[Mission 2023] SECURE SYNOPSIS: 07 September 2022

 

NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.

 

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General Studies – 1

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Topic: Role of women and women’s organization

1. Domestic drudgery has severe consequences on the women. Analyse the reasons behind it and suggest measures to reduce the domestic drudgery faced by women. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

On August 15, while houses hoisted flags, Malti rushed at the crack of dawn to the public tap 500 metres away before residents swarmed the place. Water supply lasts only two hours, twice a day, for a village shy of 10,000 residents.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the impact of domestic drudger, reasons behind and measures needed to reduce it.

Directive:

Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Begin by giving context of domestic drudgery and what it is.

Body:

First, in detail write about the adverse impact of Domestic drudgery on women – exhaustion, musculoskeletal disorders, lower immunity, and higher mental stress.

Next, write about the factors that are responsible for it.

Next, suggest measures that are needed to reduce domestic drudgery and protect women from it.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

 

Introduction

The Women’s unpaid domestic work, is the ‘hidden engine’ that keeps economies, businesses and societies running and contributes significantly to individual well-being. While this work is foundational for societies, it is mostly invisible, undervalued and unaccounted worldwide.

75% of women across India undertake time-consuming efforts every day to ensure their families have water (referred to as ‘domestic drudgery’) (NFHS-5).

Body

 Consequences of Domestic drudgery:

• Exhaustion
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Lower immunity
• Higher mental stress.
• It threatens women’s physical safety.
• It can impact cognitive development and education levels among children.

Reasons behind the domestic drudgery

• Marriage and domestic arrangements still remain deeply caste endogamy-based or arranged despite processes of urbanisation or more mobility for work purposes.
• Low divorce rates do not necessarily indicate happy marriages, but rather the deep economic and social pressures which create the inability to leave a marriage.
• For women, it is connected as much with stigma as with economic insecurity and the absence of housing if parents are unwelcoming.
• Equal sharing of domestic responsibilities remains a far cry in most households and women still continue to bear the burden of child and elder care, caring for the sick and the disabled, besides cooking, cleaning or gathering.

Measures needed

• The first step in addressing the inequalities in unpaid care work is to recognise its value.
• This requires data and more data will make more unpaid care work visible and help frame targeted policies.
• Reducing unpaid care work by investment in physical infrastructure like clean water and sanitation, energy and public transport, and in social infrastructure such as care and health services and education.
• Redistribution of care work between men and women, and between families.
• Investments in and expansion of care services for children and childhood education, for example generate jobs, of which many could be taken up by women.
• More equitable childcare and maternity policies could help reduce the ‘motherhood penalty’.
• Policies should address the rising need for care and tackle the huge disparity between women’s and men’s care responsibilities.
• Existing patriarchal norms pose a significant constraint to the take-up of public or market services.
• Addressing the issue of childcare and flexible work could help initiate positive social norms that encourage the redistribution of unpaid care and domestic work burden.
• A huge spectrum of women’s skilled but unpaid work contributes directly to the economy. Yet, its devaluation by not being accounted for ‘work’ weakens women’s status, leading to their vulnerability.
• Sharing the responsibilities of childcare can be difficult in a culture where parental leave is given only to the mother.
• This further reinforces the notion that unpaid care work is the sole responsibility of the women.
• The government has a crucial role to play in promoting gender equality by ensuring equality of opportunity in public services.
• However, these solutions will have a limited impact unless the behavioural change of each and every individual is targeted.

Conclusion

In order to reduce women’s burden of unpaid work and tap their potential in development, there is an urgent need to expand the purview of economics not only for gender justice but mainly for moving towards realistic economics.

 

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General Studies – 2

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Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

2. To what extent has the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) led to improvement in access to cleaner cooking fuels especially in rural areas. Critically analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: moderate

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.

Directive word: 

Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by writing about aims and objectives of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Body:

In the first part, write about the achievements of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Next, write about statistic which highlight the shift from traditional forms of fuel to LPG.

Next, write about the various impediments like affordability, administrative issues, low value for women’s labour etc poor face while accessing LPG which causes them to continue to use firewood and cow dung as fuel.

Write the measures that need to be taken to enhance and promote the usage of LPG. Mention the aspect of integrating other forms clean energy apart from LPG which is accessible and affordable.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

 

Introduction

The sustained rise in the price of LPG cylinders has been burning a hole in many a household budget for more than a year now. The price of LPG refills has risen by more than 50% to over ₹900 per cylinder in November 2021 compared to around ₹600 over the past year.

With no refill subsidies in place since May 2020, there is genuine concern about many households now slipping back to using polluting solid fuels for cooking, such as firewood and dung cakes.

Body

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Key features

• Ujjwala 1.0: Under Ujjwala 1.0, the target was to provide LPG connections to50 million women from the below poverty line (BPL) households, by March 2020. However, in August 2018, women from seven other categories were brought under the purview of the scheme.
  • In the first phase of the PMUY, 8 crore poor families, including from the Dalit and tribal communities,were given free cooking gas connections.
  • The LPG infrastructure has expanded manifold in the country. In the last six years, more than 11,000 new LPG distribution centres have opened across the country.
• Ujjwala 2.0: Under Ujjwala 2.0, an additional 10 million LPG connectionswill be provided to the beneficiaries.
  • Government has also fixed a target of providing piped gas to 21 lakh homes in 50 districts.

Performance of Ujjwala

• So far over 9 crore connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has been released.
• PMUY beneficiaries have availed 14.17 crore free refills under the Scheme, across the country, as per the same reply filed by Union Petroleum Ministry in Lok Sabha.
• PMUY 2.0 was launched on August 10, 2021, and thetarget of one crore connections were provided within six months by January 2022.
• Per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries has increased from 01 refills in 2019-20 to 3.66 refills in current Financial Year (till February 2022).
• The release of 8 crores of LPG connections under the scheme has also helped in increasing the LPG coverage in the country from 62 per cent on May 1, 2016, to 99.8 per cent on April 1, 2021.
• The first independent impact assessment of the Ujjwala programme by IIT Kanpur researchers highlighted its benefits in terms of saving of lives and reduction in air pollution.
  • Reduction in Death:Greater penetration and usage of LPG as a cooking fuel is estimated to have prevented at least 1.5 lakh pollution-related premature deaths in the year 2019 alone.
  • Reduction in pollution:It also avoided at least 8 million tonnes of PM2.5 emissions in 2019 (13% reduction in air pollution deaths)

Structural impediments in Ujjwala Yojana

Cost issues:

• A RTI application revealed that in the last financial year, 90 lakh beneficiaries of government’s flagship welfare scheme Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana did not refill their cylinders. And over 1 crore beneficiaries refilled their cylinders only once.
• Consumers were paying market price for refills till the loan repayment for stove and first refill was made. This led to some consumers not going in for such refills.
• Around30% of Indian households continue to rely on biomass as their primary cooking fuel, mainly due to high LPG prices.
  • The practice of biomass usage is predominantly concentrated in rural areas, particularly among States such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.
• Given the loss of incomes and livelihoodsduring the novel coronavirus pandemic, the ability of households to afford LPG on a regular basis has taken a further hit.

Administrative issues:

• laxity in identification of beneficiaries was noticed as 9,897 LPG connections were issued against Abridged Household List Temporary Identification Numbers (AHL TINs) where names of all family members and the beneficiary were blank in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC)-2011 list.
• Lack of input validation check in the IOCL software allowed issue of 0.80 lakh connections to beneficiaries aged below 18 years.
• issuance of connections to unintended beneficiaries.
• inadequacies in the de-duplication process: Out of 3.78 crore LPG connections, 1.60 crore (42%) connections were issued only on the basis of beneficiary Aadhaar which remained a discouragement in de-duplication.
• 59 lakh connections were released to beneficiaries who were minor as per the SECC-2011 data, which was in violation of PMUY guidelines and LPG Control Order, 2000.

Logistic issues:

• Lack of LPG cylinder bottling plants near rural areas and connectivity issues especially in the tribal areas.
• Last-mile connectivity and delivery still poses a great challenge.
• Delay of more than 365 days was noticed in installation of 4.35 lakh connections against stipulated time period of seven days.
• Adequate efforts were not made in distributing the small 5-kg cylinders for encouraging usage.

Safety and Behavioural issues:

• Safety has been another concern about distribution of LPG connection, especially to BPL families. Lack of awareness and safety amenities in beneficiary households have increased the likelihood of accidents.
• Cow-dung cakes lying around the house all the time. Hence, LPG cylinders are used on special occasions or during some kind of emergency or when it’s entirely too hot to burn wood.
• The CRISIL report also noted that 37% of households in rural areas procure cooking fuel or free.
• Agency:Most rural women do not have a say in determining when a refill is ordered, even though the connection is in their name.

Conclusion and way forward

• The scheme should be extended topoor households in urban and semi-urban slum areas.
• Subsidy reinstatement:There is a need to reinstate the subsidies on LPG refill for low-income households.
  • At the current refill prices, an average Indian household would have to spend around 10% of its monthly expense on LPG to meet all its cooking energy needs.
• Identifying true beneficiaries: The Government can also explore diverse approaches to identify beneficiaries.
  • This may include limiting the subsidy provision to seven to eight LPG refills annually and excluding well-to-do households using robust indicators.
  • For instance, lowering the income-based exclusion limit for LPG subsidy to ₹2,50,000 a year from ₹10 lakh a year or excluding families owning a non-commercial four-wheeler vehicle can significantly reduce the number of eligible beneficiaries.
• Home delivery of LPG: Only half the rural LPG users receive home delivery of LPG refills, while the rest have to travel about five kilometres one way to procure a cylinder.
• Gaps in the doorstep delivery of LPG cylindersare also present in urban pockets, particularly in slum areas. These need to be rectified.

 

Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

3. A formal approach for welfare of the elderly is an important policy and planning issue for India. Examine the various welfare schemes available for the elderly. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the issues of elderly population and examine welfare measures available for them.

Directive word: 

Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Start by giving the statistic related to elderly population in India currently and the projected growth over next 3 decades.

Body:

Frist, write about the problems faced by the elderly population – Isolation and loneliness, age-related chronic illness, Rise in the Health care costs and Elderly women issues etc.

Next, write about the various measures available for the welfare of elderly and examine their pros and cons.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Currently, India’s population is among the youngest in an ageing world, however, a major proportion of India’s population will be aged by 2050. This calls for more forward-looking policies incorporating population dynamics, education and skills, healthcare, gender sensitivity and most importantly geriatric care.

Body

Demographic transition in India

• NFHS-5 places the total fertility rate (TFR) at 2.0. known as replacement level of fertility. This decline is spread evenly across the country.
  • 28 statesand UTs have a TFR of 9 or less, with seven below 1.6.
  • All southern states have a TFR of 1.7-1.8,similar to that of Sweden.
• Even states that have not reached replacement fertility —Bihar and Uttar Pradesh — seem to be head in that direction.
• Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that were part of the lagging states have achieved TFRs of
• With falling fertility (currently 2.0), the median age of India has risen from 24 years in 2011 to 29 years now and is expected to be 36 years by 2036.
  • With a falling dependency ratio (expected to decrease from 65% to 54% in the coming decade taking 15-59 years as the working age population), India is in the middle of a demographic transition.
  • However, the elderly care is neglected in policies till date.
• Elderly population : Age division of Indian population (0-14) is 30.8%, (15-59) is 60.3%, (60+) is 8.6%.
  • According to Population Census 2011, there are nearly 104 million elderly persons in India.
  • It has increased from 5.5% in 1951 to 8.6% in 2011.
  • Projected a rise upto 19% in 2050

Issues associated with elderly population in India

• Feminisation of ageing: The sex ratio of the elderly has increased from 938 women to 1,000 men in 1971 to 1,033 in 2011 and is projected to increase to 1,060 by 2026.
  • The report also noted that between 2000 and 2050, the population of 80-plus people would have grown 700% “with a predominance of widowed and highly dependent very old women” and so the special needs of such old women would need significant focus of policy and programmes.
• Financial issues: Retirement and dependence of elderly on their child for basic necessity.
  • Sudden increase in out-of-pocket expenses on treatment.
  • Migration of young working-age persons from rural area have negative impacts on the elderly, living alone or with only the spouse usually poverty and distress.
• Health: Multiple disabilities among the elders in old age.
  • Health issues like blindness, locomotor disabilities and deafness are most prevalent.
  • Mental illness arising from senility and neurosis.
  • Absence of geriatric care facilities at hospitals in rural area.
• Social issues: Indian society is undergoing rapid transformation under the impact of industrialization, urbanization, technical & technological change, education and globalization.
  • Consequently, the traditional values and institutions are in the process of erosion and adaptation, resulting in the weakening of intergenerational ties that were the hallmark of the traditional family.
  • Feeling of powerlessness, loneliness, uselessness and isolation in elderly.
  • Generational gap.

Roadmap for elderly care with passage of time

• Increasing the monthly pension of elderly to minimum of Rs 2,000 per month.
• Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Housing for the aged, particularly the aged poor, must be a priority.
• Assisted living facilities for indigent elderly, particularly those with age-related issues like dementia, needs policy focus.
• More tax benefits, or at least removing tax on deposit interest for seniors.
• Enhancing the geriatric care health infrastructure especially in rural area.
• Allocation of special budget for elderly population at both levels.
• Providing entertainment facilities like libraries and clubs at panchayat level.
• Appreciations for the contributions of elderlies at village level.

Conclusion

Social security is the concurrent responsibility of the central and state governments as, mandated under Indian constitution i.e., Well-being of senior citizens – Article 41 in particular and 46 in general of Indian constitution. In this regard, National Policy on Senior Citizen, 2011 was framed.

For the welfare and care for the older persons, we must focus on the protection of already existing social support systems/traditional social institutions such as family and kinship, neighbourhood bonding, community bonding and community participation must be revived and kins should show sensitivity towards elderly citizens.

 

Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

4. As the QUAD members work to maintain the Indo-Pacific region’s freedom and openness, there are concerns that challenge QUADs objectives. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

Shared concerns over China’s moves in both the Indian Ocean Region and the Pacific Island countries, as well as the situation in Sri Lanka, came up during the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) of Quad countries, that ended on Tuesday in Delhi, diplomatic sources told The Hindu.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the various initiatives of QUAD and impact of various geopolitical conflicts on QUAD.

Directive word: 

Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by writing about aims and objectives of Quad.

Body:

In the first part, Mention, the initiatives of Quad – maritime security, cyber security and disaster response to connectivity and infrastructure, climate action, vaccine production, student mobility, resilient supply chains, combating disinformation and counter-terrorism etc.

Next, mention the challenges – Ukraine crisis, withdrawal of U.S from Afghanistan, formation of AUKUS, Free and open Indo-Pacific, formation of AUKUS, issue of Quad expansion and Chinese aggression etc.

Conclusion:

Write a way forward to overcome the above challenges and realise their collective goals.

 

Introduction

The Quad, also known as, the ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’ (QSD), is an informal strategic forum comprising of four nations, namely, United States of America (USA), India, Australia and Japan. One of the primary objectives of the Quad is, to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Body

Objectives of QUAD

• The motive behind the Quad is, to keep the strategic sea routes in the Indo-Pacific, free of any military or political influence.
• It is basically seen as a strategic grouping, aimed at reducing the Chinese domination.
• The core objective of the Quad is, to secure a rules-based global order, freedom of navigation and, a liberal trading system.
• The coalition also aims to offer, alternative debt financing for nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The Quad leaders exchange views on contemporary global issues, such as, critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, climate change, pandemic and education.

Quad significance of India and Indo-Pacific

• In the current scenario, given Chinese intransigence and our misreading of their imperialist-expansionist intent, Sino-Indian tensions are likely to persist.
• If India is not to cede ground physically or diplomatically, it must muster all elements of its “comprehensive national power”, including the maritime, and create a strong negotiating position.
• Apart from the balance of forces on land favouring China, there is also the Beijing-Islamabad Axis that awaits activation.
• Keeping tensions confined to the Himalayan arena is, therefore, not only militarily advantageous to China but a continental focus also helps to keep India contained in a “South-Asia box”.
• It is also time to seek an enlargement of this grouping into a partnership of the like-minded.
• Other nations feeling the brunt of Chinese brawn may be willing to join an “Indo-Pacific concord” to maintain peace and tranquillity and to ensure observance of the UN Law of the Seas.
• News of Australia being re-invited to participate in the Malabar exercise deserves a conditional welcome, given Canberra’s past inconsistency and political flip-flops.

Challenges to Quad

• Divergence of interest on Russia-Ukraine crisis can spell doom for QUAD to kick off in a substantial manner. This may reduce the solidarity against China.
• India’s defence purchase from Russia is an irritant for USA.
• There are varied interests and diverging opinions on matters of trade, intellectual property, Ukraine crisis and support for Ukraine among others.
• Any ambition to formalise the Quad as a substantive manifestation of a free and open Indo-Pacific is likely to encounter difficulties. The future of the Quad beyond its current consultative format is not certain.
• Given the complex array of interests at play across the dynamic region, key partners are more likely to preference loose coalitions based on dialogue and cooperation over more fixed, institutionalised formats.

Way forward

• The opportunity to discuss emerging regional issues, from piracy to maritime pollution and disaster management, through such a platform should be seen as a positive.
• At the same time, assuring ASEAN of its role and relevance to Indo-Pacific, including through established dialogue mechanisms like the EAS, could reinforce notions of inclusivity, build support for the key rules shaping behaviour, and mitigate against the threat of strategic drift within the region.
• Engaging others, including China, in dialogue about the Indo-Pacific project through such mechanisms will be integral to realising the long-term vision for a stable and inclusive region.

 

Conclusion

A formal revival and re-invigoration of the Quad is called for. It is also time to seek an enlargement of this grouping into a partnership of the like-minded. Other nations feeling the brunt of Chinese brawn may be willing to join an “Indo-Pacific concord” to maintain peace and tranquillity and to ensure observance of the UN Law of the Seas.

 

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General Studies – 3

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Topic: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

5. At the heart of Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) reforms in India has been an extensive focus on rationalisation and digitalisation of regulatory compliances, encompassing the entire business cycle from start to exit. Discuss. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India

Why the question:

Recently, a senior industry leader shared his first-hand experience of improved Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the country, mentioning how the allocation letter for a designated frequency band was issued within a few hours by the Department of Telecommunications.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the role of easing of compliances and its digitisation in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context.

Body:

First, write about the various different aspects of compliances and its digitisation in Ease of Doing Business. Substantiate with statistics and bring about the impact of high cost of compliances on various macroeconomic parameters.

Next, write about the steps that are needed to be taken in order to further improve the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

 

Introduction

Government has carried out a series of regulatory reforms to create a favourable investment climate. After the pandemic and slowdown, India must focus on re-invigorating the business climate by removing the hurdles that come in the way of starting a business from start to exit.

Though World Bank’s EODB ranking have been done away with, India must not stop reforms in making the business environment better.

 

Body

India’s measure to ensure ease of doing business in recent times

• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code of 2016 has introduced new dimensions in resolving insolvency in India. It is India’s first comprehensive legislation of corporate insolvency.

• • Under Fast-track Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) for mid-sized companies, the process for insolvency shall be completed within 90 days with a maximum grace period of another 45 days.

• Goods and Service tax (GST): The idea of ‘one nation, one tax’ has made it easier for people to start a business, and ITC (Input Credit) mechanism ensures an uninterrupted flow of cash for businesses and reduced price of goods/services for the end consumers.

• • The Goods and Service Tax came into effect from 01 July 2017. It subsumes eight taxes at the Central and nine taxes at the State level.
  • Further simplification of returns processes, addressing concerns for India’s huge MSME/SME sectors etc. are necessary steps that need to be taken to reap the kind of benefits envisioned during GST inception.

• Technology Based Governance: The Government has taken innumerable steps to enhance digital adoption in India.

• • The eBiz platform of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) integrates several processes across (government) departments to make the process of incorporating a company simpler.
  • Registration under Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are available at Shram Suvidha portal as a common online service with no physical touch point.
  • e-Sanchit, an online application system, allows traders to file all documents electronically.
  • The Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has developed a fully online module for electronic return filing with online payment. This has substantially reduced the time to prepare and file returns.

• Taxation Relief: Reduction of corporate tax from 30% to 25% for mid-sized companies.

• • The tax rate for new domestic manufacturing companies is now 15% (17.01% inclusive of surcharge and cess).
  • Domestic companies can opt for concessional tax regime @ 22% (effective tax rate: 25.17% inclusive of surcharge and cess). Such companies cannot claim any other income tax incentive or exemption and are also not be liable to pay the Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).

• Fixed Term Employment: The provision for Fixed Term Employment- hiring employees for specific period- earlier applicable to only textile industries has now been proposed to be extended to all sectors.

Challenges to Ease of doing Business in India

• Economic Slowdown: The viability of a business depends on the vitality of the economy in which it is embedded.

• • Aggregate Demand Dip: Indian economy is facing an aggregate demand slowdown which is mainly characterized by very slow growth of agriculture sector. This has put a break on consumption growth which is the main driver for Indian economy.
  • Income Distribution: Income distribution shifts away from the overwhelming majority of the population to a handful few, increasing income gap. This is evident from the fact that the sale of luxury cars had fared well than sales of the most basic items of clothing during the Diwali.

• Legislative Challenges: The structural reasons for slow growth of business comprises of regulatory framework which includes a plethora of overlapping laws and compliance requirements in setting-up and running a business.

• • Subjective interpretation of the law: Tax laws are prone to the subjective interpretation of tax officers which causes undue hardships to taxpayers and leaves scope for “tax terrorism”.
  • Overlapping Laws: The Companies Act, 2013 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, have overlapping provisions, which act as deterrents to the ease of doing business in India.

• Asymmetrical Policy Response: The government measures are mainly directed toward reforming formal sector, while almost 85% of our workforce is engaged in unorganised sector.

• • For long, economic policies had remained impervious to the challenges faced by its smaller businessmen. Neither the grand industrial policy statements of the Nehru era nor ‘Make in India’ programme appear to have realised that they need to be enabled too.

Conclusion and way forward

• Creating Demand: To address an aggregate-demand growth slowdown, an active macroeconomic policy is needed. Spending must focus on the rural sector to raise agricultural yields and build the infrastructure needed to support non-farm livelihoods so that pressure on the land can be reduced.

• • Investment: Recent initiatives of corporate tax cut could feed a private investment surge but it could also add to the ongoing shift in income distribution. Therefore, spinoffs of public spending could lead to growth in business activity.

• • Companies Act should be reviewed in order to minimise criminalisation of violations.
  • Taxation laws should be made simpler and tax administration should be impersonal. Direct Tax Code (DTC) will be the right step in this direction.
  • The GST law should be stabilised and the technology backbone should be strengthened rather than making more changes.
  • Human interface between tax officers and taxpayers should be reduced while automating the tax machinery.

• Make in India: The program represents a comprehensive overhaul of processes and policies and represents a complete change of the Government’s mindset – a shift from issuing authority to business partner.

• • Emphasis on manufacturing would help in solving employment crisis and will lead to increased purchasing capacity, thus boosting domestic consumption. 

 

 

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General Studies – 4

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Topic : Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;

6. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

“Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” ― Sigmund Freud

Difficulty level: Moderate

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote.

Body:

Write about being honest with oneself and how its importance in developing character. Elaborate upon how being honest with oneself results so many benefits for individual morality. Substantiate with examples.

Conclusion:

Summarise by highlighting the importance of the honesty in the present day.

 

Introduction

We have been taught from a very young age that honesty is the best policy. We are taught to be honest in all our dealings, big or small. We are schooled never to lie. We are told repeatedly that honesty is the most important of all ethics. However, what people tend to forget to teach us is the importance of self-honesty.

Body

Being true to yourself is very important. You can be honest with the world, but as long as you are not honest with yourself, you are not being fair. Give the most importance to what you think of yourself rather than what others think of you. You can justify to the world why you did what you did, but as long you are not honest with yourself, it can be difficult to find peace.

For example, an individual might treat someone unfairly to gain something that was not rightfully theirs in order to be looked well upon by others. But deep down, the person may know what they did was wrong.

If we can’t gather up the courage to be honest with ourselves, we may continue to exhibit the same behaviours. Self-honesty is a trait that holds immense importance.

When you are honest with yourself, you accept your weaknesses and flaws. You may know what some of those are. You may know what you are capable of and what you aren’t capable of. With enough self-knowledge, people’s judgments about you can become less important.

Conclusion

Being honest with yourself can make life easier, less complicated, and a lot more beautiful. You become less dependent on others and more dependent on yourself. You start loving yourself with all your flaws, and that’s the turning point toward contentment and inner peace.

 

Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;

7. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)

“Education is the art of making man ethical” ― Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Difficulty level: Easy

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by explaining the literal meaning of the quote.

Body:

Elaborate upon the quote and mention the role of education in making a person ethical. Mention the ways in which education shapes up ethics. Cite examples to substantiate.

Next, write about the counter view that education can also be devoid of ethics and its consequences. Substantiate with examples.

Conclusion:

Summarise by highlighting the importance of the quote in the present day.

Introduction

“A bad character is like a flat tire; you can’t go anywhere until you change it” — Zig Ziglar

Education promotes the metamorphosis of a child to become a full-fledged adult. Mere learning without promotion and development of values even discards the definition of education. Education of values and principles shapes and moulds a soul

Body

Achieving academic excellence for all students is at the very core of any school’s purpose, and will inform much of what they do. Character education is not a new thing, extending as it does back to the work of Aristotle. Yet it could be argued that the pursuit of success in schools in more recent years has sought to put the cart before the horse. In driving students to think of success solely in terms of exam grades and university places, pressure is created that can often be counter intuitive to student well- being and academic progress.

It does not matter how educated or wealthy one is, if the inherent character or personality lacks morals. In fact, such personalities can be threat to a peaceful society. E.g.: Mussolini, Hitler are all examples of education devoid of morality leading mankind to their destruction.

In contemporary times it is equally relevant. For instance, An educated man taking dowry will be a death spell for gender equality and gender justice. The seven sins of Gandhiji will materialise when we are educated without morality like Science without humanity as is the case with nuclear weapons today.

Thus, Education without values as useful as it seems makes a man, a clever devil.

Conclusion

Education without morals is like a ship without a compass, merely wandering nowhere. It is not enough to have the power of concentration, but we must have worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. It is not enough to know truth, but we must love truth and sacrifice for it.

 

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