Bridge the milk divide for a nutritionally secure India

Mains Paper 1

Context: The challenge is ensuring that the most vulnerable individuals have equal access to milk while also regulating the consumption of milk among wealthier individuals.

What is the disparity in milk consumption?

• Income-Based Disparities: Households in the highest income group consume three to four times more milk per person compared to those in the lowest income group. Although milk consumption has risen among lower-income groups, the poorest 30% of the population still account for only 18% of India’s total milk consumption. 
• Urban vs. Rural and Regional Disparities: Urban households consume approximately 30% more milk per capita than rural households, even though rural areas are the primary producers of milk. Additionally, northern states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana have significantly higher milk consumption (ranging from 333g to 421g per person), whereas eastern states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal have much lower consumption levels (between 75g and 171g per person). 
• Social Group Disparities: Scheduled Tribe households consume about four liters less milk per capita annually than general category households, reflecting underlying social and economic inequalities in access to milk.

What are the nutritional implications of milk consumption in India?

• Protein Source: Milk is an excellent source of high-quality protein and plays a crucial role in daily protein intake, particularly for children and adults in rural India. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), more than 70% of Indian children consume milk, making it a significant contributor to their protein intake. 
• Calcium and Bone Health: Milk is a key source of calcium, essential for maintaining strong bones. Approximately 67% of Indian households include milk in their diet, helping to prevent calcium deficiencies. This is especially important for children in their growth phase and elderly individuals, as inadequate calcium intake can lead to conditions like osteoporosis. 
• Micronutrients and Vitamin D: In addition to protein and calcium, milk is rich in essential vitamins such as B12 and D, which support immune function and energy metabolism. According to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), milk consumption helps reduce vitamin D deficiency, a widespread issue in India due to limited exposure to sunlight.

How can policy interventions address disparities in milk production and access?

• Expanding Milk Access: Improve milk availability for vulnerable groups by strengthening government initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (POSHAN) and Integrated Child Development Services. States can partner with nutrition organizations to tailor milk products to local dietary habits. 
• Financial Assistance: Increase funding for existing programs to ensure sufficient milk distribution, particularly in regions where these initiatives have been halted due to financial limitations. 
• Promoting Nutritional Awareness: Launch educational campaigns highlighting the health benefits of milk consumption, with a special focus on reaching women through community-based platforms. This can contribute to better dietary diversity within households.

What strategies can be implemented to promote sustainable dairy practices?

• Raising Awareness on Healthy Consumption: Collaborate with healthcare experts and media to encourage balanced diets and moderate dairy consumption among wealthier populations. Initiatives similar to the UK’s Change4Life campaign could serve as effective models for India. 
• Strengthening Dairy Infrastructure: Continued government investment in dairy infrastructure is essential, including improvements in animal healthcare and fodder availability. This will support sustainable production while enhancing overall milk yield. 
• Community Involvement: Actively involve local communities in sustainable dairy practices through education and training programs. These initiatives can help improve animal husbandry techniques and boost productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability.

What are the steps taken by the government? Rashtriya Gokul Mission: This program is designed to enhance the genetic quality of cattle by utilizing high-quality bulls for breeding, implementing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques, and adopting genomic selection methods. The initiative aims to boost milk production by covering a vast number of livestock while also ensuring improved animal healthcare services.  National Dairy Plan (NDP): The NDP facilitates the development of dairy cooperatives and processing units to strengthen milk marketing and value addition. It provides financial aid for setting up dairy processing infrastructure, enhancing the sector’s overall efficiency and competitiveness.  Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: This initiative extends financial support to farmers for various agricultural needs, including dairy farming. By offering credit assistance, the KCC helps small-scale farmers invest in their livestock, ultimately enhancing milk production capacity.

Way forward:

• Enhancing Access for Vulnerable Communities: Strengthen milk distribution through government initiatives like POSHAN and ICDS while ensuring sufficient funding to reach disadvantaged populations. 
• Promoting Regional and Social Equity: Introduce targeted measures to address disparities in milk access based on region, income, and social status, such as providing milk subsidies or coupons for underprivileged areas.

How can the Budget arrest growth decline?

Mains Paper 3

Context: The current growth rate falls short of the government’s expectations. Historical trends show that between 2004 and 2011, there was significant economic growth and a reduction in poverty, driven by welfare programs and government initiatives.

• The World Bank projects India’s GDP growth to decline to 6.5% for the 2024-25 fiscal year, lower than the earlier estimate of 7%, due to slower investment and sluggish manufacturing growth.
• Similarly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has adjusted its forecast, predicting 7% growth for FY24 and 6.5% for FY25, highlighting strong domestic demand while recognizing potential challenges ahead.

How did the period from 2004 to 2011 have a consistently high growth rate?

• Government Intervention and Welfare Initiatives: This period witnessed a resurgence of state-led efforts through rights-based policies and welfare programs, which played a key role in driving economic growth and reducing absolute poverty. Programs like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) provided employment opportunities and established higher wage floors, significantly benefiting rural communities. 
• Increased Consumption Among Lower-Income Groups: Despite rising income inequality, the consumption rate among the bottom 80% of the population grew at a faster pace than that of the wealthiest 20%. This was largely due to targeted fiscal policies that prioritized lower-income groups, strengthening their purchasing power and overall consumption levels.
• Higher Fiscal Spending on Social Services: During this period, there was a notable increase in spending on social services and development, which had a positive effect on consumption patterns, especially across various commodity categories, for lower-income groups.

Does the nature of fiscal expenditure also matter when it comes to private consumption?

Capital Expenditure vs. Revenue Expenditure: 

• Capital Expenditure (Capex), such as investments in infrastructure projects, mainly benefits high-income groups and corporations, with a relatively smaller short-term effect on consumption. 
• In contrast, Revenue Expenditure, which includes social welfare, wages, and pensions, directly stimulates demand by increasing disposable income for lower-income groups. 
• Leakages in Capex: Large infrastructure projects often involve imports (e.g., heavy machinery), resulting in capital outflows rather than stimulating the local economy. 
• Higher Consumption Propensity of Lower-Income Groups: Spending on welfare programs directly benefits individuals who are more likely to spend, creating a greater multiplier effect on domestic demand.

Way forward:

• Higher Incomes for Workers: By offering better wages and job opportunities through social programs, disposable income among lower-income groups would increase, thereby raising overall consumption levels. 
• Encouraging Private Investment: Increased consumer demand creates a favorable environment for businesses to invest. As workers have more disposable income, companies may respond by expanding production capacity, leading to a cycle of investment and economic growth. 
• Addressing Economic Slowdown: Shifting focus towards higher revenue expenditure can help counter the ongoing economic slowdown by promoting a more inclusive growth model that benefits a wider portion of society.

ISRO’s 100th launch: why this is significant?

Mains Paper 3

Context: In its first launch of 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation reached the significant milestone of 100 launches.

What does the 100th launch signify for India’s space capabilities?

• The 100th launch highlights ISRO’s growth since its founding in 1969, marking its transformation into a trusted partner for launching both domestic and international satellites. 
• Technological Progress: This launch featured an indigenous cryogenic engine, underscoring India’s advancements in rocket technology. The GSLV series has played a key role in boosting payload capacity and launch efficiency, solidifying ISRO’s position as a strong competitor in the global space sector. 
• Contribution to Navigation Systems: The NVS-02 satellite is part of India’s Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, strengthening India’s capabilities in terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation. This satellite will replace the IRNSS-1E satellite, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of navigation services across India and its neighboring regions.

What are the future plans for ISRO following this milestone?

• Ambitious Missions: Following this achievement, ISRO plans to undertake several major missions, such as a sample return mission from the Moon, a mission to Venus, and the creation of an Indian space station. These projects are part of ISRO’s larger objective to enhance its capabilities and strengthen its presence in space exploration. 
• Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV): ISRO is working on a more powerful rocket, the NGLV, which will be capable of carrying up to 30,000 kg to low Earth orbit. This new vehicle will feature a reusable first stage to improve the cost-efficiency of launches. 
• Infrastructure Expansion: There are plans to construct a third launch pad at Sriharikota to accommodate an increased frequency of launches and support both human spaceflight missions and commercial launches.

How will private sector involvement shape ISRO’s future missions?

• Collaboration and Innovation: The PSLV-C60 mission highlights the successful partnership between ISRO and private startups, allowing non-governmental entities to deploy payloads for in-orbit experiments. This initiative promotes innovation by enabling startups to test their technologies using ISRO’s infrastructure, lowering costs and fostering diverse contributions to India’s space capabilities. 
• Shifting Operational Responsibilities: ISRO plans to transfer more operational functions to private companies, allowing them to take on tasks traditionally managed by the agency. This transition aims to enhance efficiency and scalability in the space sector, empowering private entities to play a larger role in satellite launches and other space activities, thus expanding India’s overall capabilities. 
• Commercialization of Space Activities: The government is working to increase India’s share of the global space economy from 2% to 10% in the next decade, focusing on public-private partnerships to drive this growth.

Way forward:

Enhancing Public-Private Collaboration: ISRO should continue strengthening partnerships with private players by providing better access to launch infrastructure, simplifying regulatory processes, and promoting innovation through initiatives like IN-SPACe and NSIL. 

Emphasis on Heavy-Lift and Reusability: Focusing on the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) with reusable technology will improve cost-effectiveness, positioning India as a strong competitor in the global commercial space market.

Only a radical policy shift can lift farmers from widespread distress

Mains Paper 3

Context: Agriculture has received limited focus, despite data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealing that 1,00,474 farmers and agricultural workers died by suicide between 2015 and 2022.

What are the root causes of the current agrarian distress faced by farmers in India?

• Unfulfilled Minimum Support Price (MSP) Commitment: Despite repeated assurances, the government has failed to implement the MSP at the C2+50% rate (one-and-a-half times the comprehensive cost of production) as recommended by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission. 
• Increasing Input Costs and Economic Strain: The costs of agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, seeds, insecticides, diesel, water, and electricity, have been rising steadily. 
• Insufficient Government Support and Infrastructure: Funding for agriculture and related sectors has been declining, from 5.44% of the total budget in 2019 to just 3.15% in 2024. Meanwhile, public investment in irrigation and power infrastructure has also decreased, resulting in water shortages and unreliable electricity supply.

How can policy reforms effectively address the challenges faced by farmers?

• Enforcing MSP: Implementing a statutory MSP at C2+50% is crucial to ensure that farmers are fairly compensated for their produce. This reform would help ease financial strain and lower the occurrence of farm suicides. 
• Subsidy Increases and Price Controls: The government should increase subsidies for agricultural inputs and enforce strict price controls on fertilizers and seeds charged by private companies. Supporting public sector production can stabilize prices and ensure consistent availability. 
• Comprehensive Loan Waiver: A one-time loan waiver for farmers would offer immediate relief from debt. This should be accompanied by long-term strategies to prevent future indebtedness through improved financial management and support systems.

What role do government support and institutional frameworks play in alleviating farmer distress?

• Financial Support and Subsidies: Government assistance through subsidies for fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation systems helps ease the financial burden on farmers. For instance, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) offers direct income support to farmers, especially those facing economic difficulties. 
• Crop Insurance and Risk Management: Programs like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) provide insurance to protect farmers from crop losses due to natural disasters, reducing the risk of financial distress during unforeseen events. 
• Market Access and Price Support: The government ensures fair pricing and market stability through the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and procurement programs. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) purchases surplus crops such as wheat and rice from farmers at MSP, offering protection during market volatility. 
• Agricultural Credit and Loans: Institutions like the NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) and other banks provide affordable loans to farmers, enabling them to adopt better farming practices or recover from losses, thus alleviating financial stress. For instance, Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) offer short-term credit to cover farming inputs and daily expenses.

Way forward:

• Strengthen Infrastructure and Support Systems: Invest in dependable irrigation, power supply, and crop insurance programs to ensure farmers have access to resources that enable them to handle climate-related challenges and reduce their reliance on private traders. 
• Improve Financial Accessibility and Risk Management: Broaden access to affordable credit, enforce statutory MSP at C2+50%, and offer enhanced financial literacy programs to help farmers manage debt and minimize vulnerability to market fluctuations.

DGFT launches enhanced eCoO 2.0 System

Mains Paper 3

Context: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has introduced the upgraded Certificate of Origin (eCoO) 2.0 system, a significant enhancement designed to streamline export certification and boost trade efficiency.

What is eCoO 2.0 System?

• The eCoO 2.0 system is a digital platform introduced by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to simplify and streamline the issuance of Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin (CoO). 
• Starting January 1, 2025, exporters are required to submit CoO applications electronically via this platform. 
• It is in line with India’s Ease of Doing Business initiative, enhancing trade facilitation, digital authentication, and document processing.

Key Features of the eCoO 2.0 System

• Exporters are required to submit Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin (CoO) online. 
• The system enables exporters to authorize multiple users under a single Importer Exporter Code (IEC). 
• Aadhaar-based e-Signing serves as an alternative to Digital Signature Tokens, improving both security and user convenience. 
• It provides real-time access to eCoO services, Free Trade Agreement (FTA) details, trade events, and notifications. 
• Exporters can request In-lieu CoOs for corrections on previously issued CoOs. 
• The system processes over 7,000 eCoOs daily and integrates with 125 issuing agencies, 110 chambers of commerce, and more than 650 issuing officers.

Significance of the eCoO 2.0 System

• It reduces manual paperwork and accelerates export documentation. 
• Digitally signed CoOs help prevent fraudulent certifications and ensure traceability. 
• The system facilitates smoother re-exports, trans-shipments, and intermediary trade, strengthening India’s position in global supply chains. 
• Faster approval processes enable exporters to meet international trade agreements, improving competitiveness. 
• It supports India’s push for paperless trade, further reinforcing DGFT’s trade facilitation initiatives.