YOJANA January 2022

Topics covered from the Syllabus:

GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. GS-3: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. GS-3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Digital India Mission: This is a Programme for strengthening the digital infrastructure in India, as well as to increase the adoption of technologies in the country. It was launched by the Government of India in 2015. Under this, the government has launched various missions focusing on enhancing digital connectivity (Bharatnet), digital finance infrastructure (like BHIM UPI) etc.

Humble Beginnings

• Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR): Indian Space Programme began with the establishment of INCOSPAR in 1962. It was the result of vision of the founder of Indian Space Programme Dr Vikram Sarabhai. He was instrumental in creating dedicated research centres at various locations in India:

• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (earlier, Space Science and Technology Centre): It was the hub for sounding rockets, solid propellants etc. It is located at Trivandrum.
• Space Applications Centre (earlier, Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station): It is located in Ahmedabad. Here, the focus is on the development of payload and related electronics.

• First Sounding Rocket: The first sounding rocket was launched in 1963 from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). Sounding Rockets are used to perform scientific experiments or measurement of readings in the orbit during launch. They are also used to test new components for future projects.
• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO): ISRO superseded INCOSPAR in 1969. It was followed by the establishment of Space Commission and the Department of Space (DoS) in 1972. Later, ISRO became a part of DoS.

History of Space Transportation

• Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3): India’s tryst with Space Launch Vehicles began in the early 1970s. On 18 July 1980, with the launch of SLV-3, India entered an exclusive club of only six countries with the rocket launch capability. SLV-3 was an all solid, four-stage launch vehicle, which could place the satellites in the Low Earth Orbit.

• Club of Six: The first six countries to launch space projects were Russia (earlier Soviet Union, Sputnik), USA (Juno), European Space Agency (Ariane), Japan (Lambda), China (Long March) and India (SLV-3). Though France and UK are now considered a part of European Union, when they first launched their space projects, France (Diamant) and UK (Black Arrow) were still not a part of European Space Agency.

• Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV): India initiated the ASLV project in the early 1980s. While SLV-3 had a limitation of 40 Kgs on the satellite’s weight, ASLV succeeded in placing heavier satellites in their orbit. It could carry satellites weighing 150 Kgs. It was also used to demonstrate new technologies like strap-on boosters.
• Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV): High on the success of SLV-3 and ASLV, India launched the PSLV project in mid-1980s which proved to be the ‘work-horse’ of ISRO, recording over 50 successful missions. It established India as the destination of low-cost, affordable satellite launch service provider in the arena of space sector. It was the first rocket having liquid stages.
• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV): GSLV is the latest rocket being used by ISRO. It is fitted with the indigenously developed cryogenic engine and is capable of carrying heavier satellites into their orbit. It is a three-stage rocket, with four liquid strap-ons.

Evolution of Satellites

• First Experimental Satellites: India’s first satellite was launched on 19 April 1975, in the form of Aryabhatta. It was launched from a location in Soviet Union. India followed the success of Aryabhatta, with the launch of two earth observation satellites, namely Bhaskara-I and Bhaskara-II. They were helpful in gaining experience for the launch of remote sensing satellites.
• Communication Satellites: India stepped into the arena of satellite-based communication, with the launch of first experimental communication satellite, in the form of APPLE (or Ariane Passenger PayLoad Experiment). Apple was launched in the geosynchronous orbit by European rocket, Ariane. It is to the credit of founding fathers of India’s Space Programme that Aryabhatta, Bhaskara series of satellites, as well as APPLE were launched free of cost by the respective countries.

• Television Signal Relay: Two projects, namely, Satellite Instructional Television Experiment - SITE (1975-76) and Satellite Telecommunication Experimental Project STEP (1977-79), were instrumental in improving Television Signal Relay technology in the Indian Space Sector.
• High Throughput Satellites (HTS): India has launched HTS satellites like GSAT-11, GSAT-19 and GSAT-29 to boost broadband connectivity in the rural areas. This has not only boosted connectivity with inaccessible areas like the North-East India, but also given a fillip to the Digital India Mission (see inset).

• INSAT Series: INSAT series was launched in the mid-1980s, beginning with INSAT-1B, India’s first multi-purpose operational satellite. It found application in the field of telecommunication, television broadcasting and weather-forecasting. India followed it up with INSAT-2 series of multipurpose satellites.
• Remote Sensing Satellites: India also established its expertise in the area of remote-sensing with the launch of IRS-1A in 1988. Remote Sensing satellites are used to take high resolution images of the desired location and find applications in diverse fields like agriculture, mineral exploration, forest mapping, groundwater survey etc.
• Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC): India has also built its own version of Global Positioning System (GPS), in the form of NavIC. It can pin-point the location of an object with high accuracy for navigational purposes. The project has also been approved for integration into mobile phones by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).

• GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN): Gagan extends NavIC to provide satellite based Navigation services for civil aviation purposes and better air traffic management over the Indian airspace.

• Future Projects: India has determined to send humans into space by 2024 under the Gaganyaan mission. For this, ISRO has successfully tested Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE), to bring back the astronauts safely back to earth. Apart from this, ISRO has planned various missions like Chandrayaan 2, Aditya L1 Mission, Mission to Venus etc.
• Partnership with the Private Sector: Space Technology sector is entering into an era of high competition, manifested by the entry of big corporates like SpaceX, especially in the area of space tourism and satellite launch. To survive in such cut-throat competition, India also needs to strengthen its capacities by aligning closely with the Non-Government Private Entities (NGPEs).

• Commercialization of Non-Core services: Indian government has taken an initiative to outsource its launch services as well as telecommunication services, so that ISRO is able to focus its energy towards faster technology upgradation. Under this, it has established New Space India Ltd (NSIL) to manage the space activities in the country.
• Capacity Building: Similarly, it is important to develop higher education opportunities in the Space Technology Sector to gain advantage of the demographic dividend, India enjoys over the next few decades. A start has been made by establishing Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) at Thiruvananthapuram in 2007.

Conclusion

• India has taken impressive strides in Space Technology sector, while maintaining a stellar record in cooperation with the global community. It is pertinent to mention here that ISRO has achieved this unique feat while maintaining cost-effectiveness of its missions.
• Going forward, it is expected that continuing with the historic tradition, the development in Space sector in India will be geared towards solving the societal problems, plaguing Indian socio-economic scene. This will help the Space Sector garner multilateral support from all sections of the country.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

• What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (GS 3 2019)
• India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbitter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Explain critically. (GS 3 2017)
• Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development? (GS 3 2017)

Mains Practice Questions

• Elaborate the journey of evolution of space transportation in India. Also, discuss the importance of indigenization of cryogenic engine in the development of Space Technology.

Topics covered from the Syllabus:

GS-3: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. GS-3: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate., Nine-Dash Line: Link to RSTV India's vision for Indo-Pacific (12 Dec 2020)

Phase I: From Independence to 1962 (Lessons Learnt)

• Changing the Mindset: With the advent of independence, India saw the withdrawal of British military officers from the top posts of Indian army. This led to an exposure of relatively young and inexperienced officers who were native to India. Also, from an army fighting the World Wars, Indian army saw a change in its primary targets with the new threat being faced on the frontiers.
• Kashmir War (1947-48): The bitterness of partition was further aggravated by Pakistan’s inexplicable act of sending raiders across the boundary with an intention of capturing the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This was handled proficiently by the Indian army, while the leadership played its cards deftly by making the Raja of Jammu and Kashmir sign the instrument of accession.
• India China War 1962: However, India faced a breach of trust with the Chinese attack on the northern borders of India. This followed a long diplomatic exchange, which slowly turned from an atmosphere of camaraderie to a relatively bitter outcome. PM Nehru’s personal energy invested into the relations with China saw him overlook the threat from North and was ultimately too overwhelming for him as was visible in his fast deteriorating health.
• Budgetary Cuts: The debacle of 1962 war can be attributed majorly to Indian complacency and a belief in goodwill generation at the expense of pragmatic principles of warfare. Indian army was not prepared to fight the war because of the budgetary cuts inflicted upon it in the last decade.
• Structural and Doctrinal Issues: Apart from the budgetary cuts, Indian army also saw a loss of morale due to frequent interference with the chain of command at the highest level. At the same time, the leadership failed to convey the threat being faced from China. On the contrary, the contemporary Defence Minister actually downplayed the threat, emphasizing upon the diplomatic exchange being undertaken between the two heads of the nations.

Phase II: 1962 to 1988 (Regaining the Confidence)

• Shift in Strategy: The period after 1962 war saw a major course correction in Indian military with major structural and doctrinal shifts undertaken to strengthen the forces. Firstly, the size of army was increased from 5.5 lakh troops to almost 8.25 lakh troops. At the same time, the budgets were increased to modernize the forces and help them counter threat from modern equipment used by the Chinese.

• Integration of Forces: The lessons learnt in 1962 war were applied to the future conflicts as Indian Air Force was pressed early into action to gain tactical and strategic advantages in the battle for supremacy.

• Pakistan’s Failed attempt in 1965: In the mistaken belief that Indian Army is vulnerable due to loss in 1962 war and the leadership gap due to loss of PM Nehru, Pakistan embarked on a misadventure across the deserts of Rajasthan. It was countered to the fullest extent by the Indian Military, this time Indian Air Force being the force multiplier.
• Decisive Victory of 1971: Pakistan’s genocide in its eastern territory led to an uprising in the area, along with almost 10 million refugees fleeing to India for protection. This led to a war between Pakistan and India, with India being supported by the Mukti Bahini of Bangladeshi people. Apart from this, the highlight of war was India’s impressive management of various sectors:

• Western Sector: It was managed in an offensive defence strategy by the Indian armed forces, where no territorial gain was intended and the focus remained on curbing advances of Pakistani military.
• Northern Sector: India maintained a strict vigil across the northern border in anticipation of a two-front war, being prepared for a Chinese excursion into the Indian territory.
• Eastern Sector: Indian armed forces advanced rapidly into the mainland of Bangladesh with lightning warfare to neutralize the threat posed by Pakistan army strongholds in the area, leading to the capture of almost 90,000 Prisoners of War (PoWs).

• Other Issues: As the successor to British India, India assumed the responsibility to act as the Net Security Provider in the Indian Ocean Region. This led to Indian interventions in multiple arenas including the Indian Peacekeeping Mission in Sri Lanka (under the name of Indian Peacekeeping Force or IPKF), as well as Indian action under Operation Cactus to counter an attempted coup by mercenaries in Maldives.
• Global Issues: India faced multiple challenges due to shifting alignments in the global arena and the need for constant rebalancing of the relations between different entities. This included Sino-US rapprochement of 1972 and the oil crisis, apart from the US withdrawal from Vietnam and Iran-Iraq war in 1980.

Phase III: 1988 to 2014 (Changing Strategies)

• Chinese Challenge: Indian armed forces embarked on an era of upgradation to combat Chinese challenge in the northern mountainous regions, as well as a wave of Chinese equipment upgradation sourced from the US (for e.g., Sikorsky helicopters for mountainous warfare). This was visible in India’s handling of the Sumdorong Chu incursion by the PLA Army.  
• Internal Challenges: India saw an increase in insurgencies in the interior of the country. This included insurgencies by terrorist organizations like United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in the North East, as well as separatist forces in Punjab, under the name of Pro-Khalistan fighters.
• Kashmir Insurgencies: After failing to dent Indian defence on the battlefield, Pakistan started micro-warfare by inciting insurgency in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This was stated explicitly by the Pakistani generals as the strategy of ‘bleeding India with thousand cuts’. The insurgency continues to claim lives in the valley, on both sides.
• People-Centric Approach: Indian Army has embarked upon a mission to win the hearts and minds of people in the Valley by following a people-centric approach. This has led to a rise in the number of casualties on the side of Indian Army, but also has created an atmosphere of trust in the minds of the people of the valley, although it will take some more time for the situation to become ideal.
• Kargil War in 1990: Being frustrated due to its inability to inflict damage upon Indian integrity in Kashmir, Punjab or other areas, Pakistan treacherously occupied the peaks in the Kargil and other adjoining sectors of Kashmir Valley. Indian Army and Indian Air Force coordinated in a brilliant counter-action to re-occupy the strategically located peaks, despite adhering to India’s commitment of never crossing the LoC at any point of time.
• Structural Changes: The Kargil war and the Mumbai attacks of 2008 led to restructuring of Indian Defence Architecture to prevent reoccurrence of such events. It led to the appointment of a full time National Security Adviser, creation of National Technical Research Organization and establishment of Theatre Commands for better integration of the three armed forces. Also, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard were given more resources and powers to act in coordination with the State Police Forces to strengthen Maritime Security Architecture.

Phase IV: 2014 onwards (Era of Modernization)

• Proactive Approach: Indian Armed Forces have seen a pronounced shift in tactical warfare in the recent times. The Uri attacks saw a surgical strike take place inside the Pakistani territory. Also, the Pulwama terrorist attacks saw retaliation in the form of Balakot Air Strikes by the Indian Air Force, destroying the Terrorist Launch Pads in the border areas of Pakistan, as well as Air-to-Air Combat between the two Air Forces. Thus, India called out Pakistan’s lies of using the Nuclear Weapons at the first instigation from India.
• Enhancement of Defence Budget: Recent times have seen an enhancement in the Budgets of Tri-services, especially Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, to make them capable of sniffing out any possibility of a Mumbai-style terror attack on the Indian Territory. At the same time, they have been entrusted with more responsibilities viz. clamping down on sea-piracy and smuggling of illegal arms in the Indian Ocean Region.

• China Threat: The growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region, especially at the Ports like Hambantota and Gwadar, has given many sleepless nights to Security experts in India. This has prompted Indian Navy to undertake expansion at a war footing, including induction of new Aircraft Carriers, as well as Nuclear-powered submarines.

• Standing up to China’s Border Violations: Though China has always been an expansionist regime, but recent times have seen frequent violations by China into its neighbors’ territories, be it claiming the territories as per 9-dash line (see inset) in Pacific Ocean or incursions into the Indian territory. India has been resolute and firm in the face of Chinese pressures in the Eastern Ladakh, as well as the Chumbi Valley Areas.

• Conclusion

  • India has seen evolution of its Military Doctrines in response to the changing alignments in its border areas, as well as the global arena. However, it is important to understand that it is critical to ensure that its Armed Forces remain in a state of alertness to counter any threat from the neighboring countries. This is especially true as we live in a tough neighborhood and have a responsibility of being a ‘Net Security Provider’ to the small states of Indian Ocean Region.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

• The terms ‘Hot Pursuit’ and ‘Surgical Strikes’ are often used in connection with armed action against terrorist attacks. Discuss the strategic impact of such actions. (GS3 - 2016)
• Human rights activists constantly highlight the view that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) is a draconian act leading to cases of human rights abuses by the security forces. What sections of AFSPA are opposed by the activists? Critically evaluate the requirement with reference to the view held by the Apex Court. (GS3 - 2015)
• Considering the threats cyberspace poses for the country, India needs a “Digital Armed Force” to prevent crimes. Critically evaluate the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013 outlining the challenges perceived in its effective implementation. (GS3 - 2015)

Mains Practice Questions

• Assess the external as well as internal challenges faced by the Indian Security Forces in safeguarding the integrity of the country, considering its location in a tough neighbourhood.

Topics covered from the Syllabus:

GS-3: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. GS-3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System-objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing. GS-3: Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

PRIORITY SECTOR LENDING (PSL)

This is a programme of Government of India under which the Government and RBI decide the targets of lending to particular sectors as a percentage of total lending by the Banking Sector institutions in India. At present, Priority Sector Lending must be equivalent to at least 40% of the total credit lent by a Scheduled Commercial Bank in the country. Within PSL, Agriculture sector must account for 18% of the lending of the total credit of a Bank.

DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTIFIC FACILITIES IN AGRICULTURE DURING BRITISH ERA

1871: Department of Revenue and Agriculture and Commerce was established by the British in India. Despite the stated intention of introducing scientific development in Agriculture, the establishment was focused upon improving the production of cash crops like cotton, as stated above. 1889: Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory was established in Pune. It later evolved into Indian Veterinary Research Institute, headquartered at Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP. 1905: Imperial Agricultural Research Institute was established in Pusa, Samastipur. It later became Indian Agricultural Research Institute, situated in New Delhi. 1923: Imperial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Dairying was established in Banglaore. It was later converted into National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, Haryana. 1929: Imperial Council of Agricultural Research was setup. It was later renamed Indian Council of Agricultural Research. It was recommended to be set up by the Royal Commission of Agriculture in 1926. 1911: Rice Research Station was established. 1912: Sugarcane Breeding Station was founded in Coimbatore. Later, it was renamed Sugarcane Breeding Institute. 1921: A committee to conduct research in Cotton was constituted. It led to improvement in the quality of cotton fibre. Similar such committees were constituted to improve the quality of sugarcane, jute, coconut, lac, spices, oilseeds, areca nut and cashew nut. Cotton Technology Research Laboratory was established at Bombay. Indian Lac Research Institute was established at Ranchi. Jute Agricultural Research Laboratory at Dhaka. It was later moved to Kolkata in 1947. Central Research Station was established at Kayankulam and Kasargod. Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research was established at Lucknow. Central Tobacco Research Station was established at Rajahmundry.

EVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN INDIA
1868: First Agricultural School was setup at Saidapet, Chennai. In 1906, it was moved to Coimbatore. 1907: Department for Teaching Agriculture was separated from College of Science at Pune, and was established as a separate college. 1901 to 1905: Agricultural Colleges were established at Kanpur, Sabour, Nagpur and Lyallpur (Pakistan).

Challenges faced by Agriculture

• Recurrent Famines: After the advent of independence, the situation concerning the availability of food grains in the country was alarming. The total food grain production was only about 50 million tonnes. This was not enough to feed the vast population of 35 Crores. Therefore, the majority of population did not have access to adequate quantity of food grains.
• Loss of Agricultural Area to Pakistan: The situation was compounded by the loss of a major chunk of agricultural productive area to Pakistan due to Partition. While the West Pakistan could boast of highly fertile areas fed by the Indus River system, the Eastern Pakistan was irrigated by both Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems and had highly fertile areas producing food grains as well as commercial crops like Jute.
• Rainfed Irrigation: Barring a few parts, mainland India was not as adequately fed by perennial rivers as was Pakistan. In fact, many areas bore the double brunt of absence of irrigation as well as frequent floods, depending upon the flow of water in the rivers. Majority of area was dependent on South-West Monsoon carrying winds and was plunged into a situation of famine, when the Monsoon turned out to be damp.
• Import of Food grains: Due to the unavailability of food grains, India was forced to import food grains from the foreign countries, like PL 480 scheme of US. However, such import was not immune from the diplomatic machinations of East-west rivalry being propagated under the banner of Communist and Capitalist Nations. India witnessed the pitfalls of such imports when US stopped the supply of food grains during the 1965 India-Pakistan war.
• Absence of Scientific Temper: The development of scientific facilities in the British Era was outrageously slow. Even the development which happened, was majorly directed to benefit the British trading community through an increase in the production of raw materials, which was critical to the British manufacturing industry. It had no connections whatsoever to the increase in production of food grains, which India desperately wanted at the time.

Milestones in Agriculture

• Green Revolution: The lessons learnt in the first two decades of independence led India to invest in increasing the yield and productivity of agricultural products. This was critical because of the fast increasing population, dependence of agriculture on the monsoons and as stated above, to pursue independent foreign policy as a member of the Third World.

• First Five Year Plan: India started off with investing in irrigation projects as well as land reforms viz. allocation of land titles to the actual tiller of the land, apart from provision of finance to the agricultural cooperatives. It worked only to a limited extent as food grains production did increase to 70 million tonnes in 1956-57, but it was well short of the requirement of ever-growing population.
• Second and Third Five Year Plan: Second Plan focused more on industrial development, considering the need for growth of the economy as well as leadership’s belief in the trickle-down theory. Similarly, it was only the occurrence of famine and the PL 480 debacle (as mentioned above) at the end of the Third Five Year Plan, that India committed to the green revolution.
• Ushering in of the Green Revolution: It was almost 1965, when India faced with a humiliating ban by US on grain export, resorted to, first, the import of food grains from other sources and, secondly, committed itself to the Mexican varieties of wheat under the supervision of Dr Norman Borlaug and Dr MS Swaminathan.
• Bumper Harvest: The dwarf wheat, despite its potential, required uninterrupted supply of high quality seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation as well as constant monitoring by the scientific community. However, the results elated the nation, with a bumper harvest of 17 million tonnes of wheat in 1968, as compared to 11 million tonnes, in 1966. Thus, began India’s journey from the importer of wheat to a food-surplus nation.
• Replicating the Success with Rice: High on the success of wheat production, India switched to the IR-8 variety of Rice, which was developed by International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines. Similar to the production of Wheat, Rice yields shot from merely 2 tonnes per hectare to 6-7 tonnes per hectare. Rice had the added advantage of a shorter cycle of 105 days, thereby reducing crop time and giving time for multiple cropping.

• Extension and Marketing Services for Agriculture: As the yields of agriculture increased, the government helped the agricultural community by focusing on post-harvest production, as well as research and extension. This led to a better remuneration for the farmers. However, the earnings in agricultural has left much to be desired and the agricultural community is still vulnerable to the vagaries of nature.
• Climate Adaptability: India is a land of diversities. These diversities extend to geographical characteristics of the regions. While most of the Indian land has fertile soil and is well-irrigated through a network of canals, some areas of Rajasthan and Deccan Plateau exhibit desert-like characteristics. For such areas, agricultural scientists have created crop varieties, which are better suited to such climates and can adapt to low-water conditions.
• Increase in Production: Green Revolution and other crop improvements have led to an overall increase in the production of food grains and other allied agricultural products like fisheries and milk. For e.g. food grain production for the year 2020-21 is estimated to be 308.65 million tonnes. Apart from that, India has become the second largest aquaculture producer, largest milk producer as well as third largest fish producer globally.
• Increase in Exports: India has been able to create a food-surplus, which can be used to export food grains to other countries. Apart from that, many crop varieties have distinct characteristics which are in heavy demand in the foreign destinations. For e.g., India-developed ‘Pusa-1121’ Basmati Rice has an elongation rice of almost 2.5. Basmati Rice alone accounted for Rs 33,000 Crore worth of agricultural exports during 2018-19, earning precious foreign exchange.

Way Forward

• Overcoming the Existing Challenges: Despite magnificent strides in increasing the production of agricultural commodities, India suffers from low yields as compared to its global counterparts. At the same time, a significant proportion of horticultural products are wasted due to inefficient supply chains. Therefore, the need of the hour is to increase the intensity of scientific applications and provide funds for infrastructural development in Agriculture.
• Application of New Technologies: It is critical to ensure that the farmer community in India reaps the benefit of latest technologies and inventions pertaining to agriculture. For e.g., drones and robots can be used for aerial survey and remote management of agricultural fields. Similarly, Artificial Intelligence tools and Machine Learning can be used to interpret crop diseases and other uses as per the evolving technologies.
• Wastage of Human Resources: Agriculture in India suffers from disguised unemployment due to the lower adoption of modern equipment and tools. This not only increases dependence on agriculture and decreases the size of landholdings, but at the same time decreases the availability of human resources in other sectors of economy like Manufacturing and Services. There is a need for better utilization of the demographic dividend which India currently enjoys.
• Capital Investment: There is a need to increase the funding in agriculture, so that better inputs and advanced machinery is used in Agriculture. For achieving the same, the Government of India has classified agriculture as a sector under Priority Sector Lending Scheme (PSLsee inset). Also, the government has been consistently increasing the target of Agricultural Lending. To the credit of financial institutions, the target has been consistently over-achieved.

Conclusion

• Agriculture in India has come a long way from being an import-dependent nation to a food-surplus nation, exporting food grains to the needy countries. This can be attributed to the hard work of scientific community, especially Dr Norman Borlaug and Dr MS Swaminathan, and the visionary leadership.
• Despite the achievements in agriculture, it can be said that the low yield levels, food wastage and low levels of food processing, lead to categorization of Indian Agriculture into a backward system. This needs to be corrected in the medium term by focused implementation of technology and provision of adequate credit in the Sector. This is not only beneficial, but also imminent, considering the large population of the country and disruption in supplies due to increasing incidents of disaster-related occurrences.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

• How was India benefited from the contributions of Sir M.Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively? (GS3 - 2019)
• How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption. (GS3 - 2018)
• Establish the relationship between land reform, agriculture productivity and elimination of poverty in Indian Economy. Discussion the difficulty in designing and implementation of the agriculture friendly land reforms in India. (GS3 - 2013)

Mains Practice Questions

• Discuss the challenges faced by India in increasing the productivity of agricultural commodities. Also, highlight the steps taken by the Government of India in recent times to overcome these challenges.

Topics covered from the Syllabus:

GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. GS-3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

History of Infrastructure Development in India

• Legacy of the British Rule: India suffered extensive deindustrialization during the British Rule because the nature of British rule was such that it thrived by making the ruled country a colony. Therefore, it was to British advantage to make India a supplier of raw materials and consumer of final products. It was manifested by India’s declining income as a percentage of global income, which plummeted from 22.6% in 1700 to 3.8% in 1952.
• Early Efforts: The leaders of free India sought to salvage the situation by coming up with various plans of industrial development like:

• Bombay Plan: It was given by eight leading industrialists of the contemporary time. It sought to protect the indigenous industry through a regulatory system overseen by the Government of India.
• Industrial Policy Resolutions: Various IPRs (1958, 1956 etc) led to the development of a strong public sector and a vibrant private sector in the country, with a vision of ‘rapid industrialization’.
• Five Year Plans: The Government of India established the Planning Commission in 1950 to oversee the implementation of Five Year Plans in the country. While the First FYP (modified version of Harrod-Domar Model) was focused more on the development of Agriculture, Second FYP was dedicated to strengthening the industrial infrastructure in the country.

• Focus on Infrastructure Development: From the Second FYP, India saw a push towards substitution of basic and capital good industries. It also saw an emphasis on the development of basic infrastructure like Coal industry, Steel plants and Power plants, as the provider of raw materials to the other industries. Similarly, the Fourth FYP (1969-74) was characterized by the Nationalization of Banks and the Fifth FYP (1974-78) saw the development of Indian National Highway System.

Recent Developments

• Vision of $5 trillion Economy: India has embarked on a vision of reaching $5 trillion by 2024 and we aspire to reach $10 trillion by 2030. This will require careful planning and infusion of funds in the right sectors. This is important to create opportunities for the largest group of youth entering into workforce globally.
• Urbanization: India is seeing a large wave of urbanization underway as more and more people migrate to urban areas for better opportunities. The urban population is projected to increase to 60 Crore by 2030 from just 37.7 Crore in 2011. This demographic change would require construction of almost 700 to 900 million square metres of urban space annually. Government has taken various steps to address the issue:

• PM Awas Yojana (Urban): It was launched in 2015 to address the housing needs of the urban poor and to create alternate housing so that they are not forced to live in slums.
• Affordable Rental Housing Complexes: They were announced during COVID-19 pandemic by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), considering the problems faced by migrant labour.
• Passing of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act: for the regulation of Real Estate Sector.
• Conferment of Infrastructure status on Real Estate sector to help in:
  • Access to cheaper loans
  • Faster flow of private capital
  • Tax concessions to the sector

• Other steps like passing Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, higher tax concessions on interest on home loans, rationalization of stamp duty etc.

• Connectivity Projects: Government has initiated various highway projects to improve connectivity between the different cities in India under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. At the same time, a slew of Metro Rail projects have been started to improve connectivity within the city limits and to increase access to the suburban areas.

Conclusion

• India is set to undergo rapid transformation in urban-rural demography in the coming decades. Considering the shifting demography towards old age population, it is critical to ensure that adequate facilities are in place to take care of the vulnerable population, which has been left behind in the rural areas. At the same time, adequate infrastructure needs to be created to sustain the influx of population in the urban areas.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

• Examine the developments of Airports in India through Joint Ventures under Public-Private Partnership(PPP) model. What are the challenges faced by the authorities in this regard. (GS3 - 2017)
• Explain how private public partnership agreements, in longer gestation infrastructure projects, can transfer unsuitable liabilities to the future. What arrangements need to be put in place to ensure that successive generations’ capacities are not compromised? (GS3 - 2014)
• Adaptation of PPP model for infrastructure development of the country has not been free from criticism. Critically discuss the pros and cons of the model. (GS3 - 2013)

Mains Practice Questions

• Analyze the reasons and effects of increasing urbanization in India. Do you think that the recently launched rural development schemes have been able to stem the tide of movement in favor of rural areas?