Context: Recent incidents like the Mysuru-Darbanga Express collision highlight the persistent safety and operational challenges facing Indian Railways. Challenges of Indian Railways: Frequent Train Accidents: High-profile accidents such as Balasore (2023) and Kavaraipettai (2024) point to significant safety gaps, with human error (55.8%) and signaling issues being the primary causes. …
Read More »Tag Archives: Government Initiatives
Lateral Entry Scheme
Context: The Government of India recently announced a significant recruitment drive for lateral entrants, addressing an “acute shortage” of IAS officers. Lateral entry allows experts from outside the traditional government structure to be appointed to mid and senior-level roles, bypassing the conventional UPSC examination process. This initiative aims to infuse …
Read More »Malnutrition – cause, impact and initiatives
Context According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Poshan Tracker data reveals that approximately 17% of children aged 0-5 years are underweight, 36% are stunted, and 6% are wasted. Findings of Poshan Tracker: Stunting Rates: Uttar Pradesh (46.36%), Lakshadweep (46.31%), Maharashtra (44.59%), and Madhya Pradesh (41.61%). Wasting Rates: …
Read More »Maize Revolution and Production in India
Context (IE) Over the past twenty years, maize production in India has seen a remarkable increase, transforming it into a green revolution driven by the private sector. Production has surged from 11.5 million tonnes in 2000 to over 35 million tonnes in 2024, with yields rising from 1.8 tonnes to …
Read More »Unlocking Rural Women’s Economic Potential
A higher female labor force participation rate can significantly enhance family income and welfare, particularly in rural India. Women and Employment According to The India Employment Report (IER) 2024, the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in India is notably low compared to the global average (53.4%, 2019). The rate …
Read More »NPS Scheme for informal sector workers
Concept The article examines critical reforms in NPS Lite aimed at including the informal sector in the National Pension Scheme. This is significant as workers in this sector typically lack access to benefits like provident funds or gratuity. National Pension System-Lite (NPS-Lite) Launched by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development …
Read More »Sustainable Development in the Indian Himalayan Region
GS-3: Key Environmental Concerns in the Indian Himalayan Region, Recent Supreme Court Judgments Support Environmental Conservation Efforts, The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is widely recognized as India’s “water tower” and a vital provider of essential ecosystem goods and services. Despite this critical understanding, there remains a significant disconnect between the …
Read More »National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)
Unlocking Value in Infrastructure The NMP is a government initiative launched in the 2021-22 Union Budget to leverage private sector expertise for infrastructure development. It focuses on monetizing core government assets (roads, railways, power) through partnerships, not privatization (ownership transfer). Goals and Benefits: Generate Rs 6 lakh crore over four …
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