Roadmap for Answer Writing Introduction Contextualize the importance of millets: Mention the benefits of millets, including their nutritional value (high in fiber, minerals, and beneficial for managing diabetes and obesity), climate resilience, and ability to grow in water-scarce conditions. Link to the problem: ...
Model Answer Introduction Digitalization in India has emerged as a transformative force, enhancing economic activities through technology. The government’s Digital India program aims to promote digital literacy and improve service delivery. Current Status Growing Digital Payments The Unified PaymentRead more
Model Answer
Introduction
Digitalization in India has emerged as a transformative force, enhancing economic activities through technology. The government’s Digital India program aims to promote digital literacy and improve service delivery.
Current Status
Growing Digital Payments
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) exemplifies success, with monthly transactions exceeding 10 billion as of August 2023 (NPCI).
Digital India Campaign
Launched in 2015, this initiative has resulted in DigiLocker, which has over 15 crore registered users, simplifying document access (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology).
Aadhaar
Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric ID system, supports Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for over 1.3 billion citizens, streamlining subsidy delivery (Unique Identification Authority of India).
E-commerce Growth
Major players like Amazon and Flipkart report record sales during events, indicating robust market integration (Business Standard).
Telemedicine
Platforms like Practo experienced a 500% increase in consultations during the pandemic, highlighting the shift towards digital healthcare (Practo).
GSTN
With over 1.2 crore businesses registered, the GST Network has simplified tax compliance (Goods and Services Tax Council).
Challenges
Cybersecurity
India faced the second-highest number of cyber-attacks in Asia-Pacific in 2020, necessitating stronger security protocols (Cybersecurity Ventures).
Privacy Concerns
The Pegasus spyware incident raised significant data privacy issues, signaling vulnerabilities (The Guardian).
Dependence on Foreign Technologies
Heavy reliance on foreign tech firms like Google and Facebook poses risks, underscoring the need for indigenous solutions (Economic Times).
Digital Divide
Over 55,000 villages lack mobile connectivity, hindering the reach of digital initiatives (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India).
Infrastructure Development
Indian metro areas experience significantly less spectrum availability compared to developed nations, limiting high-speed data access (Ministry of Communications).
Suggestions for Improvement
- Digital Literacy Programs: Focus on rural and older demographics through collaborations with platforms like WhatsApp.
- Local Language Integration: Use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to develop multilingual content.
- Cybersecurity Measures: Establish regional cybersecurity hubs for localized threat management.
- Inclusive Digitalization: Design platforms for accessibility, including voice-command features.
- Skill Development: Partner with tech firms for educational initiatives in schools (Microsoft, Cisco).
- Sustainable E-Waste Management: Implement a reward system for responsible e-waste disposal.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Foster collaborations, like the Google and Indian Railways partnership for free Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
Digitalization has significantly impacted India’s economy, yet addressing challenges through innovative strategies is crucial for a digitally empowered future.
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Model Answer Despite their numerous benefits, such as being nutritionally rich and climate-resilient, millets have seen a decline in adoption by Indian farmers. Several factors contribute to this low uptake: 1. Low Demand and Consumption Millets were once a staple in Indian diets but their consumptiRead more
Model Answer
Despite their numerous benefits, such as being nutritionally rich and climate-resilient, millets have seen a decline in adoption by Indian farmers. Several factors contribute to this low uptake:
1. Low Demand and Consumption
Millets were once a staple in Indian diets but their consumption has sharply declined. The per capita consumption fell from 32.9 kg in 1962 to just 3.87 kg in 2022. Factors contributing to this include the longer cooking time required for millets compared to rice and wheat, a lack of value-added millet-based products, and diminishing traditional knowledge of millet-based recipes.
These factors have led to reduced consumer interest and demand for millet Productivity and Marginal Land Cultivation Millet productivity averages only 1 to 1.5 tonnes per hectare, which is significantly lower than that of rice and wheat. This low yield results in reduced profitability for farmers, forcing them to grow millets on marginal lands with even lower productivity potential. Consequently, farmers are often discouraged from choosing millets over more profitable crops .
2. Government Procurement
The government’s procurement of millets remains insufficient, which further exacerbates the issue. For example, the procurement rates for pearl millet, sorghum, and finger millet are extremely low, ranging from 1% to 15% of their total production. In contrast, procurement for staple crops like rice and wheat is much higher, ensuring better prices and stability for these crops .
3. Poor Seed Storage Issues
Farmers often face challenges with low-quality seeds, which are either contaminated with weeds or diseases, reducing the chances of a good yield. Additionally, millets have a shorter shelf life and are prone to pest infestation during storage, leading to higher wastage and decreased profitability .
Conclusion
To boost millet cultivation, India needs to focus on improving seed quality, enhancing government procurement, providing better storage solutions, and developing modern processing technologies. These efforts can drive both production and consumption, enabling millets to regain their role in India’s agricultural landscape.
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