24 August 2024 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis

1. The road to 2047 for Indian agriculture

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 6)

Topic: GS3 – Agriculture

Context

India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047 hinges on transforming its agricultural sector through sustainable practices, technological innovations, and strategic government initiatives. Addressing challenges like climate change and food demand, the government is prioritising agricultural innovation, infrastructure, and credit to ensure inclusive, long-term growth.

India’s Path to Becoming a Developed Nation by 2047

• India aims to become a developed nation by 2047, its centennial year of independence.
• A key factor in achieving this goal is a six fold increase in per capita Gross National Income (GNI).
• Comprehensive development, especially in agriculture, is crucial for this transformation.

Transforming Indian Agriculture for Sustainability

• Indian agriculture is evolving through sustainable practices such as precision farming, genetically modified crops, and advanced irrigation techniques.
• The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) promotes water-use efficiency, covering 78 lakh hectares with an allocation of ₹93,068 crore for 2021-2026.

Addressing Agricultural Challenges

• Indian agriculture faces significant challenges like climate change, land degradation, and limited market access.
• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), launched in 2016, provides financial protection against crop losses, covering 49.5 crore farmers and settling claims of ₹1.45 lakh crore.
• The Electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM), launched in 2016, integrates 1,361 mandis, benefiting 1.76 million farmers with trade worth ₹2.88 lakh crore by 2023.

Imbalance in Agricultural Contribution

• Agriculture employs 46% of India’s workforce but contributes only 18% to the GDP.
• The growth rate of agricultural GDP (3.6% under the Modi administration) lags behind the overall GDP growth (5.9%).
• Without structural changes, agriculture’s share of GDP may shrink to 7%-8% by 2047, while still employing over 30% of the workforce.
• Despite a 7.6% projected GDP growth for 2023-24, agri-GDP’s 0.7% growth, driven by unseasonal rains, raises concerns.

Growing Food Demand with a Rising Population

• India’s population is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2030 and 1.59 billion by 2040, increasing the demand for food.
• The demand for food is predicted to grow at 2.85% annually, with rising demand for meat (5.42%) and lower demand for rice (0.34%).
• To meet food demand, rationalising food and fertiliser subsidies and redirecting funds towards agricultural research, development, and innovation is critical.

Key Initiatives for Agricultural Growth

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), launched in 2019, provides financial support of ₹6,000 annually to 11.8 crore farmers.
• The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, which has distributed over 23 crore cards, helps farmers manage soil nutrients and optimise productivity.
• The International Year of Millets 2023 promoted nutritious coarse grains, both domestically and internationally.
• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, with ₹1 lakh crore financing, supports post-harvest management and has created over 5.8 lakh jobs through 38,326 sanctioned projects.
• SVAMITVA, a rural mapping initiative, has generated over 1.6 crore property cards by September 2023, enhancing land security and credit access for farmers.

Strategic Planning for 2047

• The government’s strategic agricultural plan focuses on future food demand, insights from past growth, challenges, and opportunities.
• Projections estimate food grain demand between 402-437 million tonnes by 2047-48, with production exceeding demand by 10%-13% under a business-as-usual scenario.
• Significant investments in agricultural research, infrastructure, and policy are necessary to sustainably meet future food demand.

Government’s Commitment to Agricultural Innovation

• The Budget for 2024-25 allocated ₹20 lakh crore for targeted agricultural credit.
• The launch of the Agriculture Accelerator Fund highlights the government’s focus on fostering agricultural innovation and growth.

Conclusion:

• India’s agricultural sector faces both challenges and opportunities as it approaches 2047.
• Sustainable practices, technological innovations, and strategic government initiatives are essential to improve farmer incomes, meet rising food demand, and achieve inclusive and sustainable development.

PYQ: Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2016)

Practice Question:  Discuss the key challenges and government initiatives aimed at transforming Indian agriculture to achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. (250 Words /15 marks)

2. Prime Minister’s visit to Ukraine was more a balancing act than a peace effort

Topic: GS2 – International Relations

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 6)

Context

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kyiv, following his earlier trip to Moscow, reflects India’s ongoing balancing act in the Russia-Ukraine war. While maintaining neutrality, India faces growing pressure to mediate peace efforts. However, the visit did not signify any major policy shift or deeper involvement in conflict resolution.

Background of India’s Position on the Russia-Ukraine War

• Since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022, India has maintained a neutral stance.
• India abstained from all United Nations resolutions critical of Russia and ignored Western sanctions on oil imports and defence deals with Moscow.
• Ukraine’s requests for high-level political participation from India in various peace summits were declined.

Prime Minister Modi’s Visit to Kyiv

• Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Kyiv six weeks after his Moscow trip marked a significant moment as it was the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since its independence in 1991.
• The visit was perceived as an effort to balance India’s position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• PM Modi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, discussing the war and visiting a memorial for children killed in the conflict.
• However, unlike other international leaders, Modi did not meet with war casualties or injured soldiers.

Agreements and Discussions

• PM Modi and Zelenskyy signed agreements related to agriculture, culture, medical products, and community development projects.
• No progress was made on broader strategic partnerships or Ukraine’s requests for supplies of telecom, medical infrastructure, and construction equipment.

India’s Potential Role in Conflict Resolution

• The Prime Minister’s visit raised questions about whether India would play a larger role in resolving the conflict.
• With Prime Minister having visited both Moscow and Kyiv, there is potential for India to initiate peace efforts, especially with India being a key voice for the Global South.
• However, India has yet to show a strong interest in leading peace dialogues, focusing instead on indirect involvement.

Conclusion

• The Prime Minister’s visit, while symbolically significant, did not result in substantial shifts in India’s position or the global peace process.

Practice Question:  Discuss the significance of India’s diplomatic stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its impact on India-Ukraine relations. How does India’s neutral position influence its global strategic interests? (150 Words /10 marks)