Vision Ias CSM 2017 Test 27 Answers

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Approach – Answer: General Studies Mains Mock Test 874 (2017)
1. The greatness of the Mughal achievement in the political unification of India was matched by the
splendour and beauty of the work of architects, poets, historians, painters and musicians who
flourished in the period. Comment.
Approach:
 Mention the achievement of the Mughals in the political unification of India.
 Discuss the cultural contribution of Mughals and elaborate it in the context of architects, poets, historians,
painters and musicians.
 Conclude your answer.
Answer:
The Mughals ruled India but they did not intervene in the local societies during most of its existence.
Instead, they followed balanced approach and pacified which resulted in a centralized government
bringing together many smaller kingdoms such as Marathas, Rajputs, Pashtuns, Hindu Jats and Sikhs. Art
and culture flourished during Mughal rule. This can be understood from following examples:
Architecture
 The Mughal architecture was a happy blend of the Hindu and Islamic modes of construction
ornamentation.
 Agra fort, Akbari Mahal, Panch Mahal, Jama Masjid at Fatehpur Sikri are notable examples of
Akbar‘s reign.
 Humayun‘s Tomb of Delhi, the first of the grand dynastic mausoleums that were to become synonyms
of Mughal architecture, was patronized by Akbar.
 Jahangir showcased interest in charbhaghs. Shah Jahan was the greatest builder of the mughal
dynasty. With Taj Mahal, the architectural style of the Mughals reached its zenith along with Red Fort
and Jama Masjid.
Poetry
 The literature in the form of poetry made tremendous progress during the Mughal period and regional
languages were also encouraged by rulers. Apart from Persian and Hindi literature, Bengali and
Punjabi literature also made strides.
 Highest quality of literature was produced during Akbar‘s rule as most of his ‗Navratans‘ were great
literary figures. The Bhakti movement reached its epitome during this period. Ramcharitmanas by
Tulsi Das, Sur Sagar by Surdas, are few of the examples.
 Prince Dara Shikoh was a great scholar of Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit. On account of his patronage,
the ‗Upanishads‘, the Bhagavad-Gita‘, the ‗Yoga Vashista‘ and the ‗Ramayana‘ were translated in
Persian.
History
 Mughals were great patrons of manuscript and chronicles, which contained continuous chronological
records of historical events.
 They wrote autobiographies. For example, Babur wrote ‗Tuzak-i-Baburi‘ and Jahangir wrote his
autobiography ‗Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri‘.
 Abul Fazal, one of the jewels of Navratnas from Akbar‘s court was a great historian, philosopher and
scholar of the period. He is famous for two important works ‗Akbarnama‘ and ‗Ain-i-Akbari‘.
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Painting
 The independent style of Mughal painting was developed from the synthesis of Persian and Indian
style. Artists began to use vibrant colours and were able to give three-dimensional effects to paintings.
 During this period, miniature painting replaced wall painting. Akbar patronized many artists to
illustrate famous Persian stories like Tutinama, Hamzanama, Gulistan through miniature paintings.
 Jahangir had an artistic inclination and during his reign Mughal painting developed further. Paintings
during his period were also influenced by European style. The Jahangirnama, written during his
lifetime, which is an autobiographical account of Jahangir's reign, has several paintings.
 However, withdrawal of royal patronage under Aurangzeb led to the dispersal of artists. This helped in
the development of the regional schools.
Music
 The Mughals emperors were great patrons of music. Babar himself was fond of music and it is
assumed that he developed some very popular musical style forms like Qawalis, Khayal, etc.
 Even Akbar composed songs and encouraged musicians. Tansen was the most notable musician of the
age.
 Dhrupad, one of the oldest forms of compositions in the classical Indian music also flourished with
the most famous name being Baiju Bawara.
 There were many musicians in the Mughal court which include Hindus, Iranis, Turanis, and
Kashmiris, both men and women.
The political stability and uniformity and royal patronage provided a fertile ground for the growth,
prosperity and development of art and culture during the Mughal rule.
2. Traditionally, India had developed wide-ranging water harvesting techniques in keeping with the
local ecological conditions and their water needs. Substantiate with examples.
Approach:
 Define water harvesting and reasons for its necessity.
 Explain how traditional water harvesting systems were good in terms of their planning based on
ecological conditions and water needs.
 Also highlight the lessons that can be taken from traditional water harvesting heritage.
Answer:
Water harvesting is a technique of capturing and storage of rainwater and the run-off.
In India, such techniques were deployed in olden times also according to their ecological conditions and
water needs. For example:
 Based on nature of soil: In sandy sub-soil areas, there were shallow recharge well and pits with small
diameter while in clayey and hard rock areas sub-soil deep recharge wells with large diameters
existed.
 Based on private or public purpose: For private use, reservoirs, tanks and bunds were made on
private land, while for community, kings used to construct lakes (for e.g. Hussain Sagar Lake in
Hyderabad), tanks, talab etc.. In the semi-arid and arid regions of Rajasthan, almost all the houses
traditionally had underground tanks or tankas for storing drinking water connected to rooftop
harvesting system. In Ladakh, diversion channels known as ‗zings‘ led the river water, snowmelt etc.
to storage structures.
 Based on irrigation needs in different types of ecology: In hill and mountainous regions, diversion
channels like the ‗guls‘ or ‗kuls‘ were used for agriculture while in flood plains of Bengal, inundation
channels were used for irrigation. Meghalaya had one of the oldest bamboo structure for tapping
water from natural springs to be used for irrigation.
 Based on climatic conditions: In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into
rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil like the ‗khadins‘ in
Jaisalmer and ‗Johads‘ in other parts of Rajasthan.
 Community based: Community-managed irrigation system Phad in Tapi river basin in Maharashtra
existed. It included check dam built across a river and canals to carry water to agricultural blocks with
outlets for excess water removal. Bawadi, built during Adil Shah Era in Vijayapura, Karnataka is
another example.

Thus, traditional system has a lot to teach us. For example, that people participation is important in water
harvesting. Thus, similar actions should be encouraged to ensure water availability to all citizens of our
country.
3. Imperial rivalries of 18th Century Europe were played out in India as well. Comment in the context
of the Carnatic Wars.
Approach:
 Give a brief account of imperial rivalry among the European powers.
 Comment as to how it reached the Indian subcontinent.
 Briefly conclude with impact of these wars.
Answer:
The imperialist powers of European continent were fighting for their hegemony not only in India but
across the world. The rivalry between the English and the French in other parts of the world was also
being reflected in the wars fought in India. For example:
 First Carnatic war (1740-48) broke out over Austrian succession and spread to India. Hostilities of
the two companies in Bengal were contained by Alivardi Khan. But in Carnatic, no such strong power
existed. In this war, the French registered decisive victory, but the war ended as it ended in Europe.
 Second Carnatic War (1749-54) was the result of wars of succession in Deccan; where French and
British supported the rival camps in Carnatic and Hyderabad. In 1749, French under Dupleix
succeeded in its design to place Chanda Sahib and Muzaffar Jung on the thrones of Carnatic and
Hyderabad respectively, and received lot of wealth and territories as reward.
 Third Carnatic War (1757-1763): The Seven Year War broke out in Europe in 1756 A.D. in which
England and France joined opposite camps and their rivalry got extended to India. This time the war
passed beyond the limits of the Carnatic and reached Bengal as well, where the English captured the
French possession of Chandernagore in 1757. British decisively defeated French in the Battle of
Wandiwash (1760). Finally, the rivalry on both fronts officially ended in 1763 with the conclusion of
the Peace of Paris which restored French possessions in India but only for trade purposes.
The reasons why the wars got extended to India can be attributed to the following reasons:
 The Indian powers were fragmented and weak, they were fighting each other, and wars of successions
were going on.
 Both companies had established well trained military and acquired political influence in the region.
 It was a strategy of both companies to mix trade with political and military supremacy as well so as to
create monopolies.
These wars in India boosted colonial powers especially British to expand their powers further in India as
the war demonstrated that advantage can be easily taken of the infighting among the princes, untrained old
Indian armies with primitive equipment, and lack of nationalism in India. In this way, the Carnatic wars
opened the gate for British to conquer the Indian subcontinent and thereby changed the political landscape
of the country for centuries to come.
4. The Lucknow session of 1916 was a watershed event during the freedom struggle of India due to
various reasons. Elucidate.
Approach:
 Give a brief account of the Lucknow session – the parties involved and the background in which it was
held.
 Discuss how it turned to be a watershed event.
 In conclusion, briefly outline the after-events of this Session
Answer:
The Lucknow session of Congress was held during the time of First World War and with the expectations
of additional constitutional reforms package on the lines of the Morley-Minto Reforms. It was presided
over by AC Mazumdar. It marked a watershed moment in the freedom struggle of India because of the
following reasons:
 Extremists were taken back in to the fold of the Congress after ten years

With the efforts of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the Moderates and the Extremists, which split during the
Surat Session of 1907, were brought together. This saved Congress from fizzling out and re-energized
the freedom movement
 Lucknow Pact, signed between the Congress and the Muslim League, was accepted at this
session
To strengthen their demand for the self-government, the Congress deemed it crucial to present a
united front of the Hindus and the Muslims. Therefore, the Congress conceded to the principle of
communal representation.
Importance and consequences of the of Lucknow Pact:
 The Lucknow Pact demanded, both at the Viceroy and at the Provincial levels, expansion of the
representative assemblies, appointment of Indians to the executive councils, abolition of Indian
council, separation of functions of the Judiciary and the Executive.
 Most importantly, grant of fixed proportion of seats to the Muslims to overcome their objections to
all possible Constitutional schemes. Thus the Pact further strengthened the ground for the two-nation
theory of the Muslim League.
Impact on the relation between the Executive and the Legislature
 The Lucknow Pact called for making the Executive more accountable to the Legislature. This led to
the introduction of the ―dyarchy‖ at the Provincial Level, by the consequent Montagu-Chelmsford
Reforms.
 Resolution condemning the Arms Act and the Press Act was passed.
Aftermath of the Lucknow Session
 Majority of the Congress members disapproved of the communal electorates in front of the
Southborough Franchise Committee, thus blunting the impact of the Lucknow Pact.
 The united front turned out to be cosmetic as the divisions eventually led to the Partition.
Nevertheless, the consequent August 20 Declaration and the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 paved
the way for actualization of responsible government in India.
5. Reforms initiated by the Justice Party became a model for social affirmative action in the country.
Comment.
Approach:
 Give a brief background about the Justice Party and their contribution.
 Highlight the reforms initiated by the Justice Party.
 Substantiate on how it became a model for social affirmative action in the country.
 Explain the contemporary relevance of the political objectives and social reform agenda of the Justice
Party after Independence, with examples,
Answer:
The Justice Party, officially the South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras
Presidency of British India. It was established in 1917 by T. M. Nair and P. Theagaraya Chetty and was
the first backward class mobilisation which created historic social change and political empowerment.
In 1920, it won the first direct elections in the presidency and formed the government and remained in
power for 13 years. Later, it came under the leadership of Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy and his Self-Respect
Movement.
The first Justice Party government made some of the longest strides in the empowerment of oppressed
people. They wanted to end the upper caste dominance in all walks of life and the humiliation of other
castes in the state.
Reforms initiated by the Justice Party government:
 Gave reservations to various communities in government jobs.
 It had extended social justice beyond jobs and education by enacting legislation that allowed Dalits to
use all the public space without discrimination.
 In order to curb caste-based discrimination under the guise of religion, Hindu temples were brought
under the control of the state government through legislation.
 Temple entries to non-Brahmins were allowed.
 Marriages without Brahmin priests and increased acceptance of inter-caste marriages.
 The abolition of Devadasi system when the Justice party was in power.
 It also played a vital role in allowing women to contest elections.
 Women were given voting rights.
 Welfare measures for non-Brahmin students instituted.
 Initiating the mid-day meal scheme.
 Many of the political action of the government after Independence found continuity in the social
reform agenda of the Justice Party.

 It was to become the stepping stone for first amendment to the Indian Constitution to protect the
reservation for Backward Classes in 1951.
 Self respect marriages that shunned caste and religious customs were legalised in 1967.
 Legislation to abolish caste barriers within priesthood was passed in 2006.
 Mid-day meals, maternity benefits, and women self-help groups can all be traced back to the early
policy platforms of the Dravidian movement.
It is remembered for the introduction of caste-based affirmative action and also for the educational and
religious reforms it introduced. The social legacy of the movement, however, in the form of equality and
respect to women, education and diluting caste norms still continues in the region.
6. War in the Korean Peninsula proved to be disastrous for Korea, a missed opportunity for the
United States and a defining moment for China. Examine.
Approach:
 Give a brief summary of the course of the Korean war.
 State the trajectory of the involvement of North Korea, South Korea, US and China in the war.
 Examine the eventual outcomes of the war for the major regions involved.
Answer:
Korean War was the 1st major war after World War II. It was also the first war in which the US got directly
involved in a massive way.
Course of the war
After Japan‘s defeat in World War II, Korea was divided into two zones at the 38 th parallel - the Northern
zone (People‘s Democratic of Korea) under the Soviet Union and the Southern zone (Republic of Korea)
under the US.
The Soviet and US troops left Korea by 1949, after which Communist leader, Kim Il Sung and Syngman
Rhee, a right-wing politician headed North and South Korea respectively. Neither accepted Korea‘s
division and both claimed unification as their objective under their respective governments. Tensions
continually festered between the two sides.
In June 1950, war broke out between the two sides, with each side blaming the other. The North Korean
army ultimately swept across entire South Korea within two months. The UNSC supported South Korea
due to United States‘ persistence. The US then intervened aggressively and pushed back North Korean
troops. At this juncture, Chinese troops moved in and countered the US troops. Mid-1951 onwards, the
war entered in a stalemate, and an armistice was signed in 1953, which restored the pre-war positions.
Outcomes of the war for major countries involved
Korea: The war killed more than two million Koreans and separated thousands of Korean families. It
could not reunite the two sides despite stated objective of both the sides. It extensively damaged the
infrastructure and economy in both countries, which took years to reconstruct and recover. Technically,
even now North and South Korea are in a state of war and the border along the 38 th parallel remains
heavily fortified. Due to sporadic episodes of uncertainty and detente in the region, danger of war still
looms.
USA: The war reflected the weaknesses of US intelligence agencies. While the Soviets left behind a well-
equipped and trained North Korean Army, the United States provided its Korean military forces with light
weapons and inadequate training.
During the war, U.S. believed that China would not openly get involved, which was belied by China‘s
involvement. However, China‘s involvement thwarted US‘ expansion.

The US also misjudged the true nature of the war. It assumed that it was only a diversion for the Soviet‘s
main attack in Europe. Therefore, it expanded NATO forces in Europe. However, this assumption proved
false. Strategic failures of the US in Korea and eventually Vietnam undermined its position in the region.
China: China had recently become a Communist state in 1949. By getting involved in the war, it
challenged the US. Mao, China‘s leader, was able to portray China‘s military might as the US forces had
to retreat. Mao also used the opportunity to consolidate domestic control and strengthen his prestige
among Communists by taking a stand against the US, the bitter harvest of which is still being felt by
North Korea‘s policy of brinkmanship.
7. The Munich Pact brought neither peace nor stability in relations between European countries,
rather it turned out to be an act of appeasement that made war inevitable. Comment.
Approach:
 Describe the circumstances and contours of Munich Pact.
 Discuss how it failed to bring peace and stability and instead was an act of appeasement that encouraged
Hitler‘s war aims.
Answer:
Munich Pact was signed between Germany‘s Hitler, Italy‘s Mussolini, Britain‘s Chamberlin and France‘s
Daladier. In the agreement, it was decided to give Czechoslovak‘ Sudetenland to Germany as Hitler
demanded it saying that it was mostly inhabited by Germans. This demand was conceded to avoid war and
the agreement was seen as a step towards peace and stability as:
 It was conceded on one condition - that Germany would not claim any other European territory.
 It was hoped that Hitler's broader intentions were limited in scope and thus, giving in to Germany‘s
just demand would enable Germany to rise as a powerful yet peaceful country in Europe.
 It would save Western Europe as they were allowing expansion into the east which was going to affect
Soviet Union more. The differences with Soviet Union as well as aim of containing communism was
also one of the reasons of making pact with Germany.
However, emboldened by the inaction of European power while annexing Austria in March 1938 and
placation through Munich pact, Hitler annexed whole of Czechoslovakia in 1939 going against his word
during the Munich pact. He got convinced that opponents were too weak to stand against him and were
militarily underprepared. He could see that as long as he expands only into east, he would not be opposed
as appeasement was being done in the hope that Hitler would not attack West Europe.
As a result, Hitler got encouraged about his imperialist ambitions. After Czechoslovakia, he then occupied
some territory of Lithuania. All this was being silently watched by Britain and France. Convinced that
Britain and France were powerless to stop him, he attacked Poland, which was Britain‘s ally. This alarmed
British and it declared war on Germany.
Nehru observed that Munich Pact was an act of betrayal and Nazi aggression could have been stopped if
Britain, France and Russia had stood together. However, the differences between them failed to unite
them. Munich Pact failed to bring any peace to Europe and in fact the short sighted selfish policy of
appeasement pushed Europe ultimately to war.
8. Explain how Gandhi's non-violent philosophy influenced Martin Luther King Jr.'s methods. Also
discuss the contributions and accomplishments of King to ensure civil rights for all people
regardless of race in America.
Approach:
 Elaborate how Gandhi‘s philosophy impacted King‘s ideas and methods.
 Discuss the contributions made by King to the Civil Rights movement in USA.
Answer:
Martin Luther King Jr. was deeply influenced by the work of Gandhi while studying theology in
Pennsylvania. He believed in non-violence as a weapon unique in history, ‗which cuts without wounding
and ennobles the man who wields it.‘ The non-violent approach of King‘s activism was based on his
understanding of Gandhi‘s life experiences.
He firmly believed that the Gandhian philosophy of nonviolent resistance is the only logical and moral
approach to the solution of race problems in USA and through Gandhi‘s policy of Satyagraha (truth force),
positive change could be implemented. Inspired by Gandhian ideals, King did many things to bring
greater equality to America and to ensure civil rights for all people regardless of race.
 Emphasized and encouraged the importance of non-violent protest and resistance. His strong belief in
non-violent protest helped set the tone of movement.

 Brought publicity to major civil rights activities and efforts.
 Provided leadership to the African-American civil rights movement.
 Became an advocate for non-violent protest in the Memphis sanitation worker strike.
 Provided leadership in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955.
 His famous "I Have a Dream" speech inspired millions across race and nations.
 Was instrumental in establishing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957,
which was a civil rights organization that supported the philosophy of non-violence
 Boycotts, protests, and marches were effectively used, and legislations were passed for civil rights.
Some landmark legislations were passed owing to his efforts such as:
 Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Banned discrimination in employment and public accommodations based
on "race, color, religion, or national origin".
 Voting Rights Act of 1965 - Restored and protected the right to vote.
 Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965 - Allowed immigration from groups other than
those from traditional European countries.
 Fair Housing Act of 1968 - Banned housing discrimination for sales or rentals.
Thus, King was a visionary whose principled struggle brought a radical change in American society and
outside and very much like his idol, he laid his life following those principles. His work and life continue
to guide civil right activists around the world to this day.
9. Apart from the linguistic reorganisation of states, the three language formula was an important
part of government policy to address the language question in India. Discuss.
Approach:
 Give a contextual background of the linguistic reorganisation of the states.
 Explain the three language formula.
 Elaborate upon the linkage between the linguistic reorganisation of the States as well as the three language
formula. Explain its relevance to the language issue.
Answer:
India‘s diversity is evident from the number of languages spoken in the country. With around 22
languages recognised in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, the question of an official language of the
Union of India was an important as well as an emotive issue after independence. Several demands came
from different regions, particularly south India, for reorganization of states on linguistic basis.
Hindi, along with English, was recognised as the language for official purposes of the Union vide the
Official Languages Act, as amended in 1967.
Whereas the Dhar commission and the JVP committee (Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhai
Sitaramayya) recommended the reorganization of states on the basis of administrative convenience, it was
the Fazal Ali Commission that accepted language as the basis of reorganization of states. But it rejected
the theory of ‗one language one state‘. Thus the basis of linguistic reorganization of states lied in:
 Preservation and strengthening of unity and security of the country.
 Linguistic and cultural homogeneity.
 Fiscal, economic and administrative consideration.
 Planning promotion and welfare of the people.
Reorganisation of States in 1956 thereby achieved the aim of administrative convenience, as well as the
promotion of vernacular languages for e.g. Tamil speaking regions were put together as the State of Tamil
Nadu, PEPSU was divided to form the Punjabi speaking Punjab and Hindi speaking Haryana, apart from
other historical and geographical considerations.
In this context, the three-language formula was introduced in 1968 via the National Policy Resolution,
whereby mother tongue was the primary medium of instruction, along with one foreign language
(generally English) and an Indian language.
In furtherance to the three language formula Articles 343 and 351 of the Indian Constitution seeks to
promote the use of Hindi and develop its vocabulary using the other Indian languages. These directives in
the Indian Constitution form the basis for the government to promote the use of Hindi to areas where it is
not in use.
However, in practice English has taken over as the instrument of instruction. Resistance from the non-
Hindi speaking States has worked to limit the role that Hindi plays in national communication. English is
primarily used for communication, making the language issue of a lack of a symbolic national language
still relevant in the Indian context.
10. Enumerate the measures for the welfare of Unorganised Workers in India. In the context of
problems being faced by ‘domestic helps’, discuss the need for additional measures to safeguard
their interests.
Approach:
 Briefly describe categories of Unorganized Workers.
 List down the measures – legal and social – undertaken, for their welfare.
 Give an account of unique problems faced by the domestic helps to make a case for additional measures.
 End with forward-looking conclusion.
Answer:
The workers in the unorganized sector constitute about 93% of the total work force in the country. The
sector broadly includes the self-employed workers, home-based workers and daily-wage earners. Since
labour is a subject under the Concurrent list of Schedule VII, Center and states have multiple laws and
schemes on this matter.
Measures undertaken for the welfare of Unorganised Workers in India:
 Unorganized Workers‘ Social Security Act 2008: It covers provisions related to social security and
welfare schemes pertaining to dimensions such as disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old
age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Government.
 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 and related Scheme: This demand-driven scheme
aims to address the seasonal unemployment and distress migration of workers.
 Maternity Benefit Act 1961 and its 2017 Amendment: it covers all women employees, including
unorganised sector workers.
 Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013: It
protects women in general.
 National Child Labour Project Scheme 1988: It works towards the rehabilitation of the child labour.
 Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana: It was launched in 2007 and covers the rural landless households.
 Atal Pension Yojana: It replaced the Swavalambam Yojana. It is government-supported pension
scheme targeted at the unorganized sector.
 Other State-specific schemes.
Domestic Helps form a sub-category of the unorganised workers. In addition to the general problems
associated with the unorganised sector such as job insecurity, low wages, and irregular working hours etc.,
domestic helps also undergo following hardships:
 Humiliations like undergoing frisking while entering and leaving the high-end gated societies.
 Lack of social security, financial inclusion and dignity.
 They lack backing of unions to demand their rights.
 Most of them are migrant women folks and are bereft of state‘s resident-specific benefits.
These issues make a case for additional measures to safeguard the interests of the domestic helps. The
government is in the process of drafting a National Policy for Domestic Workers and the Domestic
Workers‘ Welfare Bill 2016 is pending in the Parliament. These steps should be executed expeditiously, in
addition to the ratification of the ILO Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers.

11. The manner in which the mentally ill have been treated in India suggests that policy measures alone
may not be sufficient to address the challenges faced by them. Discuss.
Approach:
 Give a brief overview of mental illness and its extent in India.
 State the policy measures that the government has initiated regarding mental health.
 List the challenges faced by the mentally ill.

 Suggest way forward.
Answer:
Mental illness is a condition which adversely affects thinking, feeling and mood, which in turn affects the
person‘s a ability to function effectively in practical life. It may manifest itself in forms such as
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety etc. and is a major cause of suicides. Stigma, taboo
and ignorance is often seen among people when it comes to mental health. Social isolation, discrimination
and the continuous struggle to adjust push people suffering from mental diseases away from the reach of
healthcare system. According to NIMHANS survey at least 13.7% of population suffers from various
mental illnesses.
Policy measures regarding the issue are:
 National Mental Health Policy 2014, aims to reduce distress, disability, exclusion, morbidity etc.
associated with mental health problems and enhance understanding of mental healthcare.
 Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, provides for access to good quality and affordable mental healthcare in
publicly funded institutions. It also decriminalizes suicide. It also mandates insurance providers to
cover mental illnesses. This will boost mental health literacy and fight stigmatization.
 The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016, lists mental illness as a disability and proposes
schemes to provide equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation for disabled people.
 Rehabilitation Council Act, 1992 for good quality of rehabilitation services.
 National Trust for welfare of persons with disabilities.
Despite several policy initiatives, several challenges are faced by the mentally ill:
 Inadequate resources: The Acute shortage of manpower with approximately 45 state-run mental
hospitals almost wholly in urban areas, and three psychiatrists and 0.47 psychologists per million
people in India. Only around, 0.6% of total health budget is allocated to mental illness. Further,
treatment gap for mental disorders is extremely high.
 Low priority: Mental disorders are not prioritized in public health agenda, which leads to poor
implementation of mental health programmes. Additionally, lack of proper and systematic data
distorts ground reality of mental illness.
 Discrimination and stigmatization: Mentally ill are often discriminated at workplace and social
settings. They also face issues like abandonment, human rights infringement, outright marriage
rejection, etc. People with mental illness also do not avail health benefits and forgo disability
certificates due to attached stigma.
 Lack of awareness: Due to lack of awareness of mental diseases and their consequences, mentally ill
and their relatives are unaware of their condition(s) and remain undiagnosed. In rural areas, such
disorders are often believed to be caused by evil spirits and usually people approach a faith healer.
 Vicious Cycle: Mentally ill persons are likely to suffer from socio-economic deprivation and this
further aggravates ill health. Pushed into poverty and isolation, information about their legal rights
and other provisions is not available to them and their families.
Way Forward:
 Relatives, friends and work colleagues of mentally ill should provide a supportive environment that
encourages open dialogue to destigmatize mental illness. It also establishes a virtuous cycle of
diagnosis, treatment, and positive reinforcement.
 More resources and increasing manpower should be allotted to mental health sector. Manpower
generation by promoting new courses and initiating degree and diploma courses like Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation will address problem of shortage of manpower in long run.
 Awareness should be improved among grass root workers like ASHAs, ANMs, primary health care
professionals, so that there is early detection and required course of action is taken.
 Mental health literacy should be widely advocated and disseminated by government, educational
institutes, media, NGOs etc.
 Regular mental health surveys should be conducted for proper and updated data in order to frame
relevant policies.
12. Highlight the characteristics of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and discuss the
challenges faced by them. Also enumerate the measures taken by the government to address these
challenges.
Approach:
 Highlight who PVTGs are and describe their characteristics.
 Discuss the unique challenges faced by PVTGs.
 Enumerate the steps taken by the government to deal with these challenges.
Answer:
PVTG‘s are those tribal groups that are ‗particularly vulnerable‘, owing to following characteristics:
 Pre-agriculture level of technology
 Stagnant or declining population
 Extremely low literacy
 Subsistence level of economy
As per census 2011, there are 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes, spread over 17 States and one
Union Territory (UT), in the country.
There is immense variation in subsistence pattern, technological development, ways of living and contact
with outside world even within PVTG‘s. For e.g. PVTGs of Andaman and Nicobar islands are at the stage
of hunting-gathering subsistence whereas Buksa of Uttarakhand are at modern agricultural stage.
Issues & Challenges:
Literacy Rates: PVTG‘s are characterised by extremely low literacy rates. Mean literacy level is 24% but
it shows wider variation ranging from 0% to 75%. Groups like Kotas have 75% literacy levels whereas for
Abhuj Maria literacy rate is below 5%.
Shrinkage of Original Habitat: This has an impact either on their health and nutritional aspects or in the
process of acculturation. In 2009, 245 Baiga families were moved out of the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve.
Economic Subjugation: Tribal indebtedness is a huge problem, often leading to situations of bonded
labour. Sahariya in Baran, Rajasthan continue to work as bonded labour for rich landlords for generations.
Health: PVTGs are characterised by highly unsatisfactory health standards. High mortality and almost
one of the highest infant mortality rates, high level of infectious diseases, under nutrition, delayed
menarche is common amongst them.
Classification Issues: Classification of PVTG‘s is unclear and overlapping. No base line surveys have
been conducted among more than half of such groups to identify PVTG families, their habitat and socio-
economic status. Some tribes classified under PVTGs have not yet been notified as Scheduled Tribes e.g.
Abujh Maria Tribe.
Labelling as ‘Primitive’ and ‘Backward’: Although, the term ‗Primitive Tribal Groups‘ was replaced by
‗Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups‘ in 2006, the highly derogatory term ‗primitive‘ continues to be
used by the government, media and NGOs.
Measures taken by the Government:
Government has taken steps for development of PVTGs, including:
 Conservation-cum-Development (CCD)/Annual Plans to be prepared by each State/UT for their
PVTGs based on their need assessment
 Activities for development of PVTGs to be undertaken in Sectors of Education, Health, Livelihood
and Skill Development , Agricultural Development , Housing & Habitat, Conservation of Culture etc
The lack of socio-economic homogeneity, makes targeted policies difficult. Therefore, development
planning among PVTGs must be done after due assessment of their population and status on socio-
economic indicators while focussing on preserving their culture. Aim must be to make people self- reliant

rather than dependent. Administration and police must be made sensitive to their concerns while
improving their political representation.
13. While suburbanisation is a common phenomenon in most urbanising countries, it is occurring at a

relatively early stage of India’s urban development. Enumerating the reasons behind this
development, highlight the challenges it is creating for Indian cities.
Approach:
 Give a brief introduction about suburbanisation phenomenon in most urbanising countries.
 Enumerate the reasons as to why it is occurring at a relatively early stage of India‘s urban development.
 Highlight the challenges it is creating for Indian cities and ways to tackle them.
Answer:
A 2013 World Bank report, “Urbanization beyond Municipal Boundaries”, found that suburban areas are
generating higher economic growth and employment than the city. Although ―suburbanization‖ is a
worldwide phenomenon, it usually occurs in middle to advanced stages of development. In India, it‘s
happening much more quickly than expected.
Reasons:
 Suburbs are seen as safer and cheaper place to live and raise a family due to lower population density,
lower crime, and a more stable population.
 Increasing land prices and office rents have pushed companies to suburban areas.
 With increased incomes, people have the ability to pay more for travel and commute longer distances
to work and back home.
 Indian cities impose quite draconian land use regulations, rent control system and building height
restrictions on their cities leading to excessive suburbanization.
 Suburban municipalities offer tax breaks and regulatory incentives to attract industrial land users to
their area.
 The development of robust and sophisticated infrastructure is possible only in the peripheries of the
city where land is available in plenty and the cost of acquisition is low.
Growth of urban agglomerations poses many economic, ecological and institutional challenges which are as
follows:
 Access to – and the quality of – water, sanitation, and electricity is much worse in the urban periphery
than at the core.
 Access to quality and affordable health and education services.
 With commercialization of agricultural land and encroachment on forest areas ecosystem of the region
is threatened.
 Unplanned urbanisation and uncontrolled encroachment of natural water storage and drainage systems
has spelt disaster.
 The fiscal deficit grows as a result of suburbanization, mainly because in less densely populated areas,
property taxes tend to be lower.
 Proponents of containing suburbanization argue that it leads to urban decay and a concentration of
lower income residents in the inner city.
Third and fifth five year plans advised urban planning to adopt regional approach and to create
metropolitan planning regions to take care of the growing areas outside administrative city limits.
Way Forward:
 Address the lacunae in the current rural-urban categorization system. This would ensure that new
areas come under municipality limits and enjoy municipal services.
 Affordable and modern housing within already developed area with intelligent use of space.
 Provide efficient services and reform governance structures to boost overall economic development.
 Use zoning and other land use regulations to create development patterns that make active
transportation, in the form of walking and cycling, practical for shortest of trips.
 Assuring that development is spread out fairly city-wide so that issues of accessibility to housing and
work don‘t arise.
 Ensuring that tax incentives given by one suburb do not penalize other suburbs or the central city.

Inadequacy of cities to provide affordable and quality options has resulted in suburbanization. We need to
improve existing urban amenities while simultaneously addressing the problems of suburban sprawls.
14. Various geographical and anthropogenic factors have rendered Brahmaputra Valley susceptible to
recurrent floods. Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.
Approach:
 Give a brief background of the floods in Brahmaputra Valley.
 List the geographical factors leading to frequent floods.
 List the man-made factors.
 Suggest mitigating measures that can reduce flooding.
Answer:
Brahmaputra Valley lies between eastern and north-eastern Himalayan Ranges mostly in the state of
Assam and is said to be one of the most hazard-prone regions of the country. According to the National
Flood Commission of India over 40 per cent of Assam is flood-prone. Various factors for this include:
Geographic Factors
 Brahmaputra is the fourth largest river in terms of flow and has multiple tributaries in the region.
 The region has high annual rainfall.
 The valley topography consists of elongated narrow plain bounded by hills in the north, east and
south.
 Presence of low lying inhabited river islands (e.g. Mazuli island)
 Steep slope of hills causing frequent course change of tributaries.
 High silting - huge deposits of silt causes Brahmaputra‘s bed to rise. This leads to a highly braided
river which shifts its channel frequently.
 Landslides, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh from where come down most of the Brahmaputra‘s
major tributaries adds to the sediment load.
 Climate change and extreme rainfall events: the above normal rainfall in upper Assam and Arunachal
Pradesh is aggravating the problem of floods.
Anthropogenic Factors:
 Settlements in low lying areas aggravated by inward migration from porous borders.
 Environmental Degradation: Deforestation in Assam and its neighbouring states.
 Archaic embankments and difficulty in keep up : Most of the embankments across the state are
also used as roads by villagers for building bamboo settlements, plying motorbikes, bullock carts,
tractors etc. Breach of embankments has become a major cause of floods in the region.
 Lack of Effective Administrative Measures for Flood Control: Despite the setting up of various
Flood Management Committees and bodies such as the Central Water Commission in 1945,
Brahmaputra Board in 1980, Ganga Flood Control Mission in 1972 and the National Disaster State
Management Authority in 2005, an effective flood control strategy remains unclear.
 Programmes such as Flood Early Warning system seem to have been ineffective in securing the
response to floods.
Mitigating measures:
 Afforestation and discouraging agricultural practices like Jhum.
 Mandatory EIA to prevent unsound infrastructure activities in the upper reaches.
 Removal of encroachment from river channels and depopulating the flood plains.
 Construction of reservoirs; better management of embankments through community participation.
 Advanced hydrological data sharing between China and India may help in better flood preparedness.
 Use of technology like GIS for flood plain mapping and analysing and collecting data.
Flood control in Brahmaputra valley is a key to development of North East.

15. Give a brief account of Earth's heat budget. Also discuss how increasing concentration of carbon
dioxide in Earth's atmosphere effects it.
Approach:
 Briefly explain the heat budget of earth.
 Discuss how increasing concentration of CO2 is affecting it.
 Briefly conclude with some measures to reduce CO2

Answer:
Earth’s Heat Engine and Heat Budget
Earth is powered by the Sun, but the Sun doesn‘t heat the Earth evenly, because Earth is nearly a sphere,
therefore Sun heats equatorial regions more than Polar Regions. The atmospheric and oceanic systems that
work to even out solar heating imbalances are collectively called Earth’s heat engine.
Incoming heat being absorbed by the Earth in the form of short wave radiations and outgoing heat
escaping the Earth in the form of long wave radiation are both perfectly balanced. If they were not
balanced, then Earth would be getting either progressively warmer or progressively cooler with each
passing year. This balance between incoming and outgoing heat is known as Earth’s heat budget, as
shown below:
The climate‘s heat engine must not only redistribute solar heat from the equator toward the poles, but also
from the Earth‘s surface and lower atmosphere back to space. Otherwise, Earth would endlessly heat up.
Earth‘s temperature doesn‘t infinitely rise because the surface and the atmosphere are simultaneously
radiating heat to space. This net flow of energy into and out of the Earth system is Earth‘s energy budget.
It is depicted as below:

Effect of CO2 on Heat Budget of Earth
However, increasing concentration of CO2 disturbs this balance. Just as the major atmospheric gases (oxygen
and nitrogen) are transparent to incoming sunlight, they are also transparent to outgoing thermal infrared.
However, green house gases, like water vapor, carbon dioxide etc. are opaque to many wavelengths of thermal
infrared energy and absorb them.
The earth surface radiates the net equivalent of 21 percent of incoming solar energy as thermal infrared.
However, the amount that directly escapes to space is only about 16 percent of incoming solar energy. The
remaining fraction—a net 5-6 percent of incoming solar energy—is transferred to the atmosphere when
greenhouse gas molecules absorb thermal infrared energy radiated by the surface
Because greenhouse gas molecules radiate heat in all directions, some of it spreads downward and ultimately
comes back into contact with the Earth‘s surface, where it is absorbed. The temperature of the surface
becomes warmer than it would be if it were heated only by direct solar heating.
As long as greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, the amount of absorbed solar energy will continue
to exceed the amount of thermal infrared energy that can escape to space. The energy imbalance will continue
to grow, and surface temperatures will continue to rise.
Hence, continuous and determined steps should be taken to achieve INDCs, implement Green India Mission
and promoting renewable sources of energy.
16. Give an outline of the major geological events that have shaped the present drainage system of
Peninsular India. Also, explain why peninsular rivers are unsuitable for navigation but facilitate
hydroelectric power generation.
Approach:
 Briefly discuss the factors which shape drainage system in general.
 Outline the major geological events that have shaped the present drainage system of Peninsular India.
 Explain why peninsular rivers are unsuitable for navigation but facilitate hydroelectric power generation.
Answer:
The evolution of drainage systems is an outcome of multiple factors like topography, rock-type and time.
Drainage systems develop in such a way as to efficiently move water off the land. Drainage system of
India has been divided broadly into- Himalayan river system and the peninsular river system based on the
broad relief features of the subcontinent.
Three major geological events shaping the present drainage systems of Peninsular India:
 Subsidence of the western flank of the Peninsula leading to its submergence below the sea during the
early tertiary period. It has disturbed the symmetrical plan of the river on either side of the original
watershed and left just the upper parts of west flowing rivers above the sea level.
 Upheaval of the Himalayas when the northern flank of the peninsular block was subjected to
subsidence and the consequent trough faulting. The present day Narmada and the Tapi flow in trough
faults and fill the original cracks with their detritus materials. Hence, there is a lack of alluvial and
deltaic deposits in these rivers.
 Slight tilting of the peninsular block from north-west to the south eastern direction gave orientation to
the entire drainage system towards the Bay of Bengal during the same period.
The reason why the Peninsular Rivers are not navigable:
 The peninsular rivers flow across hills making a number of waterfalls and rapids which make it
difficult to develop waterways transport.
 A large number of the peninsular rivers are seasonal, as their flow is dependent on rainfall. During the
dry season, even the large rivers like Kaveri have limited flow of water in their channels.
 Most of the peninsular rivers have short and shallow courses.
 Hard igneous and metamorphic rock composition of peninsular India makes it difficult to modify the
topography for navigation.
Hydroelectric power generation in Deccan Rivers:
Absence of coal in South India and rapid industrialization acted as a push factor for development of
hydroelectricity in South India. Hydroelectric power plant at Shivanasamudram falls on river Kaveri is
among the earliest in Asia.
Western Ghat receives heavy rainfall and provides abundant water supply especially during arrival of
monsoon. This offers huge opportunity for developing hydroelectric potential in this region.
The steep courses of the west flowing rivers like Sharavathi, Idukki, Periyar and the east-flowing rivers
like Bhira, Bhivpuri, and Koyna etc. offer high opportunities for hydel power development.
17. Elaborate with examples as to how government policies influence the location of industries. Also,
mention the steps taken by the Government of India to stimulate industrial activity in backward
regions.
Approach:
 Explain how the government policies influence the location of industries with examples.
 Elaborate the steps taken by the government to bring industrialization in backward areas.
Answer:
Government policies are one of the most important factors in influencing the establishment of an
industrial unit, more so in a mixed economy like India where the government is also indulged in
industrial production. The government can encourage industrial development of a particular region
through various incentives, for example: after independence heavy industries of steel and coal were
promoted in backward areas of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
Government influences location in various ways such as:
 Tax sops: such as decreasing corporate taxes, excise duties or other taxes to incentivize investors.
 Establishing enabling infrastructure: such as mega food parks development of which would
promote food processing industries in those areas.
 Facilitating investment: by establishing Special Economic Zones or industrial corporations such as
Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), Gujarat State Finance Corporation (GSFC) etc.
in Gujarat.
 Restricting permissions to certain locations: The state may restrict the development of industries in
certain locations due to ecological considerations. For example, in areas near Western Ghats, or
Coastal Zones etc.
 Conditional permissions: For example, while giving banking license, a certain percentage of units
are to be mandatorily set up in rural areas to ensure the objective of regional balance in development
of banking industry.
 Adopting new policy: such as adoption of liberalization helped in development of various industries
including the automobile and telecom sector. The policy may favour imports/exports and thus altering
the market conditions.
 Clearance norms: Land, being one of the crucial factors of production, is made available by the
states on concessional rates with faster clearances to promote certain types of industries. For example,
TATAs announced the TATA Nano plant in Sanand due to the land made available by Gujarat
Government, similarly IT industry is developing in Chennai due to the availability of abundant space
at relatively lower rates.
This influence is used by governments to develop backward areas. Indian Government has also taken various
steps in this regard:
 Backward Region Development Fund: It was established to redress regional imbalances by
providing financial resources for supplementing and converging existing developmental inflows into
identified backward districts.
 Special plans for backward regions – such as for special plan for Bihar, West Bengal, Bundelkhand
and KBK (Kalahandi Balangir Koraput) region for Orissa, special package scheme for Himachal
Pradesh and Uttarakhand etc.
 North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy 2007: which envisaged incentives such as
100% Income Tax exemption, Excise duty exemption on Value Addition, Central Capital Investment
Subsidy Scheme etc. to the 8 north-eastern states
 Freight Subsidy Schemes for selected States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Darjeeling district
of West Bengal, North East etc. to encourage freight movement.
Thus, the state plays a crucial role in determining the development and flourishing of an industry in a
particular area as envisaged from the above mentioned factors.
18. Explain, in brief, the process of cloud formation. Also, elucidate how clouds can help in weather
forecasting.
Approach:
 Briefly explain the process of cloud formation.
 Discuss how various cloud types can help in weather forecasting.
Answer:
A cloud is composed of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that are suspended in the air. Clouds are formed
as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point during adiabatic rise of air column.
This rise of air is facilitated by convection, mountains/terrain or cyclone/front formation. During its
ascent, the air gets adiabatically cooled to its due point and the excess vapour (which it cannot retain due
to its decreasing capacity to retain moisture) gets condensed to form clouds. This process is facilitated by
the presence of dust or salt particles that provides the condensation nuclei for the formation of droplets.
The water droplets in the cloud may eventually fall down to Earth as precipitation.
Weather forecasting using clouds:
Forecasting weather is a complex task and requires collaborating various other variables like the wind
velocity, air-pressure trends etc. apart from the cloud type. However general weather conditions may be
fairly observed using clouds. For example- appearance of High altitude clouds (determined by the clear
visibility of Sun/Moon) indicates a fair weather and thick clouds may indicate poor weather in near future.
Similarly if there is an approaching storm, the direction in which clouds are moving may indicate the
direction of the storm.
The shape, size and colour of clouds can be used to ascertain their type and infer more about the weather.
Usually the following information may be discerned from some common cloud types:
 Cirrus clouds: They form very high up and are mostly made up of ice crystals, and their appearance
indicates a fair weather. If Cirrus filled sky darkens and turns to Cirrostratus (which forms a halo
around the sun) it is a sign of rain or snow, depending on temperature.
 Cumulus clouds: They appear as fluffy mounds of white cotton in a blue sky and are formed due to
convection on warm summer days. They have nearly horizontal bases and flattened tops and may
cause occasional brief shower.
 Stratus clouds: are low, gray clouds and may indicate cold, misty rain or snow. Sometimes these
clouds reach the ground and form fog.
 Cumulonimbus clouds: are huge towering clouds with dark bottoms capable of producing wind, rain,
lightening, hail and tornadoes.
19. The socio-economic and ecological consequences of soil degradation are far-reaching. Discuss.
Suggest measures that can be taken to restore soil fertility and arrest soil degradation.
Approach:
 Briefly explain soil degradation.
 Elaborate on the socio-economic and ecological consequences of soil degradation.
 Suggest measures to restore soil fertility and arrest soil degradation.
Answer:
Soil degradation is defined as a change in the soil health status resulting in a diminished capacity of the
ecosystem to provide goods and services for its beneficiaries. It includes loss of organic matter, decline in
soil fertility/structural condition, erosion, adverse changes in salinity, acidity or alkalinity, and the effects
of toxic chemicals, pollutants, excessive flooding/overgrazing/mining.
Soils are a fundamental natural resource, and are the basis for all terrestrial life. Soils provide a range of
functions upon which humans depend, such as food production, water regulation, a physical basis for
construction etc.
Socio-economic consequences of soil degradation include:
 Loss of Productivity and arable land: It leads to reduced income for the farmers which have implication
for the economy as a whole, threat to food security, higher production costs; it also hampers poverty
reduction especially when agriculture is the dominant occupation.

 Infrastructure damage: Degraded pastures may lead to floods and landslides thus imposing significant
costs to land, property and human life, cost of treating siltation of reservoirs etc.
 Rise in natural disasters: such as mud flows, floods, droughts and aridity.
 Increased land reclamation costs: cost of afforestation, de-salinization etc.
 Rise in inequalities: Reduced income in the absence of other alternatives to livelihood aggravate
inequalities for families completely dependent on soil.

Ecological consequences:
Soil provides various ecological services like nutrient cycling, carbon storage and habitat for living organisms.
Soil degradation threatens these services and has other undesirable consequences like:
 Sedimentation and eutrophication of waterways and reservoirs: leading to water pollution.
 Soil compaction and surface sealing: It will affect the percolation capacity of soil, thus, affecting recharge
of groundwater
 Soil contamination (including effects of toxic chemicals and pollutants) – This affects nutrients in food
crops.
 Loss of biodiversity: soil degradation may involve perturbation of microbial communities, disappearance
of the climax vegetation and decrease in animal habitat.
Measures that can be taken to restore soil fertility and arrest soil degradation are:
 Afforestation: it restores the carbon cycle, binds the soil and prevents soil erosion while facilitating soil
formation.
 Tackling salinization: by improving irrigation efficiency, using gypsum to reduce salinization.
 Improved Agricultural practices: Conservation tillage (makes minimal changes to the soil‘s natural
condition), strip farming, crop rotation, contour farming, rational use of fertilizers and pesticides, moving
towards organic farming; preventing slash and burn agriculture, promoting soil testing to ascertain the
nutrient requirement of the farm , agro-ecological farming etc.
 Improved data management and coordination between various stakeholders.
 Land use planning for agriculture, settlement and industry.
Soil degradation threatens world food security and various ecological services especially in the face of
growing population and global climate change and needs to be tackled in earnest.
20. Development of island territories requires a careful balancing of environmental and tribal concerns
with exploitation of economic potential. Elaborating on the threats faced by island territories of
India, comment on the recent measures proposed by the government regarding their development.
Approach:
 Briefly discuss why developing islands is important.
 Discuss the environmental and tribal concerns while developing these territories
 Discuss recent government proposals for their development.
Answer:
India has around 1,382 islands. Developing them is critical for the growth of India‘s maritime economy
and to address the security concerns in Indian Ocean. However these islands also harbour rich biodiversity
and are home to some of the most primitive tribes. This raises various concerns:
Environmental concerns
 Fragile ecosystem: For example, slight variation in temperature leads to loss of coral reefs.
 Geological volatility: islands are located in zones where earthquakes, tsunamis and cyclones are
regular occurrences.
 Environmental degradation through economic activities like timber extraction for plywood
industry, sand and coral mining.

 Infrastructure development which disrupts ecology: For e.g. Andaman trunk road was built
through Jarawa reserve belt.
 Destruction of mangroves and loss of sandy beaches.
Tribal concerns
 Loss of Cultural diversity: development at times lead to homogenization of cultural aspects like
tribal sports, music, folklore, food etc.

 Livelihood: indigenous people‘s livelihood must not be threatened by development in islands (for
instance, deforestation/lack of privacy may disrupt tribal livelihood by displacement).
 Health: ending isolation may expose tribal to diseases hitherto unknown to them.
Recent steps taken by the Government:
The recently constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA) in consultation with other stakeholders has
identified 10 islands for holistic development. This sustainable exploitation would primary revolve
around:
 Basic infrastructure developmen: development of airports, shipping ports and other connectivity
projects including digital network.
 Promoting islands as Tourist destinations: by developing beach resorts, water sports, trekking etc.
 Modernization of agriculture: by promoting organic agriculture and fisheries, integrated pest
management etc.
 Carbon-neutral energy generation: predominantly using solar power
 Exploring natural resources in EEZ.
Other measures taken by the government include:
 The coastal municipalities and islands‘ local municipalities to implement waste disposal plans by
2020.
 Promoting small scale village and handicrafts units in Andaman Islands.
 National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) is promoting research in potential drugs from marine
living resources at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 The National Institute of Ocean Technology has formed a self-help group (SHG) titled ‗Aqua Crab
Farming SHG‘ and also has successfully designed and developed Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)
around the Lakshadweep Islands here for development of Aquaculture.
 Vulnerability and risk assessment of island regions for natural calamities is to be completed by
2018 and urban resilient infrastructure policy would be adopted to contain the losses of any natural
calamity by 2020.
 Ministry of Shipping has identified places on islands to be developed as lighthouses for promotion of
shipping industry.
 Port-linked industrialization and coastal community development under SAGARMALA.
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Approach – Answer: General Studies Mains Mock Test 874 (2017)

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reform agenda of the Justice Party.

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non-violent protest helped set the tone of movement.

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 List the challenges faced by the mentally ill.

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13. While suburbanisation is a common phenomenon in most urbanising countries, it is occurring at a

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 Briefly conclude with some measures to reduce CO2

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inequalities for families completely dependent on soil.

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tribal sports, music, folklore, food etc.

Copyright © by Vision IAS

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