Hargila Army Or Stork Army, Malabar Exercise 2024, MQ-9B HALE UAVs and SSNs

(General Studies II – Governance Section – Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.)

• India is currently facing an escalating mental health crisis, compounded by rapid urbanization, financial instability, workplace pressures, and a culture increasingly defined by consumerism.
• With over 197 million people suffering from mental health disorders, according to The Lancet Psychiatry Commission, mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress are rampant across the country.

Causes of the Mental Health Crisis in India –

1. Workplace Stress and Burnout: A 2019 survey by WHO revealed that India has the highest prevalence of workplace depression, with nearly 42.5% of corporate employees suffering from anxiety or depression. Long work hours, intense competition, and a culture of relentless productivity exacerbate mental health issues, as evidenced by cases of work-related suicides.
2. Urbanization and Financial Instability: India’s rapid urbanization has led to the isolation of individuals and a disconnection from traditional support systems. According to the National Mental Health Survey (2015-16), urban areas have a higher prevalence of common mental disorders, with financial stress and housing pressures contributing to rising cases of anxiety and depression.
3. Consumerism and Social Comparison: The rise of consumer culture, especially in urban India, is fueling a mental health epidemic. A 2022 report by The Lancet noted that nearly 197 million Indians suffer from mental health disorders, driven by a society that equates success with wealth, leading to feelings of inadequacy, isolation, and dissatisfaction.
4. Inadequate Access to Mental Health Care: India spends less than 1% of its healthcare budget on mental health, far below the global average of 2%. The country has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people (WHO), leaving a vast treatment gap, especially in rural areas.
5. Stigma and Gender Issues: Mental health stigma remains strong, with 80% of those affected not seeking professional help (NMHS, 2015-16). Women, often facing dual pressures of work and family, are disproportionately affected by stress, anxiety, and depression, but societal expectations deter many from seeking support.

Solutions to the Mental Health Crisis in India –

1. Promoting Community Well-being: Strengthening community ties and collective well-being is essential. Countries like Brazil have implemented community gardens and cooperative living, which have proven to enhance social connections. India could adopt similar initiatives in urban areas to combat isolation and promote mental health.
2. Workplace Reforms for Mental Health: Legal protections, such as regulating work hours, are critical. The Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024 allows for up to 12-hour workdays, intensifying burnout risks. Policy reforms are needed to enforce work-life balance and promote employee well-being.
3. Expanding Mental Health Care Access: The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, was a landmark reform aimed at ensuring mental health care for all. However, more investment is needed to close the treatment gap. The government must increase mental health professionals and allocate at least 2-3% of the health budget to mental health services, aligning with global standards.
4. Mindfulness and Social-Emotional Learning: Incorporating mindfulness and mental health education into school curriculums and workplaces can reduce stress. Programs similar to those in Scandinavian countries, which emphasize emotional learning from an early age, could be adapted to India’s needs to promote better mental health outcomes.
5. Shifting Focus from Consumerism: Redefining success beyond material wealth is crucial. Countries like Bhutan have introduced the Gross National Happiness Index, measuring well-being beyond GDP. India could develop similar metrics, encouraging a shift from consumer-driven success to emotional and social well-being.
6. Reducing Mental Health Stigma: National campaigns, like the one launched by the Ministry of Health in 2019, aim to reduce the stigma around mental health. However, broader cultural shifts are required, alongside increased media representation and public figures speaking openly about mental health, to normalize seeking help

Addressing India’s mental health crisis is essential for meeting both national and global health targets, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. India must strengthen mental health policies, expand access to care, reduce stigma, and foster environments that prioritize collective well-being over material success.

• The RBI has proposed that the Reserve Bank – Climate Risk Information System (RB-CRIS) address the gap in climate-related data for entities.
• The Reserve Bank of India identifies climate change as one of the significant risks to the financial system.
• It necessitates high-quality data relating to local climate scenarios, climate forecasts, and emissions.
• The available climate-related data is characterised by various gaps such as fragmented and varied sources, differing formats, frequencies and units.
• Two-Part System:
• The first part will be a web-based directory, listing various data sources, (meteorological, geospatial, etc.) which will be publicly accessible on the RBI website.
• The second part will be a data portal comprising of datasets (processed data in standardised formats). Access to this data portal will be made available only to the regulated entities in a phased manner.

Dig Deeper: Read about RBI’s Green Deposits and also the concept of Greenwashing.

• Hargila: The Great Adjutant Stork is a 19-minute film directed by An Assam IPS officer, Partha Sarathi Mahanta. It received a Special Mention at the 70th National Film Awards in 2022.
• He dedicated his national award to the ‘Hargila Army’, a group of women led by conservationist Purnima Devi Barman, who played a crucial role in saving endangered birds from extinction.
• Under Barman’s leadership to protect the stork, women from Dadara Parasia village near Guwahati organised.
• The documentary has been showcased at nine international film festivals.
• Purnima Devi Barman has received global accolades, including the United Nations Champion of the Earth Award and two Green Oscars from the Whitley Fund for Nature.
• Greater Adjutant Stork:
• The greater adjutant stork inhabits the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, primarily in Guwahati, Morigaon, and Nagaon districts.
• Previously classified as endangered, it is now listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• Standing nearly five feet tall, they are often seen at garbage dumping sites near the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Their breeding season is from October to February, and they primarily feed on fish, frogs, reptiles, birds, and carrion.
• The storks rely on wetlands for foraging and tall trees for nesting, but face habitat loss due to encroachment and drainage projects.
• Although legally protected, they are sometimes driven away due to the strong odour of their droppings and their feeding habits.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Vulture Count Project of WWF-India and Bird Count India.

• The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker for computational protein design and to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for protein structure prediction.
• The prize honours groundbreaking work in understanding the link between amino acid sequences and protein structures.
• Computational Protein Design:
• David Baker led a team that in 2003 designed new proteins using computational methods.

• These methods have evolved to create “designer” proteins for specific applications.
• His team’s work is described as enabling the construction of almost any type of protein.
• AlphaFold2 for Prediction of Protein Structure:
• Hassabis and Jumper developed AlphaFold 2, an AI model capable of predicting the structure of millions of proteins, surpassing the 1.7 lakh proteins previously mapped by human scientists.

• Their work is noted for breaking new ground in 2020 by using AI to predict complex protein structures.
• AlphaFold2 has been used by more than two million people from 190 countries. 

Dig Deeper: Read about the basic functions of Protein in Human cells and Body.

• The Finance Minister criticized the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Deforestation rules as unilateral and arbitrary, warning that these measures will negatively impact countries like India, hampering economic growth and green energy transition efforts.
• CBAM was described as a trade barrier creating unforeseen risks for India’s efforts towards its net-zero commitments.

• Failure to comply with EUDR requirements may result in consignments being held, returned, or destroyed at the EU border.

Dig Deeper: Read about New Issues of the WTO.

• The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Indo-Pacific Region (IPR) are increasingly critical for global security and economic stability, emphasised at the commencement of Malabar-2024, a maritime exercise of the Quad nations: India, U.S., Japan, and Australia.
• Strategic Importance: The IOR and IPR are crucial for trade, energy security, and maritime freedom.
• Malabar-2024 highlights the strategic significance of collaboration among like-minded nations to address maritime challenges.
• Initially a bilateral naval drill between the U.S. and India in 1992, Malabar has evolved into a key multilateral event with participation from Quad nations.
• It reflects a commitment to strengthening maritime security through cooperation, beyond being just a military drill.

Dig Deeper: Go through the map of the Indo-Pacific Region as well as the Quad Countries.

• The third edition of the annual Mindfulness India Summit will be held in Mumbai, aimed at providing leaders and professionals with strategies for creating healthier, more empathetic work environments.
• The summit is organized by the Mindful Science Centre and supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

• The event will explore mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience.
• Experts from Harvard, and Yale University will deliver keynote addresses.

Dig Deeper: Read about the ‘Manodarpan’ initiative of the Ministry of Education.

• The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has recommended the inclusion of seven communities and their synonyms in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), making them eligible for Central schemes and appointments.
• The decision follows hearings conducted over the past six months.
• Communities added:
  • Lodh, Lodha, Lodhi
  • Badgujar
  • Suryavanshi Gujar
  • Leve Gujar, Reve Gujar, Reva Gujar
  • Dangari
  • Bhoyar, Pawar
  • Kapewar, Munnar Kapewar, Munnar Kapu, Telanga, Telangi, Pentareddy, Bukekari
• These communities were already listed as OBCs in Maharashtra’s state list but have been waiting for over a decade to be included in the Central list.
• The inclusion is based on current socio-economic data.
• This move aims to provide these communities with access to central government benefits and reservations in appointments.
• Process: NCBC is responsible for reviewing requests for the inclusion of castes in the Central OBC list.
• The NCBC forms a Bench to evaluate proposals and submits its recommendations to the Union government.
• Once the Cabinet approves the additions, legislation is introduced, and the President officially notifies the changes.

Dig Deeper: Role of State Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission.

• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved two major defence deals: the purchase of 31 MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs from the U.S. and the indigenous construction of two nuclear attack submarines (SSNs).
• MQ-9B UAV Deal:
• 15 Sea Guardians for the Navy and 16 Sky Guardians for the Army and Air Force at $3.99 billion.
• General Atomics will set up a Global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India as part of offset obligations. Final approval from the CCS, awaiting formal conclusion.
• Nuclear Attack Submarines (SSNs):
• Follow-on to India’s SSBN (ballistic missile submarines) project.
• INS Arighaat was commissioned in August 2023, joining INS Arihant (commissioned in 2016).
• SSNs provide unlimited endurance, with limitations only based on crew stamina.
• India has previously leased SSNs from Russia and expects delivery of a third SSN in two to three years after delays.

Dig Deeper: Read about recent Defence Purchases of India and Defence Trade of India.