Art on Migrant Workers of Lockdown Period (GS paper I Art and Culture ) - Plutus IAS

Date - 1 October 2021

 Art on Migrant Workers of Lockdown
  Period (GS paper I Art and Culture )

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Context                              IA
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Raju Baraiya , an eminent artist of Baroda showed the condition of migrant
workers during the lockdown period through his artwork . The first nationwide
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lockdown was announced in March 2020 and within a few weeks many
migrant workers , working in metroes like Delhi, Mumbai started to migrate to
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their hometown or native places without any proper means of transportation
In his art work it is shown that how migrant workers felt unsettled looking at
the images and news reports of migrants walking to their villages.

Artwork entitled Social distancing

The title of his artwork was Social distancing. In his canvass he painted the
picture of migrants who migrated from Surat, their working place to Amreli
(Gujarat). He painted their plight on his canvases. Raju Baraiya compared

these migrant workers with the heroes of Indian History. He represented them
as INDIAN HEROES in front of the media . He presented his art work at
Delhi’s Art District XIII gallery. Baraiya has won the award in the Glenfiddich
(Scotland )‘Emerging Artist of the Year 2019

About Raju Baraiya

Raju Bariya was Born in Amreli (Gujarat) He had completed his Diploma in
Painting from The Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara. .
He did his Post Diploma in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S

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University of Baroda. He has participated in several group shows including:

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‘Artist at Glenfiddich’ International Residency Program in Dufftown, Scotland
in 2019. He won the award ‘The Emerging Artist of The year’ by the
Glenfiddich Artist in Residency in Scotland in 2019.
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Artworks on Migrant workers
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Indian cinema has also pictersied the pathetic conditions of migrant workers
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during the lockdown period. How those workers of Bihar , UP and other
regions of India had to travel to reach their respected home without any
proper means of transportation. Many of them died because of hunger and.
Many of them were killed in road accidents and in train accidents . Because of
the sudden lockdown , these migrants had to suffer a lot . The 1232 km movie
of Vinod Kapri had picturised very well about the pathetic conditions of
migrant workers

Pravasi: A Migrant’s Tale is another interesting movie, shown Plight of
Migrant Workers. This movie is directed by Vivek Upaddhyay and in this
Movie Vivek has done outstanding performance

Vivek has won ‘Nirmal Pandey Smriti Film Festival’ in Mumbai. This film has
been an eye opener for our government also . In this movie it has been shown
that How much the government was prepared before announcing nationwide
lockdown. Stories inspire us and something meaningful at the same time light
hearted is liked by all.

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Other Artwork on Migrant workers

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Jatin Das, India’s famous contemporary artist, also painted the plight of
migrant workers during lockdown through his artwork.
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Nationwide lockdown during 2020 was an important incident of Indian History
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which compelled migration on such a large scale after independence. This
migration had taught us lesson that left significant impacts on our social life as
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well as economical life. Many artists whether, film maker, whether painter
whether musician , all of them have realised the pathetic conditions of migrant
workers during lockdown period and in their Art works , artisans have shown it
.

By Dr Anshul Bajpai

Ancient cuneiform clay tablet : A
  significant feature of Mesopotamian
  Culture (GS Paper I art and Culture )

Context:

Ancient cuneiform clay tablets are a significant feature of sumerian culture
which had evolved during 3500 Bc in the regions of Iraq . This tablet is part of

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a section of a Sumerian poem from the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is the world’s
oldest known script and it is the evidence of world’s oldest known literature of
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the Sumerian culture. Hobby Lobby, a store of united state is now going to
return it to Iraq’s museum
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What is Hobby Lobby

Hobby Lobby is a company in America which owns a chain of craft and art
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stores. Its Head office is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It’s CEO
CEO is David Green (3 Aug 1972–). It was founded by David Green
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Cuneiform Clay Tablet

Cuneiform is a logo-syllabic script that had been used during Mesopotamian
/sumerian culture (3500 BC). It is the world’s oldest script which is deciphered
. Although Indus people also were aware of the script but those script could
not be deciphered . Script is a type of design which is plotted on the surface
to express the language to write several languages of the Ancient Near East.
The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of
the Common Era.

A clay tablet of 3,500-year-old origin from Iraq (Oldest Mesopotamia) was
discovered in the ruins of the library of Iraq . This tablet might be related to an
ancient Mesopotamian king, then looted from an Iraqi museum 30 years ago.
Recently it was decided to return it back to Iraq.

The cuneiform clay tablet was discovered in 1853 as part of a 12-tablet
collection during the excavation of Mesopotamian culture and then it was
illegally imported into the United States in 2003. A company of America Hobby
Lobby purchased it

Later on when archaeologists investigated this tablet, they came to know that

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it was the Gilgamesh Dream tablet and might be related with Sumerian poems
from the Epic of Gilgamesh. As claimed by western archaeologist that It was

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one of the world’s oldest works on literature and it is the world’s oldest
religious text. But it is not correct. We should not ignore the literature of Indus
people.
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In a decision of the local Civil court of New York on Thursday at the
Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian with officials from
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Iraq, it was verdicted to return this antiquity to Iraq
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Farreed Yasseen, the Iraqi ambassador to the United States, was fighting for it
for a long time and since this antiquity is related to ancient culture of Iraq and
looted by foreigners , it definitely impacts the emotions of Iraqi people .

Infact , Iraqi culture has been the witness of one of the world’s oldest cultures
and to preserve the cultural heritage of Iraq is the moral duty of UNESCO and
other international agencies.This is thought from across the world. “Artifacts
are still being stolen, they are being smuggled out.” Therefore this is the big
movement for the Iraq to get his antiquity back

By Dr Anshul Bajpai

  Amjad Ali Khan : A Legendary Sarod
     Artist (GS Paper I- History of Art)

Amjad Ali Khan , recently discussed the significance of music in this world.

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There is the world of sound and the world of languages . Generally common
people understand the world of languages , not the world of sound but an

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artist fel himself more close to the world of sound, not language. He or she
always express himself or herself not with the help of language but with the
help of sound
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Sarod
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It is a musical instrument with strings . This instrument is popular in Northern
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India, Pakistan and in Bangladesh . This is pure hindustani tradition of music.
It is similar to the rabab, an afghan instrument . This is played with the help of
its strings . Many scholar thinks that it is similar and originated from the sitar

History of Sarod

The sarod came to existence in India from Afghanistan . when the Afghani
people arrived in India for settlement during the Mughal period The modern
form of the instrument was designed in the 19th century. It is one of the most

important concert instruments in Hindustani music and is often accompanied
by the tabla (drums) and tambura (drone lute).

The term Sarod is a Persian Term and its meaning is music . Some scholars
suggest that the word might also be used to denote some type of musical
instrument of the medieval period. However, Many scholars are not agree with
this argument

As per the view of eminent scholar Allyn Miner Just to distinguish the Afghani
rabab from the Seniya rabab the players of Afghani rabab started calling it

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sarod.

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This sarod was modified by Niyamatullah Khan during the mid 19th century .
Initially sarod was summer in size but nowadays it has become a little bit
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bigger in size . Its sound is not too sweet like the sound of being , sitar. But it
gives some specific type of thick sound because of its design .
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Eminent Players of Sarod
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Ali Akbar Khan, son of Allauddin Khan, and his disciples were the empinent
players of the sarod. Besides them Allauddin Khan (1862–1972), Hafiz Ali
Khan (1888–1972), Ali Akbar Khan (1922–2009, Bahadur Khan (1931-1989),
Buddhadev Das Gupta (1933-2018), Kalyan Mukherjea (1943–2010),
Sakhawat Hussain (1877–1955), Sharan Rani Backliwal (1929–2008) are
also few eminent players of the sarod

Features of Sarod

● The sarod like other string based instruments is generally played
      with the help of a- plectrum. This plectrum should be handled with the
      right hand by using two fingers and thumb strings are being
      operated
    ● This plectrum is called ‘jawa’ and is made of coconut shell.
    ● Formerly a plectrum made of wire was used, which was not good
      enough.
    ● In sarod various materials such as horn, stone, etc have been used
      but the best material is ., it was found coconut shell for the sarod
    ● Sarods have metal wires
    ● Sarod has four principal melody strings, two or more drone strings
      (the highest one is called chikārī), and others strings are called tarab.
    ● Sitar and the sārangī are another instrument of strings and These

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      are also similar to sarod . All these instruments of strings have the
      sympathetic strings extend from pegs in the side of the neck up

      drone strings.
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      through holes in the face of the neck and pass under the melody and

    ● The instruments of strings generally have the membranes. These
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      membranes of sarod covers the base of the instrument
    ● Sarod and sarangi both have holes in their broad,
    ● Sarod has flat bridges through which their sympathetic strings pass.
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    ● When a performer plays the melody string , other strings also vibrate,
      especially if they are tuned to the note played by the melody string.
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Dr. Anshul Bajpai

    Jaya Asokan :The new director of
  Indian Art Fair (GS Paper 1 Art and
                             Culture )

Context :

Jaya Asokan was appointed the new director of India Art Fair (IAF) in Delhi in
March 2021. She has been associated with Indian Art fair delhi for long time
and has been served as deputy director earlier

Indian Art Fair

     ● It is the leading platform of India who discover modern art as well as
       contemporary art of Southern Asia , particularly India . its head office

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       is in Saket delhi
     ● This fair is committed to promote art education
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     ● It is the body of Angus Montgomery Limited
     ● It organises festivals related to arts time to time at national and
       international level and its Audiences are also Indians as well as
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       foreigners
     ● Its main objective is to promote vernacular artistic tradition
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Jaya Ashokan
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     ● Asokan was a great artist who played an important role in promoting
       vernacular art through various fairs.
     ● During this pandemic , Indian Art fair is seeking the extensive
       contribution of Asokan in the promotion of gallariers also .
     ● This will shine through our newest initiatives, including a new
       website, distinct partnerships and projects, and a year-round
       programme, all of which hope to reflect the vibrancy of India’s art
       scene, its latest developments and stories around art and artists.
     ● Asokan steps into a vastly altered world. How will she navigate the
       pandemic, shrinking markets, digital art and a community with a
       greater need than ever to connect?

Role of Private Companies in the promotion of Indian Art and Craft

     ● There are many private companies which are playing an important
       role in the promotion of Art and Craft like Giftstyle India founded in
       2016 . It is an Arts And Crafts company and Its headquarters is in
       Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India.
     ● Apart from this another art company is Kalakriti India founded in 200 .
       Its headquarters is in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
     ● Fanusta Global- Rediscovering Indian Art and soulful Strokes Studio
       are two important companies whose headquarters are in Jaipur,
       Rajasthan and in Gurgaon, Haryana respectively .

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Indians have been very rich in art and culture for a long time . We have many

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art works from the ancient period also. Art work is the fundamental
characteristic of Indian culture . It is our cultural Heritage. Although many
private companies are showing their interest to protect and promote Indian art
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and craft, we still see the lack of awareness of the common people to protect
and patronize art. Govert should expend the fund in the promotion of various
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types of artwork. . At academic level, the courses related to artwork must be
brought as per the requirements of the world . In this way we would be able to
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earn money as well as fame and on the other side our cultural heritage would
be protected. Our art skill should be recognised and appreciated by various
means

Many artisans in modern days are facing the problem of financial scarcity .
Government should provide them adequate financial security so that they
could do better in the field of artwork. Our handicraft and the painting work
would be internationally recognizable with little effort from our government .

By Dr Anshul Bajpai

Himalayan Film Festival : A Significant
  Movement for Leh (GS Paper I – Art
                           and Culture )

Context :

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New Union Territory Laddk is going to host The himalayan Film Festival from

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24 to 28 Sept . all the Himalayan states/UTs such as Ladakh, Jammu &
Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya,
Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland related film
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makers are eligible to participate in the contest. In this festivals Short-film
(Fiction/Documentary) (Should be up to 15 minutes of duration), Short-film
(Promotional-I) (Should be up to 1 minute of duration), (Promotional-II)
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(Should be up to 5 minutes of duration) would be included Short-film
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The film festival is being organised by the Government of Union Territory of
Ladakh in collaboration with the Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

     ● Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of Information and Broadcasting
       Sports & Youth Affairs, Govt. of India,will be the chief guest.
     ● This festival will be celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’,75 years of
       India’s Independence.
     ● Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh is chief host this
       festival
     ● This festival will be along the views of PM’s r ‘Janbhagidari’,

Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council

LAHDC-Leh consists a total of 30 seats among of which 4 are nominated and
remaining elected

It is a development district council and created the Autonomous Hill
Development Council Act of 1995.

History of Laddakh

     ● Leh (Ladakh) was known in the past by different names like Maryul or
       low land

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     ● Fa-Hein who had arrived in India during the time of Chandragupta II
       also visited Laddakh referred to it as Kia-Chha
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     ● Another Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang who visited India during the
       Period of Harshavardhana He also visited Ladakh and named it as
       Ma-Lo-Pho.
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Objective of this film festival
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The aim of this festival is to recognize local talent in short and documentary
film-making. Apart from this through this festival, the government wants to
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provide opportunities for the local film-making community of the Himalayas to
connect with the mainstream film making industry through networking and
collaborative projects. This festival definitely will Provide an opportunity to
explore the works and perspectives of other filmmakers which would
encourage the local investors in short films also . Though these types of
festivals audience for the work of filmmakers would be created

V.these types of festivals will also be helpful to develop the skill of film-making
using minimal/efficient resources as well as Locating young and fresh talent in
film-making in the Himalayan region of India.

Besides, the most important object of such types of festivals is to promote
Centre-staging the filmmaking process and incentivizing local talent to pursue
a career in filmmaking.

Infact ,Nowadays our government is continuously focusing on the promotion
of Indian cultures, mainly the cultural heritage of those regions which are
marginalised. Through this government can ensure their emotional attachment
towards the nation as well as the participation of the local people in the
process of nation building .

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After independence it has been observed that Ladakh has been treated with

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descrimination because of Art 370 . After the removal of art 370, Ladakh has
become Union territory and the government is now promoting Ladakh culture
with other marginalised cultures (cultures of Himalayan states). Film ,
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Artworks , Music, these are the tools to connect us culturally .

By
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Dr Anshul Bajpai
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     Jamini Roy : A renowned painter of
 India (GS Paper I : ART & CULTURE)

Context

The world is celebrating the birth anniversary of French painter, Paul
Delaroche. On this occasion a quiz competition was organised in France and

the many questions asked in that quiz were related to legendary Indian Pinter
Jaimony Roy . Recognition of the Jaimini Roy as the renowned international
painter is glorifiable for India’s fans of painting

Jaimini Roy

      ● He was born in Beliatore on 11 April 1887 in a prosperous family . He
        was influenced by Ravindra Tanth Tagore . He learnt the basic
        elements of the painting from Abanindranath Tagore at the
        Government College of Art in Kolkata. Abnindra Nath tagore was

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        renowned painter of India and his legendary work was the painting of
        Bharat Mata

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      ● Heused the simple forms, flat colors, and humble paints of Bengali

      ● He was awarded with Padma Bhushan award from the Government
        of India in 1954,
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      ● Roy’s work is nowadays internationally recognised and his works can
        be found in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in
        London, the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida, and the
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        National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi
      ● There is a college in Beliatore in the name of Jaimini Roy . This
        College is founded in December 1986
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      ● He was related with the kalighat style of painting
      ● He is known for his passion for simple Indian folk art and his love for
        Indian roots.
      ● His Kalighat paintings were based on the everyday life of rural
        Bengal, Ramayana, Jesus Christ, Europeans in India among others.
      ● His paintings Ramayana, Dual Cats with one Crayfish, Bride and 2
        companions, Crucifixion with attendant angels are considered to be
        his magnum opus.
      ● Everywhere in Bengal nowadays the Painting of Jamini Roy has been
        reached. People use his work on the occasion of festivals and some
        household rituals

Kalighat Painting

     ● This is a typical Bengal painting related to the goddess kali
     ● Kalighat paintings were traditionally painted on a piece of cloth called
       patas. Even Though as the modernisation has come , some
       fundamental features have changed . Now this may be painted on
       walls also
     ● In its initial form , it emerged as a souvenir for the devotees who
       visited the temple. Coherently, these artworks graced themes of
       Hindu deities and mythology.
     ● This type of Folk art is recognised for its pristine colour pattern.
     ● The artists related to Kalighat painting generally use vibrant and

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       opaque colours, they draw fine lines with other colours.
     ● Initially, natural dyes and colours were used to preserve the

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       indigeneity of the rural art form but now days many painters started to
       use chemical colours in this art
     ● The stories glorifying our ancient Indian history are being painted in
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       such paintings like stories described in Mahabharata, Ramayana,
       goddess Kali, Lord Krishna and Shiva .
     ● As the society changed and the requirement of the glove changed
       the themes got diversified and absorbed the social and political
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       conditions of colonial Bengal.
     ● During the time Jaimini Roy This painting was showing the pathetic
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       conditions of common people in colonial period

Dr. Anshul Bajpai

Virtual Theatre : A changing style of
theatre (GS Ppaer 1 : Art and Culture )

Context

The concept of theater had to be changed into virtual theater . this example is
se by Anuja Ghosalkar by setting up a new virtual theatre through which she
explores desire and erotica and this theatre would be seen on zoom

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Since the pandemic began our lifestyle has changed completely . We have to
be much dependent on the internet for searching for lovers , for laughing,
flirting or sext . The theatre had to face such types of problems also . We have
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to follow the restrictions related to covid pandemic until the covod does not
end completely
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After the announcement of the nationwide lockdown , the theatre director,
writer and actor Anuja Ghosalkar has set up the club on Instagram as a place
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where people could submit audio recordings of gender positive and queer
erotica

The nine pieces was an ultimate work of the Shosalkar which would be shown
on Zoom by October 1 . The nine piece is documentary showing the desires
of a lady who had to live separately during pandemic period

About Anuja Ghosalkar

● She is the founder of Drama Queen, a documentary theatre
      company in Bangalore.
    ● Through Drama Queen was recognised as a unique form of
      Documentary theatre in India.
    ● In fact through her theatre she emphasises on gender. Research,
      oral history and iterations around form and process are critical to her
      performance and pedagogical work.
    ● Srishti Institute of Art Design & Technology, Mount Carmel College is
      enough lucky to have such type of artist as visiting faculty
    ● Recently, she conceived a site specific performance at Cubbon Park
      Metro Station called Dream Walkers for institution Shristhi
    ● She regularly conducts workshops at Rangashankara and Jagriti on
      Documentary theatre for children and young adults.

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    ● She has been teaching faculty in various institutions like St. Xavier’s,
      Wilson & K.C. College.Where she taught cinema In the past, as an
      actor,
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    ● a book— by Rosie Thomas published by Orient Blackswan is her
      appreciable work . She worked for a a National award winning film by
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      Ashim Ahluwalia (Miss Lovely)
    ● She has also worked as a programming officer at India Foundation for
      the Arts (2008-13) andin an Art Think South Asia Fellow (2017-18)
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    ● She is the co-curator for Asia’s first festival on Documentary theatre,
      Staged Realities 2020.
    ● Lady Anandi was her debut . this was her while she was an residing
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      in sweden during her learning period In this the desire of a lonely
      lady had also been expressed

About Nine pieces

    ● The reflection of The range of situations of a lady who had to be in
      quarantine during nationwide declared lockdown . Here she tries to
      find a partner who could fulfil her sensual desires even though , in
      this documentary that lady was married and has a child also

● In fact through this she expressed the an specific type of the
       eroticism which is differ from the mainstream notion of the eroticism
     ● In this documentary there are many scene which will laugh you which
       creates the light atmosphere

(DR ANSHUL BAJPAI)

    The Painting depicting Communal
       harmony (GS paper 1 , Art and

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                               Culture

Context
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Muslim woman painter named Jasna Salim, a 28-year old homemaker
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belongs from Kerela.
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dedicates her paintings to Lord Krishna painting in Hindu temple. She had
made more than 500 of little Lord Krishna and all her was dedicated to lord
Krishna. These type of works should be appreciable on large scale . In
modern scenario where the hatred atmosphere is continuously spreading in
that scenario her work must be recognised we should learn from her regarding
communal harmony

About Jasna Salim Work

● Belonging from kozhikode , kerala
● She has three sisters . She is the youngest among them . the name
  of her other two sisters are of Majeed and Sophia,
● She was fondly called ‘Kannaa’ by her parents and other family
  members.
● The paintings of Lord Krishna are now days one of the most popular
  painting among all god and goddess of Hinduism
● Since her art were was related to idol worship therefore she could not
  keep these painting with herself so she had to gift these paintings to
  the famed Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur
● But, all these things could never demoralised her spirit and passion
  towards painting
● Since she belongs from a conservative Muslim family of Koyilandy

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  of Kerala district so it created lot of obstacles infrom of her work
● Acceptance of these painting by the Hinu temple Ulanadu Sree

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  Krishna Swamy temple, located near Pandalam in Pathanamthitta
  districts also an appreciable works which strengthened definitely the
  communal harmony in our society
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● Since she was Muslims so she was prohibited to enter any temple so
  it was very difficult the deity
● It was not easy for her to give her painting to the temple . In kerala
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  orthodux Muslims opposed her on every level .
● The temple authorities after seeing a picture dedicated to the
  Guruvayur temple by her during the last Janmashtami.
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● Many other Hindu temples have demanded his painting . A
  Pune-based devotee group wanted to offer a little Krishna painting to
  the village temple and they wanted Salim to draw it. As there is no
  ban on non-Hindus to go inside the village shrine, the Muslim artist
  could visit the temple in person and present her artwork to the deity.
  Interestingly, all her paintings, whether done on canvas or glass, are
  of only one theme- infant Krishna with his butter pot.
● “As a member of a conservative Muslim family, she never had the
  chance to learn the stories of Krishna or see his images. She has
  not even seen the TV serials on Krishna. She began to paint Lord
  Krishna quite accidentally,”

● It started when she was drawing it . Her family members also
       opposed it . Even her husband advised her to destroy it. But because
       of strong will power she had decided to do this work
     ● In fact , lord krishna has become famous among Muslims also. Great
       Krishna devotee Raskhan who has written hundred of the poems in
       regards to Krishna . In fact in Hinduism krishna is considered as the
       symbol of love and affection . The radha Krishna idols are very
       popular and everywhere in the temple we observe the radha Krishna
       temple . We should observe the art work beyond religious orthodoxy .

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Dr. Anshul Bajpai

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PM-POSHAN Scheme: Failing on Food
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         ? (GS III, SOCIO-ECONOMIC
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                    DEVELOPMENTS)
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CONTEXT: The approval of the PM POSHAN scheme by the Cabinet
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Committee on Economic Affairs until 2025-26.

The Decision of CCEA comes at a very crucial time when income declines
and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have already affected
the capacities of families to ensure good nutrition.

PM POSHAN Scheme – This is a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme, covering all
school children studying in Classes I-VIII of Government, Government-Aided
Schools. It will supply hot cooked meals in Government and

Government-aided schools from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The PM-POSHAN
Scheme was earlier known as Mid Day Meal Scheme, covering 11.80 crore
children, studying in 11.20 lakh schools across the country.

NFHS– The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a multi-round survey,
conducted in a representative sample of households all over India.

The survey provides national and state level information for India, on different
factors including fertility, infant and child mortality, the practice of family
planning, maternal and child health, reproductive health, nutrition, anaemia,

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utilization and quality of health and family planning services etc.

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The findings in Phase I (NFHS-5)-(for 22 States and Union Territories) in
December 2020 were distressing:
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      ● Child stunting rose in 13 States
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      ● Prevalence of Anaemia among women and children
      ● Wasting in 12 States.
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The drop over the previous survey period exposes the worsening menace of
malnutrition, threatening to deprive millions of children of a fully productive
adult life.

It will take a serious effort to address this unseen crisis, supported by strong
budgetary commitment.

The centrally supported programme is for Government and Government-aided
schools, covers 11.8 crore children. It will be supplemented with nutritional
elements in identified aspirational districts and areas with high anaemia.

The scheme, which is proposed to be extended to pre-primary children,
provides for :-

     ● Social audit
     ● school nutritional gardens, will be created to source fresh produce
     ● Involvement of Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) as providers

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     ● Lays emphasis on local food traditions.

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According to the Government, funds for the PM POSHAN have been
approved at ₹1,30,794 crore(over the five-year period), including ₹31,733
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crore from States and UTs.

While some child growth metrics like stunting require a longer window to
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measure, problems i.e. anaemia and low weight , lend themselves to speedy
betterment.
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Recent data on child malnutrition underline and emphasise the value of good
school meals.

The Government must illustrate that Saksham Anganwadi-Mission POSHAN
2.0, consolidating the POSHAN Abhiyan and schemes covering anganwadis,
crèches and adolescent girls, is fiscally stronger than its former component
parts.

There must be a meaningful increase in the current Budget estimate over the
combined past outlay for the incorporated individual schemes. On nutritional
planning, the renewed plan should introduce a greater diversity of diets that
compensates for micronutrient and protein deficiency.

TO CONCLUDE: Strong nutrition supplement at school, community, and
childcare centres is crucial when pandemic-induced income declines have
already depressed essential consumption. The lower offtake of foodgrains for
the noon meal scheme during the pandemic over the previous year and the
variable food distribution mechanisms in many States should be alarming for

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the authorities and others including the civil society.

BY,                                   IA
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RAJEEV YADAV
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FACULTY of G.S. and HISTORY-OPTIONAL
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PLUTUS IAS

Lockdown Affected The Green Energy
   push (GS 3, Economics, The Hindu,
                        Indian Express)

Context: According to a report published in Institute for Energy Economics
and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the renewable energy installations in the
country have slowed down. It is way lagging behind India’s target of 2022.
India is committed to reducing Greenhouse gas emissions and targeting to
install 175 GW of green energy by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030. This is in
contrast with the fact that only 7 gw of such capacity was added in the
financial year 2020-21. One GW is equal to 1000 MW.

As per the data of the Central Electricity Authority, India was to have installed
1,000 GW solar energy capacity by March 2023, in which 40 GW was to come
from rooftop solar and 60 GW was to come from ground-mounted utility scale.

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But only 43.94 GW could have been installed till July 2021.

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Some Facts: The IEEFA study found, While analysing the monthly volumes
and prices at Indian Energy Exchange which is the largest power exchange in
India, that the amount of power traded increased by 20% over 2020, by 37%
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compared to 2019 and by 30% over 2018. This led to prices on average
increasing by 38% compared to 2020, by 8% compared to 2019, and by 11%
                 ut

over 2018. As economic growth revives, the demand of electricity grows and
average price at the exchange increases.
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If there could be more access to renewable energy, particularly wind and
hydropower, specifically wind and hydropower, it could have contributed to
lower energy prices, the report says.

As per IEEFA’s analysis coal stocks hit a new record high of 1,320 lakh tonnes
(Mt) at the end of FY2020/21 and exceeded the monthly averages of the
previous five years.

But most of the plants has reported the deterioration in supplies of coal.

Real Issue: Most of the plants had coal stock for 1 to 5 days. However their
requirement thermal power plants is to maintain coal supplies for at least 15
days. The real issue in most of cases is the supply at the thermal power
producer end, rather than the issue of coal stock shortage at the CIL end.

During the past few months, imported coal prices have been rising. It is mainly
because of surge in demand after the pandemic Especially in emerging
markets of India and China. If we rely more on imported coal then It can inflate
the the prices of thermal power, leading to higher prices for the ultimate

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consumers.

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Way forward : IEEFA notes that the challenge of India’s growing daily peak
demand does not require investment in excess baseload thermal capacity.
Instead, the electricity system needed “flexible and dynamic generation
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solutions” such as battery storage, pumped hydro storage, peaking gas-fired
capacity and flexible operation of its existing coal fleet.
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Md Layeeque Azam, Economics Faculty
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Cauvery River Water Dispute GS- 1
            InterState Relations, Water
        Resources, Dispute Redressal
Mechanism, Co-operative Federalism,
                             Tribunals

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CONTEXT

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Recently, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed
Karnataka to immediately release the balance quantum of water to Tamil
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Nadu. However, CWMA dropped discussion on the Mekedatu reservoir project
following a “strong protest” from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry.
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About River Cauvery
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     ● It is known as ‘Ponni’ in Tamil, also known as Ganga of the south,
       and it is the fourth largest river of southern India.
     ● It is a sacred river of southern India.
     ● It rises on Brahmagiri Hill of the Western Ghats in southwestern
       Karnataka state, flows in a southeasterly direction through the states
       of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and descends the Eastern Ghats in a
       series of great falls and drains into the Bay of Bengal through
       Pondicherry.
     ● Some of its tributaries are Arkavathi, Hemavathi, Lakshmana
       Theertha, Shimsa, Kabini, and Harangi.

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About Cauvery Water Dispute.

It involves 3 states and one Union Territory (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka,
and Puducherry). The genesis of the dispute is 150 years old and dates back
to the two agreements of arbitration in 1892 and 1924 between the then
Madras Presidency and Mysore. It entailed the principle that the upper
riparian state must obtain the consent of the lower riparian state for any
construction activity viz. reservoir on the river Cauvery.

From 1974, Karnataka started diverting water into its four newly made

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reservoirs, without the consent of Tamil Nadu resulting in a dispute. To

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resolve the matter, the CWDT (Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal) was
established in 1990 which took 17 years to arrive at the final order (2007)
on how Cauvery water should be shared between the 4 riparian states in
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normal rainfall conditions. CWDT was constituted by the Central Government,
in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Inter-State River
Water Disputes Act, 1956.
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In distress years, a pro-rata basis shall be used, it instructed. The government
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again took 6 years and notified the order in 2013. This was challenged in SC
(Supreme Court) which directed Karnataka to release 12000 cusecs of water
to Tamil Nadu prompting protests in the State. The final verdict of the SC
came in 2018 where it declared the Cauvery a national asset and largely
upheld the water-sharing arrangements finalized by the CWDT and also
reduced the allocation of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.

As per the SC, Karnataka would get 284.75 thousand million cubic feet
(tmcft), Tamil Nadu 404.25 tmcft, Kerala 30 tmcft and Puducherry 7 tmcft. It

also directed the Centre to notify the Cauvery Management Scheme. The
central government notified the ‘Cauvery Water Management Scheme’ in June
2018, constituting the ‘Cauvery Water Management Authority and the
‘Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to give effect to the decision.

Mekedatu Reservoir Project:

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It aims to store and supply water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru
city. Around 400 megawatts (MW) of power is also proposed to be

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generated through the project. In 2018, Tamil Nadu approached the SC
against the project even if Karnataka had held that it would not affect the flow
of water to Tamil Nadu. TN is opposed to any project being proposed in the
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upper riparian unless it was approved by the SC.
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Wayforward
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The states need to shed the regional approach as the solution lies in
cooperation and coordination, not in conflict. The planning must be done at
the basin level to make the solution sustainable and ecologically viable. In the
long term, there is a need to recharge the river through afforestation, river
linking, etc and increased focus is needed on increasing water use efficiency
viz. micro-irrigation, awareness in people to prudently use water and
water-smart strategies.

Anshum Verma

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