UPSC CARE Mains Practice 3rd February 2026
Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Wetlands are not wastelands but vital natural infrastructure.” Discuss the significance of wetlands in India, the challenges to their conservation, and suggest measures to ensure their sustainable management. (GS Paper III: Environment, Conservation, Water Security, Disaster Management, Climate Change)
- Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is not merely a poverty alleviation programme but a transformative framework for women-led rural development.”Discuss its objectives, institutional architecture, achievements, and the role it plays in women’s empowerment and sustainable livelihoods in India. (GS Paper II Governance, Social Justice)
Wetlands are not wastelands but vital natural infrastructure.” Discuss the significance of wetlands in India, the challenges to their conservation, and suggest measures to ensure their sustainable management. (GS Paper III: Environment, Conservation, Water Security, Disaster Management, Climate Change)
Introduction:
Wetlands are among the most productive yet threatened ecosystems in India, providing water security, climate resilience, livelihoods, and cultural continuity. Despite strong legal frameworks, rapid degradation highlights the need for integrated, community-driven wetland governance.
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Significance of Wetlands
- Act as natural sponges that regulate floods, recharge groundwater, and stabilise hydrological cycles
- Function as powerful blue carbon sinks, supporting India’s climate commitments and net-zero goal
- Sustain livelihoods through fisheries, wetland agriculture, eco-tourism and traditional practices
- Serve as biodiversity hotspots and critical nodes along migratory bird flyways
- Protect coastlines from cyclones and storm surges and reduce disaster risks
- Embedded in India’s cultural heritage through tanks, kenis, sacred lakes and community commons
Challenges in Conservation
- Encroachment and land conversion have erased nearly 40% of wetlands
- Hydrological disruption due to dams, embankments, sand mining and groundwater extraction
- Pollution from untreated sewage, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff causing eutrophication
- Climate change impacts such as sea-level rise and altered rainfall patterns
- Institutional capacity gaps in State Wetland Authorities and weak enforcement
Measures Required
- Strict notification, boundary demarcation and public mapping of wetlands
- Treat wastewater before discharge; use constructed wetlands only as complementary systems
- Adopt catchment-scale and basin-level management approaches
- Integrate wetlands into disaster risk reduction and urban planning
- Strengthen institutional capacity and incorporate traditional knowledge with modern science
Conclusion:
Wetlands are living infrastructure essential for India’s water security and resilience. Aligning science, policy, and traditional wisdom through community-led and ecosystem-based governance is crucial to restore wetlands as thriving, functional ecosystems for future generations.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is not merely a poverty alleviation programme but a transformative framework for women-led rural development.”Discuss its objectives, institutional architecture, achievements, and the role it plays in women’s empowerment and sustainable livelihoods in India. (GS Paper II Governance, Social Justice)
Introduction:
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Rural Development aimed at reducing rural poverty through women-centric institutional building, financial inclusion, and livelihood diversification. Rather than a conventional welfare scheme, it represents a transformative framework for women-led rural development.
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Objectives of DAY-NRLM
DAY-NRLM seeks to:
- Mobilise rural poor households, especially women, into Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
- Enable access to formal credit, skills, and markets
- Promote sustainable and diversified livelihoods
- Strengthen social inclusion and access to entitlements through convergence
Institutional Architecture
The mission follows a three-tier community structure:
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs) at the village level
- Village Organisations (VOs)
- Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) at the sub-block level
Community Resource Persons such as Bank Sakhis, Krishi Sakhis, and Pashu Sakhis ensure last-mile delivery of financial, agricultural, and livestock services, making institutions self-managed and sustainable.
Achievements and Impact
- 10.05 crore households mobilised into 90.9 lakh SHGs
- ₹11 lakh crore credit disbursed to women SHGs with >98% repayment rate
- 4.62 crore Mahila Kisans supported through agro-ecological practices
- 3.74 lakh micro-enterprises promoted under SVEP
- 17.5 lakh rural youth trained under DDU-GKY
These outcomes highlight the mission’s scale and financial discipline.
Role in Women’s Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods
DAY-NRLM enhances economic agency, decision-making power, and leadership of rural women. By promoting farm, non-farm, and skill-based livelihoods, it builds income resilience, reduces distress migration, and strengthens rural economies.
Conclusion:
DAY-NRLM has evolved into a comprehensive rural transformation model, combining poverty alleviation with women’s empowerment, institutional democracy, and sustainable livelihoods—making it a cornerstone of inclusive growth in India.
