27 Nov 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

Category: POLITY

1. Why is Bihar demanding the Special Category Status?

Syllabus: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Mains: Fiscal federalism, regional development, and state finances.

Prelims: About Special category state

Context

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s demand for Special Category Status (SCS) stems from socio-economic challenges highlighted in the “Bihar Caste-based Survey, 2022,” seeking financial aid for welfare initiatives.

Introduction

• Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has pushed for Special Category Status (SCS) based on the findings from the “Bihar Caste-based Survey, 2022,” indicating a substantial poverty rate in the state.
• Special Category Status is a classification aimed at assisting states facing geographical or socio-economic disadvantages.

Special Category Status Criteria and Benefits

• Special Category Status, introduced in 1969, considers factors like hilly terrain, low population density, tribal population, strategic location along borders, economic and infrastructural backwardness.
• SCS states receive specific grants, favourable funding ratios, and incentives like concessions in customs and excise duties, income tax rates, and corporate tax rates.
• However, after the abolition of the Planning Commission and recommendations of the 14th and 15th Finance Commission, assistance to SCS states has been subsumed into increased devolution funds.

Bihar’s Socio-economic Challenges and Rationale for SCS

• Bihar’s demand is rooted in its lack of natural resources, water supply challenges, floods, and droughts, aggravated by the bifurcation of the state in 2000.
• Per-capita GDP around ₹54,000 and consistently being one of the poorest states contribute to the demand.
• CM Nitish Kumar emphasises that SCS could generate ₹2.5 lakh crore for welfare measures over the next five years, addressing the needs of approximately 94 lakh poor families.

Comparison with Other States

• Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have also sought SCS, citing revenue loss and vulnerability to natural calamities.
• The Central government, referring to the 14th Finance Commission’s report, has consistently denied these demands.

Justification of Bihar’s Demand

• Bihar meets most criteria for SCS but lacks hilly terrain, a primary criterion for infrastructural development challenges.
• The Raghuram Rajan Committee in 2013, categorising Bihar as “least developed,” recommended a new methodology based on a multi-dimensional index, indicating an alternative to SCS.

NutGraf: Bihar, facing substantial poverty and economic hurdles, pushes for Special Category Status (SCS), a classification offering financial benefits, highlighting the state’s unique challenges and demanding special consideration.

E. Editorials

Category: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Fleet electrification to tackle urban pollution

Syllabus: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

GS- III

Category- Environment & Ecology

Prelims- Air quality index, Urban Emissions report, The Energy and Resources Institute, PM2.5 and PM10

Mains- Electrification of Commercial Transport to reduce Air Pollution

Overview of air pollution problem 

• The air quality index (AQI) in many Indian cities has entered hazardous levels, indicating dangerously polluted air.
• This exposes millions of residents to serious health risks.
• Exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 particles is linked to adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.
• The Urban Emissions report (2015) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) study (2018) have mentioned mitigating air pollution as a top priority,

Major contributors to particulate matter pollution

• A primary contributor to urban smog and haze is fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5 and PM10)
• These are largely produced by the transportation and construction industries

Strategies to reduce particulate matter pollution

• Modernizing vehicle emissions standards
• Restricting high-emissions vehicles
• Upgrading construction equipment
• Implementing pollution control measures at industrial facilities

Expanding truck fleet exacerbating pollution

• Approximately 9 lakh new trucks are being added to existing 70 lakh trucks annually.
• Indian trucks transport over 2 trillion tonne kilometers of freight per year. 
• Fuel consumption by trucks account for over one-fourth of India’s oil imports and over 90% of road transport related carbon dioxide emissions.
• If new trucks run on traditional diesel engines, cities will face the risk of heightened PM2.5 pollution.

Transitioning to electric vehicles

• India has electrified its rail freight system, although this only accounts for 20% of total freight transport.
• Electric vehicle penetration has surpassed 6%, but electric trucks remain challenging due to high costs and insufficient charging facilities. 
• The government is also pushing for transitioning the bus fleet to electric and has set electrification targets for bus aggregators.
• Focus must also extend to diesel trucks as they are among the major particulate matter sources.

Rationale for transitioning truck fleet

• Transitioning to electric trucks is important for both energy security and environmental sustainability reasons.
• India would save over 800 billion liters of diesel through 2050 if recent demand for 7,750 electric trucks in India by 2030 happens.

Barriers to large-scale transition

• Public funding alone cannot provide the large-scale transition needed. 
• Attracting private and institutional capital at a ratio of at least six rupees for every one rupee of public money, through effectively structured bankable projects, is necessary for electric truck feet transition.
• Although electrifying over 50% of three-wheelers in India is an important milestone for the 2070 net zero target, transport sector decarbonization must be led by truck electrification.
• An electric truck costs around 1.5 crore rupees compared to about 40 lakh rupees for a diesel truck. 
• This and the cost of charging infrastructure remain major obstacles to transitioning to electric trucks in the country.

Way Ahead

• Declaring certain expressways and highways “green freight corridors” to demonstrate the viability of sustainable trucking in India could motivate further adoption of electric vehicles for freight transport.
• Feasibility studies, demand analysis, supplier readiness assessments, and risk sharing strategies are necessary for adopting the green freight corridors.
• Initial green freight routes could cover short distances of 500 km on roads with high truck traffic. This allows for testing and iteration before expanding the program.
• Financial instruments, charging infrastructure incentives, business incentives, and regulatory support are critical to incentivise truck electrification in India. 
• India should take a coordinated action plan if we want to improve air quality in our cities and reduce the health impacts of freight truck emissions. 

Nut Graf: India’s air quality is in a hazardous state, posing significant health risks to millions of residents. Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) from transportation and construction industries are major contributors. Transitioning to electric trucks, while important, faces barriers such as high costs and limited infrastructure. Green freight corridors, financial incentives, and regulatory support are crucial to accelerate electric truck adoption and improve India’s air quality.

Category: DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Moulding the Himalayas needs caution

Syllabus: Disaster and Disaster Management.

GS- III

Category- Disaster Management

Prelims-  Border Roads Organisation, Environment Impact Assessments, Carrying Capacity of Indian Himalayan Region, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

Mains – Sustainability of infrastructure development in the Himalayan region, Best Practices to avoid disasters related to construction in the region

Introduction: 

• The efforts to rescue 41 workers trapped in a tunnel near Silkyara in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district has highlighted concerns about the sustainability of infrastructure development in the Himalayan region.

Questions on Sustainability and Carrying Capacity

• The Indian Himalayan Region is transforming, often due to integration with the rest of India. 
• There are spatial and temporal changes happening to the ecosystem beyond the scope of traditional Himalayan culture and building styles affecting the carrying capacity.
• The carrying capacity often includes more than just the number of people an ecosystem can sustain. 
• It must also consider the total carrying capacity of the Indian Himalayan Region in terms of infrastructure.
• The Char Dham highway project has also brought two major issues into focus.
  • What should be the carrying capacity of the Indian Himalayan Region in terms of development? i.e. how many hydropower projects can the region sustain? How much tourism? How many roads? How much widening of roads should be allowed? How much cutting of mountains and dumping debris in water ecosystems is acceptable?
  • What oversight processes were missed and what new safety procedures need to be implemented for future infrastructure projects to ensure safety?

Construction Risks 

• The Himalayas are the youngest and still developing mountain range, making construction dangerous and prone to natural disasters like earthquakes.
• The Main Central Thrust fault line runs near the tunnel incident site, an area known to be seismically active and containing weak friction rock layers.
• Scientists have warned about the geological risks prior to construction beginning as building tunnels here poses severe safety issues.

Regulation and Oversight Failures

• After the recent tunnel collapse tragedy, NHAI has pledged to inspect 29 other tunnels nationally for deficiencies. 
• Fast-paced Himalayan construction projects might be ignoring basic mountain building codes and environmental assessments.
• The 900 km Char Dham project was broken into 53 small sections and Environment Impact Assessments were prepared for these smaller regions.
• Such assessments often provide an incomplete picture of wider ecological consequences.

Safety Protocols and Monitoring

• The Supreme Court of India has already taken up the issue of carrying capacity in the Himalayas. 
• Best Practices – Construction of the Atal tunnel in Himachal Pradesh
  • The executing company implemented stringent safety protocols, resulting in zero casualties.
  • Workers were barred from entering the tunnel unless safety checks and protocols were completed and verified.
• International best practices and monitoring processes should be adopted more widely.
• New legislation is needed to enable public monitoring of infrastructure projects and geological experts could be part of this to oversee all activities. 
• Civil society groups and community-driven organizations should also be included in monitoring bodies.

Way Forward

• Learning from failures is necessary but steps should be taken to prevent such disasters in the first place.
• The Border Roads Organisation(BRO) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) have better construction protocols that allow time for stability of built structures. This could also be adopted for future projects.

Nut Graf: The tunnel collapse near Silkyara in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district has raised concerns about the sustainability of infrastructure development in the Himalayan region. Experts are questioning the carrying capacity of the region and whether it can sustain the current pace of development. They also point to failures in regulation and oversight, and the need for better safety protocols and monitoring.

F. Prelims Facts