Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 06 October 2025

Content

1. Treat employment as a national priority
2. India’s direction for disaster resilience

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Treat employment as a national priority

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Context and Background

• Demographic Advantage
  • India is the world’s most populous and one of the youngest nations.
  • By 2050, India’s average age will still be below 40.
  • Over next 25 years, India will add 133 million working-age people (15–64 years) — ~18% of total global workforce increase.
  • However, window of demographic dividend is short — expected to peak around 2043.
• Core Concern:
  • Job creation not keeping pace with population growth.
  • The challenge is not just quantity but quality and inclusivity of employment.

Relevance :

• GS II – Governance & Social Justice:
• Policy formulation for employment and livelihoods
• Centre-State coordination and institutional governance (Empowered Group of Secretaries, District Planning Committees)
• Gender and regional inclusion in policy design
• GS III – Economy & Labour:
• Employment as a driver of inclusive growth and economic resilience
• Formalisation of informal sector, MSME support, gig economy regulation
• Urban employment schemes and skill–industry linkages

Practice Question :

• India’s demographic dividend will remain unrealised unless employment creation becomes a national mission. Critically analyse the need for an Integrated National Employment Policy in this context.(250 Words)

Why Employment is Central to Growth

• Equity & Inclusion:
  • Quality jobs reduce poverty, bridge regional/social disparities, and ensure inclusive growth.
• Economic Resilience:
  • In a consumption-driven economy, higher employment → broader consumption → stable and accelerated GDP growth.
• Social Stability:
  • Employment ensures dignity, curbs unrest, and reduces dependence on welfare transfers.

Structural Issues in India’s Employment Landscape

A. Lack of Unified Framework

• Despite multiple initiatives (Skill India, PMKVY, MGNREGA, NCS, etc.), India lacks a National Employment Policy (NEP) that aligns:
  • Labour market supply (skills, education)
  • Demand (sectoral growth, private investment)
  • Social security and mobility systems

B. Labour Market Dualities

• Formal sector < 20% of total workforce; rest in informal/unorganised sector.
• Large urban–rural and gender gaps persist.
• Employability crisis: Many graduates remain jobless due to curriculum–industry mismatch.

C. Fragmented Governance

• Employment responsibilities spread across ministries (Labour, Skill Development, MSME, Rural Development, etc.), causing policy dilution and lack of accountability.

The Editorial’s Core Proposal: Integrated National Employment Policy (INEP)

Key Features Proposed:

1. Integration and Coordination
   1. Consolidate all existing employment and livelihood schemes.
   1. Coordination among Centre, States, and industry stakeholders.
   1. Governance by an Empowered Group of Secretaries; District Planning Committees for local implementation.
2. Time-bound Goals & Sector Targeting
   1. Define measurable outcomes (e.g., jobs per sector/year).
   1. Identify high-employment-potential sectors and align trade, industrial, and education policies.
3. Tackle Labour Market Frictions
   1. Address regional disparities, gender barriers, skill mismatches.
   1. Promote labour mobility through a “One India” Employment Mobility Framework.
4. Technology Integration
   1. Update skilling and curricula for AI, robotics, digital platforms, and Industry 4.0.
5. Data and Evidence-Based Policy
   1. Establish real-time employment data systems to track labour trends and policy impact.
   1. Dedicated task force to improve data quality, timeliness, and coverage of informal sectors.

Sectoral Priorities for Job Creation

A. Labour-Intensive Sectors

• Textiles, Tourism, Agro-processing, Real Estate, Healthcare — absorb low-to-mid-skilled labour.
• Require ease of doing business reforms, credit access, export incentives, and logistics improvements.

B. MSME Sector

• Employs ~25 crore people.
• Needs integrated support: Finance + Technology + Skilling + Market access.
• Encourage cluster-based industrialisation and digital adoption.

C. Gig and Platform Economy

• Current size: 80 lakh–1.8 crore workers; projected to reach 9 crore by 2030.
• Spread to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
• Requires:
  • National Gig Economy Policy
  • Centralised worker registry for easy onboarding, work history, and social security
  • Fair contracts, safety norms, grievance redress mechanisms

D. Urban Employment

• Proposes an Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (UEGS) in pilot cities — similar to MGNREGA, to reduce urban distress.

E. Women’s Labour Force Participation

• Strategies:
  • Employment Linked Incentives (ELI) for companies hiring women.
  • Formalisation of Anganwadi/ASHA workers.
  • Investment in childcare & eldercare infrastructure.
  • Social campaigns to counter patriarchal work restrictions.

Institutional and Policy Reforms Needed

• Implement Four Labour Codes (Wages, Industrial Relations, Social Security, Occupational Safety):
  • With clear transition support to businesses.
  • Simplify compliance, reduce litigation, and formalise jobs.
• Strengthen Skill–Industry Linkages
  • Make college curricula employment-oriented; promote dual apprenticeship models.
  • Align Skill India and PMKVY 4.0 with emerging sectors (EVs, semiconductors, renewables, digital services).
• Promote Regional Balance
  • Focus on 100 most underdeveloped districts for targeted employment missions.
  • Incentivise BPOs, remote work centres, and rural internships to decentralise opportunities.
• Infrastructure for Workforce
  • Affordable housing near industrial zones.
  • Transport connectivity for labour mobility.
  • Digital public infrastructure for job-matching and benefits delivery.

Need for Better Employment Data

• Present data (e.g., PLFS, CMIE) suffer from lag and under-coverage of informal sector.
• Suggestion:
  • Create National Employment Data System under NSSO/NSO.
  • Use real-time data from EPFO, e-Shram, NCS platforms.
  • Improve granularity — by district, gender, and occupation.

Strategic Linkage: Viksit Bharat 2047 & CII Vision

• CII’s “Policies for a Competitive India” Report:
  • Employment generation is a pillar of competitiveness and inclusive growth.
  • Integrated employment policy aligns with India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047.”

Critical Appraisal

Strengths:

• Holistic — covers demand, supply, and institutional aspects.
• Integrates technology, gender, and regional balance.
• Pragmatic — focuses on both formal and gig sectors.

Limitations:

• Implementation depends heavily on Centre–State coordination and bureaucratic capacity.
• Labour codes still face political resistance and compliance costs for MSMEs.
• Urban employment guarantee pilot could face fiscal sustainability issues.
• Does not address agricultural underemployment comprehensively.

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India’s direction for disaster resilience

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Context and Overview

• India is a vast, multi-hazard country, prone to:
  • Heatwaves and extreme temperatures
  • Cyclones and floods
  • Landslides and glacial lake outburst floods
  • Forest fires and urban waterlogging
• Governance Framework:
  • Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): Overall coordination and implementation
  • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Policy, planning, and capacity building
  • Guiding Principle: Prime Minister’s Ten Point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (2016)
• DRR in India is multi-phase:
  • Pre-disaster: Preparedness, capacity building, mitigation
  • Post-disaster: Response, reconstruction

Relevance

• GS II – Governance & Disaster Management:
  • Institutional roles of MHA, NDMA, State authorities
  • Multi-level disaster governance (Centre–State, inter-ministerial committees)
  • Pre-disaster and post-disaster planning
• GS III – Environment & Disaster Management:
  • Climate resilience, extreme weather events, and nature-based solutions (NbS)
  • Early warning systems, urban flood mitigation, glacial lake monitoring
  • Finance-linked DRR (15th Finance Commission allocation)

Practice Question:

“India’s disaster management strategy has evolved from reactive relief to proactive risk reduction.” Analyse the role of pre-disaster mitigation, community capacity building, and technology integration in building resilience against multi-hazard risks. How can India’s international cooperation enhance its disaster preparedness and response? (250 Words)

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Financing

• 15th Finance Commission (2021–26): ₹2.28 lakh crore allocated for DRR over five years (~$30 billion).
• Allocation Split:
  • Pre-disaster (30%):
    • Preparedness & capacity building: 10%
    • Mitigation: 20%
  • Post-disaster (70%):
    • Response: 40%
    • Reconstruction: 30%
• Significance: Shifts focus from reactive relief to proactive risk reduction, leveraging technology and local capacities.

Pre-Disaster Initiatives

A. Preparedness & Capacity Building

• Fire Safety Modernisation: ₹5,000 crore allocated.
• Volunteer Networks:
  • Apda Mitra and Yuva Apda Mitra: 2.5 lakh volunteers each.
• Training & Research:
  • National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM): 36-stream standard disaster management course.
  • Geo-spatial labs and faculty-led, action-oriented research.

B. Mitigation (20% of Pre-Disaster Funds)

• Innovative projects (~₹10,000 crore approved) focus on:
  • Nature-based solutions for climate and disaster resilience
  • Slope stabilization using bio-engineering
  • Urban flood mitigation through green spaces and waterbody rejuvenation
  • Glacial lake monitoring with remote sensing and automated weather stations
  • Forest fire management via fuel evacuation and break lines
• Precursor Programme:
  • National Cyclone Mitigation Programme (2011–22, ₹5,000 crore) reduced coastal vulnerability with:
    • 7-day early warning systems
    • Cyclone shelters and embankments

Post-Disaster Measures

• Reconstruction packages approved (~₹5,000 crore) in States:
  • Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Kerala
• Scientific damage assessments conducted for extreme rainfall events.
• Budget-to-Project Pipeline:
  • Centre-State and inter-ministerial appraisal committees
  • Ensures proper use of funds and accountability

Key Infrastructure and Technology

• Early Warning Systems:
  • Multi-media Common Alerting Protocol delivers hazard alerts in local languages
  • Automated weather stations, glacial lake monitoring, and flood early warnings
• Community Capacity Building:
  • 327-member network of universities
  • NDRF Academy, National Fire Service College, NIDM for training public servants
  • Mock exercises, school safety programs, hazard awareness campaigns
• Nature-Based Solutions:
  • Restoration of beels along Brahmaputra
  • Urban green spaces and waterbody revitalization
  • Slope stabilization and bio-engineering

International Coordination

• India leads and participates in DRR globally:
  • Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
  • Engagements in G20, SCO, BIMSTEC, IORA
• Exchanges knowledge and implements innovative, sustainable DRR solutions.

Strategic Approach and Highlights

• Multi-Faceted Approach: Pre- and post-disaster, mitigation, preparedness, capacity building, and reconstruction.
• Nature-Based Solutions (NbS):
  • Long-term climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration, hazard risk reduction.
• Community & Institutional Strengthening:
  • Volunteer mobilisation, training, and research
  • Panchayat-level integration for local DRR mainstreaming
• Technology Integration:
  • Remote sensing, early warning systems, geospatial monitoring, digital alert platforms
• Financing Innovation:
  • Dedicated Finance Commission allocation ensures structured risk management, moving away from ad hoc post-disaster debt funding.

Achievements and Impact

• Mitigation Projects: ₹10,000 crore in 1 year; focus on nature-based solutions.
• Reconstruction Packages: ₹5,000 crore approved for five states.
• Capacity Building: Large-scale volunteer networks and NIDM programs institutionalised.
• Coastal Cyclone Resilience: Reduced casualties via shelters and early warning systems.
• Urban & Rural Preparedness: Waterbody rejuvenation, green space development, slope stabilization, forest fire prevention.

Key Takeaways

• India is moving from reactive disaster response to proactive, integrated DRR.
• Finance Commission-led DRR funding ensures structured, risk-informed budgeting.
• Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and capacity building are now core components of national disaster strategy.
• Community, technology, and nature-based solutions are central to risk reduction.
• International cooperation positions India as a global leader in DRR policy and practice.

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