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1. Bridge the milk divide for a nutritionally secure India
Context:
- India, the world’s largest milk producer due to the White Revolution, now faces challenges in ensuring equitable milk access for vulnerable groups while controlling overconsumption among affluent groups.
- Milk is nutritionally critical for Indian diets, linked to reduced stunting and underweight in children.
Milk Consumption Disparities:
- Income-based disparity:
- Top-income households consume 3-4 times more milk than the lowest-income households.
- The poorest 30% consume just 18% of India’s milk.
- Regional & Social Disparities:
- Urban households consume 30% more milk per capita than rural households.
- Scheduled Tribes consume 4 litres less per capita than general category households.
- High-consumption states: Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana (333-421g per capita daily).
- Low-consumption states: Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal (75-171g per capita daily).
- Affordability Constraints:
- The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) recommends 300g of milk per day for a sedentary adult.
- Achieving this requires 70% of households to spend 10-30% of their monthly expenditure on milk.
Challenges:
- Affordability for the poor vs. Overconsumption among the affluent (leading to obesity & non-communicable diseases).
- Nutritional gap among vulnerable groups (children, pregnant/lactating women, elderly).
- Financial constraints have led some states to discontinue milk provision schemes.
Policy Recommendations:
- Strengthening Existing Nutrition Schemes:
- Enhance milk provision through POSHAN, ICDS meals, and take-home rations.
- Partner with institutions like NIN to incorporate culturally appropriate milk-based nutrition.
- Increase financial allocations via social bonds, CSR funds, and cess on unhealthy foods.
- Implement milk coupons in areas with strong dairy networks to lower costs and enhance access.
- Awareness & Behavioral Change:
- Conduct campaigns through Anganwadi centres, self-help groups, and doctors to educate women on nutrition benefits.
- Maharashtra and Bihar’s grassroots efforts in nutrition awareness (Poshan Maah 2024) are key models.
- Balanced Consumption Approach:
- Promote moderation among affluent groups to prevent over-nutrition and improve milk affordability.
- Learn from UK’s Change4Life campaign, which successfully reduced sugar and fat intake.
Conclusion:
- Equitable milk access is essential for nutrition security in India.
- Policies should prioritize vulnerable groups, control overconsumption, and ensure affordability, in line with Verghese Kurien’s vision of a nutritionally secure India.
2. Stifling demand: on the MGNREGS
Context:
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is completing 20 years of implementation.
- It has remained popular and vital despite changes in government, particularly during COVID-19, when it provided sustenance to rural and migrant workers.
- However, budget allocations have significantly reduced post-pandemic (from 3.2% in FY21 to 1.78% in FY25).
Challenges in MGNREGS Implementation:
- Budget Cuts & Wage Delays:
- MGNREGS is a demand-driven scheme, requiring additional funds beyond budget estimates.
- No extra allocation has been made in FY25 despite pending wage payments.
- The Rural Development Ministry faces a shortfall of ₹4,315 crore for wages and ₹5,715 crore for material costs.
- Artificial Suppression of Demand:
- Wage delays lead to lower participation, suppressing actual demand.
- Need for Wage Adjustments:
- Wages not indexed to inflation, affecting workers’ real income.
- Aadhaar-related Issues:
- Problems in seeding job cards with Aadhaar-based payment systems, leading to payment exclusions.
Importance of MGNREGS:
- Supports rural employment and provides income, especially during agricultural off-seasons.
- Creates village assets like irrigation canals, rural roads, and water conservation structures.
- Boosts rural economy by increasing disposable income among the poor.
- Crucial for reducing rural poverty in India.
Way Forward:
- The Union Government should prioritize MGNREGS by ensuring adequate budget allocations.
- True demand-based funding rather than artificially restricting funds.
- Address issues like wage indexing to inflation and Aadhaar-related exclusions.
Conclusion:
- MGNREGS remains a lifeline for rural workers and a critical poverty alleviation tool.
- A substantial budget allocation in line with actual demand is essential to uphold its purpose and effectiveness.
3. Broken promises in a warming world
Context:
- The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under President Trump is a major setback to global climate efforts.
- The U.S. is historically the largest emitter (over 20% of cumulative emissions) and was expected to lead climate action under the UNFCCC framework.
- Developing countries face increasing burdens in climate mitigation due to weak commitments by developed nations.
U.S. and Climate Commitments:
- Pattern of Inconsistency:
- Democratic administrations make weak commitments with market-driven approaches.
- Republican administrations often withdraw from or weaken these commitments.
- Example: The U.S. stayed out of the Kyoto Protocol and later watered down legally binding targets in the Paris Agreement (2015).
- Trump vs. Biden Policies:
- Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement, aligning with U.S. historical reluctance to strong climate commitments.
- Biden rejoined but focused on oil production while setting insufficient emission reduction targets (60% below 2005 levels by 2035).
- The U.S. opposed higher climate finance contributions at COP29 (Baku), limiting it to $300 billion annually.
- Failure of Market-based Climate Solutions:
- 80% of U.S. energy and 70% of EU energy still comes from fossil fuels despite decades of climate talks.
- Market-driven solutions have failed to deliver meaningful emissions reduction.
- Sub-national actors (states, corporations) in the U.S. cannot substitute federal climate policies effectively.
Impact on Developing Countries:
- Increased climate burden due to lack of U.S. leadership.
- Reduced financial aid & loans for sustainable development.
- Pressure to decarbonize early, risking economic growth and energy security.
- Higher risks of food insecurity and poverty due to restrictive climate policies.
Way Forward for Developing Countries:
- Calibrated Strategy:
- Recognize that developing nations cannot compensate for the U.S.’s withdrawal.
- Be cautious of false promises by developed nations.
- Continue Climate Action within Multilateral Frameworks:
- Abandoning multilateralism is not a viable solution as climate change is a global challenge.
- Engage in climate negotiations strategically to counter Northern dominance in agenda-setting.
- Focus on Adaptation & Development:
- Prioritize bridging development gaps alongside climate mitigation.
- Strengthen adaptation policies to cope with climate change effects.
- Push for Just and Equitable Climate Action:
- Hold developed nations accountable for their historic emissions.
- Demand higher climate finance and technology transfer to the Global South.
Conclusion:
- The future of climate action depends on global political will.
- The U.S. must be brought back to meaningful climate cooperation.
- Developing nations must balance climate commitments with development priorities.
4. Deaths after the surge: on the stampede at the Maha Kumbh
Context:
- Stampede at Maha Kumbh (Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh) on January 29, 2025 due to an uncontrolled surge of devotees at bathing ghats.
- Third such incident in recent months, reinforcing India’s record of high casualties during religious gatherings.
Key Issues & Causes:
- Uncontrolled Crowd Surge:
- 100 million devotees expected; 36 million performed rituals by 10 a.m.
- Traffic into Prayagraj was temporarily closed, but proactive regulation was lacking.
- Crowd Mismanagement & VIP Prioritization:
- Common devotees faced stampede risks while VIP movements were prioritized.
- Delayed Official Response:
- 30 dead, 60+ injured, but state government delayed announcing casualties.
- Lack of transparency, similar to UP government’s response during COVID-19 second wave (2021).
- History of Stampedes in Kumbh:
- Sixth such incident in the last 70 years at Kumbh sites (Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, Ujjain).
- Recurrent causes:
- Poor fire safety measures
- Inadequate crowd management
- Disruptions due to VIP movements
- Weak infrastructure
Challenges in Crowd Management:
- Massive scale of Maha Kumbh:
- Event spans 45 days (Jan 13 – Feb 26, 2025) with a population twice the size of Uttar Pradesh at peak times.
- Temporary district (65 km) set up, but confluence area (~1 km) is congested.
- Monitoring Efforts:
- Aerial surveillance, mobile tracking, and other technologies used but not effectively preventing incidents.
Way Forward:
- Proactive Crowd Regulation:
- Advance traffic control measures to prevent surges.
- Zoning and staggered entry strategies for safe crowd dispersal.
- Enhanced Disaster Preparedness:
- Fire & safety audits, real-time disaster response teams at high-risk areas.
- Use of AI-driven crowd density monitoring for early intervention.
- Transparency in Disaster Reporting:
- Timely disclosure of fatalities and injuries to maintain public trust.
- Improved Infrastructure & Planning:
- Dedicated pathways, emergency exits, and crowd diversion strategies.
- Public awareness campaigns on safety protocols.
Disclaimer:
This analysis is based on the editorial content published in The Hindu and is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. The views, opinions, and interpretations expressed herein are those of the author of original article. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original article for complete context and to exercise their own judgment while interpreting the analysis. The analysis does not constitute professional advice or endorsement of any political, economic, or social perspective.
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