MAINS ANSWER WRITING TEST 4

Duration: 3 Hours Total Marks: 250 (10x10+15x10) Instructions 1) Kindly submit the answers in the PDF format on assignments@iqraias.com 2) There are 20 questions. All questions are compulsory. 3) The number of marks carried by a question/part is printed against it. 4) Answers to questions no. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to questions no.

11 to 20 should be in 250 words. 5) Answer the Question within word limit as marked against question. 6) Handwriting should be legible so the evaluator has ease to evaluate it.

Q.1) India-Bhutan Ties form integral part of India’s neighbourhood first Policy. Comment (150 words) ANSWER: Bhutan has been India's "All weather friend". 1949 India Bhutan Friendship Treaty and cooperation has culminated into extensive strategic, economic, cultural ties between the two. Importance of Bhutan for India- 1. Bhutan acts a buffer state between India and China. 2. Bhutan is an important pillar in control North East insurgents and control Anti India elements. Ex- Op All Clear-2003 3. India's growing energy demand can be fulfilled by Bhutan's hydroelectric potential. Issues in Bilateral relations- 1. Hydroelectric projects has been the key irritants in bilateral relations. Delay in completion, cost overruns add more debt to Bhutan's national debt. 2. Bhutan has concerns regarding Power tariff agreements, India's energy surplus status makes matters worse 3.Doklam issue has affected Bhutan's equation vis a vis China. Bhutanese has sovereignty concerns w.r.t to India. 4. Demonetization and GST has affected Bhutan's economy. Restitching the ties- 1. Power Tariff agreements need to be renegotiated to give more space to Bhutan's demand. 2. India needs to be more flexible when it comes to Bhutan's sovereignty. Bhutanese need to be given more space in their diplomacy w.r.t Chinese.

3. In BBIN India needs to adopt ASEAN's Minus X formula and wait till Bhutan's concerns are met. 4. Standby credit facility extended to Bhutan need to be reassessed as per current exchange rates and economic stability. 5. India can collaborate with Bhutan to open up an international financial services centre which will diversify Bhutan's economy 6. Bhutan's glacial lakes pose a threat not only to Bhutan but also India, India needs to adopt adaptation strategies. India has recently amended rules to allow Bhutan to sale electricity to Bangladesh using Indian transmission grids which will be a game changer in bilateral relations. India and Bhutan ties are time tested ones. Both need to work together to build an economically integrated and culturally bonded Bilateral relationship. Q.2) Varying Death rate across states in India during pandemic reflects the neglect of health in Public Policy. (150 words) ANSWER: Current state of India’s health infrastructure- World Bank data:

1. India had 85.7 physicians per 1,00,000 people in 2017 (in contrast to 98 in Pakistan, 100 in Sri Lanka and 241 in Japan).

2. 53 beds per 1,00,000 people (in contrast to 63 in Pakistan, 79.5 in Bangladesh, 415 in Sri Lanka and 1,298 in Japan).

3. 172.7 nurses and midwives per 1,00,000 people (in contrast to 220 in Sri Lanka, 40 in Bangladesh, 70 in Pakistan, and 1,220 in Japan).

4. India has among the highest out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures of all countries in the world- 62% of the total health expenditure in India is OOP.

Reasons and causes for this:

1. Low public health expenditure- 1% of GDP 2013-14 and 1.28% in 2017-18 (including expenditure by the Centre, all States and Union Territories).

2. Centre is the key player in public health management because the main bodies with technical expertise are under central control. The States lack corresponding expert bodies such as the National Centre for Disease Control or the Indian Council of Medical Research.

3. States also differ a great deal in terms of the fiscal space to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic because of the wide variation in per capita health expenditure.

Inter-State variation in per capita health-care expenditure (between 2010-11 to 2019-20):

• Kerala and Delhi have been close to the top in all the years. • Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have been consistently towards the bottom of the

ranking in all years.

• Odisha is noteworthy as it had the same per capita health expenditure as Uttar Pradesh

in 2010, but now has more than double that of Uttar Pradesh.

▪ NITI Aayog Prescriptions: o NITI Aayog has recently published the document, ‘Investment Opportunities in

India’s Healthcare Sector’. o The document states that ‘in the hospital segment, the expansion of private

players to Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations, beyond metropolitan cities, offers an attractive investment opportunity’.

o Manufacturing of medical devices and equipment, expansion of diagnostic and pathology centres and miniaturized diagnostics have high growth potential.

o Technology advancements such as artificial intelligence, wearables and other mobile tech, along with the Internet of Things, also offer numerous avenues for investment.

What needs to be done? • Both Central and State Governments should increase public expenditures on health to at least

3% of GDP by 2022. The increase in the public expenditure can be possible by increasing the Tax-to-GDP ratio of the Government.

• The Government must ensure availability of free essential medicines by increasing public spending on drug procurement.

There is a need to take the states and local bodies on board to ensure the success of health care interventions. The states and local bodies must be required to spend a certain percent of their total budget towards the health. Q.3) Right to Constitutional remedies is the constitution’s soul. Elucidate (150 Words) ANSWER: Article 32 provides the right to Constitutional remedies which means that a person has right to move to Supreme Court (and high courts also) for getting his fundamental rights protected. While Supreme Court has power to issue writs under article 32, High Courts have been given same powers under article 226. Why Article 32 is the heart and soul of the constitution:- • Supreme Court has included it in basic structure doctrine. Further, it is made clear that right

to move to Supreme Court cannot be suspended except otherwise provided by the Constitution. This implies that this right suspended during a national emergency under article 359

• Article 32 makes the Supreme Court the defender and guarantor of the fundamental rights. Further, power to issue writs comes under original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

This means that a person may approach SC directly for remedy rather than by way of appeal.

• Article 32 can be invoked only to get a remedy related to fundamental rights. It is not there for any other constitutional or legal right for which different laws are available.

• The law provides an assured remedy for enforcing the Fundamental Rights as the person can directly approach the Supreme Court without having to follow a lengthier process of moving lower courts.

Impact: - o Deciding the matter regarding the Supreme court’s power to remit or pardon, the

judgment held the argument that when a pardon or remission can be given under Article 72 or 161 of the Constitution by the constitutional authority, this Court can exercise the similar power under Article 32 of the Constitution of India is absolutely based on an erroneous premise.

o It further said that Article 32 of the Constitution can be only invoked when there is violation of any fundamental right or where the Court takes up certain grievance which falls in the realm of public interest litigation.

o The impact of article 32 has been huge with landmark cases like Shreya Singhal v Union of India where supreme court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, Meera Santosh Pal and Others v Union of India and Others where Supreme Court gave judgment on medical termination of pregnancy of a 24-week foetus etc.

Status of Writs in Other Countries

1. The writs other than habeas corpus are discretionary remedies and have been known as prerogative orders in England and Wales since 1938.

The writs of quo warranto and procedendo are now obsolete. The modified names of certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition are mentioned under the new Civil Procedure Rules 1998 known as quashing orders, mandatory orders, and prohibiting orders respectively. 1. Mandamus has been replaced by injunction in the United States district courts. 2. The Supreme Court of the United States grants certiorari while the supreme court of

other states grant review.

Q.4) The legislature in a parliamentary system ensures executive accountability at various stages. Discuss in the context of India. (150 words) ANSWER: The Westminster model of parliamentary democracy was adopted to make the executive responsible to the legislature to strengthen Indian democracy in the following ways: This implies that legislature (i.e. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) can hold the government accountable for its decisions, and scrutinise its functioning.

• Collective responsibility: Executive or Ministerial responsibility to Parliament or what is

often termed legislative control over the Executive is based on Article 75- the constitutional provision of collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the popular House of Parliament.

• Threat of ‘no confidence’ over poor policy decision: The House may at any time decide to throw out the Government by a majority vote i.e. if the ruling party loses the support of the majority of the members of the House. Want of parliamentary confidence in the Government may be expressed by the House of the People by passing a substantive motion of no-confidence in the Council of Ministers.

• Financial accountability: Financial control is a critical tool for Parliament’s authority over the executive hence finance committees (Public Accounts Committee, the Estimates Committee and the Committee on Public Undertakings) are considered to be particularly powerful. Parliament’s control over the Budget through budget demand, capacity to refuse to vote supplies or of defeating the Government on a financial measure. In first session of 17th Lok Sabha, 11 of the 22 Bills have been passed without scrutiny by parliamentary standing committees, which indicate loosing legislative oversight on law making.

• Procedural devices: The various procedural devices like Questions, Calling Attention, Half-an-Hour Discussion, etc. constitute very potent instruments for effecting parliamentary surveillance over administrative action. During Question Hour, MPs may pose questions to ministers related to the implementation of laws and policies by the government. In the 16th Lok Sabha, question hour has functioned in Lok Sabha for 77% of the scheduled time, while in Rajya Sabha it has functioned for 47%. A lower rate of functioning reflects time lost due to disruptions which reduces the number of questions that may be answered orally.

• Reflection of public opinion: Significant occasions for review of administration are provided by the discussions on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. Specific matters may be discussed through motions on matters of urgent public importance, private members’ resolutions and other substantive motions. Members are free to express themselves and to say what is good for the country and what modifications are required in the existing policies.

In a Parliamentary form of Government, such as we have, the function of Parliament is to legislate, advise, criticise, and ventilate the public grievances; and that of the Executive, to govern. Under the Constitution of India to maintain accountability,

• The relationship between the Executive and the Parliament should be based on mutual trust and confidence.

• Parliament has almost unlimited right of information and criticism ex post facto and the Executive has likewise unlimited right to initiate and formulate proposals and policies arid to give effect to the approved policies, unfettered and unhindered.

• In essence, Parliament must respect the Executive and the Executive must feel

parliamentary influence all the time. • So long as this equilibrium is maintained, there is every reason to believe that the

government of the country will be carried on in accordance with the wishes of the people. The success of our system lies in our having in fact this happy balance and blending.

Nonetheless, there is scope for increasing the accountability and strengthening the control of Parliament over the Executive. One of the proposals which is debated and canvassed is the use of the existing Committees on an increasing scale and extending the Committee System of Parliament. It is suggested that these are needed to oversee administration, to scrutinise the actions of Government, to collect, discuss and report, on actions and performance of Departments of Government. All these instruments have led to a system of checks and balances which saves the democracy and its citizens from the tyranny of the majority led executive. Q.5) There is an urgent need to address the factors that have led to poor health status of the tribal in India. Discuss (150 words) ANSWER: Tribal Population are one of the most oppressed and marginalised sections of the society. Their vulnerable position is result of Political, Administrative, Social and Economic factors. Their health condition is the conspicuous phenomenon of vulnerability. For example: IMR: - For India, it is 34. Whereas for S. Ts, it is 84 Nutrition: - Malnourishment throughout the india is around 25%. Whereas among the Tribes is it is more than 56%. Example, Tribal children’s deaths in Attapady Addiction: - Addiction to Tobacco, Alcohol and other abusive substances is more than 55%. Hypertension: - Hypertension is highest among the tribals in India and it is at more than 50%. Apart from these, high MMR due to lack of accessibility, Affordability and availability of institutional deliveries in highly inaccessible areas. High vulnerability to communicable disease due to poor sanitation. For example, Less than 15% tribal in India has sewage facilities. Less than 17% of tribal population has proper drinking facilities. High usage of minor forest produces as domestic fuel resulting into high number of cases of chronic lung diseases. Govt Initiatives: - * Giving extra Monetary incentives for health practitioners to serve among the tribal people. * Providing folic acids, iron supplements and other facilities through ANM, ASHA and ANGANWADI Centres. * Enabling accessibility to institutional delivery and post-partum care facilities through Janani Suraksha Yojana Way forward: - * Despite these efforts, GOI shall start Tribal Health Index in order to monitor health

parameters of tribals on real time basis. * Revamping of Tribal Sub Plan with more inclination to better health facilities, * Empowering Gram Panchayats to take more pro-active steps for better health facilities. * Empowering Tribal Advisory Councils (TACs) of Fifth Schedule, Autonomous bodies of Sixth Schedule financially to make their decision regarding the improvement of health standards. Through these efforts, Tribal health, which is affected multi-dimensionally, can be revamped with concerted effort from Govt and Non-Govt Organisations. Health of Tribal is more important as they are guardians of forests and nearly 10% of Indian population. Their health determines the overall health of country. Q.6) Section 33(7) of the Representation of People Act (RPA), 1951 should be amended to restrict contestation on only one seat. (150 words) ANSWER: Provisions in this regard- Section 33(7) of RPA: Section 33(7) of the Representation of People’s Act permits a candidate to contest any election (Parliamentary, State Assembly, Biennial Council, or bye-elections) from up to two constituencies. The provision was introduced in 1996 prior to which there was no bar on the number of constituencies from which a candidate could contest.

• E However, as per the law, as it stands today, a person can contest the election for the same office from two constituencies simultaneously.

• When a candidate contests from two seats, it is imperative that he has to vacate one of the two seats if he wins both. This, apart from the consequent unavoidable financial burden on the public exchequer, government manpower and other resources for holding bye-election is also an injustice to the voters of the constituency which the candidate is quitting from.

Alternative suggested by the Election commission: The ECI has alternatively suggested that if existing provisions are retained then the candidate contesting from two seats should bear the cost of the bye-election to the seat that the contestant decides to vacate in the event of his/her winning both seats. The amount in such an event could be Rs 5 lakh for assembly election and Rs 10 lakh for parliament election. SC’s views: The Supreme Court had in December 2017 issued notices seeking replies from the Election Commission and the Centre on the issue. At the time, the Supreme Court had said the practice of one candidate contesting multiple seats was a drain on the exchequer since it necessitated bypolls. A petition has also been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Section 33(7).

Q.7) E-Governance is not only about utilization of the power of new technology, but also much about critical importance of the ‘use value’ of information Explain (150 words) ANSWER: E-governance is application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at all the level of the Government in order to provide services to the citizens, interaction with business enterprises and communication and exchange of information between different agencies of the Government in a speedy, convenient efficient and transparent manner. Although e-governance is about utilization of the power of new technology like satellite technology, GPS, computer, internet, mobile, biometrics etc. in an efficient manner, it is also very much about how the information collected is utilised to better cater to the needs of the citizens. The information collected should help in ‘clarity’ in the objective setting, not only in ICT terms (computers, networks etc.) but also the process outcomes and the measurements post implementation. Information should be used for data mining and for supporting the management decisions and not merely for word processing. By knowing the value of information and its foundation, information can be improved and can provide better support in decision making and better assessment can be made. E-governance includes Adhaar services, Direct benefit transfer, online passport kendras, e-Gem etc. Government has been trying to reach the poor strata of the country by e-governance. For eg.Adhaar services is being used in the public distribution system. It has helped in saving 60,000 cr of the government by identifying the real beneficiaries. E-tickets provided by the IRCTC has made the lives of the people much easy, and has also eliminated the middle man. E-governance is giving thrust to digital india program of india. Therefore, the focus of e- governance should not only be limited to efficiently utilising new technologies but it should also be oriented toward ensuring good governance using the information gathered. Q.8) “In the Indian governance system, the role of non-state actors has been only marginal.” Critically examine this statement. (150 words) ANSWER: Non-state actors are individuals or groups that hold influence and which are wholly or partly independent of a sovereign state. In case of India, non-state actors have limited role to play due to design of political system. Participation of non-state actors

• Pressure groups Majority of non state groups in India are in form of pressure groups, who influence the government actions due to their ability to mobilize support in their respective domain. The extent of mobilization determines the amount of influence these groups have on governance system.

Ex: Farmer welfare groups, Industrialists groups etc use their powers to influence government policies and participate indirectly in governance.

• Religious and social groups Similar roles are played by religious and social groups who try to use their political clout and electoral strength to get favourable support in the government. Sometimes their influence exceeds the required distance from government affairs. Ex: Dalit organisations, Hindu Mahasabha, All India Muslim Personal Law Board etc use their appeal among community members to blackmail government.

Dissociation of non-state actors

• Nature of executive Unlike countries such as US where non state actors participate in governance of the country without being members of the legislature, in India only members of legislature can take part in governance. This keeps non state actors away from governance.

• Narrow goal of self-welfare The non-state actors do not function in a universal way to benefit the society. They aim to only fulfil their respective goals and have narrow view point. Even though they participate in decision making indirectly, their way of operation makes their participation useless. Way forward Thus, in democracies the government plays only a minor role. More emphasis falls on social and civil groups to keep the check on the government and make democracy functional in the true sense. Q.9) India have discarded old outdated perception about the gulf region and now stepping towards achieving new strategic relationship. Examine (150 words) ANSWER: For decades, India saw the Gulf countries largely from the economic prism, as a source of oil and a destination for labour exports. However, over the last few years, this economic prism has morphed into a strategic embrace. Present Prime Minister’s personal outreach to the Gulf rulers has helped crack open immense possibilities for political and strategic cooperation. This elevation of India’s strategic priorities vis-a-vis the Gulf countries reflects on the structural changes taking place in the Gulf and the region’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean. Transformation of Gulf Region

▪ No Longer Exclusive Petro-States: The Gulf states are no longer seen as a collection of petro-states, now they have established a strong structure of finance capital built on the massive accumulation of oil revenues over the last few decades.

o This has given rise to what is today called “Khaleeji” or Gulf capitalism.

▪ Khaleeji Capitalism: It is a concept developed by Adam Hanieh, a scholar based in

London’s School of Oriental and African Studies Capitalism, which tracks the rise of large conglomerates and sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf.

It is due to this capitalism model the gulf countries dominate several regional sectors — from banking and finance to infrastructure and logistics, from agribusiness and real estate to retail to telecom. ▪ Moving Towards Modernisation: Gulf countries, in the present times, seek to reduce the

heavy hand of religion on social life, expand the rights of women, widen religious freedoms, promote tolerance, and develop a national identity that is not tied exclusively to religion.

The UAE has been the leader in this regard. It has initiated reforms including the decriminalisation of alcohol use, permission for cohabitation among unmarried couples, criminalisation of honour crimes against women, and the institution of long-term visas.

New Opportunities for India ▪ Shielding India’s Economic Interest: First and foremost, Indian foreign policy should

shield India’s interests in the post-pandemic turbulence.

o Due to economic instability caused by the pandemic, the Gulf countries are considering cutting back on foreign labour.

o India should ensure that the Indian expatriates will not be affected by this. ▪ Focusing Beyond Oil: There is a need to focus on the new and long-term possibilities for

economic cooperation with the Gulf countries, which is looking at a future beyond oil.

o The Gulf states have embarked on massive economic diversification and are investing in a variety of new projects including renewable energy, higher education, technological innovation, smart cities, and space commerce.

o India also needs to tap into the full possibilities of Gulf capital for its own economic development. The big gap between the investments that the Gulf is ready to offer and India’s ability to absorb needs to be reduced.

o In 2015, the UAE committed to investing $75 billion in India. However, there is still a long distance away from facilitating that scale of investments.

▪ Leveraging Gulf-Israel Normalisation: Earlier this year, UAE and Bahrain have normalised relations with Israel. This provides an opportunity for India to increase economic and technological engagement with Israel.

▪ Getting Along with Khaleeji Capitalism: With the rise of Khaleeji capitalism, the Gulf countries today deliver economic and security assistance to friendly states, build ports and infrastructure, acquire military bases and broker peace between warring parties and states.

o The UAE currently chairs the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and has been

eager to work with India in developing joint infrastructure projects. o India needs to bring scale and depth to its regional initiatives on connectivity and

security in the Indian Ocean. Conclusion The Middle East has become more multipolar, with power diffused among a variety of regional and extra-regional actors. Within this mix, the rise of modern values and Khaleeji Capitalism in the gulf countries make the case for India to discard outdated perceptions of the Gulf and seize the new strategic possibilities with the region. Q.10) Discuss the role of parliamentary committees in ensuring accountability and effective governance. (150 words) ANSWER: It is a permanent and regular committee which is constituted from time to time according to the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. Parliamentary committees draw their authority from Article 105 (on privileges of Parliament members) and Article 118 (on Parliament’s authority to make rules for regulating its procedure and conduct of business). These committees play important role in ensuring legislature and executive efficiency and accountability in following ways-

• The deliberations and scrutiny by committees ensure that Parliament is able to fulfil some of its constitutional obligations in a politically charged environment.

• They also help in obtaining public feedback and building political consensus on contentious issues.

• They help develop expertise in subjects, and enable consultation with independent experts and stakeholders.

• The committees perform their functions without the cloud of political positioning and populist opinion.

• These committees allow the views of diverse stakeholders.

• They function through the year.

• They also offer an opportunity for detailed scrutiny of bills being piloted by the government.

• They increase the efficiency and expertise of Parliament.

• Their reports allow for informed debate in Parliament. The NCRWC pointed out some shortcomings of the committees: (a) low attendance of MPs at meetings; (b) too many ministries under a committee; (c) norms not followed by most political parties while nominating MPs to committees; (d) the constitution of DRSCs for a year leaves very little time for specialisations.

In addition to this, after the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha, parliamentary standing committees have not been constituted as consultations among parties are still under way. Way forward:

• Parliamentary committees don’t have dedicated subject-wise research support available. The knowledge gap is partially bridged by expert testimony from government and other stakeholders.

• Their work could be made more effective if the committees had full-time, sector- specific research staff.

• The national commission to review the working of the Constitution has recommended that in order to strengthen the committee system, research support should be made available to them.

• Currently, the rules of Parliament don’t require every bill to be referred to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny. While this allows the government greater flexibility and the ability to speed up legislative business, it comes at the cost of ineffective scrutiny by the highest law-making body.

• Mandatory scrutiny of all bills by parliamentary committees would ensure better planning of legislative business. Parliamentary committees increase the efficiency, expertise of Parliament and act as check and balance which must be constituted at the earliest. Q.11) Civil servants need to be more creative, constructive, innovative and technology-enabled to tackle new challenges of administration and governance. “Mission Karmayogi’ is a step towards capacity-building in the bureaucracy. Comment (250 words) ANSWER: Need of The Mission

▪ There is a need to develop domain knowledge besides administrative capacity in the bureaucracy.

▪ There is a need to formalize the recruitment process and match the public service to a bureaucrat’s competence, so as to find the right person for the right job.

▪ The plan is to begin right at the recruitment level and then invest in building more capacity through the rest of their career.

▪ As the Indian economy grows, it will get more complex to govern; the governance capacities will have to be enhanced proportionately which this reform undertakes.

▪ The reforms in the Indian bureaucracy is the need of the hour and It is a major reform undertaken in recent years to transform it.

Challenges

▪ John Maynard Keynes, the economist, once said that “The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones."

▪ There is a tendency in the Bureaucracy to resist the change which challenges their status quo. The bureaucracy too must understand the need of domain knowledge and the importance of moving away from generalist to specialist approach.

▪ In today’s world the governance is getting technical with each passing day and hence it’s

important that the person in authority too should have the requisite skill and experience in that particular area.

▪ Thus, there should be a behavioural change in the bureaucracy too and they must embrace the change as a need of the hour and not an attack on their status quo.

▪ Moreover, these online courses must not become another opportunity for the officers to go for the sabbatical leaves. It must be ensured that they are actually attending the courses and participating in it so that the purpose doesn't get defeated.

Conclusion ▪ While this is a welcome move, it is also a fact that bureaucratic sloth is only one side of

the coin. ▪ Equally culpable is the political interference which manifests itself in transfers which must

be addressed too. ▪ Ashok Khemka, the IAS officer from Haryana, is a living testimony of it who has been

transferred 52 times so far in his career. ▪ Clearly, the reform process is not going to be easy but this is a good move in the direction.

Q.12) Free and Fair elections are the foundations of Democracy. Discuss the Electoral reforms required on the structural and institutional level of Election Commission of India. What measures should be taken to increase citizen participation in the electoral process. (250 words) ANSWER: India is a vibrant democracy with people electing their representatives at several levels beginning from local bodies & panchayats to the Parliament. India has Parliamentary system of governance which is based on Britain’s Westminster model of constitutional democracy. Elections in India (world’s second-most populous country) seek overwhelming popular participation, where electoral candidates try to woo the voters by promising long-term reforms, such as better governance, greater socioeconomic equity, poverty alleviation, etc. However, corrupt politicians with criminal records, caste- and religion-based politics, and allegations of vote-buying, have defeated the very purpose of such democratic process. What reforms are needed?

• Prescribe a ceiling for political parties’ expenditure, like that for the candidates. • Consider state funding of political parties (not elections) with independent audit and a

complete ban on private donations. • Enforce internal democracy and transparency in the working of the political parties.

Bring them under the RTI. • Set up an independent national election fund where all tax-free donations could be

made. It could be operated by the ECI or any other independent body.

• Accept the ECI’s proposal to legally empower it to cancel elections where credible

evidence of abuse of money has been found. • Debar persons against whom cases of heinous offences are pending in courts from

contesting elections. • Empower the ECI to de-register those political parties which have not contested any

election for 10 years and yet benefited from tax exemptions. • Make paid news an electoral offence with two years’ imprisonment by declaring it a

“corrupt practice” (Sec 100 RP Act) and “undue influence” (Sec 123(2)). Election commission of India (ECI) suggestions:

• Election commissioners should be given the security of tenure similar to chief election commissioner.

• ECI should have contempt power same as the court in India. Frequent contempt affects the dignity of the institution.

• There should be transparency in the funding of political parties. • ECI should be given the power to make rules under Representation of people act 1951. • ECI should have the power to audit the accounts of political parties. • Election to the legislative assembly and to the parliament should be conducted

simultaneously. • Debar the candidate from contesting election if the criminal cases are pending against

him. • Make paid news an offence. • Do not allow one candidate to contest from more than one constituency.

Way forward 1. more power to election commission: it should not have only power to register but deregister political parties. 2. amendments in representation of people act to make use of unauthorized money etc punishable offence. 3. tribunals for political crimes which would give decisions in a definite time(6 months probably). 4. complete bar on convicted criminal or their associated family members from contesting elections. 5. voter awareness campaign. 6. thought on use of public funding in elections to make it a level playing field(suggested by law commission) The reforms would enable India to remain a thriving democracy and achieve dreams of its forefathers. Q.13) Citizens’ Charter is an ideal instrument of organizational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater

effectiveness or the Citizens Charter. (250 words)

ANSWER: A Citizen’s Charter is a set of commitments made by an organisation regarding the standards of service which it delivers. It covers not only the Central Government Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations but also the Departments/ Agencies of State Governments and UT Administrations. As an instrument, it is propagated to make an organization transparent, accountable and citizen friendly. Citizen Charter as a tool of organisational transparency and accountability:

1. Citizen Charter increases participation of common man in efficient working of an organisation by making the citizens aware of the aims and goals of the organization.

2. It helps in reducing corruption through transparent provisions and thus, ensures accountability

3. It leads to citizen friendliness and citizen convenience and raises efficiency and effectiveness in public delivery system.

4. It reduces cost, prevents delay and red tapes and thus promote good governance. 5. Citizen Charter set standards of service, allowing high expectations from an organisation,

pushing them to work diligently. 6. It encourages access and promote choice and thus, treat all fairly.

Limitations of Citizen Charter: Some of the limitations of Citizen Charters as follows: 1. Lack of awareness and knowledge and inadequate publicity, hence loss of trust among

service seekers is a major limitation. 2. There is no provision of training to the operative and supervisory staff. 3. Hierarchy gap between the Officers and the Operative Staff-Need of team effort is an

issue. 4. Different mind-sets of officers and the Staff- Insensitiveness on the part of Supervisors

and the Staff because they are yet to be sensitised 5. Staff is not prepared to shoulder the responsibility due to lack of motivation and

accountability non-revision, complicated and restrictive rules & procedures 6. In a majority of cases, the Charters were not formulated through a consultative process. 7. By and large, service providers are not familiar with the philosophy, goals and main

features of the Charter. 8. Further, adequate publicity to the Charters had not been given in any of the Departments

evaluated. In most Departments, the Charters are only in the initial or middle stage of implementation.

9. No funds have been specifically earmarked for awareness generation of Citizens’ Charter or for orientation of the staff on various components of the Charter.

10. There is no mention of citizen’s responsibility. Measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizen’s Charters:

1. Charters should clearly spell out the remedy / penalty / compensation in case there is a default in meeting the standards spelled out in the Charter. A publication of the charter in local languages can be the first step.

2. It is better to make few promises that can be kept, rather than a long list of lofty but

impractical aspirations. Thus, citizen charters should be clear and objective. 3. Before the organization makes charter, it should restructure its internal systems and

processes. 4. One size does not fit all. Citizens’ Charter should be close to ground reality and local

conditions. 5. Firm Commitments should be made. Evaluation of charters periodically should be done. 6. A systematic consensus-based formulation of every citizen charter that is practical and

whose commitments are achievable is needed. Citizens’ Charter is a document which represents the commitment of an organisation towards standard, quality and time frame of service delivery, grievance redress mechanism, transparency and accountability. It provides more responsive and citizen-friendly governance. It is high time that Citizen Charter program should be revived and reintroduced to government departments so that they can become accountable not only to their customers but to themselves also. Q.14) Highlight the importance of e-courts in India, discuss the issues with their functioning. Also, suggest some measures to improve their functioning. (250 words) ANSWER: In the wake of Coronavirus Pandemic, the Supreme Court (SC) has passed directions for all courts across the country to extensively use video-conferencing for judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court exercised its plenary power under Article 142 to direct all high courts to frame a mechanism for use of technology during the pandemic.

▪ The SC, is moving towards technological advancement for its functioning and is conducting hearings through video conferencing since March 25, to maintain social distancing.

Virtual Courts ▪ Virtual Courts is a concept aimed at eliminating the presence of litigants or lawyers in the

court and adjudication of the case online. ▪ An e-court or Electronic Court means a location in which matters of law are adjudicated

upon, in the presence of qualified Judge(s) and which has a well-developed technical infrastructure.

▪ The e-courts are different from the computerised courts which have been in place since the 1990s.

▪ The working of e-courts requires an Online environment and an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled infrastructure.

o This would be beneficial for both improving the court processes and rendering citizen-centric services.

o e-Courts are aimed to make legal processes easier and more user friendly. o Litigants can view the status of their case online through various channels created

for service delivery.

o Litigants can file the plaint electronically through e-Filing and also pay the Court

Fees or Fine online through. Advantages

▪ The expansion of E-courts will ensure easy access to justice at affordable courts to all sections of society.

▪ The experience of an e-court will be much more personalised and private as opposed to theatrics involving public-speech based system.

▪ The proliferation of e-courts will make litigation faster, given that required logistics are provided.

o In India, there is a massive backlog of cases in every court. As of April 2018, there were over three crore cases pending across the Supreme Court, the High Courts, and the subordinate courts (including district courts).

▪ The judiciary system in India with the help of e-courts can overcome the challenges and make the service delivery mechanism transparent and cost-efficient.

▪ The e-courts will also benefit the judicial system and will provide flexible retrieval of stored information. This will allow judges to view the proceedings of a previous case or to retrieve other important documents at the click of a button.

o Data sharing between different courts and various departments will also be made easy as everything would be available online under the integrated system.

Challenges In the present circumstances, the virtual courts may seem a necessity, however, it goes without saying that at present there are a whole lot of glitches and shortcomings in its execution.

▪ The e-filling process is riddled with endless complications. ▪ e-Courts will also prove to be cost-intensive as setting up state of the art e-courts will

require the deployment of new-age technology. ▪ Hacking and cybersecurity: On the top of technology, cyber-security will be a huge

concern too. The government has initiated remedial steps to address this problem and formulated the Cyber Security Strategy but it is more on the side of prescribed guidelines alone. The practical and actual implementation of the same remains to be seen.

▪ Infrastructure: Challenges can erupt due to insufficient infrastructure and non-availability of electricity and internet connectivity in most of the Talukas/villages.

o Electricity connection is a must along with internet connectivity and computers to ensure justice reaches every section equally.

▪ Maintaining e-courts record: The paralegal staff is not well equipped and trained to effectively handle document or record evidence, and make them readily accessible to the litigant, to the council as well as to the court.

▪ Other issues might involve the litigant’s lack of confidence in the process due to lack of proximity.

Way Forward ▪ To address the aforementioned challenges, the first and foremost step is to draw up a

policy for encouraging the setting up of e-courts.

o It is critical to draw up a well-defined and pre-decided policy framework as it can

help in laying a concrete roadmap and direction to the e-courts scheme of India. ▪ Another important step is the need to upgrade the present state of infrastructure. The

government needs to identify and develop the infrastructure that would be required to support the e-court project.

▪ One aspect that needs to be focussed on is the deployment of a robust security system that provides secure access to case information for appropriate parties. The security of e-courts infrastructure and system is of paramount importance.

▪ Also, a user-friendly e-courts mechanism, which is simple and easily accessible by the common public will encourage litigants to use such facilities in India.

▪ The government must make dedicated efforts in the training of personnel to maintain all the e-data. These include maintaining proper records of e-file minute entries, notification, service, summons, warrants, bail orders, order copies, e-filing etc. for ready references.

▪ Conducting training sessions to familiarise the Judges with the e-courts framework and procedure can give a huge impetus to the successful running of e-courts.

▪ Creating awareness around e-courts through talks and seminars can help bring to light the facilities and the ease that e-courts can facilitate.

As technology is here to stay, therefore, finding mechanisms to make it better will be the step in the right direction. Q.15) Bring out the key challenges faced in conducting social audits in India. Also, comment on the merits of institutionalizing them in governance ecosystem. (250 words) ANSWER: Social Audit is a process in which, details of the resource, both financial and non-financial, used by public agencies for development initiatives are shared with the people, often through a public platform. Social audits allow people to enforce accountability and transparency, providing the ultimate users with an opportunity to scrutinize development initiatives. A social audit helps to narrow gaps between vision/goal and reality as:

▪ It increases the efficiency and effectiveness of a scheme and creates a positive impact on governance.

▪ The process of social audit is used to establish whether benefit meant for an individual or community has reached them or not.

▪ It values the voice of stakeholders, including marginalized/poor groups whose voices are rarely heard. For eg., the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution empowered the Gram Sabhas to conduct social audits in addition to other functions.

▪ The process of social audit combines people’s participation and monitoring with the requirements of the audit discipline.

▪ Social auditing is taken up for the purpose of enhancing local governance, particularly for strengthening accountability and transparency in local bodies. Regular social audits help in raising the level of accountability and transparency in the system.

▪ Section 17 of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (NREGA) also provides

for regular “Social Audits” so as to ensure transparency and accountability in the scheme. ▪ The social audit focuses on the neglected issue of social impacts in addition to

environmental and economic issues and thereby helping in the comprehensive policy evaluation.

However, the institutionalisation of social audit faces certain challenges in India such as: ▪ The lack of adequate administrative and political will in institutionalising social audit to

deter corruption has meant that social audits in many parts of the country are not independent of the influence of implementing agencies.

▪ Social audit units, including village social audit facilitators, continue to face resistance and intimidation and find it difficult to even access primary records for verification.

▪ People’s participation has been minuscule due to the lack of education, awareness and capacity building among the common masses.

▪ There is an absence of an independent agency to investigate and act on social audit findings.

Suggestions: ▪ Citizens groups need to campaign for strengthening social audits and make real progress

in holding the political executive and implementing agencies accountable. ▪ Team of social audit experts should be established in each district who are responsible

for training social audit committee members (stakeholders). ▪ Training programmes should be created on social auditing methods such as conducting

and preparing social audit reports, and presentation at Gram Sabha. ▪ The system of social audits needs a synergetic endorsement and a push by multiple

authorities to establish an institutionalised framework which cannot be undermined by any vested interests.

The social audit process is intended as a means for social engagement, transparency and communication of information, leading to greater accountability of decision-makers, representatives, managers and officials. Thus, the application of social audit holds tremendous potential in bridging gaps between policy objectives and outcomes. Q.16) Global Hunger Index 2021 rankings show concerns on level of hunger and food insecurity in India. It is imperative that India take holistic measures to deal with the issue of food security. (250 Words) ASNWER: India has slipped to 101st position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 of 116 countries, from its 2020 position of 94th. It is calculated on the basis of four indicators:

▪ Undernourishment: Share of the population with insufficient caloric intake. ▪ Child Wasting: Share of children under age five who have low weight for their height,

reflecting acute undernutrition.

▪ Child Stunting: Share of children under age five who have low height for their age,

reflecting chronic undernutrition. ▪ Child Mortality: The mortality rate of children under the age of five.

Reasons for the poor performance -

▪ Impact of Pandemic: Various survey estimates that there were about 43 crore of moderate to severe food-insecure people in India in 2019 which increase to 52 crore by 2020 as a result of the pandemic-related disruptions.

o In terms of prevalence rates, this food insecurity increased from about 31.6% in 2019 to 38.4% in 2021.

o The long-standing problems of unemployment, inflation, informal sector employment and economic slowdown were aggravated in 2020 due to lack of preparation to deal with the pandemic.

▪ Inadequate Distribution of Food through PDS: Deserving beneficiaries of the subsidy are excluded on the basis of non-ownership of below poverty line (BPL) status, as the criterion for identifying a household as BPL is arbitrary and varies from state to state.

▪ Lack of access to remote areas: For the tribal communities, habitation in remote difficult terrains and practice of subsistence farming has led to significant economic backwardness.

▪ Corruption: Diverting the grains to the open market to get better margin, selling poor quality grains at ration shops, irregular opening of the shops add to the issue of food insecurity.

Way Forward ▪ Regular Monitoring of Food Security: The sharp increase in food insecurity points to an urgent

need for the government to establish systems for regular monitoring of the food security situation in the country.

▪ Enlarging the Scope of Food Security Schemes: Universalising the access to the Public Distribution System and One Nation One Ration Card scheme (ONORC), at least during the pandemic.

o The PDS should be strengthened and the food basket can be enlarged to include millets, pulses and oil.

o This may certainly help in addressing the issue of hidden hunger. o Everyone, irrespective of whether they have a ration card or not, should be allowed

to take subsidised grain from ration shops. ▪ Bringing Development and Humanitarian Policies Together: Integrating humanitarian,

development and peacebuilding policies in required areas to prevent families from selling meagre assets in exchange for food.

▪ Lowering the Cost of Nutritious Food: Intervening along supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods such as by encouraging the production of biofortified crops or making it easier for fruit and vegetable growers to access markets.

Conclusion Right to food is not only a statutory right but also a human right. As a state party to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, India has the obligation to ensure the right to be free from hunger and the right to adequate food for all of its citizens. Q.17) “Effectiveness of the government system at various levels and people’s participation in the governance system are interdependent” Discuss their relationship in the context of India. (250 Words) ANSWER: One of the components of good governance as stated by UNDP is participation of citizens in decision making. It is important to view them as active participants in governance since they have a legitimate role in influencing decision making processes that affect their lives, businesses and communities. How people’s participation is related to effectiveness of government?

1. People participation led to demands and accountability that make the government more responsive, efficient and effective.

2. People participation enables the poor and marginalised to influence public policy and service delivery to improve their lives.

3. People’s participation can influence policy and project formulation through membership of committees, submission of memoranda directly or through elected representatives, and interactive rule- making in the implementation of policies, projects and schemes affecting citizens.

4. Citizen’s participation in governance contributes to a healthy democracy. 5. People’s effective participation, transparency, responsiveness, consensus orientation, equity

and inclusiveness, the rule of law, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability, and strategic vision.

6. Participating actively in administration and decision making through Panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies mandates by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts.

How effectiveness of government lead to people’s participation? 1. Effectiveness means ensuring communities get services and results they need. E.g., the

Citizen Grievance Redressal mechanism, PRAGATI where they can address their grievances. 2. Enabling citizens to give feedback for improved service delivery. e.g., through Consumer

forums, public forums like Facebook, RTI etc., 3. Politically, shift from citizens being considered passive beneficiaries to statutory right

holders. For example, RTI, NREGA, RTE, Right to Services Act etc. 4. Making sure that there is no mismatch between what is being demanded and what is being

provided, how is it provided (means) and of what quality by RTI and social audits. 5. Listening to the voices of citizens and their suggestions through public hearings, writing to

various Parliamentary Committees and commissions when policies are put in public domain, surveys etc.

6. Effectiveness means keeping the needs of citizens in focus i.e., to deliver the services at a pre-accepted standards and within a specified time limit. These ends are met with either

employing more human hands or by using technology, minimum government, maximum governance focuses more on the technological aspect, by rightsizing the government apparatus and streamlining the procedures.

Thus, government efficiency and people’s participation have a direct relationship. Both are interdependent in a way that people’s participation is a must to keep government accountable, responsible and answerable to its people. Effectiveness of government ensures transparency and timely resolution of people’s issues through their involvement.

Q.18) The strength and sustenance of local institutions in India has shifted from their formative phase of Functions, Functionaries and Funds to the contemporary stage of Functionality. Highlight the critical challenges faced by local institutions in terms of their functionality in the recent time. (250 Words) ANSWER: Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Governments, as units of local government, have been in existence in India for a long time. However, they were granted constitutional status as the third tier of India’s federal democracy through the 73rd & 74th Amendment Act. The primary objective of establishing the third tier of the government is to increase democratic decentralization. However, there are many issues which have rendered the 3rd tier of government in a state where it has more responsibility but less power and resources. While traditional challenges in terms of funds, functions and functionaries (3Fs) remain quite relevant even today, we cannot lose sight of challenges being phase in terms of “functionality”. Challenges Which Affects Functionality of Local Institutions

▪ Emergence of Parallel Governance: Smart Cities Mission aims to establish a Special purpose vehicle for the execution of the city development. This has created a parallel institution vis-a-vis Urban local government. This functional overlapping may eventually lead to weakening of local bodies.

▪ Top-Down Approach: NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District plan envisages top-down development of these districts, which not only undermines the role of local governments but also goes against the spirit of Democratic decentralization. Further, this one-size-fits-all approach also affects the functionality of local governments.

▪ Lack of Effective Devolution: Local government is a state subject in the Constitution, and consequently, the devolution of power and authority to panchayats and urban local governments has been left to the discretion of states. Most states in India are yet to provide adequate functional autonomy to the local bodies.

▪ Structural Issues: Some of the Gram panchayats or urban local governments do not have their own building or they exist but without basic facilities like toilets, drinking water, and electricity connection.

Moreover, there is a lack of support staff and personnel in local bodies such as secretaries, junior engineers, computer operators, and data entry operators. This affects their functioning and delivery of services. ▪ Corruption: Local bodies are marred by corruption. Due to this, local bodies are not able

to function properly and subsequently affect the development process. Way Forward

▪ Activity Mapping: The 2nd ARC had recommended that there should be a clear-cut demarcation of functions of each tier of the government.

▪ Ensuring Principle of Subsidiarity: According to the 2nd ARC, the principle of subsidiarity should be followed while deciding on the implementation machinery for any programme, i.e. central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level

▪ Ensuring Fiscal Federalism: As functionality also depends on finances, fiscal autonomy accompanied by fiscal accountability can provide a long term solution to the problems faced by local bodies.

▪ Effective Auditing: Audit committees may be constituted by the State Governments at the district level to exercise oversight of the integrity of financial information, adequacy of internal controls, compliance with the applicable laws and ethical conduct of all persons involved in local bodies. In this pursuit, the initiative of the Meghalaya government to make social auditing mandatory is worth emulating by other states.

▪ Convergence of Various Government Programmes: There is a need for convergence of various development programs of the Centre and state governments. In this context, Mission Antyodaya is a step in the right direction.

The governments should make adequate efforts to devolve funds, functions, and functionaries to local bodies so that they can effectively plan economic development and social justice schemes. Q.19) Global Power axis and interest are shifting Eastward from the Pacific-Atlantic to Indian Ocean Region. Examine (250 Words) ANSWER: Three decades into its existence, globalisation is at the end of its tether. Countries the world over are increasingly turning inwards. Global institutions are losing their relevance and influence over large parts of the world. Instead, we see a process of the emergence of new power blocs in different parts of the world. These power blocs are hankering to become strategic poles, thus leading to the emergence of a multi-polar world order. Multipolarity is the new flavour of the season in the 21st century, marking a death blow to globalisation and unipolarity. Under the new pecking order, America continues to enjoy primacy but a much reduced one. The American leadership seems content with its role in global affairs reduced while its

priorities seem more domestic than global. The European Union is struggling to find its coherence to emerge as an important pole. But internal contradictions like Brexit and disputes over the entry of East European nations bog it down. The rise of a China-centric Asian power order that has spawned new alliances, both regional and interest-based, is a phenomenon in our neighbourhood. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have been causing ripples in the world today. A new arrangement is re-emerging on the with the coming together of countries like Ireland, the Netherlands, the Nordic and Baltic states, while the Arab League, with 22 member states, is in complete disarray with war and terror. Erstwhile superpowers like Russia and the United Kingdom are struggling to find a place of prominence in the new 21st century world order. Leaders of both countries have great power ambitions — the UK leadership talks about “Global Britain” while Putin cantered his 2018 campaign around the slogan “Strong Russia”. Yet it appears to be a long road ahead for both countries. Amidst all this, India is quietly building itself as an important power. Vibrant democracy, literate and skilled manpower and a vast middle class with strong purchasing power are its advantages that attract world attention today. The Indian Ocean is where India’s future lies. The global power axis is constantly shifting eastwards from the Pacific-Atlantic region, and the Indian Ocean region has emerged as the most influential region today. It is here that the power axis will settle down ultimately in this century; it is here that the emerging new economies come together with strong traditional economies; it is here that populations and markets with purchasing power exist; it is here that strong military powers with massive defence spending exist; it is here that massive energy-guzzlers like India and China are located. It is the world’s most happening place today. The Indian leadership needs to appreciate the fact that in the emerging multipolar world order, India is a natural leader in the Indian Ocean region. By turning eastwards and focusing on building an Indian Ocean Bloc, it can aspire to rise as a guiding pole for many countries in the region. India has to think and act fast. As an influential region, it is already witnessing major competition among the leading powers. But with its historic, cultural and civilisational linkages with countries in the region and its present standing in the world, India could become a natural gravitational force for countries, mostly the island nations, in the region. An Indian Ocean Conference of the stakeholder nations in the region is thus an idea whose time has come. Q.20) Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD)’ is the transforming itself into a trade bloc from a military alliance, in present times – Discuss. (250 Words) ANSWER:

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the informal strategic dialogue between India, the USA, Japan, and Australia. The Quad was established, primarily as a strategic bloc, to counter China’s aggressive stance in the South China Sea. However, Quad’s shared objective to support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region, could also form the basis of a trade agreement and turn it into a major trade bloc. Body Transformation of Quad Into A Trade Bloc:

▪ Complex Interdependence: In the world of complex interdependence whereby nations have trade dependency over each other or collective responsibility of global commons, a military bloc reminiscent of the cold war era seems quite outdated.

o In this context, it is more plausible that Quad member countries envision themselves from a geo-economic prism.

o Also, a military bloc may bring all great powers (US, China, India, Russia) to the brink of a war, which is not in the interest of these countries and global peace.

▪ Inclusive Indo-Pacific Region: Quad member countries agreed that a free, open, prosperous, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region will serve the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large. Quad also envisages addressing the common challenges of terrorism and proliferation linkages impacting the region, as well as on enhancing connectivity.

▪ Blue Dot Network: It is a multi-stakeholder initiative (led by the US along with Japan and Australia) to bring together governments, the private sector, and civil society to promote high-quality, trusted standards for global infrastructure development. It could directly counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

▪ Tackling Global Challenges: Challenges emanating from Covid-19 highlighted the need for improving the resilience of supply chains and self-sufficiency also. In this context, the transformation of Quad into a trade bloc can help tackle future global challenges more effectively.

Way Forward ▪ Need For Clear Vision: The Quad nations need to better explain the Indo-Pacific Vision in

an overarching framework with the objective of advancing everyone’s economic and security interests. This will reassure the littoral States that the Quad will be a factor for the regional benefit, and a far cry from Chinese allegations that it is some sort of a military alliance.

▪ Integration of Projects: The connectivity projects of Quad member countries (the US’ Indo-pacific economic corridor, Japan’s Asia-Africa Economic Corridor, India’s Project Mausam) should be integrated to be more proactive in pushing ahead the vision of connectivity.

▪ Expanding Quad: The Quad should focus on building a robust regional consultation mechanism and coordinate with ASEAN nations on issues of regional importance.

If ever a Quad trade agreement were to become a reality, a reduction in trade costs would go a long way towards fulfilling the economic potential of the alliance. However, there is a need to put the military component and the economic component together. This will help Quad to emerge as a very strong alliance as without military muscle all other fields cannot be excelled.