Daily Current Affairs 02 January 2025 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 02 December 2024 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :


Ground Water Quality Report 2024

Source: Economic Times
GS III: Environment


Overview

Ground Water Quality Report 2024
Photo by Valeria Strogoteanu on Unsplash
  1. News in Brief
  2. Key Facts
  3. Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)

Why in the News?

Ground Water Quality Report 2024 report presents the findings from the nationwide groundwater quality monitoring exercise based on a standardized methodology

News in Brief

  • A total of 15,259 groundwater monitoring locations were selected nationwide to assess groundwater quality.
  • These sites form the foundation for future evaluations, offering a clear baseline for ongoing monitoring efforts.
  • To examine trends, 25% of the wells, identified as vulnerable to contamination based on BIS 10500 standards, were chosen for detailed analysis.
  • Groundwater quality was sampled at 4,982 trend stations during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods to assess the impact of seasonal recharge on groundwater quality.
  • Standard procedures as given in APHA, 2012 (Standard Methods for the Examination of Water & Waste Water American Public Health Association) were used for the sample collection and analysis of water sample.
Key Facts

Specific Contaminants of Concern

  • Nitrate Contamination
    • States like Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra have some of the highest incidences of nitrate contamination.
    • With over 40% of water samples exceeding the permissible limit.
    • Reason: This is primarily linked to agricultural runoff and overuse of fertilizers.
  • Fluoride Contamination
    • Fluoride concentrations exceeding the permissible limit are a major concern in Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
    • Although the monsoon season led to some improvement in fluoride levels in these states, the overall contamination levels remain alarmingly high.
  • Arsenic levels (>10 ppb)
    • Arsenic were found in several states, particularly in the floodplains of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers.
    • This includes regions of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur, as well as areas in the Punjab, and Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh.
  • Uranium Contamination
    • A notable concern in the groundwater quality report is the elevated levels of uranium in several regions.
    • 42% of samples with uranium concentrations exceeding 100 ppb came from Rajasthan, and 30% from Punjab, indicating regional hotspots of uranium contamination.
    • Groundwater samples with uranium concentrations greater than 30 ppb were clustered in areas identified as Over-exploited, Critical, and Semi-Critical groundwater stress zones, such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
    • This overlap points to the exacerbating effect of overexploitation and deepening water levels on uranium contamination in these regions.
  • Sodium Range
    • • It was found that in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarpradesh 0.96%, 1.27%, 0.34%, 0.76%, 12.38% and 0.14%.
    • These samples fall in the Very high sodium range and are unsuitable for use in irrigation practices.
    • Majority of groundwater samples from 2022 and 2023 have low sodium content, which is generally safe for irrigation purposes.

Water for Irrigation purposes

  • Evaluates Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) and Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) values, which are key indicators of water suitability for irrigation.
  • 100% of the water samples from regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh UT, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Pondicherry, and Tripura fall within the excellent category.
  • 81.49% of the groundwater samples had RSC values less than 1.25 safe for use in irrigation and 10.43% of samples had RSC values greater than 2.5 and were unsuitable for irrigation due to the risk of sodicity and soil degradation.
  • The percentage of unsuitable water samples for irrigation increased slightly from 7.69% in 2022 to 8.07% in 2023.
  • There is a concerning trend of increasing alkalinity and sodicity in certain groundwater sources.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)

  • The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is an important organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
  • It plays a crucial role in the sustainable management and development of groundwater resources in the country.

Key Functions

  • Groundwater Surveys and Investigation
  • Monitoring and Assessment
  • Data Collection and Dissemination
  • Resource Augmentation
  • Technical Assistance

Good Governance Index 2023

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures


Overview

Good Governance Index 2023
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
  1. News in Brief
  2. About Good Governance Index
  3. What are the Challenges and the Way Forward?

Why in the News?

The government of India has cancelled the release of the Good Governance (GGI) Index 2023.

News in Brief

  • The Centre has decided not to release the Good Governance Index 2023.
  • It was scheduled to be released during Good Governance Week (December 19 to December 25).
  • Now planning to publish the next edition in 2025.

What is the reason for not releasing the index?

  • The government decided not to release the GGI 2023 because the data collected during 2023, and releasing it at the end of 2024 would make it outdated.
  • Instead, the government plans to carry out a fresh assessment and release the next edition in December 2025.
  • GGI was released on December 25, 2021, by the Union Home Minister.
About Good Governance Index

  • It is a biennial ranking tool.
  • It was launched in 2019 by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
  • The index evaluates states and Union Territories (UTs) on governance quality based on over 50 indicators across sectors like agriculture, economic governance, public health, and citizen-centric governance.

Importance of the Good Governance Index

The GGI serves several critical functions in India’s governance landscape:

  • Benchmarking Performance: By providing a comparative analysis of governance performance across states, the GGI helps identify best practices and areas needing improvement.
  • Policy Formulation: Policymakers can use the insights from the index to design and implement reforms that address governance gaps and enhance service delivery.
  • Citizen Empowerment: The index promotes transparency and accountability, empowering citizens to hold their governments accountable for their performance.
  • Incentivizing Good Governance: States and union territories are motivated to perform better and compete in a healthy manner, leading to overall improvements in governance.

Impact and Achievements

Since its launch, the Good Governance Index has had a significant impact on governance in India. It has led to:

  • Improved Public Services: Many states have taken measures to enhance the quality and efficiency of public services, leading to better outcomes in health, education, and infrastructure.
  • Increased Transparency: The GGI has encouraged greater transparency in government operations, fostering trust between the government and citizens.
  • Informed Decision-Making: Policymakers now have access to reliable data and insights, enabling them to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions.
What are the Challenges and the Way Forward?

Despite its successes, the Good Governance Index faces several challenges:

  • Data Reliability: Ensuring accurate and timely data collection remains a significant challenge, as discrepancies can affect the overall assessment.
  • Uniform Standards: Achieving uniformity in governance standards across diverse states and union territories is complex due to varying socio-economic conditions.
  • Continuous Improvement: The GGI must evolve continuously to reflect changing governance dynamics and incorporate new indicators that capture emerging issues.

Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances

  • Facilitate the pursuit of excellence in governance for the benefit of all citizens.
  • Objectives
    • Promoting administrative reforms in government policies, structures and processes.
    • Formulation of policy and coordination of issues relating to redress of grievances.
    • Dissemination of governance knowledge and good practices.
    • Promoting reforms through e-Governance.
  • Functions
    • Administrative Reforms
    • Public Grievances
    • Citizen-Centric Initiatives
    • International Cooperation

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