocks. In the North Karanpura a number of coal seams occur. The ash content of these coal seams is high. In South Karanpura there is good development of Talchir and Barkar Formation. Most of the coals of this area are non-coking. North Koel Valley Coalfields: There are three coalfields – Auranga, Hutar and Daltonganj in the valley of Koel river, a tributary to Son river. The Auranga and Hutar coalfields are in the same alignment with those of Damodar Valley while is somewhat north of axial line. Hutar and Daltonganj coalfields are of economic importance. In Hutar coalfield coal seams occur in Lower Barkar . A number of coal seams have been reported. The coals are low in volatile matter (12.6%) and ash content (17.67%). Deogarh Coalfields: The Deogarh group of coalfields comprises three isolated Lower Gondwana sedimentary basins such as Jainti, Sahrjuri and Kundit Kuraiha. These basins forms a NW-SE trending belt and are located in the Santhal Pargana districts of Bihar . The coal seams are reported to occur in the Karharbari as well as Barkar Formation. The coals are high in ash and range in rank from Sub-bituminous B to high volatile bituminous B. Rajmahal Coalfields: The coalfields of this area are assuming importance lately. The unique location of the coalfields at the southern bank of the Ganges offers a good possibility of supplying coals to major power stations of North Bihar , North Bengal and Bangladesh . Based on the coal of this region, a Super Thermal Power Station has been built at Farakka. There are five coalfields in this area. Coals of this region are sub-bituminous to high volatile bituminous in rank. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 29 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Hazaribagh Coalfields: Girdih or Karharbari coalfield is the most important coalfield amongst the Hazaribagh group of coalfields. Some of the best coking coals were extracted from this coalfield. Besides, Girdih coalfield is the type area of Karharbari Formation. The coal from the seams are low in moisture (1.40-1.80%), low in ash (9-12.6%), low in volatile, low in sulphur (0.5%) and phosphorous (0.01%).

Ans.5 (d) Country is having about 15,000 km long Gas Pipeline network. The major gas pipeline transporters are GAIL, GSPL and RGTIL. Government envisage to develop an ecosystem of National Gas Grid across the country by developing additional 15,000 km to complete the National Gas Grid. Out of the proposed 15,000 km gas pipeline, about 14,500 km has already been authorized and these projects are at various stages of implementation. In order to develop gas pipeline network in the Eastern Part of the Country, the Government has approved partial capital grant to GAIL for development of two gas pipeline projects i.e. Jagdishpur- Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline projects. This project is popularly known as “Pradhanmantri Urja Ganga Project”. This is the first time in the history that Government has come forward to fund the gas pipeline infrastructure in the country. This project will connect Eastern part of the country with Natural Gas Grid and will ensure the availability of clean and eco- friendly fuel i.e. Natural Gas to the industrial, commercial, domestic and transport sectors in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. These pipeline Projects would support the revival of 3 Fertilizer Plants namely Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri along the route of these pipeline projects. The steps taken by Government will improve the socio- economic conditions in the region by providing direct as well as indirect employment for about 21000 people. By connecting City gas projects with these pipeline projects, clean cooking fuel at the door step of Domestic households as well as clean fuel to transport sector in the eastern region will be made a reality in coming 3 to 4 years. Gas Production and Supply position As per the BP statistical review 2016, India is the third largest energy consumer in the world with oil and gas constituting about 34.4% of primary energy consumption, of which 27.9% comes from crude oil and 6.5% is from Natural gas. Coal constitutes around 58.13% of total energy consumption in the country. The growth rate (CAGR) for 2005-16 period for natural gas in the world has been 2.27%, Asia Pacific 5.49% and India at 3.55%. Natural gas constitutes only 6.5% of total primary energy consumed in India during 2015, compared to 23.85% in the world, 11.48% in Asia Pacific and 26.51% in Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD) countries. Obviously, the share of natural gas is substantially low in India compared to World and Asia-Pacific region, however, steps are being taken to increase the share of natural gas in India’s primary energy basket in future.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 30 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Regasification infrastructure in the country Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is imported into the country on long and medium/short term and spot basis. The import of LNG on long/ medium term basis is done to meet the deficit in the country due to shortage of supply from domestic production whereas the procurement of LNG on spot basis is done from time to time to meet the short term demand-supply gap and also to serve peak requirement of customers which are not met through term tie-ups. City Gas Distribution (CGD) City Gas Distribution (CGD) segment is one of the fastest growing end-user segments of natural gas and is becoming an integral part of the economic development of India. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) predominantly used as auto-fuel and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) used in domestic, commercial and industrial segments. Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Looking at total energy basket of India, share of natural gas is around 6.5%. Government of India has set an ambitious target to increase the share of natural gas to 15% by 2020 and make India a gas based economy. It will also help in making LPG connection available for rural/remote locations in the country. In this background, it is worthwhile to mention that as on 30th October’16 over 3.32 Million PNG (Domestic) customers are being served by various CGD entities across India. In addition, 22199 industrial and 6387 commercial customers are also getting benefited by PNG. Further, Govt. of India is taking number of policy measures to increase the use of natural gas in CGD sector, some of which are as follows: 1. Replacing costly and polluting fuels with natural gas 2. Mandating CNG in various cities (E.g. Delhi, Mumbai) 3. Creation of CGD infrastructure in Smart Cities 4. Inclusion of more number of cities by Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) for development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network 5. 100% Allocation of domestic gas for domestic PNG and CNG segments for faster roll out of PNG connections and CNG stations in given city/geographical area.

Ans.5 (e) In the Maritime Agenda 2010-20, a target of 3,130 MT port capacity has been set for the year 2020. More than 50 per cent of this capacity is to be created in the non-major ports as the traffic handling by these ports is expected to increase to 1,280 MT. The objective of the Maritime Agenda is not only creating more capacity but augmenting port performance. This enlarged scale of operation is expected to reduce transaction costs considerably and make Indian ports globally competitive. Most of this investment has to come from the private sector including foreign direct investment (FDI). FDI up to 100 percent under the automatic route is permitted for construction and maintenance of ports. Private-sector participation will not only increase investment in the ports infrastructure, but also efficiencies in ports through induction of latest technology and better management practices. Public funds will be mainly deployed for common use infrastructure facilities like deepening of port channels, rail and road connectivity from ports to hinterland etc.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 31 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Private-sector Participation Maritime Agenda 2010-20 has estimated that massive investment required in new projects of major ports. The private sector is envisaged to fund most of the projects through PPP basis viz. Design Build Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT basis) or Build Operate Own and Transfer (BOOT basis) etc. Recent policy reforms and initiatives: The following initiatives have been taken for improving the efficiency and productivity of Major Ports: Major Port Authorities Bill The Government has introduced a bill, to modernize the institutional structure of the Major Ports so that they are in a position to perform efficiently in the competitive port sector. To this effect, it has been decided to replace the Major Ports Act, 1963 which governs the Major Ports by the Major Ports Authority Bill, 2016 to provide greater autonomy to Ports. With a view to promote the expansion of port infrastructure and facilitate trade and commerce, the proposed bill aims at decentralizing decision making and to infuse professional approach in governance of ports. The new Major Ports Authority Bill, 2016 would help to impart faster and transparent decision making benefiting the stakeholders and better project execution capability. This will eliminate the need of Government approvals for operational decisions. The Bill is aimed at reorienting the governance model in central Ports to landlord port model in line with the successful global practice. This will also help in bringing transparency in operations of Major Ports. The proposed Bill has been prepared after extensive consultation with the stakeholders and Ministries/ Departments. The salient features of the Major Ports Authority Bill are as under: Port Authorities have been notified in the Bill instead of Port Trusts. The Bill is more compact in comparison to the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 as the number of sections has been reduced to 65 from 134 by eliminating overlapping and obsolete Sections. The new Bill has proposed a simplified composition of the Board of Port Authority which will comprise of 11 members from the present 17 to 19 Members representing various interests. A compact Board with professional independent members will strengthen decision making and strategic planning. Provision has been made for inclusion of representative of the State Government in which the Major Port is situated, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence, Customs and Department of Revenue as Members in the Board apart from a Government Nominee Member and a Member representing the employees of the Major Ports Authority. The role of Tariff Authority for Major Ports [TAMP] has been redefined as it is one of the critical factors hindering the growth and development of Major Ports. Port Authority has now been given powers to fix tariff which will act as a reference tariff for purposes of bidding for PPP projects. PPP operators will be free to fix tariff based on market conditions and notified by the Port Authority. The Board of the Port Authority has been delegated the power to fix the scale of rates for other port services and assets like land. An independent Review Board has been proposed to be created to carry out the residual function of the erstwhile TAMP for Major Ports, to look into disputes between ports and PPP concessionaires, to review stressed PPP projects and suggest measures to review stressed PPP projects and suggest measures to revive such projects and to look into complaints regarding services rendered by the ports/ private operators operating within the ports would be constituted. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 32 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Ans. 6.(a) Pull factors of cities include mainly the new and better opportunities for livelihood in both organized (public and private) and unorganized sectors, more and better opportunities for both school and higher education of children, more and better housing amenities, better cultural and entertainment facilities (cinema, clubs, theatres), more government offices and public utilities, growth of private sector, hub of political affairs giving more opportunities for political participation at different levels in various forms, more and better facilities for health and hygiene, more mass media sources giving opportunities for expression and participation, more freedom to the youth, more and better transportation and communication facilities etc. That is why the number of metros with ten lakhs plus population grew from 5 in 1951 and in 2011 it was 53. Ten fastest growing cities in India are Ghaziabad (23.8 lakh population), Durg-Bhilainagar (10.6), Vasai-Virar (12.2), Faridabad (14.1), Malappuram (17), Kannur (16.4), Surat (45.9), Bhopal (18.9), Aurangabad (Maharashtra 11.9) and Dhanbad (12) – annual growth rate ranging from 4.8% (Dhanbad) to 6.9% (Ghaziabad). On the other hand, push factors in villages are primarily – lack of livelihood opportunities (agriculture having underemployment) or disguised employment (as Gujjar Myrdal termed it), lack of educational and health facilities, lack of transportation and communication facilities, various restrictions on the basis of ascriptive bondages and regressive customs, especially on the women, lower castes and communities. In the last five-six decades it is also a trend that due to the problem of extremists and naxals in villages, many families have migrated en masse to urban centres in the same State or other developed State/or national capital.

Urbanisation and Economy Urbanisation should also be seen in the proper context of India’s economy. India is the second largest country (121 crore people as per 2011 census, now estimated to be about 130 crore in 2016) in terms of population in the world (sharing 17.5% of world population) next to China (138 crore population). India is the third largest economy (sharing 7.2% of world economy) after China (sharing 17.4% of world economy) and US (sharing 15.4% of world economy). In terms of GDP per capita India has only 6.6 thousand dollars (PPP) against 57.2 thousand dollars in US . Thus in HDI (Human Development Index) ranking (2014), India ranks 130th – not only lowest among G-20 countries and BRICS, but also lower than many developing countries of the world. Paradoxically, Indian economy is growing at a fast rate of 7% per year, but the job increase is merely 1.1% annually based on 8 key sectors of non-farm economy as per Labour Bureau data (2016). Hence unemployment rate increased from 3.8% in 2011 to 5% in 2015. In 2016, total number of jobs created was 2.05 crores .But IT boom is also facing challenges especially due to global slowdown, visa restriction and downsizing by the domestic IT sector. This has affected the urban middle class households in different ways.

Problems of urbanisation If we look at the Status of transportation and its consequences, we find that Delhi has the highest number of registered vehicles .There is a large number of high level of noise pollution and air pollution due to such vehicles. Delhi has been ranked by World Hearing Index as World’s fifth noisiest city on the basis of only noise pollution but it is ranked second in the world in terms of both most noise and maximum hearing loss – Ghuangzhou (China) being the first. However, Delhi is ranked first in the 50 cities of the world where hearing was most DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 33 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. degraded (due to all reasons, including noise pollution). In Delhi, a person has hearing capacity of anybody at least twenty years older than he or she – that is 20% less than prevailing capacity in that age. There is a close positive relationship between urban noise pollution and hearing loss (64%). To be more specific primary sources of noise pollution in large urban areas like Delhi in India are road traffic, aircraft, trains, constructions activities and industries. If we look at the air pollution, the situation is again grim in many Indian cities. As per State of Global Air 2017 report, long term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) contributed to 42 lakh premature deaths in 2015 in the whole world out of which India and China together shared 52%- 11.08 lakh deaths in China, 10.90 lakh deaths in India.As per Central Pollution Control Board report (August 2016), in 2015, 41 Indian Metros with 10 lakh plus population faced bad air quality in 60% of total days monitored. As per Greenpeace report ‘Airpocalypse’ study in 168 cities in 24 States and UTs revealed that, except a few cities in South India, most of Indian cities do not comply with WHO or National Ambient Air Quality Standards: against the standard limit of 60 microgram per cubic metre (PM 10) the top 20 cities in India have very high PM 10 levels between 268 and 168 (2015) – Delhi ranks first (268 microgram per cubic metre), followed by Ghaziabad (258), Allahabad (250), Bareilly (240), Faridabad (240), Jharia (228), Alwar (227), Ranchi (216), Kusunda, Jharkhand (214), Bastacola, Jharkhand (216), Kanpur (205) and Patna (200). Air pollution primarily leads to respiratory, cardiac and blood pressure problems, especially among the young and old ones. Vehicular exhaust, dust, open construction materials, garbage burning, ‘parali’ (crop residue) burning, especially in Punjab, Haryana and Western UP leading to smog in Delhi and NCR), fly ashes from brick kilns, haphazard demolition of old buildings, high emission from thermal plants, coal burning, use of fuel wood in some pockets, etc. lead to air pollution in most of Indian cities. In Delhi, vehicular emission contributes to more than 40% of air pollution there. During 2000-2016 in Delhi Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) has dropped from 15 micrograms to 7 micrograms per cubic metre during 2000-2016 due to use of cleaner fuel in vehicles and closure of thermal plants but, on the other hand, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) level has gone up from 36 micrograms to 65 micrograms per cubic metre during the same period. Due to increase in number of diesel vehicles – less than 10% of cars sold in Delhi were diesel engines in 2000 but now more than 50% are diesel engine – NO2 has increased. Hence there is a need to switch from diesel to petrol and CNG fuel. Further waste and biomass burning needs to be stopped to reduce NO2. Rising level of NO2 in air is causing ozone pollution badly. In BS-II Sulphur content was 500 PPM while in BS-III it is 100 PPM and BS-IV only 50 PPM. There is uneven distribution of water by regions, nations and sub-nations. For instance, Asia has 60% world’s population but only 36% of global run-off while South America has only 6% of World’s population but has 26% of global run-off. Similarly India, too, has 17.5% of global population but only 4% world’s fresh water. One of the Millennium Development Goals was to reduce the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by half by 2015 but we could not achieve this major goal. In urban India, we have water scarcity in different ways and proportions in different cities, e.g. in ten towns of Rajasthan, water is supplied only one in three days! Further about one crore people in 35 cities in India are supplied 38% less water than the usual supply earlier. At the time of India’s independence in 1947, there were about 800 ponds/lakes in Delhi but most of these have been changed due to construction of buildings, plain fields, roads and other public DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 34 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. utilities. Further in four metros (Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai), 90 crore litres of dirty water is thrown out in rivers daily but only 39% is treated. So is the case of most of other cities in the country, especially in Kanur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Lucknow, Patna, Bhagalpur, etc. India has 433 billion cubic metre of groundwater and more than 80% of rural and urban domestic water needs in India is served by groundwater. But India’s per capita water availability is declining sharply – from 6042 cubic metres in 1947 to 1545 cubic metres in 2011 and it is expected to further decline to 1340 cubic metres in 2015 and 1140 cubic metres in 2050. On the other hand, India conserves only 20% of its total rainwater while Israel scientifically conserves 80% of its total rain water! Water scarcity has often led to quarrels/riots among common people in slums and undeveloped colonies where population density is very high but water taps/tankers/hand pumps available are quite less.

Remedial Measures Smart cities are being developed in India but its number is limited and already existing cities are being converted into smart cities. Hence there is a need to develop all urban centres. Therefore in the backdrop of the above grim situation, following steps should be taken seriously: (a) As directed by NGT, all diesel vehicles of 15 years of age or more should not be allowed in cities as their exhaust is more polluting the air; production of new diesel vehicles should be discouraged and there should be very high registration and parking charges for these; now only Bharat VI (on the pattern of Euro VI) complain vehicles should be produced and registered and only clean fuel should be allowed for use in vehicles; (b) Adequate public transport should be made available on the one hand and on the other, public should also be inspired and motivated for the use of public transport and sharing of private vehicles by friends, neighbours and colleagues; (c) Odd-even formula of vehicles should be implemented with adequate preparation. (d) Use of fireworks during marriages, births, festivals (Diwali) and other celebrations should be fully banned/ stopped by restricting production, sales and purchase of such items in cities; (e) Burning of garbage, crop residues, fuelwood, leaves of trees/plants and use of kerosene stoves should be strictly banned in cities; (f) All polluting factories, thermal plants, brick kilns, etc. should be immediately shifted from cities and adjoining areas to other areas; further these should be made eco-friendly with new technology norms; (g) Rain water harvesting should be popularized by giving subsidies; and all old ponds/tanks should be revived; (h) There should be well-planned tree plantation drives in cities every year and students, teachers, government officials, Anganwadi workers, ASHAS voluntary organizations, municipal bodies etc. should be involved genuinely; (i) There should be a ban on use of high power loud speakers, D.J. etc. in residential and institutional areas to check noise pollution; (j) Drivers should be trained not to honk unnecessarily (as is practice in Western countries); (k) For construction works, there should be the well planned norms to cover, to check noise and air pollution, and not to obstruct road/lane with construction materials; DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 35 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. (l) Use of cycles and battery rickshaws (with safety devices) should be encouraged and like many European countries cycle tracks should be constructed for cycle users; (m)Swachhta Action Plan should also comprise of devices and mechanisms for preventing water, air and soil pollution; mechanized cleaning of at least main roads should be done at the earliest as the accumulated dust is becoming deadlier; (n) Every citizen should be entitled to get adequate safe drinking water as a part of the right to food in both urban and rural areas - of course, it is more chronic problem in urban slums; (o) Slums, shanty towns and so-called illegal colonies should be properly developed with clean drinking water, road, health, education, sewerage and other utilities on priority basis; only then the conception of ‘smart cities’ really materialize.

Ans. 6.(b) Inclusive growth, as defined by the World Bank, refers to the pace and pattern of growth. That is, the speed at which an economy grows and how far the benefit spreads. The word ‘inclusive’ necessitates participation of larger section of the labour force, irrespective of socio-economic background, and regions in generation as well as accessibility of growth. The idea rests on the idea of ‘pro-poor’ growth which in absolute terms refers to growth benefiting the poor. Policies and programmes usually aim at redistribution of income to the poor rather than working on generation of the same. However, in literature as well as in the public policy sphere, poverty and growth have been addressed separately, which in itself created some disjoint between the two outcomes. Of late, in India, the discussion is also on achieving inclusive development, which, compared to inclusive growth, refers to growth in addition to achieving equal opportunities to all and not just the poor. The focus on inclusive growth in India has stemmed from the fact that high growth (of an average growth of over 9 percent between 2003-04 and 2007-08) that it has achieved during the pre-2008 period has not created more employment opportunities (which was also termed by many as ‘jobless growth’) and it has also hot helped in improving the livelihoods of the large sections of the people. Further, such high growth also happened only in few regions, thus, increasing the regional divergences in the country. there is a divergence in the GSDP growth across the states. While states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Meghalaya are growing at about 8 percent on an average for the past three years, states such as Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are growing at below average. On the other hand, when we look at the MDG achievements, one can note a huge divergence with Bihar performing poorly although it is growing at 10.3 percent on an average. This suggest that the high growth in the state is yet to reach the larger segments of the population as this state is also a place for one of the highest number of poor people. Such trends are also found in other states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, where at least five out of the eight MDG indicators are off-track and also performing worse than the national level. The best performing states among these eight MDG indicators are Goa, Kerala and Tripura with all indicators performing much better than the all India achievement. Even in states such as Tamil Nadu, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, at least seven out of eight indicators are much better than the all India figures. Once conclusion that may be drawn is that there are divergences in both GSDP growth as well as

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 36 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. MDG achievements across the states. Further, it is also clear that there is a weak correlation between both GSDP growth and MDG achievements, suggesting that there is a huge disjoint between the two. Financial Inclusion is the main component of inclusive growth in the country. According to the RBI, financial inclusion is the process of ensuring access to appropriate financial products and services needed by all sections of the society in general and vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups in particular at an affordable cost in a fair and transparent manner by mainstream institutional players. As many studies have suggested, until the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was initiated, there were only less than half of the people in the country that had bank accounts. This itself suggests that more than half of the population was neither a part of the growth process nor a part of the distribution process. In that sense, the Government has rightly brought in the PMJDY and successfully included nearly 16.7 crore people into the banking network. These accounts together held around Rs. 20,000 crore by the end of June 2015. While financial inclusion through increasing banking accounts might not help much in improving the savings behaviour within the short time, this network will be very useful in making the distributive policies most effective.

JAM Trinity: A Way to Bridge the Gap While the banking network and banking accounts have increased significantly, the reach of the banking services to the poor and rural areas are still very poor. To address these critical issues, the government has initiated a Comprehensive Financial Inclusion Plan (CFIP) that is followed by PMJDY.Integrating the CFIP plan with the Information Technology and the Aadhar network could be a game-changer in the way re-distributive policies could be implemented. This is termed as JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile scheme). Based on the pilot implementation of such trinity, it is clear that JAM trinity would be able to bring in the bottommost members of the society into the formal financial system by helping them set up PMJDY account using Aadhar numbers. Such integration of networks could lead to efficient, leakage-free transfer of benefits such as scholarships, insurance, subsidies and even pension benefits. Overall, the issue of financial access has been addressed significantly by the government in the recent period. MGNREGA – A Success Story Next critical issue in achieving social development is through providing employment opportunities and livelihood to all segments/sections of the society. The recent growth in India is termed as job-less and, hence, there was a need for public intervention to provide job opportunities to all. The Government has enacted the employment guarantee act in the form of MGNREGA (2005). This was termed as ‘the stellar example for rural development’ by the World Bank. However, as this was largely demand driven program, it was expected to be an automatic stabilizer for the economy and act as a counter-cyclical measure. Among all the rural development programs, MGNREGA had been considered as a major program that could improve inclusive growth. Further, unlike other social sector programs, the design of MGNREGA was robust wherein the use of information technology in terms of identification, implementation and distribution of wage payments was been made through e-FMS (Electronic Fund Management System) and there is strong role of local people through social audit system. While there are mixed outcomes in terms of implementation across the states, due to use of banking/postal network, this program is still considered to be one of the most successful program compared to other social development programs in the country. Some statistics suggest that the payments made by bank/post office accounts under the scheme have raised the number of rural account DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 37 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. holders to an enormous 8.6 crore. This aspect of financial inclusion initiated by such bank accounts has increased savings as well as access to better credit to the rural poor. The program also helped in improving equity across the communities. On reaching the unreached, the MGNREGA has numbers worth a mention. Out of those employed, an astounding 81 percent reside in kachha houses, around 61 percent are illiterate and about 72 percent have no access to electricity in their households. The MGNREGA also appears to have helped women enormously. Latest information suggests that over 53 percent of the total employment provided in the past eight years has been undertaken by women. This could have improved the social and economic status of women to some extent in the rural areas. The recent initiatives such as Aadhar based transfers as well as improving the banking network (through both formal banking as well as by making India Post as core banking complaint) will only further improve the efficiency of the program and improve livelihood among the poor in the rural areas. Food Security: Need of the Hour Food security, as defined by the World Health Organization, is when all people at all times have access to sufficient safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. Despite the high and fast growing emerging market economy, India has some shocking statistics when it comes to food security. As per the recent UNICEF report, at least one million children under five die in India due to malnutrition related issues. Here, the burden among the schedule castes, scheduled tribes, other backward castes and rural communities is highest in terms of acute malnutrition. Among the states, it is Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that have acute problems in terms of malnutrition. Looking at this grave situation, India has recently passed the National Food Security Act (NFSA) aiming to provide subsidized food to two-thirds of the country’s population. This also integrated with other schemes such as the PDS, the Mid-day Meal and Integrated Child Development Services. These initiatives are expected to improve the nutrition levels among the children as well as women. However, despite the grave situation that India has in terms of food security, the Act is yet to be implemented even after almost two years of passing it. As some have argued, there could be some flaws in the Act, however, the delay in its addressing those issues and implementing only suggest the government’s apathy towards addressing the food security concerns. As this is the state subject, state governments are also equally responsible for the delay in implementation. To sum up, in the recent period, India has been trying to address the issue of divergence between growth and social development. However, the success of these initiatives is limited to few regions and groups. The integration of information technology with banking as well as Aadhar network is expected to substantially improve the public delivery mechanism. Such an integrated system could help in reducing the gaps between regions/ communities and help in achieving overall social development of the nation. But, most importantly, there is a larger role for the state governments in bridging the gap. With the increased resources at the state level, following 14th Finance Commission recommendations, and downsizing of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, it becomes crucial for the states to design and implement suitable schemes to bring in social development.

Ans. 6.(c) The Look East policy has emerged as a major thrust area of India’s foreign policy in the post-Cold War period. It was launched in 1991 to renew political contacts, increase economic integration and forge security cooperation with several countries of Southeast Asia as a means to strengthen political understanding.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 38 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. India’s Look East policy is aimed at greater economic alignment and an enhanced political role in the dynamic Asia–Pacific region in general and Southeast Asia in particular. The Look East policy is pursued to make India an inalienable part of Asia–Pacific’s strategic discourse. Hence, the Look East policy marks the beginning of a vibrant relationship on the economic, political and strategic fronts.The economic potential of this policy is also emphasised to link to the economic interests of the North- eastern region as a whole. The beginning of the early 1990s was marked by a transformation in the international political economy, contributed by the end of the Cold War and the resulting spread of globalisation. Globalisation of world economies intensified international competition and has given rise to a new wave of regionalism.During this time India, like many developing countries, faced many challenges—both internally and globally. Internally, the country was unsettled by social unrest, serious political instability and poor economic performance. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, New Delhi lost a major economic partner and its closet strategic ally.India cannot look towards West Asia and Africa for intensive economic cooperation, as the countries of this region look up mainly to the West.During this period, India has got attracted to the high-performing economies of East Asia.Forced by the economic crisis and the dire need of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) for rapid economic development, India had enunciated the Look East policy in 1991 and was determined to work with the spirit of regional economic cooperation with her Eastern neighbours. First phase of look east policy The first phase of India’s Look East policy was ASEAN-centred, and focused primarily on trade and investment linkages. The second phase, which began in 2003, is more comprehensive in its coverage, extending from Australia to East Asia, with ASEAN as its core.The new phase marks a shift in focus from trade to wider economic and security cooperation, political partnerships, physical connectivity through road and rail links.In India’s effort to look East, the Northeastern region has become a significant region due to its geographical proximity to Southeast Asia and China.India’s search for new economic relationship with Southeast Asia is now driven by the domestic imperative of developing the Northeast by increasing its connectivity to the outside world.Instead of consciously trying to isolate the Northeast from external influences, as it had done in the past, New Delhi has now recognised the importance of opening it up for commercial linkages with Southeast Asia. Over the time, policy-makers, bureaucrats and intellectuals have attributed the numerous armed separatist struggles and political instability in the Northeastern states to the region’s underdevelopment and weak economic integration with mainland India.As part of the efforts to integrate the region with the rest of India, developmental funds were poured in and emphasis was laid on infrastructural development. However, the region still has the problem of underdevelopment and faces the problem of a growing and expanding security apparatus. Moreover, there is a relocation of factories and industries towards northern and western India, and hence the cost of transportation of goods to Northeast India has increased. Therefore, the existing policy of development of the Northeastern region needs to be reoriented if its stated objectives have to be fulfilled in due course.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 39 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Look East policy, which identifies Northeast India as the gateway to the East, is a major initiative that promise a new way of development through political integration of this region with the rest of India and economic integration with the rest of Asia, particularly with East and Southeast Asia. Taking into account its geographical proximity, its historical and cultural linkage with Southeast Asia and China and the primary objective of the Look East policy, it is being widely stated that the Look East policy would result in the rapid development of the region as it promises increased trade contacts between the Northeastern region and Myanmar, China and Bangladesh. The policy also has the potential of solving the problem of insurgency, migration and drug trafficking in the region through regional cooperation. On the other side, there is pessimism that the policy of integrating Northeast India with its Eastern neighbours would lead to dumping of cheap foreign goods, and the region’s own industries being adversely affected by it.The region is also being perceived as just a transit region without bringing economic development to the region, as it has no adequate industrial infrastructure to produce goods which can be exported to these countries. There is also a concern that such integration will develop further the feeling of alienation of the people and the region itself would drift away from the mainstream Indian politics. Act east Under the present government, India’s Look East policy has morphed into a proactive Act East policy, which envisages accelerated across-the-board engagement between the two growth poles of a vibrant Asia.India’s growing relations with the 10-nation ASEAN grouping are at the heart of this Asian relationship. Commerce, Culture and Connectivity (Three Cs) Commerce, Culture and Connectivity are the three pillars of India’s robust engagement with ASEAN. In the economic arena, the India-ASEAN relations are poised to scale new frontiers. The two sides have signed an India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in services and investments recently. It includes specific recommendations to advance ASEAN-India economic relations over the next few years, including establishing a special purpose vehicle for project financing, building information highways, and inviting ASEAN countries to participate in India’s ongoing economic transformation. For the Northeast to serve as a bridgehead to the country’s eastern neighbourhood, there has to be a comprehensive connectivity strategy for the region. Such a strategy would have three interlinked components. The first would be to improve connectivity between the Northeast and the rest of India; the second would be to enhance connectivity within the Northeast and the third would be to improve existing and establish new cross-border transport and communication links with neighbouring countries.These three components need to be pursued in tandem if the full benefits of Act East policy are to be realised. In the first category, the existing highway and rail-link needs to be upgraded significantly to enable much higher load-carrying capacity and speedier transit. We need to construct modern expressways and a high-speed rail freight and passenger corridor to more closely integrate the Northeast with the rest of India. This will also enable Northeast produce to find ready markets in the country itself and to compete for exports. Intra-regional connectivity within the Northeast is sparse, poor in quality and over stretched DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 40 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. The existing branch rail lines and roads from the rail heads to various state capitals are unable to cope with the increase in both freight and passenger traffic. Currently, travel among state capitals of the Northeast is difficult and time consuming.There has to be a master plan for linking all the Northeastern states together with a network of road, rail and air links. One should also fully utilise the potential of inland water transport using the rivers which crisscross the region. Bangladesh is also increasingly open to reviving the old river navigation routes, which were the main transport links in undivided eastern India. Without this Act East policy would not bring economic benefits to the region as it would only bring heavy influx of imports from neighbouring countries without much encouragement to local resource based production and access to the larger Indian and export markets. Cross-border connectivity It has been on the government’s agenda for several years, but has made only slow progress. There is an ambitious Trilateral Highway Project to link India, Myanmar and Thailand, with possible extensions to Laos and Vietnam. The multi-nodal transport corridor linking the Myanmar port of Sittwe with India’s Mizoram, using both river and road transport is under implementation. There are a number of road, river and rail projects in the pipeline with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. In addition to physical infrastructure, it is also important that we adopt the most modern processes to facilitate the smooth crossing of state and national borders by both goods and people. Only then would transaction costs be reduced significantly and raise the competitiveness of our products .It is important for India to invest in infrastructural development projects in the Northeast region and beyond its borders. Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar corridor (BCIM) At a strategic level, the proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar corridor (BCIM) is bound to bring India and Bangladesh closer and will enhance bilateral relations relating to trade and movement of goods. BCIM economic corridor is also very important as it places the North-East as a crucial link to achieve regional economic cooperation via land of the North-Eastern region. Complementing this, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) can also act as a good framework for regional integration. BIMSTEC can open up ample trade and economic opportunities between India’s neighbours like Nepal,Bhutan and Bangladesh and also with the countries of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations like Myanmar and Thailand. Were these intended projects to actually materialise, then a densely interconnected and economically vibrant sub-regional economic zone would emerge, with the Northeast as its hub. The bigger idea behind investing in CMLV is not only to tap these markets but also larger markets like the US with which the group has entered into trade pacts such as the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). Challenges in realising these ambitions India’s ability to pursue a more ambitious role in the Asia-Pacific will also face domestic constraints. A prolonged period of lower growth, if happens, may reduce India’s capacity to commit resources to the region, it will also diminish its credibility in the eyes of regional partners.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 41 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. India is still in the early stages of developing its ability to project and sustain its naval presence beyond the Indian Ocean, and continued increases in the naval budget and improvements to India’s defence infrastructure will be necessary to achieve this. As a geographic outsider to the Asia-Pacific, India will continue to rely on its partners, particularly in Southeast Asia, to project power east of Malacca, located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, further reinforcing the need for it to prove itself a credible partner in the first place. India’s partners in the region can expect greater Indian involvement in multilateral maritime security initiatives, particularly in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, transnational crime, and joint bilateral naval exercises.However, India will be unlikely to engage in any security initiatives that could be perceived as threatening or containing China.In the near term, it would not be realistic to expect India to take an active position on East Asia’s maritime territorial disputes, beyond its declared support for principles such as freedom of navigation. In the past, India has neglected to articulate a clear vision for its strategic ambitions in East and Southeast Asia. Historically it has suffered from strategic timidity and poor defence planning that has impeded its ability to integrate itself into the Asia-Pacific.Perseverance is a must here and is likely to pay off because of two positive factors. First, the likely emergence of India as the fastest growing major economy. Secondly, India already has some reliable partners, such as Singapore and Vietnam, among ASEAN countries. And there is a palpable unease about China’s claim on what it calls the South China Sea. In order to preclude further inertia, India will need to move quickly to outline a clear agenda for deepening economic, institutional, and defence links with the region that go beyond what has been pledged by previous governments.

Ans. 7.(a) Renewable Power Generation India, which started its renewable power generation in 1990s by installing wind turbines, has come a long way. The country, with an exclusive ministry to encourage and manage its renewable energy sources, has brought in a new fillip to its clean energy power generation attempts. Bioenergy is produced by using biomass. When biomass is grown, it absorb CO2 from the air. The absorbed CO2 is released when the biomass is burnt. The process of absorbing and releasing of CO2 goes uninterrupted in the bioenergy generation process, thus making it carbon neutral.A recent research on the use of bioenergy in India indicates that around 70-85 percent of rural households use firewood and 10 percent use dung cake for cooking. Among the rural folks, only five percent have access to the use of LPG. Even among the urban households, nearly 22 percent still use firewood for cooking. Only 48 percent of the rural population has access to electric power for lighting purposes and the rest of them depend on kerosene for such use. Thus, bioenergy plays a significant role in fulfilling the energy needs of India’s rural population.In India, the use of bioenergy addressed the twin purposes of meeting most of the energy needs of the rural population, as well as the growing concerns of climate change. It is the only energy that can be supplied in solid, gaseous, or liquid forms. It is easy to transport bioenergy raw materials to places where bioenergy needs to be generated. This exclusive feature allows bioenergy power generation to work in tandem with other renewable power production facilities, such as wind or solar. Also, generating bioenergy creates better employment opportunities for the DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 42 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. rural population in cultivation and processing of bio products and in using of the product to generate power. The real challenge lies in the use of a technology that is less polluting during the power generation process. Biomass Raw Material for Bioenergy Generation A wide range of biomass varieties exist in India for the generation of bioenergy. The following raw materials are widely used in biomass power generation.Forest wastes – Leaves, barks, logs, and saw dust Agricultural wastes – Coconut shells, peels, rice husk, sugarcane trash, coats of oilseeds, cereals and pulses straws, fibre crop stalks, etc. Agro Industrial wastes – Whey from dairy plants, textile fibre waste, pulp wastes from food processing industry, molasses from sugar refineries, paper mill wastes, etc. Energy crops – Specially grown plants exclusively for the bioenergy generation include leucaena, bamboo, prosopis, etc. Raw Material for Biofuel Generation The MNRE categorizes the following raw materials as fit for the production of biofuels, such as bioethanol and biodiesel for use in running vehicles as well as for power generation. Sugar comprising raw products such as sweet sorghum, sugar beet, and sugarcane. Starch comprising materials such as algae, cassava, and corn Cellulosic comprising materials, such as forestry and agricultural residues, wood waste, and bagasse Commonly used Bioenergy Technologies Gasification In the gasification process, biomass is made to respond to the air in intense temperature conditions. In this method, the biomass reacts to generate gas with a calorific value of 4.5 – 5.0 MJ/cubic metre. The combustible gas is then deployed in internal combustion engines, for running a turbine to generate electric power. It can also be mixed with pure oxygen to produce synthesis gas for energy generation. Gasification systems can be designed to generate 20 kW to 2 MW power and use 10 kg to 500 kg biomass per feed. The system is ideally suited to generate and supply electricity at remotely located villages in India. Combustion In this method, the biomass is directly combusted at around 800º C temperature, using increased levels of oxygen. This burning, while releasing static gases and ash, also channelizes around 65-80 percent of the heat generated by the biomass as hot air. The hot air is used to heat water and generate steam to run the turbines and produce power. The method is best for using most of the biomass feedstock types with a minimum of 60 percent moisture content. This popularly used technology produces both heat and power. It is ideal for generating electricity in locations that need 5 MW or more power. Transesterification The process of making a triglyceride (fat/oil) to react with alcohol to build esters and glycerol is known as transesterification. The technique processes the fats and animal tissues as well as oils from plant seeds and nuts to convert into biodiesel. Jatropha oil is a major source of triglyceride in India used in the manufacture of biodiesel. Alcoholic Fermentation In the alcoholic fermentation process, first the biomass products such as agricultural waste, starch or sugar crops, wood waste, grass straw, pulp sludge, etc. are fermented by using microorganisms. The derived product is further processed into ethanol and other types of fuel for power generation and running of vehicles. Anaerobic Digestion In the anaerobic digestion or fermentation process, forestry biomass, green waste, energy crops, municipal waste, and others are stored in a tank. Such stored materials, when made to undergo a biological breakdown process by inducing bacteria in an oxygen-free environment, release biogas. The gas DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 43 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. is rich with methane, CO2, and smaller quantities of ammonia, and hydrogen sulphide. The generated biogas is deployed for cooking and heating usages or to produce electricity. Pyrolysis In the pyrolysis method, heat is used to decompose the organic matter in wood, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste in an oxygen-free environment. In the process, the molecules of the used organic matter are broken down by means of heat and generate syngas-constituting smaller sized molecules. Faster pyrolysis process is used to produce 60 percent bio-oil, 20 percent biochar, and 20 percent syngas. A slower method is deployed to generate more quantity of char (~ 50 percent) with other organic gases. The technology capable of utilizing assorted types of foodstock is suitable for power generation even in remote locations, where the level power generation requirements are minimal. Perceived Barriers in Bioenergy Generation Using biomass in power generation also produces greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon capturing or carbon- neutrality of biomass is not clearly established. The energy returns on energy invested (EROEI) on certain type of feedstock used in bio-power is grossly inadequate.Growing biomass crops, collecting, and making the biomass available for power generation all through the year, are some of the difficult issues.There are possibilities to misuse biomass resources illegally. Administrative delays and unwieldy paper work in getting permission, especially the technical approval for plant installations are a problem. The use of bioenergy and its advantages is yet to percolate widely to reach larger population levels. Government Initiatives In order to encourage the use of bioenergy, the Indian government introduced a National Policy on Biofuel in December 2009. The policy supports the use of biofuel, along with traditional diesel and gasoline in vehicles. It is planning to achieve 20 percent blending of bioethanol and biodiesel with fossil fuel before the year 2020. The MNRE considers biomass power cogeneration and biomass gasifier programmes as most important and offer a range of financial and fiscal incentives for effective implementation. To further its efforts to improve the use of bioenergy, MNRE proposes to introduce National Bioenergy Mission in the 12th Five-Year Plan period. This ecologically sustainable bioenergy development initiative, is expected to include participation from state governments and private and public sectors. In order to meet the clean energy fuel need in rural locations, MNRE is carrying out the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP), a central government sponsored scheme. India presently confronts a very difficult situation of meeting its energy requirements and in offering sufficient power of preferred value at competitive prices. In the process, it needs to address the existing energy disparity between the developed and underdeveloped states that are not fully covered by electricity supply. There is an urgent need to address the electrical needs of over 300 million people living in rural locations in India. The country is at crossroads to re-strategize its course of actions in managing its fast depleting fossil fuel energy resources. The emerging renewable energy technologies are offering right know-how to generate power in scales of mega and giga watts. But, to increase its share of clean energy in the power generation mix, the country needs investment in research and development of such technologies, regulations that are not restrictive but positive for the growth of renewable energy growth and above all proactive government policies.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 44 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. India, with the generous availability of biomass resources and research facilities has ample chances to be the global leader in biomass research and development. the country, by bringing out support policies to regulate the quality of biomass feedstocks and by using the right type of forest resources to address sustainability issues, will be in a position to make better use of the biomass. Also, a comprehensive national bioenergy mission can introduce exclusive policies to manage its bioenergy resources to exploit its potential in power generation.

Ans. 7.(b) Movement aimed at encouraging companies to be more aware of the impact of their business on the rest of society, including their own stakeholders and the environment. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business approach that contributes to sustainable development by delivering economic, social and environmental benefits for all stakeholders.CSR is a concept with many definitions and practices. The way it is understood and implemented differs greatly for each company and country. Moreover, CSR is a very broad concept that addresses many and various topics such as human rights, corporate governance, health and safety, environmental effects, working conditions and contribution to economic development. Whatever the definition is, the purpose of CSR is to drive change towards sustainability. Although some companies may achieve remarkable efforts with unique CSR initiatives, it is difficult to be on the forefront on all aspects of CSR. Considering this, the example below provides good practices on one aspect of CSR – environmental sustainability. Though Big Industry, with its high level of emissions, waste generation, and fossil fuel consumption has traditionally been viewed as the chief villain in the fight against climate change, CSR programmes being undertaken by several large companies in India suggest that they have started thinking about their impact on the environment and are striving to become responsible corporations. Data analysed by the ministry of corporate affairs for CSR expenditure of all Indian companies in 2014-15 showed that 14 percent (Rs 1,213 crore) of total CSR spending in India was made on activities focusing on conserving the environment. It was the third highest expenditure on a social impact issue after education (32 percent) and health (26 percent) and was greater than the amount spent on rural development (12 percent). These figures highlight that companies today have an increasingly broad understanding of the risks and opportunities that climate change poses to their strategies and operations and that larger issues of sustainability triggered by climate change are becoming an integral component of dialogues with the major stakeholders. At the same time, verifiable corporate and partners’ accountability and reporting have proven to be key drivers to CSR getting embedded in the mainstream of strategy and business operations of companies. Focus on sustainable projects with long-term impact A decade ago, the most common CSR activity with a focus on the environment was planting trees. Indian companies today are instead focusing on projects that have a sustainable long-term impact, such as installing solar powered lighting systems and water conservation projects. By far, the most attractive environment-related CSR initiative involved the use of renewable energy, ranging from solar street lamps and lanterns to biomass cook stoves and various rooftop solar projects. The other emerging focus area tackles water-related issues with several projects on watershed development and rainwater harvesting. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 45 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. One of the reasons why companies may prefer such projects to tree plantation drives is that access to clean water and energy has several cascading effects on the social and economic development – ranging from opportunities for better education, health, and income to increased safety for women and lower deaths due to reduced indoor pollution. A shift from philanthropy to responsible business and strategic CSR Companies have started moving away from traditional philanthropic projects and have begun institutionalising CSR activities strategically, thereby bringing business responsibility to the forefront. Thus, for FMCG firms that source raw material from farmers, issues like securing and sustaining the livelihoods of farmers growing inputs for their products as well as local water regeneration has become extremely critical. Similarly, for energy companies, which are often considered to be the worst climate offenders, investing in environment-friendly projects serves to mitigate their risks from a reputation point of view. Mainstreaming sustainability into business operations and the rise of shared value projects For several of the largest spenders on environment-related projects, sustainability has become a way of doing business. ITC’s CSR Committee is aptly called the “CSR and Sustainability Committee.” Similarly, HUL’s projects focus on water stewardship tie-in with Unilever’s global focus on addressing water scarcity. Axis Bank spent nearly 28 crore on reducing GHG emissions through the use of renewable energy and optimising energy efficiency, choosing to concentrate on reducing the company’s footprint on the environment. At the same time, several large companies are starting to work on shared value projects which create value for both the community and for the business. For example, as per their Sustainable Living Plan 2015, HUL has a clear road map to source 100 percent of agricultural raw material sustainably by 2020. And their sustainable tea procurement project carried out as a part of the CSR activities serves a dual purpose- meeting the 2 percent criteria as well as the company’s own responsible business targets. Environment protection is still not mainstream among a majority of companies Despite the emergence of individual thought leaders, sustainability is still not at the forefront of CSR activities among a majority of Indian companies. This trend is apparent even among the top 100 companies. Only about a third of the top 100 companies spent a significant portion of their CSR budget on environment-related activities, with such projects accounting for a mere 10 percent of the total number of CSR projects carried out in FY15-16, as per the study conducted by NextGen to analyse the CSR expenditure of companies. Conclusion: The trends visible in the CSR projects about the environment highlights a dichotomy in the way companies approach environment protection interventions in India. While some are thought leaders in the space and see sustainable development and environment protection as an opportunity, for many others, the pressing need for acting on conserving natural resources hasn’t arrived yet. As we move towards a low carbon economy (as a part of the Paris Climate Treaty, India pledged in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document to reduce its carbon emission intensity - emission per unit of GDP- by 33-35 percent from 2005 levels over 15 years), it is hoped that more companies take their cue from the emerging thought leaders and use the opportunity of the 2 percent CSR obligation to work towards mitigating their impacts on the environment DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 46 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Ans. 7.(c) Steel is a product of large and technologically complex industry having strong forward and backward linkages in terms of material flows and income generation. It is also one of the most important products of the modern world and of strategic importance to any industrial nation. From construction, industrial machinery to consumer products, steel finds its way into a wide variety of applications. It is also an industry with diverse technologies based on the nature and extent of raw materials used. In India, steel has an output multiplier effect of nearly 1.4X on GDP and employment multiplier factor of 6.8X. A vibrant Steel industry has historically been the foundation of a nation’s rapid Industrial Development. On account of rapid industrial development, from a small capacity of 22 MT in FY 1991-92 prior to deregulation, India has become the 3rd largest steel producer in the world with a production of 91 MT and a capacity of 122 MT in FY 2015-16. The National Steel Policy 2017 (NSP 2017) is an effort to steer the industry to achieve its full potential, enhance steel production with focus on high end value added steel while being globally competitive. The National Steel Policy 2005 (NSP 2005) sought to indicate ways and means of consolidating the gains flowing out of the then economic order and charted out a road map for sustained and efficient growth of the Indian steel industry. However, the unfolded developments in India as also worldwide, both on the demand and supply sides of the steel market, have warranted a relook at the different elements of the NSP 2005. India’s competitive advantage in steel production is driven, to a large extent, from the indigenous availability of high grade iron ore and non-coking coal – the two critical inputs of steel production. In addition, it also has a vast and rapidly growing market for steel, strong MSME sector and a relatively young work force with competitive labour costs. Driven by the positive demand outlook and prevailing high prices of steel in the period post 2004, the Indian steel sector witnessed a wave of investments in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. Substantial new capacity was created and existing plants were modernized. A significant portion of these investments were funded by banks and other forms of borrowings. India became the 3rd largest producer of steel in 2015 and is now well on track to emerge as the 2nd largest producer after China. There is significant potential for growth given the low per capita steel consumption of 61 Kg in India, as compared to world average of 208 Kg. Indian economy is rapidly growing with enormous focus on infrastructure and construction sector. Several initiatives mainly, affordable housing, expansion of railway networks, development of domestic shipbuilding industry, opening up of defence sector for private participation, and the anticipated growth in the automobile sector, are expected to create significant demand for steel in the country. Further, while the main focus of the industry is on the domestic market, being in close vicinity of the developed west and developing east, provides it a strategic location that augurs well for the industry seeking opportunities for exports of finished goods and imports of some scarcely available raw materials. Unlike other large steel producers, the Indian steel industry is also characterized by the presence of a large number of small steel producers who utilize sponge iron, melting scrap and non-coking coal for steelmaking. As on March 2016, there were 308 sponge iron producers that use iron ore/ pellets and non-coking coal/gas providing feedstock for steel production; 1175 electric arc furnaces & induction furnaces that use sponge iron and/or melting scrap to produce semi-finished steel and 1392 re rollers that rolls out semi-finished steel into finished steel products for consumer end use. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 47 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Mission: Provide environment for attaining – Self-sufficiency in steel production by providing policy support & guidance to private manufacturers, MSME steel producers, CPSEs & encourage adequate capacity additions. Development of globally competitive steel manufacturing capabilities, Cost-efficient production and domestic availability of iron ore, coking coal and natural gas Facilitate investment in overseas asset acquisitions of raw materials. Enhance domestic steel demand. Objectives: The National Steel Policy aims at achieving the following objectives – I. Build a globally competitive industry with a crude steel capacity of 300 MT by 2030-31 II. Increase per Capita Steel Consumption to 160 Kgs by 2030-31 III. To domestically meet entire demand of high grade automotive steel, electrical steel, special steels and alloys for strategic applications by 2030-31 IV. Increase domestic availability of washed coking coal so as to reduce import dependence on coking coal to 50% by 2030-31 V. To be net exporter of steel by 2025-26 VI. Encourage industry to be a world leader on energy and raw material efficient steel production by 2030- 31, in a safe and sustainable manner VII.Develop and implement quality standards for domestic steel products The current context and the long term perspectives on growth. The domestic demand backed growth of the Indian economy and consequently the steel consuming sectors has been a key trait of Indian steel industry. The decade before the liberalization of the Indian steel industry in 1991 witnessed growth in crude steel production at a CAGR of 5.2%. Post liberalization, witnessed a decadal CAGR of 6.1% which accelerated to 8.3% during 2000-01 to 2015-16. However, today the steel industry in India faces challenging external conditions manifest in slow economic growth and idle steel capacity globally. With weak global economic prospects, the Indian steel industry will have to strongly depend on the growth of domestic consumption for its future Focus on High - End Research: Steel Research & Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) In India, substantial R&D in Iron and Steel sector is currently being carried out by the leading steel companies like SAIL, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, etc. who have accomplished some significant work in the areas of raw material beneficiation, agglomeration and product development. However, in general, major focus of R&D is limited to day to day operations and hence, lacks disruptive innovation. India’s R&D investment in steel sector is limited not only in absolute terms but also as percentage of turnover which is 0.05 – 0.5% as against 1% in leading steel companies abroad. The Indian steel companies need to evolve a time bound action plan to enhance their R&D expenditure to at least 1% of the turnover. Efforts will be made through joint collaborative R&D programmes to create manufacturing capabilities for development of process and products in synergy with natural resources of the country with an aim to minimize damage to the environment. Ministry of Steel has taken full cognizance of the technological scenario in Indian Steel Industry and has initiated a fresh move for preparation of a comprehensive blue print for promotion of R&D in Iron & steel Sector. To bring in all the stakeholders into one platform and promote steel research on themes of critical and vital national importance, an institutional platform called “Steel Research and Technology Mission of India” has been established with an objective to DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 48 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. spearhead R&D of national importance in iron & steel, creating state-of-art facilities to conduct cutting-edge research, develop expertise & skill development, manage human resources and bolster a tripartite synergy amongst industry, national R&D laboratories and academic institutes. In order to boost innovation in the steel sector (future technologies), a time bound action plan will be evolved under the aegis of SRTMI to enhance the R&D expenditure of Indian steel CPSEs. The Ministry through SRTMI will also encourage corporates in steel sector, private and public sector alike, to direct certain sums from their profits towards continuous industry collaborative research. Apart, they would also be encouraged to set up their own steel technology centres and steel sector oriented research and education wings at universities in order to focus on technology based solutions for development of high quality, low cost steel products and to build greater interface between academia, R&D institutions and industry. Product development is yet another challenge faced by the Indian steel industry which has given rise to import of most of the value added products like automotive steel for high end applications, electrical steel like CRGO & amorphous steel as well as special steel and alloys for the Power Equipment, Aerospace, Defense and Nuclear applications. Production of these value added, front end, and strategic products will be facilitated through acquisition of foreign technology by setting up of joint ventures, or subsidiaries of foreign companies or by indigenous development. Measures will also be taken to ensure development of all such special steel and alloys to minimize import dependence. Indian steel industry is currently importing technology & critical equipment and systems for steel plants. Hence, necessary efforts will be made under the aegis of SRTMI to raise the level of R&D and acquire best in class manufacturing capabilities to develop all these equipment and systems. CPSEs will be encouraged to reduce manpower and overhead expenses based on domestic and peer group benchmarking. Besides, the CPSEs will also be encouraged to right size their manpower over time through Superannuation/ Separation/ intakes in conformance with technological advances and suitably exercise the option of Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to improve labour productivity. The Ministry through SRTMI will also work in association with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to re-structure the pedagogy within its associated technical institutes. As a part of skill development initiative, the Ministry will coordinate with the technical institutes under its aegis and INSDAG to re-align the education system to attract, facilitate and generate steel domain experts.

Ans. 8.(a) India has the potential to be among the global top three nations in terms of domestic and international passenger traffic. It has an ideal geographical location between the eastern and western hemisphere, a strong middle class of about 30 crore Indians and a rapidly growing economy. Despite these advantages, the Indian aviation sector has not achieved the position it should have and at present it is ranked 10th in the world in terms of number of passengers. The Government has proposed to promote the growth of Indian aviation sector in a significant manner as the development of this sector has a multiplier effect on the economy. The aim of the Government is to provide an ecosystem for the harmonised growth of various aviation subsectors, i.e Airlines, Airports, Cargo, Maintenance Repairs and Overhaul services (MRO), General Aviation, Aerospace Manufacturing, Skill Development, etc. The Government has proposed to take flying to the masses by making DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 49 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. it affordable and convenient. This will be possible if the air-fares, especially on the regional routes, are brought down to an affordable level. The reduction in costs will require concessions by the Central and State Governments and Airport Operators. Systems and processes which affect this sector will need to be simplified and made more transparent with greater use of technology without compromising on safety and security. The growth in aviation will create a large multiplier effect in terms of investments, tourism and employment generation, especially for unskilled and semi-skilled worker. The National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP 2016) is a step in that direction. The NCAP 2016has been finalised on the basis of the feedback received from the public, other stakeholders and experts. (a) Vision: To create an eco-system to make flying affordable for the masses and to enable 30 crore domestic ticketing by 2022 and 50 crore by 2027, and international ticketing to increase to 20 crore by 2027. Similarly, cargo volumes should increase to 10 million tonnes by 2027. (b) Mission: Provide safe, secure, affordable and sustainable air travel for passengers and air transportation of cargo with access to various parts of India and the world. (c) Objectives I. Establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant growth of civil aviation sector, which in turn would promote tourism, increase employment and lead to a balanced regional growth. II. Ensure safety, security and sustainability of aviation sector through the use of technology and effective monitoring. III. Enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development. IV. Enhance ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance. V. Promote the entire aviation sector chain in a harmonised manner covering cargo, MRO, general aviation, aerospace manufacturing and skill development. Regional Connectivity The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) will come into effect in the second quarter of 2016-17. Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) will target an indicative airfare of Rs 2500 per passenger approximately, indexed to inflation, for a significant part of the capacity of the aircraft for a distance of 500kms to 600 kms. on RCS routes (equivalent to about one hour of flight). The cap for helicopters under RCS will be higher. The scheme will offer a flexible menu of options to the interested scheduled airline operators. This will be implemented by way of: I. Revival of un-served or under-served airports/ routes, including routes connecting Agatti and Leh, II. Concessions by different stakeholders, III. Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for operators under RCS IV. Cost-effective security solutions by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and State Governments. Currently around 75 out of 450 airstrips/airports have scheduled operations. Revival of the remaining air strips and airports will be “demand driven”, depending on firm demand from airline operators, as No-Frills Airports will be done at an indicative cost of Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore, without insisting on its financial viability. Inputs from and willingness of the State Governments will be taken before revival of any airport is undertaken. AAI/ State Govts can explore possibilities of developing these airports through PPP also. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 50 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. RCS will be made operational only in those States which reduce VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) at these airports to 1% or less for a period of 10 years. State Government will provide land free of cost and free from all encumbrances and also provide multi-modal hinterland connectivity (road, rail, metro, waterways, etc) as required. For upto10 years from the date of commencement of flight operations under RCS: i) There will be no airport charges levied for operations under RCS. Landing, parking and Terminal Navigation Landing charges (TNLC) shall be waived and Route Navigation and Facilitation charges (RNFC) will be levied on a nominal basis. ii) Service tax on tickets will be levied on 10% of the taxable value (abatement of 90%) of tickets for passengers embarking from or terminating in an RCS airport, without any input credits for an initial period of 1 year from the date of commencement of operations of the RCS airport as notified by MoCA. iii) State government will provide police and fire services free of cost. Power, water and other utilities will be provided at substantially concessional rates. iv) Self ground handling by airlines will be allowed for operations under RCS at all airports. v) Excise duty at a rate of 2% shall be levied on Aviation Fuel drawn by operators from the RCS airports for an initial period of three yearsfrom the date of notification. vi) VGF indexed to ATF prices and inflation will be provided for a particular route, on a competitive bidding basis if necessary, for a period upto 10 years from commencement of operation by an airline. VGF will be shared between MoCA and the State Government in the ratio of 80:20. For the North Eastern States, the ratio will be 90:10.The payment of the full amount of VGF will be made to the airline operator from the Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) and the State Governments will be subsequently asked reimbursement. Airports developed by State Governments, Private sector or in PPP mode MoCA will continue to encourage development of airports by the State Governments or the private sector or in PPP mode. MoCA will also encourage the State Governments to develop new airports in their State by forming SPV with Airport Authority of India or with other interested Public Sector Undertakings/ Industry in order to create stake and ownership. Wherever so required, MoCA will endeavour to provide regulatory certainty with the following framework: (a) MoCA will coordinate with AERA, AAI, airlines, airport operators and stakeholders like cargo, MRO, ground handling, etc to identify ways to bring down airport charges, while abiding by the provisions of existing concession agreements and contracts. (b) MoCA will endeavour that the future airport projects in India, both greenfield and brownfield, have cost efficient functionality with no compromise on safety, security and efficiency. (c) To ensure uniformity and level playing field across various operators, future tariffs at all airports will be calculated on a ‘hybrid till’ basis, unless otherwise specified for any project being bid out in future. 30% of non-aeronautical revenue will be used to cross-subsidise aeronautical charges. In case the tariff in one particular year or contractual period turns out to be excessive, the airport operator and regulator will explore ways to keep the tariff reasonable, and spread the excess amount over the future. (d) There are restrictions on the use of land allocated for commercial use of airport. MoCA will explore ways to unlock the potential of the same by liberalising the end-use restrictions for existing (excluding PPP) and future greenfield and brownfield airports of AAI and future greenfield and brownfield airport projects under PPP.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 51 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. (e) MoCA will coordinate with respective ministries and state governments to provide multi-modal hinterland connectivity (road, rail, metro, waterways, etc). (f) In future concessions/development of Airports, it will be necessary to ensure a minimum level and standard of cargo facility at the airport. Airports Authority of India (AAI) Out of 125 airports of AAI, about 95 are operational of which71 have scheduled commercial operations as of 1st Jan 2016. AAI will take up development of airports as per the following broad framework: a) AAI will take up new greenfield or brownfield airports subject to the following conditions: i) Project should be financially viable with non- zero IRR, except for no-frills airports developed under RCS. ii) State/Central government will provide VGF to AAI if the project is strategically important but financially unviable. iii) Land will be provided free of cost and free from all encumbrances by state government without treating it as equity. iv) Land will include sufficient space on city side for commercial use as per applicable law. b) AAI may be suitably compensated by Government of India and/or the State Government or the private sector airport operator in case a new greenfield airport is approved in future within a 150 km radius of an existing operational AAI airport ( not applicable to civil enclaves). However, such a compensation will be considered only if the current capacity of the existing AAI airport is not reaching the saturation point in the year of commissioning of the new project.

Ans. 8.(b) Environment Impact Assessment or EIA can be defined as the study to predict the effect of a proposed activity/project on the environment. A decision making tool, EIA compares various alternatives for a project and seeks to identify the one which represents the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits. EIA systematically examines both beneficial and adverse consequences of the project and ensures that these effects are taken into account during project design. It helps to identify possible environmental effects of the proposed project, proposes measures to mitigate adverse effects and predicts whether there will be significant adverse environmental effects, even after the mitigation is implemented. By considering the environmental effects of the project and their mitigation early in the project planning cycle, environmental assessment has many benefits, such as protection of environment, optimum utilisation of resources and saving of time and cost of the project. Properly conducted EIA also lessens conflicts by promoting community participation, informing decision makers, and helping lay the base for environmentally sound projects. Benefits of integrating EIA have been observed in all stages of a project, from exploration and planning, through construction, operations, decommissioning, and beyond site closure. Evolution of EIA EIA is one of the successful policy innovations of the 20th Century for environmental conservation. Thirty- seven years ago, there was no EIA but today, it is a formal process in many countries and is currently practiced in more than 100 countries. EIA as a mandatory regulatory procedure originated in the early 1970s, with the implementation of the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) 1969 in the US. The Indian experience with Environmental Impact Assessment began over 20 years back. It started in 1976- 77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of Science and Technology to examine the river- valley projects from an environmental angle. This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 52 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. required the approval of the Public Investment Board. Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an administrative decision and lacked legislative support. On 27 January 1994, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF), Government of India, under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or modernisation of any activity or for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification. Since then there have been 12 amendments made in the EIA notification of 1994. The MoEF recently notified new EIA legislation in September 2006. The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such as mining, thermal power plants, river valley, infrastructure (road, highway, ports, harbours and airports) and industries including very small electroplating or foundry units to get environment clearance. However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation has put the onus of clearing projects on the state government depending on the size/capacity of the project. Certain activities permissible under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, 1991 also require similar clearance. Additionally, donor agencies operating in India like the World Bank and the ADB have a different set of requirements for giving environmental clearance to projects that are funded by them. The EIA process The stages of an EIA process will depend upon the requirements of the country or donor. However, most EIA processes have a common structure and the application of the main stages is a basic standard of good practice. The environment impact assessment consists of eight steps with each step equally important in determining the overall performance of the project. Typically, the EIA process begins with screening to ensure time and resources are directed at the proposals that matter environmentally and ends with some form of follow up on the implementation of the decisions and actions taken as a result of an EIA report. The eight steps of the EIA process are presented in brief below: · Screening: First stage of EIA, which determines whether the proposed project, requires an EIA and if it does, then the level of assessment required. · Scoping: This stage identifies the key issues and impacts that should be further investigated. This stage also defines the boundary and time limit of the study. · Impact analysis: This stage of EIA identifies and predicts the likely environmental and social impact of the proposed project and evaluates the significance. · Mitigation: This step in EIA recommends the actions to reduce and avoid the potential adverse environmental consequences of development activities. · Reporting: This stage presents the result of EIA in a form of a report to the decision-making body and other interested parties. · Review of EIA: It examines the adequacy and effectiveness of the EIA report and provides the information necessary for decision-making. · Decision-making: It decides whether the project is rejected, approved or needs further change. · Post monitoring: This stage comes into play once the project is commissioned. It checks to ensure that the impacts of the project do not exceed the legal standards and implementation of the mitigation measures are in the manner as described in the EIA report DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 53 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Forms of impact assessment There are various forms of impact assessment such as Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) that are used to assess the health and social consequences of development so that they are taken into consideration along with the environmental assessment. One of the forms of impact assessment is strategic environment assessment, which is briefly discussed below: Strategic environment assessment Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) refers to systematic analysis of the environmental effects of development policies, plans, programmes and other proposed strategic actions. This process extends the aims and principles of EIA upstream in the decision-making process, beyond the project level and when major alternatives are still open. SEA represents a proactive approach to integrating environmental considerations into the higher levels of decision-making. Despite its wide use and acceptance, EIA has certain shortcomings as a tool for minimising environmental effects of development proposals. It takes place relatively late at the downstream end of the decision making process, after major alternatives and directions have been chosen .

Ans. 8.(c) Approximately 18 percent of India’s population lives in the 72 coastal districts that comprise 12 percent of India’s mainland. Development of coastal communities through Marine sector related activities like fisheries, maritime tourism and corresponding skill development is an essential objective of the Sagarmala Programme. Development of cruise tourism and lighthouse tourism are other activities which are being actively considered under Sagarmala Programme. Under Sagarmala Programme, an integrated approach is being adopted for improvement in quality of life with focus on skill building and training, upgrading of technology in traditional professions, specific and time bound action plan for improving physical and social infrastructure in collaboration with the coastal states. Sagarmala Programme in coordination with related Central Ministries and State Governments would fund capacity building, infrastructure, and social development projects related to value addition in fisheries, aquaculture and cold chain development. Since about 95% of India’s trade by volume is via the maritime route, there is a continuous need to develop India’s ports and trade related infrastructure to accelerate growth in the manufacturing industry and to assist the ‘Make in India’ initiative. India has 12 major ports and approximately 200 non-major ports administered by Central and State Governments respectively. As per the studies carried out under Sagarmala Programme, it is expected that by 2025, cargo traffic at Indian ports will be approximately 2500 MMTPA while the current cargo handling capacity of Indian ports is only 1500 MMTPA. A roadmap has been prepared for increasing the Indian port capacity to 3000+ MMTPA by 2025 to cater to the growing traffic. This includes port operational efficiency improvement, capacity expansion

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 54 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. of existing ports and new port development. Due to these initiatives, the efficiency has improved in shorter terms as Avg. Turnaround Time, which is presently at 2.08 days against 2.32 days in 2013-14. Similarly, the Ship Berth day Output has increased from 12468 in 2013-14 to 14505 at present.

Port Operational Efficiency Improvement For improving operational efficiency, a study to benchmark performance of major Indian Ports to comparable international ports has been completed and recommendations of the study are being implemented. Through this benchmarking study, 116 initiatives have been identified for implementation during 2016-18, which are expected to improve the operational efficiency and profitability of the 12 Major Ports. Out of 116 initiatives, 70 initiatives have already been implemented. Enhancing “Ease of Doing Business” by streamlining of procedures is also major focus under the Programme. 42 action points have been identified, specifying responsibility of concerned stakeholders/agency in respect of each action point with specific reference to Jawaharlal Nehru Port. Intensive monitoring of these is yielding good results. 35 action points have been achieved. Capacity Expansion of existing Major Ports As part of the Sagarmala programme, Master Plans have been finalized for the 12 major ports. Based on the same, 142 port capacity expansion projects (total cost: Rs. 91,434 Cr) have been identified for implementation till 2035. The capacity addition during the last three years i.e. from 2013-14 to 2015-16 was 55.61 MTPA, 70.00 MTPA and 93.84 MTPA respectively. New Port Development To fill the demand gap, 6 new major ports are planned which will bring in significant capacity expansion. The locations of these new ports are deliberated after detailed origin-destination study of cargo commodities and there are mainly three levers that propel the need for building new ports: New port locations have been identified based on the cargo flow for key commodities and the projected traffic: Greenfield ports are proposed to be developed at • Vadhavan (Maharashtra), • Sagar Island (West Bengal) • Paradip Outer Harbour (Odhisha) • Cuddalore/Sirkazhi (Tamil Nadu) • Belikeri (Karnataka) • Enayam (Tamil Nadu) Port Connectivity Enhancement Connectivity is one of the critical enablers for ports and the end-to-end effectiveness of the logistics system drives competitiveness for the maritime industry as well. With infusion of new technology and capacity building, the cumulative/ total capacity available at ports can match demand but will not be able to handle additional

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 55 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. traffic if the evacuation to and from the port is restricted. It is, therefore, important that connectivity of major ports with the hinterland is augmented not only to ensure smooth flow of traffic at the present level but also to meet the requirements of projected increase in traffic. India’s hinterland connectivity is mainly based on surface transport i.e. road and rail, wherein, domestic waterways (coastal shipping and inland waterways) playing a very limited role. Pipelines are predominantly used only for transporting crude oil, refined petroleum products and natural gas. In India, smooth connectivity to ports is even more important as the cargo generating centers are mainly in the hinterland instead of in the coastal region. The long lead distance increases the logistics cost and time variability within which the cargo can be delivered. Under Sagarmala Programme, endeavor is to provide enhanced connectivity between the ports and the domestic production/consumption centres. More than 150 connectivity projects at an estimated investment of more than Rs. 2 Lac Crore have been identified. Some of the types of connectivity projects considered are listed below: • Coastal Berths at various major and non-major ports • 37 National waterways prioritized for development in the first phase • Heavy haul rail corridor from Talcher to Paradip • Connectivity to Dedicated freight corridors • Last mile rail and road connectivity projects • Major rail connectivity projects • Freight friendly Expressway projects connecting the major ports • Development of Multi-Modal Logistics Parks • POL Pipelines • A new Special Purpose Vehicle, namely Indian Port Rail Corporation Limited has been set up as a public limited company to undertake last mile connectivity projects in Major Ports so as to improve their handling capacity and efficiency. COASTAL SHIPPING & INLAND WATERWAYS Despite having an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks freight transportation by waterways is highly under-utilized. Waterways currently contribute around 6% to India’s transportation modal mix, which is significantly less than that in developed economies and some of the developing economies as well. It is estimated that coastal shipping traffic of about 180-200 MMTPA can be achieved from current and planned capacities across coal, cement, iron and steel, food grains, fertilizers, POL by 2025. This would translate into estimated INR 10,000-15,000 Crore saving annually. Additionally about 60-70 MMTPA of cargo is expected to be moved via inland waterways by 2025.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 56 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. Availability of dedicated infrastructure will go a long way in promoting coastal shipping as a mode of freight transportation. Hence infrastructure at ports and supporting infrastructure using rail/road and waterways to facilitate coastal movement are being created. These include development of dedicated coastal berths, bunkering and storage at ports and Creation of supporting hinterland transport infrastructure with last mile connectivity. Domestic waterways are more cost effective as well as environmentally friendly means of transporting freight. The cost of transporting coal via coastal shipping is one-sixth of the cost of transporting it by railways. In consideration of the above, National Waterways 1, 2, 4 and 5 can be developed to play an important role in transportation. The optimised modal mix using inland waterways and coastal shipping would not only reduce logistics cost but also cut down emissions, reduce energy and fuel consumption. It is estimated that reduction of 12.5 MT in total CO2 emission (2.5% of current emission through transport sector) and 1 Million KL in liquid fuel consumption (1.5% of current liquid fuel consumption by transport sector) can be achieved via modal mix optimization. Reduction in logistics cost will give impetus to our manufacturing sector and enhance export competitiveness.

Note : Students are requested to avoid circulation of this model answer by any means .It is strictly for the personal use .Reprinting or circulating without written permission will attract legal action.The institute has copyright of all the printed material distributed.

All Copy right 2017reserve Direction Institute for IAS Examination. New Delhi

P.T.O.

DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 57 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd. DIRECTIONDIRECTION TSP - 18 58 Ultimate Learning Experience (P) Ltd.