India’s Sustainable Goal: Human Development, Price Rise by NPPA, SCO Meeting in Pakistan

(General Studies II – Governance Section – Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger.)

• India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) journey faces key challenges in human development, notably in areas such as gender disparity, income inequality, and lagging social indicators like education and health. These are critical to achieving sustainable development by 2030.

Issues hindering Progress in Human development Sector –

1. Human Development Index (HDI): India ranks 134 out of 193 countries, with an HDI of 0.644 in 2022. Despite some improvement since 1990, India’s HDI has lagged behind neighbours like China and Bangladesh. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted education and income levels, contributing to stagnation in human development from 2015-2022.
2. Gender Development Gaps: India has one of the largest gender gaps in the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), with a 47.8-point difference between men and women. The female LFPR remains very low compared to countries like China (53.6%) and Bangladesh (39.2%).
3. Income Inequality: India’s income inequality is alarming, with the richest 1% holding 21.7% of the total income. This is much higher than Bangladesh (11.6%) and the world average of 17.5%.

Interventions Needed –

1. Improving Gender Equality: Experts recommend policy interventions that focus on increasing female workforce participation, particularly in urban areas. This can be achieved through improved access to education, financial incentives, and flexible work opportunities.
2. Reducing Income Inequality: To curb income disparity, targeted policies like progressive taxation, wealth redistribution, and social safety nets should be strengthened. Experts also emphasize the importance of upskilling and employment generation in marginalized communities to bridge income gaps.
3. Focus on Education and Health: Investing in quality education and healthcare is vital for long-term human development. Expanding social welfare schemes and ensuring access to affordable healthcare can accelerate progress in SDGs like SDG-3 (Good Health) and SDG-4 (Quality Education).

Addressing gender gaps and income inequality is key to improving India’s human development. With concerted efforts, policy reforms, and effective implementation of SDG-focused strategies, India can make significant strides towards inclusive and sustainable development by 2030.

• The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in China’s Guangdong province will soon begin collecting data to study neutrinos, elusive subatomic particles produced by nuclear reactions.
• It aims to determine the mass hierarchy of neutrinos, which could offer insights into subatomic processes and the early universe.
• JUNO will study neutrinos from nearby nuclear power plants, the Sun, and the Earth’s radioactive decay to explore mantle convection and solar processes.
• The goal is to determine the lightest and heaviest neutrino types, which could help explain the fundamental properties of matter.
• Scientists from multiple countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the U.S., and others, are collaborating on JUNO.
• The observatory’s spherical detector will log data, which will be shared with institutions across the world for cross-checked analyses.
• JUNO is set to start operations in late 2025, ahead of other global neutrino observatories like DUNE in the U.S.
• While real-life applications of neutrinos are still distant, scientists speculate about future possibilities such as using neutrinos for long-distance communication.

Dig Deeper: Read about the India-based Neutrino Observatory.

• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations released a report warning of the significant impacts of climate change on poor households, particularly in India.
• Poor households globally lose 5% of their total income from heat stress and 4.4% from floods, with Indian farming households severely affected.
• Droughts causing a reduction in off-farm employment opportunities.
• The vulnerability of poor households is rooted in structural inequalities.
• The FAO report calls for expanding social security nets and anticipatory social protection programs.
• India’s proactive measures, such as the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) and employment guarantee schemes, to address climate change and provide a social safety net.

Dig Deeper: Read about reports published by FAO like the State of World’s Forests and the Global Forest Resources Assessment.

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has approved a 50% increase in the ceiling prices of 11 scheduled formulations of eight essential drugs.
• These drugs are crucial for public health programmes, treating conditions such as asthma, glaucoma, tuberculosis, thalassemia, and mental health disorders.
• The increase aims to ensure the continued availability of essential drugs at affordable prices, preventing shortages in the market.
• Manufacturers cited increased costs of active pharmaceutical ingredients, production, and exchange rate changes.
• Some manufacturers applied to discontinue certain formulations due to unviability.
• The revised prices apply to drugs like Atropine injection, Streptomycin powder, Salbutamol tablets, Pilocarpine drops, Cefadroxil tablets, Desferrioxamine for injection, and Lithium tablets.
• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is an independent body that is attached to the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• The Government of India established the NPPA in 1997 to regulate drug prices and ensure affordable access to medicines
• Whereas, the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) is part of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The DTAB is a committee that advises the Central and State Governments on technical matters related to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, of 1940.
• The DTAB is the highest statutory decision-making body on technical matters related to drugs in India

Dig Deeper: Read about Anti-Microbial Resistance.

• The diplomatic crisis between India and Canada over the 2023 killing of pro-Khalistan preacher Hardeep Singh Nijjar has expanded, with the United Kingdom expressing “full confidence” in Canada’s judicial process.
• This follows support for Canada from other members of the ‘Five Eyes’ countries—New Zealand, the U.S., and Australia.
• Five Eyes Support: The U.K. is the fourth Five Eyes member to back Canada. The countries value sovereignty, the rule of law, and the right to peaceful protest.
• India has long been uncomfortable with Khalistan referendums in these countries, but Five Eyes nations have not cracked down on such activities.
• Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, citing involvement in Nijjar’s killing. India responded by expelling six Canadian diplomats.
• The U.S. State Department called the allegations serious, urging India to cooperate.

Dig Deeper: Read about Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council (FIORC).

• In India’s legal system, the growing use of Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF) is emerging as a potential solution to the financial barriers to justice.
• TPLF allows investors to fund legal battles in exchange for a share of the winnings, helping those who cannot afford litigation costs like small business owners or tribal communities, to seek justice against powerful entities.
• TPLF provides financial support to individuals or groups involved in legal cases, with investors receiving a portion of the settlement if the case is successful.
• The Supreme Court has cautiously Bar Council of India v. A.K. Balaji allowed TPLF as long as lawyers are not directly funding the cases, viewing it as a potential equaliser in the legal system.

• This decision is rooted in historical judgments that support third-party funding, distinguishing it from old English laws on champerty.
• TPLF could support various legal areas, including consumer rights, environmental issues, workers’ rights, public interest litigation, cases involving medical malpractice, intellectual property rights, and social justice issues.
• India lacks a national framework for TPLF, though some states have recognised third-party financing in civil cases.
• Learning from international examples like Hong Kong’s Code of Practice for TPLF in Arbitration, India must address risks like funder control, capital adequacy, and court oversight.

Dig Deeper: Read about various innovations adopted by the judiciary to reduce pendency in recent times.

• The recent interactions between Indian and Pakistani officials during the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Islamabad have raised attention.
• External Affairs Ministers from both countries engaged in informal discussions during the conclusion lunch, which included representatives from Russia, China, Iran, and Central Asian states.
• Discussions also occurred regarding the Champions Trophy, set to be hosted by Pakistan in 2025, with India’s participation not yet confirmed.
• India’s External Affairs Minister emphasized the importance of addressing cross-border terrorism, extremism, and separatism for fostering trade, energy flows, and connectivity.
• The SCO meeting focused on trade, investment, connectivity, and respect for territorial integrity, indirectly addressing India’s concerns over China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
• Pakistani leaders refrained from raising the Kashmir issue, marking a departure from recent UNGA discussions.
• SCO members signed agreements on economic dialogue, creative economy development, and other economic cooperation strategies during the session.

Dig Deeper: Read Asian Infrastructure Bank and New Development Bank.