What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Topography, climate change: Behind heavy rains in Himalayas

Context:

The Himalayan region has increasingly witnessed episodes of extreme rainfall leading to flash floods, landslides, and significant destruction. The recent spell of intense rainfall once again highlights the interplay between the unique topography of the Himalayas and the impacts of climate change, which together make the region highly vulnerable.

Reasons for high rainfall in Hilly regions:

• The Himalayas act as a massive barrier for the southwest monsoon winds. When moisture-laden winds strike the mountains, they rise, cool, and release rainfall.
• Unlike the plains where rainfall is more spread out, the steep mountain slopes cause sudden and concentrated downpours.
• Such rainfall patterns often lead to cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides, especially in narrow valleys and river basins.
• In recent years, the monsoon system has shown greater variability. Traditionally, monsoon rains are evenly distributed over the June-September season, but now heavy rainfall often comes in a few intense bursts.
• These cloudbursts and extreme spells are devastating in fragile mountain terrains.
• This year, during the south-west monsoon season from June to September, the region has received more than 30% surplus rainfall.
• During this time, the low-pressure systems formed in Bay of Bengal- have travelled north than normal, causing intense rainfall in the region.

Topographic, Geographic and Geologic Vulnerabilities:

• The Himalayan terrain is young and unstable, made up of fragile rock formations. Its steep slopes, narrow river valleys, and ongoing tectonic activity make it prone to landslides.
• These landslides are triggered due to the mud, loose soil, grave, and all materials which the descending rainwater carries along with itself.
• Roads, dams, and hydropower projects have further destabilized slopes, reducing their natural resilience.
• But in the plain areas such rainfall drains out into locally available water sources or into rivers.
• Urbanization and haphazard construction along riverbanks, combined with deforestation, increase the risk of flooding. Rivers like the Beas, Sutlej, and Chenab swell rapidly when intense rains occur, causing destruction downstream.
• The gushing water, mudslides or landslides from these swollen rivers force enters the human settlements cutting across roads, bridges.
• Thus, while the Himalayas naturally experience intense rainfall, anthropogenic interventions magnify the disasters.

Role of Climate Change:

• There has been the observation that large—scale weather systems have shifted downwards. The western disturbances have shifted downwards.
• Western Disturbancesare moisture laden eastward-propagating wind bands that cause precipitation in the form of snow or rain along their route. These winds originate in the Mediterranean Sea that has a pronounced impact on India particularly during winter months.
• The southward shifting if Western Disturbances and their interaction with South-West monsoon system is creating complexity to rainfall prediction over the Himalayas.
• Global warming is the main reason for southward movement of these winds.
• Such extreme rainfall events may increase in the near future, particularly in hilly areas.
• Arctic sea ice melting may further increase the monsoon variations in the hilly areas.

Way Forward:

• The heavy rains in the Himalayas are not isolated incidents but outcomes of a dangerous interplay between topography, fragile geology, and human-induced climate change.
• While the region’s unique geography makes it inherently vulnerable, unplanned development and rising temperatures worsen the impact.
• To reduce risks, India must adopt sustainable development practices, integrate climate resilience into policies, and strengthen early warning and disaster preparedness.
• The Himalayan experience is a stark reminder of the costs of ignoring climate realities and the urgent need to act before disasters become more unmanageable.

 

Editorial 2: How UPS Differs from Other Govt Pension Schemes, Why Its Uptake Is Low

Context:

The Central Government has introduced the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for its employees as an alternative to the existing pension systems. Despite its announcement, the scheme has seen slow uptake, largely due to a lack of clarity, perceived inadequacies, and comparisons with older pension arrangements.

Old Pension Scheme (OPS):

• It is a defined benefit scheme.
• It provides assured, inflation-linked lifelong pension of 50% of the amount based on the last drawn salary.
• In OPS cost is borne entirely by the government, creating a significant fiscal burden.

National Pension System (NPS):

• It is the defined contribution scheme introduced in 2004.
• Both employee and government contribute to a retirement corpus. The employee contributes 10% and employer contributes 14% of basic pay plus dearness allowance.
• Pension depends on market returns, making it uncertain compared to OPS.
• Employees face volatility and lack of guaranteed benefits.
• However, it reduces the fiscal burden of the government by reducing the salaries and pensions component in the Annual Budget.

Unified Pension Scheme (UPS):

• It was introduced in 2024 as a middle path. It aims to combine fiscal prudence of NPS with a sense of security similar to OPS.
• Guaranteed Pension Component: It ensures a minimum pension of 50% of last drawn basic pay after retirement in the last drawn 12 months before retiring for a minimum service of 12 months. It provides a more predictable income compared to market-linked NPS.
• Government Contribution: Employer contribution is higher than NPS (between 18–20% of basic pay). Employees also continue to contribute, but exact structure varies.
• Flexibility of Withdrawals: UPS allows partial withdrawal under specific conditions such as health or education.
• Family Benefits:It includes provisions for dependents in case of employee’s death. The spouse will be given an assured pension of up to 60% of the pension being drawn.
• Integration with NPS Corpus: Existing NPS subscribers can migrate to UPS, but the process involves trade-offs. They are also given the option to opt out to NPS within three months of opting for UPS. This will help them make informed choices.

Key differences between NPS and OPS:

• While NPS was mandatory, UPS is optional. Employees who opt for UPS will have a one-time option going back to NPS.  Once this choice is made, they cannot opt for UPS again.
• In the NPS, both employee and employer have to contribute 10% and 14%of the basic pay plus dearness allowance respectively through the Permanent Retirement Account Manner (PRAN).
• For UPS, the PRAN contribution is 10% of basic plus DA for both the employee and employer.
• UPS gives an assured payout of 50% of average basic pay of last 12 months subject to completion of 25 years in service under UPS.
• NPS depends upon the accumulated corpus. It does not give an assured amount.
• For UPS, there is the provision of a pool corpus that would be formed through the contribution of 8.5% of the basic pay plus DA.
• A minimum payout of Rs.10, 000 is guaranteed after 10 years of service under UPS.
• The employees who are dismissed from the service will not be eligible for assured payout.

Why Is the Uptake Low?

• Lack of Clarity: Employees remain uncertain about calculation methods, eligibility, and how exactly the 50% pension will be guaranteed. Ambiguities regarding inflation adjustment and long-term sustainability cause hesitation.
• Transition Issues: Many employees already enrolled under NPS are unsure about migration rules. Questions remain about what portion of their NPS corpus will count toward UPS benefits.
• Trust Deficit: Employees prefer OPS due to its assured nature and reject schemes that appear experimental. UPS, seen as a compromise, does not generate the same confidence.
• Union Resistance: Staff associations continue to push for a return to OPS rather than accepting UPS. UPS is perceived as government-driven reform to limit liabilities, not to serve employees’ best interests.
• Administrative Complexities: Implementation rules are still evolving. Employees worry about bureaucratic hurdles in claiming benefits.

Way forward:

The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) marks an important policy innovation in India’s pension landscape. By combining elements of OPS and NPS, it seeks to offer employees a guaranteed pension while maintaining fiscal discipline. For UPS to gain traction, the government must address ambiguities, communicate benefits effectively, and simplify transition procedures. Otherwise, employees may continue resisting UPS, leaving the country’s pension reforms incomplete.