Indian Express Editorial Analysis

29-April-2024

1. FOR FUTURE READY SENIORS

Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Vulnerable sections

GS2 – Governance – Government policies – Interventions for development in various sectors

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of understanding demographic shifts, particularly the aging population.

Context:

The demographic landscape of India is undergoing a significant shift, with the number of individuals aged 60 and above set to more than double from 100 million in 2011 to 230 million in 2036, reaching nearly 15% of the total population.
By 2050, this figure is projected to further rise to 319 million, constituting approximately one-fifth of the total population.
This demographic transition is primarily driven by declining fertility rates and increasing life spans.

Implications for Health and Social Care Systems:

The decreasing household size in India, from 5.94 in 2011 to 3.54 in 2021, coupled with a growing number of older people who may suffer from chronic illnesses, necessitates a reset of the health and social care system.
As families become smaller and older, there’s a growing concern about providing care for seniors at home.
This shift poses challenges as it blurs the lines between social care and health care, necessitating external assistance in caring for older individuals at home.

Evolving Home-Based Care Practices:

The scope of services provided at home has expanded significantly, ranging from assistance with daily activities to routine nursing care and specialized care.
According to a NITI Aayog report, healthcare offered at home has the potential to replace up to 65% of unnecessary hospital visits and reduce hospital costs by 20%.
However, care practices at home lack standardization, and well-trained caregivers with an empathetic outlook are in short supply.

Policy Interventions Needed:

To better organize care at home, several policy interventions are necessary.

Firstly, there is a need to recognize “home” as a place for providing care and as a “place of work” for caregivers, which has implications for the rights and safety of both users and providers.
Secondly, the terms of engagement and treatment protocols for home-based care must be tailored to the home environment.
Thirdly, there is a need to streamline vocational training for caregivers and establish clear career progression pathways.
Finally, comprehensive policies on home-based care should encompass aspects such as provider registries, transparency, accountability, grievance redressal mechanisms, and insurance coverage.

Addressing Gender Disparities:

The policy should also address gender disparities, as women in India tend to outlive men by three years on average.
With the sex ratio of older people projected to increase, particularly among older single women, the policy should cater to their specific needs to ensure they can live respectable and independent lives.

Role of Government Ministries and Legislative Efforts:

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) have pivotal roles in addressing the challenges of an aging population.
Greater collaboration among these ministries could facilitate necessary reforms.
Additionally, legislative efforts such as the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seek to regulate home-based care for older people but have yet to be passed.

Balancing Focus on Youth and Older Population:

While efforts to make India’s youth population “future-ready” are important, equal attention should be given to the aging population.
Learning from countries like Japan, where systems to care for older people are integral for economic productivity, emphasizes the importance of addressing the needs of older individuals as a societal responsibility.
This reciprocal care acknowledges their lifetime contributions to society and reflects moral and ethical values.

What are the Problems Associated with the Ageing Population?

Social:

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.
Industrialization has replaced the simple family production units by the mass production and the factory.
Other Problems:
Negligence by kids towards their old parents.
Disillusionment due to retirement.
Feeling of powerlessness, loneliness, uselessness and isolation in elderly.
Generational gap.
Financial:
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 areas has negative impacts on the elderly, living alone or with only the spouse, usually poverty and distress.
Insufficient housing facility.
A national survey carried out by the NGO HelpAge India has shown that as many as 47% of elderly people are economically dependent on their families for income and 34% are relied on pensions and cash transfers, while 40% of the surveyed people have expressed the desire to work “as long as possible”.
Health:
Health issues like blindness, locomotor disabilities and deafness are most prevalent.
Mental illness arising from senility (showing poor mental ability because of old age) and neurosis.
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations.
Absence of geriatric care facilities at hospitals in rural areas.
According to a recent survey, 30% to 50% of elderly people had symptoms that make them depressed.
A large majority of elderly persons living alone are women, especially widows.
Depression is strongly correlated with poverty, poor health, and loneliness.

PYQ: Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of policy process – Discuss. (250 words/15m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-2 2019)

Practice Question: Discuss the challenges and policy implications of India’s rapidly aging population, highlighting the need for comprehensive reforms in the healthcare and social welfare sectors. (250 words/15 m)

2. Healing the soil

Topic: GS3 – Environment

This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains as the examination of soil degradation, groundwater depletion, loss of biodiversity, and their implications for climate resilience sheds light on pressing environmental challenges facing India and the world.

Context:

Earth Day, observed annually on April 22, traces back to its inception in 1970 when millions of citizens in the US rallied to support environmental conservation efforts.
Under the leadership of Senator Gaylord Nelson, this movement emerged amidst growing concerns about humanity’s impact on the environment during its pursuit of development.

Evolution of Global Environmental Agreements:

Over the past 50 years, numerous Conference of Parties (COPs) have convened, with the latest being COP28 in Dubai, UAE, in 2023.
Notably, COP28 incorporated agriculture into its agenda, marking a significant development.
However, India refrained from signing the agreement, citing concerns over potential changes in agricultural policies and practices.

Population Growth and Agricultural Practices:

The exponential growth of the human population has intensified demands for food production, leading to widespread biodiversity loss.
The rapid increase in population size, from two billion to over eight billion within a century, has necessitated extensive agricultural practices, often at the expense of natural habitats and ecosystems.

Impact of Agricultural Innovations:

The Green Revolution, characterized by high-yielding varieties, irrigation, and chemical inputs, revolutionized global agriculture by significantly increasing food production.
However, this intensive agricultural model has also contributed to environmental degradation, including loss of biodiversity and soil health.

Need for Policy Reforms:

Existing policies, such as heavy subsidies on chemical fertilizers, have exacerbated environmental degradation by promoting unsustainable farming practices.
Soil degradation, groundwater depletion, and loss of crop diversity underscore the urgent need for policy reforms to prioritize both farmer welfare and environmental sustainability.

Ecological Consequences of Policy Decisions

Unsustainable agricultural policies, such as free power for irrigation and open-ended procurement of specific crops, have led to ecological disasters in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
Rampant groundwater exploitation and monocropping practices have further exacerbated environmental challenges, including carbon emissions and loss of biodiversity.

Urgency for Change and Climate Resilience

India, with its disproportionate population density and limited natural resources, faces immense pressure on its soils, water, air quality, and biodiversity.
Urgent policy interventions are needed to transition towards sustainable farming practices, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and restore ecological balance to ensure climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

Conclusion:

As climate change accelerates and extreme weather events become more frequent, the need for transformative policy measures becomes increasingly urgent.
By adopting farmer-centric and planet-positive policies, India can mitigate environmental degradation, ensure food security, and safeguard the well-being of future generations.
The time for action is now, and concerted efforts are essential to address the complex challenges facing India’s agricultural and environmental sectors.

Soils Degradation: Impact of Erosion on Fertility

Soil degradation is defined as a decline in soil fertility, marked by a reduction in nutritional status and soil depth due to erosion and misuse.
This degradation is identified as a key factor driving the depletion of the country’s soil resource base.
The extent of soil degradation varies across different regions, influenced by local topography, wind velocity, and rainfall levels.
Soil erosion is a significant contributor to soil degradation. It occurs when topsoil is removed or displaced by natural forces such as wind, water, or human activities like deforestation or improper land use practices.
Implications of Soil Erosion: Threats to Agriculture and Urgent Conservation
Impact on Agriculture:
Soil erosion not only jeopardises agriculture but also escalates issues like river siltation.
It leads to reduced carrying capacity of rivers and frequent floods which damages agricultural lands.
Loss of Root Protection and Humus:
Deforestation exacerbates Soil Degradation, especially in hilly regions, by removing the root-bound protection and humus supply to the soil.
Loss of Soil Fertility:
Over-irrigation in arable lands induces soil salinity as salt from lower profiles resurfaces, diminishing soil fertility.
Reliance on chemical fertilisers without organic manures hardens the soil and declines its fertility over time.
Difficulty observed in command areas of river valley projects post the Green Revolution.
Soil Degradation in India:
With nearly half of India’s total land facing degradation, the nation confronts a loss of millions of tonnes of soil and nutrients annually, adversely impacting national productivity.
Urgent Call for Soil Conservation:
The stark data necessitates immediate initiatives for soil reclamation and conservation to abate the detrimental cycle of soil degradation and ensure sustainable agricultural productivity.

PYQ: Why did the Green Revolution in India virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of water? (150 words/10m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-1 2014)

Practice Question: Discuss the challenges posed by unsustainable agricultural practices and policies to India’s environmental sustainability and food security. Evaluate the implications of global environmental agreements on India’s agricultural sector and its stance on international commitments. (250 words/15 m)