{"id":42751,"date":"2019-03-05T13:30:51","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T08:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=42751"},"modified":"2019-03-05T11:35:18","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T06:05:18","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-march-4-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-march-4-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 March 4, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Archives<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Q.1) The UBI is neither an antidote to the vagaries of market forces nor a substitute for basic public services, However, there is a strong case for direct income transfers to some vulnerable groups. Comment.<\/b><\/p>\n

Answer:<\/b><\/p>\n

Limitations of UBI:<\/b><\/p>\n

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  1. It believes that all existing forms of social security transfers are inefficient. While there is certainly some exaggeration in such claims, it is not true that the system of cash transfers is efficient and therefore leakage proof.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Several studies on cash transfers including one by J-PAL South Asia for NITI Aayog found that cash transfers are not greatly superior in terms of leakages compared to other schemes of in-kind transfer such as the public distribution system (PDS).<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The obsession with cash transfers also comes with an understanding that these will take care of all problems. It cannot solve the agrarian crisis, malnutrition, educational deficit and also the job crisis.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Need for Direct Income Transfers:<\/b><\/p>\n

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    1. While a proposal for UBI was rejected by a three-fourth majority in Switzerland, Finland which started a pilot has now discontinued it. But even in Finland, the pilot was not a strict UBI but a social protection scheme aimed at only the unemployed.<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. While there have been some pilots by NGOs in developing countries in Asia and Africa, they have varied in content of transfer and coverage with only few being fully universal and only the Namibia pilot experiment provided income transfer to people in the poverty line.<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. It helps the small and marginal farmers invest in their farm productivity.<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. It reduces fall to extreme poverty for the families living on the border of poverty line.<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. It enables spending on essentials life nutrition, health and education.<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. For people not benefited from economic growth; Various welfare schemes have also failed to bring them out of penury<\/span><\/li>\n
    7. In urban areas, contract workers and those in the informal sector face problems from rapid pace of automation of low-skill jobs and formalisation of the retail sector<\/span><\/li>\n
    8. income receipts can come in handy as interest-free working capital for several categories of beneficiaries (fruit and vegetable vendors and small artisans), thereby promoting their business and employment in the process<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      Q.2) Development projects in tiger habitats and the fragmentation of migration corridors have caused increase in man-animal conflict and there is need for a rethink of conservation policies. Discuss.<\/b><\/p>\n

      Answer:<\/b><\/p>\n

      Impact of Linear Infrastructure on Wildlife:<\/b><\/p>\n

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      1. Habitat Loss:There is direct loss of habitat during establishment and maintenance of roads, highways and railway lines due to clearance of vegetation, dumping of excavated earth and materials, movement of heavyvehicles etc.<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Habitat Fragmentation: Road and railway lines dissect contiguous habitat patches, resulting in smaller patches and consequent decline in biodiversity due to increased outer disturbances.<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Degradation of Habitat quality: wildlife habitats adjacent to rail and roads often suffers from various detrimental impacts from invasion of exotic species, pollution due to liquid solid wastes and emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n
      4. Noise Induced Psychological and Behavioural changes in animals: Traffic noise is often attributed to cause significant psychological and behavioural issues in animals especially birds. Traffic noise directly interferes with birds\u2019 vocal communication and consequently their territorial behaviour and mating.<\/span><\/li>\n
      5. Barrier to movement:Roads or other linear features restrict, or filter animal movement.The barrier effecton wildlife may arise from traffic noise, vehicle movement, pollution, human activity and physical hindrances.<\/span><\/li>\n
      6. Increased human-wildlife conflict: Road and railways may disrupt normal habitats of animals forcing them to move out to human habitats thus increasing the risks of human-animal conflict.<\/span><\/li>\n
      7. Injury and mortality:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n