Content:
1. Silica scars
2. Public health — insights from the 1896 Bombay Plague
3. Building on the revival of the manufacturing sector
Silica scars
Context : Silicosis and Mining Industry Growth
Relevance: GS 2 (Health)
Practice Question: Evaluate growing cases of silicosis among mining workers in India. Analyse the need of balancing growth ambitions and well-being for a developing country like India (250 Words)
- India is extracting more quantities of crucial minerals like silica inorder to achieve its growth ambitions.
- Silica (silicon dioxide) is a component in sand and stone.
- Mine workers are at risk due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, leading to silicosis, a chronic lung disease.
Magnitude of the Problem:
- In 1999, over 8 million people were reported to be highly exposed to silica dust.
- The NGT’s directive to draft new guidelines for silica mining and set up health-care facilities highlights the issue’s seriousness.
Legal and Policy Framework:
- Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 requires mine employers to notify threats of silicosis and provides for annual health check-ups.
- Many operators fail to report to the Directorate General of Mines Safety, limiting the state’s ability to monitor and intervene.
- Health-care providers often misdiagnose silicosis as tuberculosis, missing early cases.
Role of the National Green Tribunal:
- The NGT directed health-care facilities in silica mining areas to improve early diagnosis and treatment, but these initiatives have not been fully realized.
Analysis of the Issue:
- Lack of Accountability and Passivity:
- Failure in Enforcement: Operators often do not comply with health reporting requirements, leading to inadequate state oversight.
- Data Gaps and Misdiagnosis: Silicosis is frequently misdiagnosed, which prevents accurate data collection and effective management of the disease.
Impact on Workers:
- Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment: Many workers do not seek help until the disease is advanced, partly due to job insecurity.
- Environmental and Health Justice: The neglect of silicosis reflects broader challenges in balancing economic growth with worker health and environmental protection.
Need for Proactive Measures:
- Specialized Health-Care Facilities: Establishing hospitals and clinics in mining areas can facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
- Educational Campaigns: Raising awareness among workers about silicosis symptoms and risks can lead to earlier detection.
Public health — insights from the 1896 Bombay Plague
What is Plague?
- The plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
- It historically caused devastating epidemics, such as the 1896 Bombay Plague, affecting millions due to poor public health infrastructure and limited medical knowledge at the time.
Relevance : GS 2( Health)
Practice Question: What are lessons for today from 1896 Bombay plague. Highlight importance of advance data collection in mitigating the issue. (250 Words)
- The Bombay Plague (1896–97) exposed the inadequacies of colonial public health infrastructure in India.
- The Indian Plague Commission was established in 1898 under T.R.Fraser to investigate the outbreak, focusing less on community health and more on order through surveillance and control.
Surveillance as a Tool for Control:
- Mapping was used to monitor movement through railways, inspection points, and police cordons.
- Maps emphasized where disease could spread rather than who was affected, suggesting control over the epidemic was about managing mobility.
- Surveillance infrastructure in the form of vibrant, detailed maps obscured the human impact and severity of the plague.
Role of Policing:
- Quarantine measures, inspections, and confinements were enforced by police rather than relying on community trust.
- Observation camps and military involvement in hospitals highlighted a reliance on forceful control to manage the spread of the plague.
Impact on Public Health Policy:
- The integration of policing into health management defined disease surveillance, reinforcing a coercive response.
- Over time, medical professionals took on some responsibilities, shifting the focus from force to medical oversight, but historical precedents influenced ongoing policy and practice.
Ethical Considerations:
- Historical public health responses prioritized control over community well-being, often at the expense of individual rights and human dignity.
- The past invites more humane, participatory approaches to public health, ensuring transparency and respect for rights.
- The legacy of oppressive frameworks in public health surveillance reminds us to balance effective oversight with ethical obligations.
Relevance to Contemporary Public Health Strategies:
- Lessons from the Bombay Plague highlight the importance of framing health crises in ways that affirm human dignity.
- Modern surveillance mechanisms must serve the collective good, avoiding the reintroduction of past inequities and hierarchies.
- The integration of advanced data collection methods should be done with caution, ensuring privacy, trust, and fair resource distribution.
Building on the revival of the manufacturing sector
Context: India is progressing toward becoming a global manufacturing hub, driven by strategic policy measures like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
Relevance:GS 3(Economy)
Practice Question: Discuss the role of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in reviving India’s manufacturing sector.Suggest key challenges and measures.(250 Words)
Performance and Impact of the PLI Scheme
- Sectoral Boost: Benefited industries such as mobile manufacturing, electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and automobiles.
- Positive Outcomes: Manufacturing output grew by 21.5%, and GVA increased by 7.3% in 2022-23, as per the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI).
- Major Contributors: Basic metals, petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, and food products accounted for 58% of manufacturing output, growing collectively by 24.5%.
Challenges Highlighted in ASI Data
- Input Costs: Input prices surged by 24.4% in 2022-23, leading to a disparity between manufacturing output growth (21.5%) and GVA growth (7.3%).
- Import Dependency: High dependence on imported inputs affects value addition and increases vulnerability to global disruptions.
Strategies for Future Growth
- Expanding PLI Scope: Extend incentives to labour-intensive industries (e.g., apparel, leather, footwear) and sunrise sectors (e.g., aerospace, space technology, capital goods).
- Green Manufacturing: Encourage eco-friendly production and R&D in advanced technologies.
- Simplified Tariffs: Implement a three-tier import tariff system to lower input costs and improve global value chain integration.
Regional Imbalances in Manufacturing
- Geographic Concentration: States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh dominate manufacturing GVA and employment, creating regional disparities.
- Need for Equitable Growth: States should reform land, labour, and power markets, invest in infrastructure, and attract investments for balanced development.
Focus on MSMEs and Women
- MSMEs: Contribute 45% of India’s manufacturing GDP and employ 60 million people. Tailored PLI incentives (lower thresholds and targets) can empower MSMEs to scale up and innovate.
- Women’s Participation: Increasing female workforce participation could raise manufacturing output by 9%, as estimated by the World Bank. Supportive infrastructure near factories can facilitate this.
Vision for 2047
- Sectoral Contribution: Manufacturing’s GVA share could rise from 17% to 27% by 2047 with sustained efforts and reforms.
- Key Drivers: Ease of doing business, cost reductions, and leveraging current policy measures will be critical to unlocking India’s manufacturing potential.
