MAINS Current Affairs includes Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): Limited Effectiveness in Curbing Pollution & Building a Holistic Care System for India

Environment

1. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP): Limited Effectiveness in Curbing Pollution

Context: A study conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that Delhi’s average winter Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorated despite the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

• Winter 2022–23: Average AQI was 280.
• Winter 2025–26: Average AQI increased to 295.

This indicates that emergency pollution-control measures under GRAP have not been sufficient to bring about sustained improvements in Delhi’s winter air quality.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

• The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool designed to effectively communicate information about air quality to the public.
  • There are six AQI categories, namely, Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe.  
• The proposed AQI will consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.

Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

• GRAP is a framework implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to control air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
• It provides for progressively stricter pollution-control measures depending on prevailing AQI levels and forecasts.

Stages of GRAP and key measures

Major Causes of Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis

Geographical and topographical factors

Delhi’s geographical setting influences the movement and dispersal of polluted air.

• The Himalayas lie to its north, while the Aravalli Hills are located towards the southwest.
• These natural barriers influence wind movement and can restrict the dispersal of polluted air, contributing to the accumulation of pollutants.

Temperature inversion and urban heat island effect

During winter, the air close to the ground becomes cooler than the air above it, resulting in a temperature inversion.

• The inversion layer traps particulate matter and gaseous pollutants near the Earth’s surface.
• It restricts vertical movement and dispersion of pollutants into the upper atmosphere.
• Consequently, pollution concentrations increase near ground level.

Low wind speeds

• Wind speeds generally decline during winter.
• Weaker winds reduce the horizontal dispersion of pollutants.
• As a result, pollutants accumulate in the lower atmosphere and remain concentrated over the region.

Crop residue burning

Post-harvest stubble burning in neighbouring states contributes to seasonal air pollution.

• Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh are important regions where crop residue burning takes place.
• Burning releases substantial quantities of smoke and particulate matter, which can affect Delhi’s air quality.

Dust and urban pollution entrapment

Local emissions from vehicles and combustion sources are among the most significant contributors to Delhi’s pollution.

• Vehicular emissions and urban dust add to the existing pollution burden.
• During winter, the boundary layer height becomes low, limiting the dispersion of pollutants.
• Consequently, dust and vehicular emissions remain concentrated in the atmosphere for longer periods.

Government Initiatives to Combat Air Pollution

National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

• Launched in 2019, NCAP is a comprehensive initiative to reduce air pollution in identified cities and regions across India.
• Its major areas of focus include:
  • Improving air-quality monitoring.
  • Implementing stricter emission standards.
  • Promoting public awareness.

Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) Emission Standards

• BS-VI emission standards were implemented nationwide in 2020.
• The standards aim to reduce vehicular pollution through stricter emission requirements.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• The scheme promotes access to clean cooking fuel by providing LPG connections to eligible households.
• It seeks to reduce dependence on traditional biomass-based cooking fuels, thereby limiting household air pollution.

FAME Scheme

Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) promotes the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.

• Its objective is to reduce air pollution arising from vehicular emissions.
• It also supports the transition towards cleaner transportation technologies.

Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)

• GRIHA was developed by TERI and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• It serves as India’s national rating system for green buildings.
• It promotes environmentally sustainable building practices.

Waste Management Programmes

• Initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan seek to address solid-waste management challenges.
• They promote cleaner waste disposal practices and help reduce pollution associated with improper waste management and burning.

Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

The CAQM was constituted under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021.

Objective:

• The Act provides for the establishment of a Commission to improve coordination, conduct research, identify problems and facilitate the resolution of air-quality issues in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas.

Major powers and functions:

1. Preparation of codes and guidelines: Formulates codes and guidelines for the prevention and control of air pollution.
2. Power to issue directions: Can issue directions relating to inspections and regulation. Such directions are binding on the concerned persons and authorities.
3. Environmental compensation: May impose and collect environmental compensation from farmers responsible for pollution caused by stubble burning, as prescribed by the Central Government.
4. Implementation of GRAP: Issues orders to address air pollution in NCR under the Graded Response Action Plan.
5. Supremacy of directions: In case of a conflict, the Commission’s orders and directions prevail over those of the respective State Governments, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards and state-level statutory bodies.

Way Forward

Reduce emissions at the source

• Focus on sustained reductions in emissions from transport, industries, construction activities and waste burning.
• Address major sources of pollution through long-term interventions rather than relying predominantly on emergency restrictions under GRAP.

Adopt an airshed-based approach

• Pollution does not remain confined within administrative boundaries.
• Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states must coordinate their pollution-control efforts.
• A regional approach can help address pollution sources across the entire airshed.

Implement sector-specific interventions

• Expand and strengthen public transport.
• Improve road-dust management.
• Enforce industrial emission standards.
• Promote cleaner fuels and pollution-reducing technologies.

Strengthen evidence-based assessment

• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of GRAP.
• Use emission trends, pollution-source data and meteorological conditions to assess its impact.
• Distinguish improvements or deterioration caused by policy interventions from changes resulting from weather conditions.

Conclusion

The deterioration in Delhi’s average winter AQI despite GRAP highlights the limitations of relying primarily on emergency and short-term restrictions to address air pollution.

A sustainable solution requires continuous emission reduction at the source, coordinated action across the NCR airshed, sector-specific interventions and evidence-based policy assessment. GRAP must therefore function as part of a broader, long-term strategy for achieving cleaner air.

Economy

2. Building a Holistic Care System for India

Context: India’s care economy remains fragmented despite its significant contribution to women’s workforce participation, human development and the growing needs of an ageing population.

A comprehensive and integrated care system is therefore essential to recognise care work, improve access to care services and strengthen India’s social and economic infrastructure.

What is the Care Economy?

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), caregiving refers to the physical, emotional and social support provided to individuals who cannot independently perform their daily activities due to age, illness or disability.

Economic significance

• India’s care services market was valued at USD 29.62 billion in 2023.
• It is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 76%, reaching USD 72.31 billion by 2030.

Major Components of India’s Care Economy

Unpaid Care Work

• It includes essential household and caregiving activities that contribute to family well-being but generally remain unpaid and unrecognised.

Major activities include:

• Childcare and elderly care.
• Cooking and cleaning.
• Household management.
• Looking after sick family members.

Paid Care Work

• Paid care work involves services provided by individuals employed in caregiving and related occupations.
• It includes:
  • Healthcare workers, nurses and doctors.
  • ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers.
  • Domestic workers and childcare providers.
  • Social workers and professional caregivers.
• These services constitute an important part of India’s social and economic infrastructure.

Community Care Services

• Community-based care services provide support to vulnerable sections of society through collective and institutional arrangements.
• They include:
  • Self-help groups (SHGs).
  • Community health workers.
  • Welfare programmes supporting vulnerable populations.

Why Does India Need a Holistic Care System?

Increasing women’s labour force participation

Unpaid caregiving and household responsibilities restrict women’s ability to participate in paid employment.

• According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025, 4% of women outside the labour force cited childcare and homemaking as the main reasons for not participating in the workforce.
• Accessible childcare and other care services can reduce this burden and create opportunities for women’s economic participation.

Unequal burden of unpaid care work

• India’s Time Use Survey 2024 found that 41% of women aged 15–59 years provided unpaid care.
• The unequal distribution of caregiving responsibilities reinforces gender disparities and limits women’s opportunities for education, employment and economic independence.

Demographic transition and population ageing

• India’s expanding elderly population is increasing the demand for long-term care services.
• There is a growing need for professional eldercare, healthcare assistance and support systems for older persons.

Urbanisation and migration

• Rapid urbanisation and migration are weakening traditional joint-family structures.
• Nuclear families often lack the informal support networks that previously provided childcare and elderly care.
• This increases the need for accessible and organised community-based care services.

Government Initiatives Related to the Care Economy

SHATAYU Dashboard

• Senior Holistic Care Assistance and Training for Your Utility (SHATAYU) is a dashboard developed to support and strengthen caregiving services for senior citizens across India.
• It was launched during the 2026 National Workshop on Creating a Well-Functioning Care Economy.
• Its focus is on strengthening the caregiving support ecosystem for older persons.

JEEVAN Application

• Joint Elderly Empowerment & Virtual Assistance Network (JEEVAN) is an accessible, citizen-facing mobile application designed as a single-window support ecosystem for senior citizens.
• It consolidates information relating to:
  • Government welfare schemes.
  • Senior citizen homes.
  • Various support services for older persons.

Vayo Manasa Sanjeevani

• It is an initiative aimed at creating awareness and providing online education on mental health support for elderly persons.
• It seeks to promote mental well-being and healthy ageing.

Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0

• These initiatives support early childhood care, development and nutrition.
• They utilise the Anganwadi network to provide essential services for children and their families.

Palna Scheme

• The scheme provides crèche facilities to support childcare.
• It particularly aims to support working mothers by improving access to organised childcare services.

Initiatives Taken by State Governments

Geriatric Caregiver Training Programme – Odisha

• The Government of Odisha runs a three-month certificate course for geriatric caregivers.
• It provides training to individuals to offer physical and mental health support to elderly persons.

Monthly Allowance for Unpaid Caregivers – Karnataka

• Karnataka became the first state in India to introduce the Carer’s Monthly Allowance Scheme.
• The scheme provides a monthly allowance of ₹1,000 to parents of individuals with severe disabilities.
• The disabilities covered include:
  • Cerebral palsy.
  • Muscular dystrophy.
  • Parkinson’s disease.
  • Multiple sclerosis.
• The initiative recognises the financial and caregiving responsibilities borne by families looking after persons with severe disabilities.

Challenges in Implementing Care Economy Reforms

Fiscal constraints

• Expanding care infrastructure and training the required workforce will involve substantial public expenditure.
• Developing a sustainable care system requires long-term financial commitments rather than short-term funding arrangements.

Fragmented institutional framework

• Responsibilities relating to care services are distributed across multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Although these ministries implement valuable programmes, the absence of a common framework can result in fragmented planning and coordination.

Social attitudes towards care work

• Caregiving is often considered a private family responsibility rather than an important public-policy concern.
• Deep-rooted patriarchal traditions limit the recognition of unpaid caregiving, which is disproportionately undertaken by women.

Weak regulatory capacity

• Ensuring uniform quality standards and effective monitoring of care institutions across India is an administrative challenge.
• Weak regulatory mechanisms can affect the quality, accessibility and reliability of care services.

Shortage of a skilled care workforce

• India lacks an adequately trained professional caregiving workforce, particularly in the areas of:
  • Elderly care.
  • Disability care.
  • Early childhood care.
• The shortage of trained caregivers limits the expansion of quality care services.

International Best Practices

Colombia – National Care Policy, 2025

• Colombia’s 2025 National Care Policy brings 34 government entities under a common framework.
• It provides an example of coordinated institutional planning for the care economy.

Brazil – National Care Policy and Plan

• Brazil introduced its National Care Policy in 2024 and National Care Plan in 2025.
• Inter-ministerial committees have been established to guide and coordinate implementation.

Nepal – Geospatial and Demographic Care Mapping

• Nepal used geospatial and demographic care mapping to identify gaps in childcare, eldercare and disability support.
• The information was used to develop local service prototypes and provide funding for care-related pilot projects.

These examples demonstrate the importance of institutional coordination, evidence-based planning and local-level identification of care needs.

Way Forward

Establish a National Caregiving Council

NITI Aayog’s report, Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047, proposes the establishment of a National Caregiving Council.

• The proposed council can strengthen coordination among different ministries and institutions.
• It can help develop a more integrated approach to caregiving policies and programmes.

Map care needs across states

• States should map existing care facilities, demographic trends and the needs of vulnerable populations.
• Such mapping can identify gaps in childcare, eldercare and disability-support services.
• Evidence-based planning can help ensure that resources are directed towards areas with the greatest requirements.

Professionalise the care workforce

• Introduce standardised training programmes for caregivers.
• Establish appropriate certification mechanisms.
• Strengthen skill development in elderly care, disability support and early childhood care.
• Improve the recognition and professional status of caregiving occupations.

Conclusion

A holistic care system is essential for India’s inclusive and sustainable development. Recognising unpaid care work, expanding affordable care services and building a skilled caregiving workforce can improve women’s workforce participation, support vulnerable populations and respond to demographic changes.

India needs to move from fragmented caregiving arrangements towards an integrated care ecosystem that treats care not merely as a private family responsibility, but as an essential component of social and economic development.

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