THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 24 October 2018 (Policy paralysis)

Policy paralysis

Mains Paper: 3 | Internal Security 
Prelims level: Rafale deal
Mains level: Preventing defence scandals require a transparent national security discourse which India is not prepared.

Context 

• Prices are not falling but the farmer is getting a rough deal.
• Industrial output and GDP growth is not picking up.
• The economy will pick up is repeated by the senior-most officials from whom we actually expect answers to real problems.
• The terms of trade were doing badly for agriculture and the farmer was not doing too well.
• Big MSP increases without policy support.
• Mandi prices in bajra, maize, cotton and major oilseeds and pulses were ruling below support prices.
• Ten to 40 per cent deficiencies are common.

Way forward 

• The government hardly ever imposes a high enough tariff because of the needs of the consumer and so the fight goes on.
• Balancing farmer interests and fighting inflation needs the kind of strategic thinking .
• NAFED does some procurement but it is usually short of funds.
• Getting Walmart to buy farmers produce and give them space in its warehouses is far more important as an alternative supply channel.
• Prices are simultaneously rising for the consumer.
• Policymakers took credit for retail inflation falling from 4.85 per cent in July to 3.69 per cent.
• Last year it was 3.28 per cent and there is seasonality in food prices.
• The turnaround for the worse in industrial output is the most

distressing.

• If policy-making took this as a temporary hiccup and got back to the drawing board on giving industrial output the stimulus it needs.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials 

UPSC Prelims Questions: 

Q.1) Consider the following pairs:
Defence equipment Imported from
1. Rafale Fighter Jet : France
2. Sukhoi Fighter Jet : Russia
3. Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) : Israel
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: D

UPSC Mains Questions:

Q.1) Is Rafael recognizes as a scam or just a tussle war between the political parties. Critically analyse.