4 April 2024 : PIB Summary for UPSC

Topic: GS2 – Governance – Important aspects of governance – E-governance

From a UPSC perspective, the launch of the myCGHS app highlights government efforts to improve healthcare accessibility and digital services.

Importance of Digital Governance in Healthcare:

●Enhances accessibility and affordability of healthcare services to remote and underserved areas.

● Improves efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery through digital health records and telemedicine.

● Facilitates data-driven decision-making for public health interventions and policy formulation.

●Enables better coordination among healthcare providers and enhances patient outcomes.

●  Empowers individuals with access to health information and self-management tools.

Challenges in Implementing Digital Governance:

●  Ensuring data privacy and security to protect sensitive healthcare information.

●  Bridging the digital divide to ensure equitable access to digital healthcare services.

●   Building and maintaining robust digital infrastructure in resource-constrained settings.

●  Addressing interoperability issues to enable seamless data exchange between different healthcare systems.

● Overcoming resistance to change and ensuring buy-in from healthcare professionals and stakeholders.

Way Forward:

●  Strengthening regulatory frameworks to safeguard data privacy and security.

●Investing in digital infrastructure and capacity building, particularly in rural and marginalized communities.

● Promoting public-private partnerships to leverage technology innovations for healthcare delivery.

●Encouraging adoption of interoperable standards to facilitate data exchange and integration.

●Continuous monitoring and evaluation to assess the impact of digital governance initiatives and identify areas for improvement.

Topic: GS3 – Environment – Environmental pollution and degradation.

Crucial for UPSC: Examines India’s energy transition, emphasizing net-zero goals, diverse pathways, and financial implications for sustainable development.

The five nectar elements presented by the Indian government included:

●  Increasing non-fossil fuel capacity by 500GW by 2030.

●  50 per cent of its energy requirements to come from renewable energy by 2030.

●  Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to 2030.

●  Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030, over 2005 levels.

●  Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070.

Challenges in India’s Transition towards Net Zero Emissions:

● Energy Transition: Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources poses challenges due to infrastructure requirements and intermittency issues.

●  Industrial Emissions: Addressing emissions from heavy industries like steel, cement, and chemicals requires technological advancements and policy interventions.

●Agricultural Practices: Implementing sustainable agricultural practices to reduce emissions from livestock, rice cultivation, and fertiliser use presents challenges due to traditional farming methods.

●  Urbanization: Managing emissions from rapidly growing urban areas entails addressing transportation, waste management, and building efficiency challenges.

●  Socio-Economic Impacts: Balancing economic growth with emission reduction goals while ensuring social equity and job creation poses challenges.

Way Forward for India’s Transition towards Net Zero Emissions:

● Policy Framework: Strengthening regulatory frameworks, setting ambitious emission reduction targets, and incentivizing green investments are crucial.

● Technological Innovation: Investing in research and development for clean energy technologies, carbon capture, and storage is essential.

●  Renewable Energy Deployment: Scaling up renewable energy capacity and integrating storage solutions to ensure reliable and sustainable power supply.

● Sustainable Practices: Promoting sustainable agriculture, circular economy principles, and eco-friendly urban planning can reduce emissions.

● International Cooperation: Collaborating with global partners for technology transfer, finance, and capacity-building supports India’s transition efforts.

● Public Awareness: Raising awareness about the importance of emission reduction and fostering behavioral changes towards sustainable lifestyles can drive societal transformation.