November 2023 : Yojana Magazine GIST : Micro Notes or Revision Notes : Yojana Magazine Summary
New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD): A Unanimous Stand
Key Achievements
- Unanimous agreement (83 paragraphs) by G20 countries under India’s Presidency.
- Shift from conflict to development and cooperation.
- Focus on strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.
Policy Directions
- Promote trade and investment, WTO reform.
- Address skill gaps and promote decent work.
- Foster transparency, accountability and integrity.
Accelerating SDGs
- Action plan for accelerating SDG progress with data as a key driver.
- G20 Deccan HLPs on Food Security and Nutrition 2023 to ensure global food security.
- Recognition of climate change’s impact on health and establishment of a Global Initiative on Digital Health.
Green Development Pact and Mission LiFE
- Comprehensive roadmap for addressing climate crisis through global cooperation.
- Commitment to align NDCs with Paris Agreement goals.
- Calls for substantial financial and technological support from developed nations.
- New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance by 2024 and doubling adaptation finance by 2025.
Multilateral Banks and Technological Transformation
- Emphasis on better, larger and more effective Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).
- G20 Framework for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) established.
- Support to Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) for DPI growth through One Future Alliance.
Gender Equality and Empowering Women
- The declaration champions women-led development, economic and social empowerment.
- Establishment of the Women’s Working Group.
Voice of the Global South and People’s G20
- Advocacy for including the African Union (AU) as a permanent G20 member.
- People’s G20 initiative for public involvement.
Conclusion
- India’s G20 Presidency focused on collective action for a more equitable global future.
India’s Rising Influence: G20 Summit Achievements
Challenges
- Covid pandemic, Ukraine conflict, global recession threats, high inflation, energy/food/debt crises.
Human-Centric Approach
- Prioritized diversity and inclusivity.
- Madhubani painting (GI-tagged art form) showcased India’s cultural heritage.
Landmark Initiatives
- Launched India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and Global Biofuel Alliance.
- Jan Bhagidari initiative involved citizens globally across 37 areas.
State & Whole-of-Government Approach
- Over 200 G20 meetings across India, involving each state.
- Transformed G20 into a “People’s G20” with over 1.5 crore citizen participation.
Outcomes & Achievements
- 112 outcomes and documents (double of previous presidencies).
- New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration addressed food security, blue economy, tourism, land restoration, MSME access to information.
- African Union included as permanent G20 member.
- Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository and One Future Alliance launched.
- G20 commitment to enhanced food security, nutrition, and climate action.
Conclusion
- India’s leadership set the stage for a more resilient and inclusive global future.
Green Development Pact: A Sustainable Future Roadmap
G20 Focus on Sustainability
- Climate and environment were key topics during India’s G20 Presidency.
Green Development Pact
- Adopted through the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
- Emphasizes ecosystem restoration and tackling environmental challenges.
- Key elements include:
- Forest fire prevention/mitigation.
- Remediation of mining-degraded lands.
- Reducing land degradation by 50% by 2040.
Technology and Circular Economy
- Importance of technology transfer, capacity building, and financing for sustainability.
- G20 endorsed TAAP to overcome data barriers to climate investments.
- Focus on circular economy and resource efficiency with the launch of RECEIC.
Blue Economy
- High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy adopted.
Conclusion
- Green Development Pact implementation is expected to strengthen efforts towards SDGs.
Designing a Circular Economy World
Global Challenges
- Growing population and resource consumption strain Earth’s capacity.
- Urgent need for sustainable lifestyles aligned with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Circular Economy Concept
- Aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible, minimizing waste.
- Reduces environmental and socio-economic impacts.
- Creates opportunities for green jobs and sustainable development.
Sustainable Lifestyles
- Two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions come from households and lifestyles.
- Key areas for change include mobility, housing, food choices, and new business models.
G20 and Circularity
- G20 India adopted High-Level Principles on Lifestyles for Sustainable Development.
India’s Circular Economy Initiatives
- Circular economy can generate a net benefit of $624 billion annually by 2050 in India.
- Initiatives include:
- Draft National Resource Efficiency Policy (2019).
- Steel Scrap Recycling Policy.
- Vehicle Scrapping Policy.
- Sectoral action plans on circular economy.
- EPR guidelines for plastic packaging.
- Membership in Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE).
- Launch of Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition.
- Mission LiFE promotes responsible consumption and influences policies.
- Sustainable tourism initiatives like ‘Travel for LiFE’ support circular business solutions.
- India joined the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI).
Nari Shakti: Women’s Empowerment
- Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam reserves 33% seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
- Promotes female leadership and participation in decision-making.
Nari Shakti Progress
- Permanent commission for women officers in Defence services.
- Sainik schools open to girls, providing equal opportunity in military education.
- Women can now enter the National Defence Academy (NDA).
- First-ever deployment of women soldiers on the Line of Control (LoC).
- India has the highest number of female pilots globally.
- Over 100 women involved in Chandrayaan-3 mission.
- India has the world’s highest percentage of female STEM graduates (43%).
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) & Public Participation
G20 and DPI
- G20 Leaders’ Declaration highlights DPI for inclusive and sustainable development.
- India to establish a Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (GDPIR).
Role of DPI in India
- Aadhaar, Jan Dhan accounts, and mobile phones boosted financial inclusion.
- JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) increased financial inclusion from 25% to 80% in six years.
Government Programs & DPI
- India uses DPI for G2P programs, transferring over Rs 32.29 trillion to beneficiaries.
- UPI facilitates financial inclusion with over 10.58 billion transactions in August 2023.
India Stack & Account Aggregator
- India Stack promotes innovation, competition, financial inclusion, and efficient public spending.
- Account Aggregator system ensures user control over financial information.
Key DPI Initiatives
- Digital India Initiative: As of Sep 11, 2023, BharatNet linked 202,028 Gram Panchayats with 658,685 km of optical fiber cables.
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY): As of Sep 13, 2023, PMJDY has 50.41 crore beneficiaries with Rs 20,494.18 billion in deposits.
- Make in India: Boosts self-reliance in technology.
- Startup India: As of May 31, 2023, India has 108 unicorns valued at $340.80 billion.
- Smart Cities Mission: Integrates digital infrastructure components.
Other Important DPI Examples
- Aadhaar: Enables digital services and identity verification.
- UMANG & DigiLocker: Provide access to government services and paperless governance.
- Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): e-Rupee launch aligns with G20 on CBDCs.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): MeitY accelerates AI development in India.
Conclusion
- G20 recognizes DPI’s importance for development.
- India’s DPI success inspires other countries for a digital future.
Building a Secure and Trusted Digital Economy
G20: From Finance to Digital Focus
- Formed in 1999 to address financial stability, agenda now includes the digital economy.
- Digital economy contributes over 15% of global GDP (World Bank).
G20 Digital Economy Working Group
- Focuses on DPI, security, and digital skilling.
- Outcome Document reflects consensus on key issues.
What is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)?
- Secure, interoperable systems for public/private services.
- Built on open standards and promotes development, inclusion, and trust.
- Respects human rights and operates within legal frameworks.
G20 Framework for DPIs in LMICs
- Provides a roadmap for developing and deploying DPIs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- India’s Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (GDIPR) aligns with this framework.
- One Future Alliance (OFA) proposal offers support for implementing DPIs in LMICs.
Security in the Digital Economy
- G20 emphasizes safety, security, resilience, and trust for digital transformation.
- G20 High-Level Principles will guide businesses in building a secure digital economy.
- Focus on protecting vulnerable populations, including children and women, from online threats.
- G20 Toolkit on Cyber Education and Awareness helps countries address risks and ensure user safety.
Conclusion
- G20 plays a key role in shaping the digital economy with a focus on DPI and security.
- G20 Framework for LMICs and India’s initiatives promote inclusive digital transformation.
- Emphasis on safety, resilience, and trust with the G20 Toolkit addresses potential risks.
Green Development Pact: A Sustainable Future
G20 Prioritizes Sustainability
- India’s G20 Presidency focused on aligning economic development with ecological well-being.
- G20 represents 2/3 of the world’s population and 85% of GDP, making its actions impactful.
Green Development Pact Adopted
- G20 leaders acknowledge sustainability’s importance and commit to collective action.
Key Initiatives for Green Economy
- Global Biofuel Alliance promotes clean energy solutions.
- LiFE Mission encourages sustainable lifestyles to combat climate change.
- EPR guidelines and circular economy efforts support a green transition.
- Circular economy can generate jobs in various sectors.
Green Development Pact Details
- Focuses on resource efficiency, sustainable consumption, clean energy, climate finance, blue economy principles, and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
- Addresses development needs of the Global South for a more equitable future.
- Commitment to ecological restoration with a target of 30% by 2030.
Conclusion
- India’s G20 Presidency emphasizes the importance of sustainable development.
- The Green Development Pact outlines a roadmap for a greener future with initiatives addressing global challenges.
Responsible AI: Innovation Meets Ethics
AI’s Transformation
- Revolutionizing industries, decision-making, and society (data analysis, logistics, healthcare, climate change).
G20 and Responsible AI (RAI)
- G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration emphasizes RAI with a human-centered approach.
- Commitment to pro-innovation regulation and human capital development for AI.
Ethical Concerns
- Gender/racial bias, copyright infringement, privacy violations, and misuse in defense/cybersecurity.
- Deepfakes create challenges with verifying synthetic media.
The Framework of RAI
- Designing and deploying AI responsibly to benefit society fairly.
- India’s focus on RAI since 2018 with NITI Aayog’s seven principles.
- NASSCOM embedded these principles in India’s first RAI Hub and Toolkit (2022).
India’s Leadership in RAI
- Chairs the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI).
- Contributes to RAI development through the Responsible AI working group.
- Hosting the 2023 GPAI Summit addresses underrepresentation of the Global South.
Conclusion
- G20’s commitment and India’s leadership reflect efforts to navigate AI’s potential while addressing ethical challenges.
India’s Renewable Energy Transition
Why the Transition?
- India’s large population and growing economy demand a sustainable energy supply.
- Shift from fossil fuels reduces environmental impact and improves public health.
Steps Taken
- Policies and Schemes: National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC), National Solar Mission (2010).
- Increased Renewable Share: Target of 500 GW by 2030, 172 GW installed by FY 2023 (22.5% of energy mix).
- Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) & Energy Storage Obligation (ESO) promote renewable energy consumption.
- Green Energy Corridor ensures power transmission for renewable projects.
Additional Initiatives
- Solar Parks, PM-KUSUM, and Rooftop Solar (RTS) schemes to increase solar capacity.
- National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) targets 5 MMTPA production by 2030.
- Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for renewable energy manufacturing.
- Suryamitra, Vayumitra, Jal-Urjamitra programs for skill development in the sector.
Challenges
- Intermittency of renewable energy sources creates grid management issues.
- Upgrading grid infrastructure requires significant investments.
- Land availability, state compliance with RPO, and regulatory hurdles.
Benefits
- Economic growth, job creation, technology innovation, and foreign investment.
- Reduced reliance on fossil fuel imports improves energy security.
- Lower carbon emissions, reduced pollution, and improved public health.
Conclusion
- India’s commitment to renewable energy with policies, schemes, and international initiatives addresses climate change and ensures a sustainable energy future.
Professor MS Swaminathan: The Father of the Indian Green Revolution
Focus on Agriculture
- Article highlights Prof MS Swaminathan’s role in India’s agricultural development.
- Emphasizes job-led growth and sustainable practices in agriculture.
- Advocates for acknowledging agriculture’s central role in national development.
Productivity and Exports
- Maximize crop productivity instead of expanding agricultural land.
- Focus on quality like Basmati rice for increased exports.
- Utilize India’s vast rice-cultivating areas for exports.
Crop Rotation and Stubble Burning
- Address stubble burning in Punjab from rice-wheat crop rotation.
- Introduce early-harvesting rice varieties to avoid overlap with wheat planting.
- Consider both rice and wheat yields for a holistic approach in crop rotation.
Prof Swaminathan’s Legacy
- His insights provide valuable recommendations for sustainable agriculture.
- The interview excerpts pay tribute to his lasting influence.
Rice Bio Parks
- Establish rice bio parks to utilize all parts of the rice plant for economic value.
- Encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices through economic benefits.
Combating Stubble Burning
- Stubble burning linked to lack of perceived economic value.
- Purchase stubble for cattle feed in neighboring states due to its nutritional value.
- Provide technology to convert rice straw into valuable products.
- Disseminate information on the economic value of stubble to deter burning.
Climate Change and Renewable Energy
- Promote renewable energy sources like agriculture.
- Advocate for behavioral change at household and institutional levels.
- Establish climate management societies in every Panchayat.
- Public education is a collective responsibility to combat climate change.
Conclusion
- Prof Swaminathan’s vision promotes sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and collective action.
- His guidance leads India towards a future where agriculture coexists with the environment.