UPSC_CS MAINS 2016 Paper III

Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India.

Points to Remember: Land reforms aim to redistribute land ownership and improve agricultural productivity. Success depends on factors like political will, effective implementation, and social context. India’s experience is mixed, with varying degrees of success across states. Sustainable agricultural development requires equitable land distribution. Introduction: Land reforms, encompassing measures aimed at restructuring land ownership and … Read more

Give the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Points to Remember: Vulnerability of Indian agriculture to natural calamities. Need for crop insurance in India. Salient features of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). Benefits and limitations of PMFBY. Suggestions for improvement. Introduction: Indian agriculture, the backbone of the Indian economy, employing over half of the workforce, remains highly vulnerable to the vagaries of … Read more

What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major cropping systems of irrigated agriculture.

Points to Remember: Definition and mechanism of allelopathy. Types of allelochemicals and their effects. Role of allelopathy in major irrigated cropping systems (positive and negative impacts). Management strategies for harnessing beneficial and mitigating negative effects. Introduction: Allelopathy, derived from the Greek words “allelo” (meaning “of each other”) and “pathy” (meaning “to suffer”), refers to the … Read more

What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing the water-use efficiency.

Points to Remember: Definition of Water-Use Efficiency (WUE) Factors affecting WUE Micro-irrigation techniques (drip, sprinkler) Advantages of micro-irrigation in enhancing WUE Limitations and challenges of micro-irrigation Policy recommendations for promoting micro-irrigation Introduction: Water-use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial concept in agriculture and water resource management. It refers to the ratio of biomass or yield produced … Read more

Women empowerment in India needs gender budgeting. What are requirements and status of gender budgeting in the Indian context?

Points to Remember: Definition and importance of gender budgeting. Current status of gender budgeting in India. Requirements for effective gender budgeting in India. Challenges and limitations. Recommendations for improvement. Introduction: Women’s empowerment is a crucial aspect of India’s overall development. Gender budgeting, a crucial tool for achieving this, involves tracking and analyzing government spending to … Read more

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is necessary for bringing unbanked to the institutional fiancé fold. Do you agree with this for financial inclusion of the poorer section of the Indian society? Give arguments to justify your opinion.

Points to Remember: PMJDY’s goals: Financial inclusion, access to banking services, and reducing reliance on informal finance. Target group: Unbanked and underbanked population, particularly the poor. Successes and challenges: Increased account opening, but challenges remain in usage and financial literacy. Alternative approaches: Complementary initiatives needed for holistic financial inclusion. Introduction: The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana … Read more

What are ‘Smart Cities’? examine their relevance for urban development in India. Will it increase rural-urban differences? Give arguments for ‘Smart Villages’ in the light of PURA and RURBAN Mission.

Points to Remember: Definition and characteristics of Smart Cities. Relevance of Smart Cities for Indian urban development. Potential exacerbation of rural-urban disparities. Concept and rationale behind Smart Villages. Examination of PURA and RURBAN Mission. Policy recommendations for balanced urban and rural development. Introduction: The concept of “Smart Cities” has gained significant traction globally, representing an … Read more

Comment on the challenges for inclusive growth which include careless and useless manpower inthe Indian context. Suggest measures to be taken for facing these challenges.

Points to Remember: Defining inclusive growth and its relevance to India. Identifying the challenge of “careless and useless manpower” and its nuances. Analyzing the root causes of this challenge. Suggesting practical and policy-oriented measures for improvement. Emphasizing the importance of skill development, education, and employment generation. Introduction: Inclusive growth, defined as economic growth that benefits … Read more

Justify the need for FDI for the developments of the Indian economy. Why there is gap between MOUs signed and actual FDIs? Suggest remedial steps to be taken for increasing actual FDIs in India.

Points to Remember: The crucial role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Indian economic development. The disparity between Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and actual FDI inflows. Factors hindering actual FDI realization. Policy recommendations to bridge the gap and attract more FDI. Introduction: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) plays a vital role in a nation’s economic growth … Read more

How globalization has led to the reduction of employment in the formal sector of the Indian economy? Is increased in formalization detrimental to the development of the country?

Points to Remember: Globalization’s impact on Indian formal sector employment. The debate surrounding increased formalization and its effect on development. Balancing the benefits of formalization with potential negative consequences. Introduction: Globalization, the increasing interconnectedness of nations through trade, investment, and technology, has profoundly impacted the Indian economy. While it has spurred economic growth in certain … Read more