Content
- Surprise spike
- Manipur’s misery
- The perfect cocktail of layered discrimination
- The CKM syndrome as the price of modernity
Surprise Spike
Context:Unexpected Inflation Surge
- October Inflation Rate: Surged to 6.2%, surpassing all economists’ projections.
- Highest since August 2023, when it was at 6.8%.
Relevance: GS 3 (Economy )
Practice Question: Discuss the factors that led to the unexpected spike in India’s inflation rate in October 2024.Suggest key policy measures .(250 words )
Food Prices as Key Driver
- Overall Food Inflation: Soared to 10.9%, the highest since last July.
- Urban Impact: Urban consumers faced an even sharper rise of 11.1%.
- Vegetable Prices: rose by 42.2%, the highest in almost five years, driven by tomato prices more than doubling year-on-year.
- Edible Oil Prices: Spiked after nearly two years of decline, influenced by global trends.
RBI’s Stance:
- Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) October Review: Highlighted that inflation moderation was slow and uneven.
- Core Inflation: Excluding food and energy, has been under the headline rate, but there are signs of an increase in personal care and effects’ prices (up 11% in October).
Economic Implications
- Impact on Growth: Slackening growth momentum and waning urban demand pose challenges for private investments.
Government’s View :
- Finance Ministry’s Economic Review: Asserted that inflation was driven by specific food items and not spreading to other consumption items.
- Food Grain Buffers and Harvest: Expected to alleviate price pressures, though these assumptions may need reassessment given recent trends.
Policy Response:
- Policymakers’ Actions: Need to address the interlinked challenges of inflation and consumption.
- Possible Measures:
- Tax Cuts: Could provide relief and stimulate demand.
- Improved Food Management: Ensuring better distribution and availability of essential commodities to control prices.
Manipur’s Misery
Context :
- Recent Encounter: Ten armed militants were killed by CRPF and police in the Jiribam district on November 11.
- Violence Impact: Over 250 people killed and 60,000 displaced since May 2023.
Relevance:GS 2 (Internal Security )
Practice Question:Discuss the role of the Union government in addressing the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur. What steps can be taken to ensure Peace (250 words)
Governance Crisis
- Weapons Looted: Two of the ten weapons found at the encounter site were looted from the police.
- Kuki Students’ Organisation: Called for ‘non-cooperation’ with the CRPF, claiming the militiamen were on a security patrol.
- State Government’s Failure:The state government has been unable to quell the violence.
Centre’s Responsibility
- Ministry of Home Affairs: Organized a meeting with political representatives of both communities in October, but no meaningful progress was achieved.
- Kuki Demands: Creation of a Union Territory with the legislature, which would require a division of Manipur.
Complex Ethnic Relations
- Northeast India: Ethnic relations are extremely complex, and violence can continue for a long time once it erupts.
- Hope for Intervention: Kuki representatives express hope in the Centre’s intervention to resolve the conflict.
Need for Political Solution
- Political Arrangement: A lasting end to the violence requires a political arrangement of accommodation and coexistence of communities.
- Centre’s Role: Only the Centre has the resources and capacity to attempt this.
The perfect cocktail of layered discrimination
Context :
- The delimitation process in India, set to take place in 2026, involves redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly constituencies based on the latest population data.
- Article 82: aims to ensure fair representation by adjusting the number of seats in accordance with population changes
- The delimitation process was suspended by Indira Gandhi in 1976 for 25 years and again by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001, with the suspension due to lapse in 2026.
Relevance: GS 2 ( Indian Polity, Governance )
Practice Question:Explain the challenges the upcoming delimitation process may face. How can India balance federalism and fair representation? (250 words)
Total Fertility Rate (TFR):
- Non-Hindi States: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal have TFRs of 1.6-1.8, which is below the replacement level of 2.1.
- Hindi Heartland States: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have TFRs around 3.5, well above the replacement level.
Implications of Delimitation
- Shift in Parliamentary Representation: Delimitation could reduce the proportion of seats for southern States from 25% to 17% while increasing seats for Hindi heartland States from 40% to 60%.
- Economic Disparities: Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu already receive only about 30% of the total funds that contribute as direct taxes, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh receive between 250% and 350% of their overall contribution.
- Finance Commission Decision: Using the 2011 Census instead of the 1971 Census to devolve funds could further disadvantage developed States.
Federalism and Balance
- Federal Structure: India is a federal union with States as the federating units, many based on language.
- Potential Threat: Delimitation could disrupt the delicate balance, leading to dominance by the Hindi-speaking States and marginalisation of others.
- Population Shifts: The proportion of the Hindi-speaking population has increased from 36% to nearly 43% since 1947, while the proportions of other linguistic groups have decreased.
Proposed Solutions
- Suspending delimitation for another 25 years.
- Permanently stopping the delimitation of seats across States.
- Balance delimitation with decentralisation by expanding the State list and transferring more subjects from the Union list to the State list.
- Increasing seats to address representation without affecting the current proportion.
Conclusion
Ensuring federalism is key to maintaining unity and diversity in India. The delimitation process has impacts on federalism, emphasising the representation of states.
The CKM syndrome as the price of modernity
- CKM syndrome is a complex interplay of lifestyle factors and the global influence on health, leading to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart and kidney diseases.
- Health Impact: It begins with a gradual increase in body weight and waist circumference, progressing to major health issues that affect the heart, kidneys, liver, and blood vessels, increasing the risk of premature death.
Relevance: GS 2 (Health )
Practice Question:What is Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic (CKM) syndrome? Explain how it may impact premature deaths related to non-communicable diseases. (250 words )
Rising NCD Burden:
- According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report, Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 69% of premature deaths and 68% of years lost to disability.
Key Statistics :
- Tamil Nadu STEPS Survey (2020):
- 28.5% of participants were overweight.
- 11.4% had obesity.
- 33.9% had hypertension.
- 17.6% had diabetes.
- National Family Health Survey (2019-21):
- Diabetes prevalence in India is 16.1%.
- Obesity prevalence is 40.3%.
Economic Impact
- The private sector has seen rising insurance premiums due to the increasing burden of NCDs.
Need for Integrated Actions
- American Heart Association’s Recommendation: Emphasizes integrated care for CKM, advocating for unified management of risk factors rather than isolated treatment.
- Benefits of Integrated Clinics: Multidisciplinary teams can provide holistic care, reduce fragmented treatment, and improve health outcomes.
- Childhood Interventions: Regular weight and obesity screenings for schoolchildren to identify high-risk individuals early.
Dietary Adjustments
- Public Distribution System (PDS): Recommends partial replacement of rice with millet to address obesity.
- Low Sodium Salt: Suggests replacing common salt with low sodium salt to reduce hypertension, with caution for those with heart or kidney ailments.
Impact of Globalisation
- Lifestyle Changes: Long work hours and night shifts contribute to unhealthy eating habits and obesity.
- Need for Regulation: Advocates for the regulation of work hours and shifts as a public health measure to ensure a healthier society.
Conclusion
CKM syndrome is a significant public health challenge that requires a nuanced approach, including integrated care, early intervention and lifestyle changes.
