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Daily Editorial Summary

9th June 2023
Topics To be Covered:
✓ Production-Linked Incentives for Manufacturing
✓ India-Nepal Ties
✓ India - Canada Relations
✓ Railway Safety

To access the video of editorial summary:


Topics
Production-Linked Incentives for
Manufacturing
Context:
Recently, former Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Governor Raghuram Rajan questioned the success of
the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme in
boosting India’s domestic manufacturing and exports.
About Production Linked Investment (PLI)
Scheme:
❖ It is an incentive based scheme introduced by the
Government of India for enhancing India’s
manufacturing capabilities under its Atmanirbhar
Bharat (Self Reliant India) initiative.
❖ The mission is to boost the manufacturing sector,
create jobs while providing companies with an
incentive on incremental sales on products
manufactured in domestic units.
❖ Aim of the Scheme:
o Enhance global competitiveness of Indian
manufacturers.
o Attract investments in core competency areas
and cutting-edge technology.
o Improve efficiencies and create economies of
scale.
o Promote exports and integrate India into the
global supply chain.
o Make India an attractive destination for
investment.
❖ Working of the PLI Scheme: Under the PLI
scheme, eligible companies are required to:
o Establish large-scale manufacturing units.
o Implement improvements in logistics and
infrastructure.
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o Meet specific eligibility criteria based on
investment scale and sector.
o Differentiate eligibility criteria for larger
companies, Foreign companies and Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
PLI Scheme in India:
❖ The PLI scheme was introduced by the Centre in
2020. Initially, there were only three targeted
industries - Mobile and allied Component
Manufacturing, Electrical Component
Manufacturing and Medical Devices.
❖ So far, the government has announced PLI
schemes for 14 sectors including automobile and
auto components, electronics and IT
hardware, telecom, pharmaceuticals, solar
modules, metals and mining, textiles and
apparel, white goods, drones, and advanced
chemistry cell batteries.
Benefits of the PLI Scheme:
The PLI scheme in India offers significant benefits
to eligible manufacturers, including financial
incentives:
❖ Enhanced competitiveness
❖ Reduced import dependence
❖ Increase job opportunities
❖ Identify the target product and increase its
manufacturing units
❖ Development of domestic industries
❖ Forming of a stable economy
❖ Technology upgradation
Concerns:
❖ Structural Problem: Less demand and inadequacy
of research and development (R&D).

❖ Market Capturing: Globally, nations are trying to
capture the markets of others by exporting more
than what they import.
❖ Shifting of Demand: In India, the demand is
shifting from the unorganized to the organized
sector, and consequently leading to further
marginalization.
❖ Cronyism: The process of doling out subsidies
involves discretion and is prone to cronyism.
❖ No Common Set of Parameters: There is no
common set of parameters to understand the value
added by companies that have received or are likely
to receive incentives under the scheme.
❖ Lacking in Monitoring the Progress: India is
lacking in creating a centralized database to
monitor progress.
❖ Target Missing: As per a report, out of the 14
eligible sectors, only two or three were likely to
meet their first-year targets under the PLI scheme.
Points should be kept in the mind:
❖ Micro Sector: Rather than protect large-scale
industries, we need to boost the micro sector, which
is where the bulk of the employment is, so that we
can generate enough demand in the economy.
❖ Core Sector: Need to focus on the sector as a core
sector (sectors that have high externalities or
multipliers for other economic activity), which will
help in fostering industrialiasation.
❖ Targeting: It is very important to incentivise
certain industries. Governments typically target
certain strategic sectors which have huge potential
like nowadays emphasis is on green industries.
❖ Eye on learning from the World: Industrialisation
and manufacturing don’t happen in a vacuum in this
globally integrated world. So, we need to be
watchful of what other governments are doing and
develop our own strategies accordingly.
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❖ Structural Updation: Infrastructure has to be
fixed, the quality of education has to be improved
at all levels, R&D investments have to be
enhanced.
o The conditions should be created to lower the
risk of investment in R&D and rather to
import technology needed to build internal
strength.
❖ Demand Rise: Need to boost the demand by
reducing inequalities, so that demand for mass
consumption items will give a boost to the economy
as a whole.
❖ Investment: Need to put in efforts towards
promotion, facilitation and incentivisation of
investment.
❖ Incremental Output: PLI is not a handout. It is a
post-facto incentive given when you have delivered
the incremental output. So, once you have delivered
the incremental output, only then do these
incentives come to you.
❖ Political Accountability: Need to strengthen the
political accountability in our system.
❖ Regressive Indirect Taxes: Subsidies need to be
distinguished as it necessitates high indirect taxes,
which results in high costs and prices rise. Indirect
taxes tend to be regressive, so those at the bottom
need to be supported by subsidies.
Conclusion:
❖ The PLI Schemes are set to make India a hub for
manufacturing by reducing reliance on imports in
the short term and enhancing exports over the long
term.
❖ Since, the focus is on key employment generating
sectors, it is expected that the PLI Scheme would
lead to an exponential rise in employment for
India’s vast and able workforce.

Additional Information:
About General Subsidy:
❖ A general subsidy is one that is necessitated by
the macro situation of the economy, whereas a
specific subsidy is given to sectors or to
companies and are based on micro-level
decisions that are taken by the government.
❖ In the case of the latter, cronyism can play an
important role there, which is not necessarily an
efficient thing to happen. In the case of the
former, the bigger issues become employment,
living conditions, etc.
News Source: The Hindu
India-Nepal Ties
Context:
Recently,the Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal
Dahal visited India.
Key Takeaways from the Visit:
❖ India would take forward the 2022 India-Nepal
vision document for cooperation in the power
sector that sets an ambitious goal in IndiaNepal
power trade and transmission.
❖ A long term Power Trade Agreement has been
signed between India and Nepal.
❖ India has set a target of importing 10,000 MW of
electricity from Nepal.
❖ Plans were unveiled to extend Motihari-
Amlekhgunj- South Asia’s first cross-border
petroleum pipeline and to build a second such
pipeline.
❖ An MoU for the construction of a petroleum supply
pipeline between Siliguri and Jhapa, besides
extensions to existing pipelines and construction of
new terminals were positive.
❖ Agreements signed:
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o MoU between NHPC and VUCL (Vidyut
Utpadan Company Ltd.) of Nepal, for the
development of Phukot Karnali
Hydroelectric Project
o Project Development Agreement for Lower
Arun Hydroelectric Project between SJVN
(India) and Investment Board of Nepal.
o The revised Treaty of Transit under which
Nepal will get access to India’s inland
waterways.
Historical Ties:
❖ Nepal is an important neighbor of India and
occupies special significance in its foreign policy
because of the geographic, historical, cultural and
economic linkages/ties that span centuries.
❖ Nepal shares an open border of 1,868 km with five
Indian states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
West Bengal and Sikkim) and 1,415 km with
Tibet.
❖ India and Nepal share similar ties in terms of
Hinduism and Buddhism with Buddha’s birthplace
Lumbini located in present day Nepal.
India Nepal Ties:
❖ Economic:
o Trade: India remains Nepal’s dominant trade
partner, steadily accounting for approximately
60-65% of all trade with Nepal.
o Investment: Indian firms are the biggest
investors in Nepal, accounting for about 40%
of total approved foreign direct investments.
There are about 150 operating Indian ventures
in Nepal. They are engaged in manufacturing,
services (banking, insurance, dry port,
education and telecom), power sector and
tourism industries.
❖ Political: Both countries share Open Borders under
Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Both countries
are also members of SAARC and BIMSTEC. Both

❖ Social: The two countries have close bonds through
marriages and familial ties, popularly known as
Roti Beti ka Rishta.
❖ Cultural:
o India and Nepal share rich Hinduism and
Buddhist cultural heritage. To continue this,
both governments have also tried to build on
this shared cultural heritage. India and Nepal
have also signed sister-city agreements for
twinning of Janakpur-Ajodhya, Kathmandu-
Varanasi, Lumbini-Bodhgaya.
o India is also supporting 2 heritage projects,
namely, Pashupatinath Riverfront
Development and Bhandarkhal Garden
Restoration in Patan Durbar.
❖ Water Resources: There are about 250 small and
large rivers flowing from Nepal to India and
constitute an important part of the Ganges river
basin.
o A three-tier bilateral mechanism was
established in 2008 to discuss all issues
relating to cooperation in water resources and
hydropower.
❖ Defence Cooperation: Indian and Nepalese
military undertake annual joint military exercise
‘Surya Kiran’. India also provides equipment and
training to the Nepalese army to assist in its
modernisation.
❖ Connectivity:
o As Nepal is a landlocked country, it is
dependent on India for access to sea. Both
countries have signed MoU to provide rail
connectivity and are also working to develop
inland waterways in Nepal to connect Nepal
with the Indian ocean.
o Establishment of Integrated Check Ports
along the borders, recent ones being Birgunj
and Biratnagr, have also eased trade and transit.
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❖ Disaster Management: Both countries are
working through BIMSTEC for collective disaster
response. India’s assistance during 2015 is also
well appreciated by Nepal.
❖ Regional Integration: Both countries are working
to BBIN, BIMSTEC, SAARC to improve regional
connectivity and regional integration.
Unique Relationship: India-Nepal
❖ Few countries have more intimate relations than
Nepal with India as they share an open border that
allows their nationals to move freely.
❖ Their relationship is characterized by close
economic, security and cultural ties.
❖ India remains a major trade and transit partner,
where a number of Nepalis continue to earn a living
or pursue higher education.
Recent State of Relation:
❖ Yet, their political relationship, in the near past, has
gone through more ebbs than flows, largely due to
a border dispute over the Kalapani area.
❖ A change of government in Nepal with the fall of
the hawkish regime led by Khadga Prasad
Sharma Oli and the restoration of the pre-2022
election Nepali Congress and Maoist alliance to
power raised expectations of a thaw in this matter.
Recent Thaw in Relationship:
❖ Alignment with Western and Indian interests:
o Dahal accepted the $500 million US grant
under the Millennium Challenge
Corporation Nepal Compact, abandoning his
party’s view that it was part of the Indo-Pacific
security plan that would undermine Nepal’s
diplomatic non-alignment.
❖ Preference to India:
o Nepal wants to be seen as a friend to India as
he broke the tradition of top Nepali leaders by
choosing India for his first visit abroad
instead of heading to Beijing.

o There has been progress on resolving the points
of friction around hydropower projects that
India is executing in Nepal.
o He has gone slow on projects under China’s
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that Nepal
agreed to six years ago.
Issues in Bilateral Relations:
❖ Territorial Dispute:
o In 2020 India’s defence minister virtually
inaugurated a new 80 km-long road in the
Himalayas, connecting to the border with
China, at the Lipulekh pass.
o The Nepal government protested this and
introduced a constitutional amendment which
made changes to the Nepali map to include
that Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh
of Uttarakhand as part of its sovereign
territory
❖ A growing trust deficit especially since the 2015
unofficial Indian blockade that crippled Nepal’s
economy and rise of territorial nationalism in both
countries.
❖ Delay in Project Completion: The trust deficit
between Nepal and India largely affected the
implementation of various Indian-aided projects in
Nepal. At times, some of the Indian investment
projects had been attacked.
❖ Domestic Politics: Indian media’s sensationalized
reporting about Nepal recently, irresponsible
statements by Nepali politicians like KP Oli, and
Nepal border police fatally shooting an Indian man
have added to tensions and created a hostile
environment for meaningful engagement.
❖ Rising Chinese Footprint:
o Investment: In 2019 China accounted for
approximately 40% of new FDIs and 90% of
total FDI against India’s 30%.
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o Elevated Partnership: During the visit of Xi
Xinping, Nepal and China elevated their ties
from Comprehensive Partnership of
Cooperation to Strategic Partnership of
Cooperation.
o Connectivity:
▪ In 2017, Nepal formally joined the Belt
and Road Initiative (BRI) of China.
▪ China is also developing a US$ 2.5 billion
trans-Himalayan railway connecting
Tibet to Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu.
▪ China and Nepal have also signed an
agreement for construction of an all-
weather road connecting Tibet and
Kathmandu under The Trans Himalayan
Multidimensional connectivity network.
Significance:
❖ Good ties with Nepal help India address security
and geopolitical issues in its neighborhood more
smoothly.
Way Forward:
❖ Interdependence between Nepal and India is the
secret to reset the relations between the neighbors.
Towards this end, the two countries could also build
an international corridor along the border region to
enhance the trade between the two countries.
❖ Institutional Mechanism: Both countries can also
create institutional mechanisms to play an active
role in several important multilateral forums such
as BBIN, BIMSTEC, NAM, and SAARC to serve
their common interests.
❖ Full-fledged Engagement: India should remain
fully engaged with Nepal at all levels and across the
political spectrum. The safeguarding of India’s
vital interests demands such sustained engagement.
 7

much broader community of about 8,00,000 Sikhs

Additional Information:
constitute.
About Treaty of Peace and Friendship:
❖ He added that the culture of validating violence as
❖ The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and
an acceptable form of protest was one that should
Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the
concern Canada’s leadership as well, given past
special relations that exist between India and
incidents such as the bombing of an Air India flight
Nepal.
in 1985.
❖ It talks about reciprocal treatment of Indian
❖ He said the incident was part of a broader pattern,
and Nepali citizens in the two countries, in
indicating that these forces pose a real challenge
residence, property, business and movement.
not only to the India-Canadian relationship but
❖ It also establishes national treatment for both also to Canada itself.
Indian and Nepalese businesses (i.e. once
A Look on India - Canada Relations:
imported, foreign goods would be treated no
❖ Both shared values of democracy, pluralism,
differently than domestic goods).
expanding economic engagement, regular high
News Source: The Hindu level interactions and long-standing people-to-
people ties:
❖ Political:
India - Canada Relations
o Both India and Canada share commonalities in
Context: Parliamentary structure and procedures.
Recently, India criticized the tableau that was part of a ❖ Economic:
parade in Brampton City of Ontario province which
o Bilateral trade between India and Canada
celebrated Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
stands at more than USD 5 billion.
❖ It was part of an annual parade by Canadian Sikh
o Both are working toward a Comprehensive
separatist or “Khalistani” groups to mark their
Economic Partnership Agreement and
protest against Operation Bluestar, in 1984.
a Foreign Investment Promotion and
Earlier Such Incidents: Protection Agreement (FIPA).
❖ In 2002, Toronto-based Punjabi-language weekly
❖ Security:
Sanjh Savera greeted Indira’s death
o A Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
anniversary with a cover illustration of her
(NCA) with Canada was signed in 2010 and
murder.
came into force in 2013.
❖ In 2022, over 100,000 Canadian Sikhs took part in
o Both collaborate closely in international fora
voting for the Khalistan Referendum in
particularly through the UN, Commonwealth
Brampton, Ontario which was organized by pro-
and G-20.
Khalistani group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
o Both have signed a Mutual Legal Assistance
India’s reaction to this action:
Treaty in 1994 (operationalised in 1998) and
❖ External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the
Extradition Treaty in 1987.
failure to act against these groups was due to a
o The Joint Working Group on Counter
desire to cater to Canadian “vote-banks” that the
Terrorism was set up in 1997.

❖ Science and Technology:
o Focused on promoting Industrial R&D which
has potential for application through
development of new IP, processes, prototypes
or products
o Department of Biotechnology under IC-
IMPACTS program implements joint
research projects in health care, agri-biotech
and waste management
o The Department of Earth Science and Polar
Canada have started a programme for
exchange of knowledge and scientific
research on Cold Climate (Arctic) Studies.
o Cooperative and commercial relations in the
field of Space since 1990s mainly on space
science, earth observation, satellite launch
services and ground support for space
missions
o ISRO and Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
have signed MOUs in the field of exploration
and utilization of outer space
o ANTRIX, the Commercial arm of ISRO, has
launched several nanosatellites from Canada
❖ People-to-People:
o Canada hosts one of the largest Indian
diasporas in the world, which account for
more than 3% of its total population.
❖ Development of COVID-19 vaccines:
o India has offered to make available its
production capacities in PPEs,
pharmaceutical products and vaccines to
Canadian companies in collaboration
A look on Challenges of India - Canada Relations:
❖ Khalistani issue:
o Such Activities have espoused the Khalistan
sentiments have contributed greatly to
the India–Canada rift.
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o While the Canadian government is within its
rights to protect free speech and expression
in its country, it must understand India’s
concern that such an action constitutes
inflammatory hate speech, and could fuel
radicalism.
❖ Trade issues:
o Complex labor laws, market protectionism,
and bureaucratic regulations are roadblocks
for Indo-Canadian trade relations.
Way Forward:
❖ Such kind of glorification of past violence must
be condemned by one and all irrespective of
one’s caste and creed. Such unlawful acts have no
place in any peaceful community and society across
the world.
❖ Both India and Canada are big democracies and
they should take such issues seriously to build
healthy relations between them.
❖ Given that Khalistani protests have been seen in
Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States
and parts of Europe, the Indian government must
now chalk out a broader diplomatic strategy to
ensure a more effective way of dealing with the
problem, which could even be discussed by using
the G-20 Presidency.
Additional Information:
About Operation Blue Star:
❖ The largest internal security mission of the
Indian Army.
❖ The Operation was Indira Gandhi’s response to
the law-and-order problems that were occurring
in Punjab at the time as a result of the spread of
the Khalistan movement.
❖ Under Operation Blue Star, the orders were given
to Indian soldiers to drive out Sikh militants
who were stockpiling weapons in Sri
Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple).

❖ Supporters of Khalistan had taken refuge at
Amritsar’s Golden Temple’s Akal Takht
complex in the 1980s.
❖ Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who seized
control of the Akal Takht complex in Amritsar’s
Golden Temple, was the target of the Blue Star
operation.
o On October 31, 1984, the assassination of
Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took
place at her home in New Delhi, months after
the Indian Army had conducted Operation
Bluestar.
Khalistan movement:
❖ The movement is a fight for a separate,
sovereign Sikh state in present day Punjab (both
India and Pakistan).
❖ The movement was crushed in India following
Operation Blue Star (1984) and Operation
Black Thunder (1986 and 1988).
❖ However, it continues to evoke sympathy and
support among sections of the Sikh population,
especially in the Sikh diaspora in countries
such as Canada, the UK, and Australia.
News Source: The Hindu
Railway Safety
Context:
The recent rail accident in Balasore, Odisha, where
three trains collided, highlights the difficulties India
encounters in upgrading and expanding its railway
services.
Causes of the Train Accident:
❖ Override of Interlocking System: A signal
maintainer, who has access to the equipment hut or
relay room, may have overridden the interlocking
system to expedite maintenance work and avoid
disruptions to train schedules.
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❖ Sabotage by a Criminal: The accident may have
been caused by deliberate sabotage orchestrated by
an individual with criminal intent.
Strengthening Access to Systems:
❖ Implement Stronger Safeguards: Despite the
challenges, it is crucial to pursue stronger
safeguards against unauthorized access to railway
signaling systems with determination.
❖ Double Lock System: Consider implementing a
double lock system for remote huts in railway
stations, even if it causes inconvenience and
potential train delays.
❖ Explore Digital Authorizations: Leverage mobile
phones and IT applications to develop a system of
multiple digital authorizations, reducing the need
for physical movement of staff other than
maintainers.
❖ Inquiry Focus: The ongoing inquiry should extend
beyond identifying culprits and prioritize devising
a safer system to prevent similar incidents in the
future.
❖ Accountability and Safety Records: Maintainer
shortcuts: Importance of determining if the
intrusion was an isolated incident or a recurring
problem.
o Management responsibility: Top-level
accountability for maintaining safety standards.
Indian Railways' Safety Record and Progress:
❖ Reduced Fatality Rates: Over the past decade, the
number of fatalities caused by railway accidents has
significantly decreased, with recent years recording
fewer than 50 annual fatalities.
o The reduction in accident rates is attributed to
initiatives such as the elimination of unmanned
level crossings and improved track renewal and
maintenance.

Importance of Indian Railways:
❖ High Volume of Passengers: Indian Railways
carries almost 3.5 billion people annually, making
it crucial to prioritize safety due to the potential
catastrophic effects of any lapses.
❖ Lifeline for Economic Migrants: Trains serve as
the lifeline for millions of India's poorer economic
migrants, facilitating their mobility and livelihood
opportunities.
❖ International Comparison: Safety standards in
Indian Railways are compared with those of
developed countries, emphasizing the need to align
with global best practices and enhance India's
international image.
❖ Connectivity: Indian Railways plays a vital role in
providing connectivity, promoting economic
development, facilitating the movement of goods,
and attracting investments. Ensuring safety is
essential for fostering seamless connectivity and
enabling growth.
Challenges faced by Indian Railways:
❖ Human resource deployment problem:
o Semi-skilled workers: Indian Railways
saddled with semi-skilled workers promoted
from linemen to handle mechanical or
sophisticated electronic systems.
▪ These ground level staff simply cannot
stand up to pressure from the traffic or civil
engineering wings.
❖ Vacancy:
o Data available shows 3.12 lakh non-gazetted
posts were vacant.
o These vacant positions include those
responsible for safety, maintenance and
engineering.
o In the Central Railway alone, 14,203 vacancies
out of the 28,650 posts were in the safety
category.
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❖ Derailments of Railways:
o Derailments formed close to 70% of all
accidents since 1990-91, followed by level
crossing accidents, collisions and fires in trains.
o Among the consequential train accidents, 55%
had occurred due to negligence or failure of the
Railways staff.
o The major causes of derailments are rail
fractures, weld failures, track defects and
rolling stock defects.
❖ Funding and Expenditure:
o In the 2023-24 Union Budget, the Railways
received a record allocation of ₹2.40 lakh crore.
However, when capital expenditure on crucial
activities related to safety such as track renewal
and signalling and telecom are considered, their
shares dwindled.
o A Parliamentary Standing Committee
report in 2023 observed that “appropriations to
the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh” has been
falling short ever since it was introduced.
o The Committee also noted that the Railways
did not meet the target of earmarked allocations
for the previous five years.
❖ Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Report on derailment in Indian Railways:
o It had noted that around 75 per cent of the 217
consequential train accidents between 2017-
18 and 2020-21 were due to derailments.
▪ And one of the major factors responsible
for derailments was related to
maintenance of tracks.
o There were shortfalls ranging from 30% to
100% in inspections by track-recording cars
required to assess the geometrical and
structural conditions of the tracks
o The report also pointed to failures in the
Track Management System, which is a web-
based application for online monitoring of
track maintenance activities.

Various government initiatives to address the
Indian railway safety concerns:
❖ Kavach system: It is an indigenously developed
Automatic Train Protection(ATP) System for
Indian Railways.
❖ Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): The
government initiated the RRSK in 2017-18, a
dedicated fund aimed at carrying out safety-
related work in a systematic manner.
❖ Project Mission Raftar: It is an Indian Railway
project, introduced in the Railway Budget of
2016-17 and approved by NITI Aayog in 2017.
o The goal is to double the average speed of
freight trains and increase passenger train
speed by 50%.
Way Forward:
❖ Recommendations of High-Level Safety Review
Committee ( Anil Kakodkar Committee):
o Stopping the practice of introduction of new
trains without commensurate inputs to the
infrastructure.
o A switch over from the ICF (Integral Coach
Factory) design coaches to the much safer
Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) design
coaches.
o Need for an independent mechanism for safety
regulation. The Committee recommends the
creation of a statutory Railway Safety
Authority with enough powers to have a safety
oversight on the operational mode of Railways.
o Restructuring of Research Design and
Standards Organization (RDSO) for greater
empowerment.
11
o A Railway Research and Development
Council (RRDC) should be set up directly
under the government.
o Adoption of an Advanced Signalling System
(akin to the European Train Control System)
for the entire trunk route length.
❖ CAG recommendations: Railways should ensure
o Strict adherence to the scheduled timelines for
conducting and finalisation of accident
inquiries.
o Develop a strong monitoring mechanism to
ensure timely implementation of maintenance
activities by adopting fully mechanised
methods of track maintenance and improved
technologies.
❖ Focus on Upgrading Track and Signalling:
Given the saturated rail network and the increasing
number of train services, prioritizing the upgrade of
track and signalling systems is essential.
❖ Implement Kavach System: While the indigenous
comprehensive signalling system, Kavach, may not
have prevented this specific accident, its faster
implementation can enhance rail safety and
improve sectional capacity for running more trains.
❖ Government's Attention: While the government
receives attention for initiatives like the
introduction of Vande Bharat trains and railway
station modernization, faster execution of track and
signalling work should be given equal importance.
❖ Sufficient Funds: The central government's capital
expenditure investment in Indian Railways is
significantly high, indicating that funds are not a
constraint for improving rail safety.
 12

Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in

collaboration with the Indian industry.
❖ Features: It is a state-of-the-art electronic
system with Safety Integrity Level4 (SIL4)
standards.
o It is one of the cheapest, SIL4 certified
technologies where the probability of error is
1 in 10,000 years.
❖ Purpose: To provide protection by preventing
trains to pass the signal at Red (which marks
danger)
o To avoid collision between two locomotives
❖ Working:
1. It activates the train’s braking system
automatically if the driver fails to control
the train as per speed restrictions.
2. The system also relays SoS messages during
Image Source: The Hindu emergency situations.
3. It enables the centralised live monitoring
Additional Information:
of train movements through the Network
About Kavach:
Monitor System.
❖ It is an indigenously developed Automatic
Train Protection (ATP) system by the Research News Source: The Hindu

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