APSC Answer Writing (Daily) based on Assam Tribune – 17/10/2025
For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, practicing Daily Answer Writing is vital. This blog covers the most important Main question and its model Answer from the Assam Tribune today (17-10-2025).
📝 Model Answer
Q. “Recurring floods in Assam continue to devastate agriculture, as seen in Barpeta and Nalbari in 2025. Discuss the causes, impacts, and measures required to build a climate-resilient farming system in the state.”
(GS Paper III – Agriculture & Disaster Management | GS Paper V – Assam-specific)
🔹 Introduction
Floods are a perennial hazard in Assam, affecting nearly 40% of its land area annually. In 2025, Barpeta and Nalbari districts witnessed massive crop losses, particularly in paddy and jute fields. The repeated cycles of inundation highlight the fragility of Assam’s agrarian economy and the urgent need for climate-resilient agricultural systems.
🔹 Body
1️⃣ Causes of Flood-induced Agricultural Loss in Assam
- Natural Factors: Intense monsoon rains, Brahmaputra’s silt-laden flow, flash floods from Himalayan catchments.
- Embankment Breaches: Poorly maintained structures worsen local flooding.
- Deforestation & Land-use Change: Soil erosion in Arunachal hills increases sediment load.
- Climate Change: Erratic rainfall, glacial melt events, rising frequency of extreme weather.
- Cropping Pattern: Dominance of flood-sensitive Sali paddy during peak monsoon.
2️⃣ Impacts on Agriculture & Society
- Crop Destruction: Loss of paddy seedlings, vegetables, cash crops → food insecurity.
- Soil Degradation: Sand-casting and siltation reduce fertility.
- Debt Cycle: Small & marginal farmers fall into poverty traps due to repeated losses.
- Livelihood Diversion: Migration from agriculture to informal urban jobs.
- Market Instability: Fluctuations in rice availability push up prices.
3️⃣ Govt Efforts & Current Gaps
- PM Fasal Bima Yojana: Crop insurance, though tenant farmers often excluded.
- SDRF/NDRF: Relief compensation but delayed and inadequate.
- Resilient Seed Varieties: ICAR-developed Sub1 rice distributed, but adoption uneven.
- APART (Assam Agribusiness & Rural Transformation Project): Promotes diversification and climate-smart farming.
- Gaps: Weak data systems, poor extension, lack of storage/processing facilities.
4️⃣ Way Forward – Building Climate-Resilient Farming
- Agro-Technological Measures:
- Wider adoption of flood-tolerant rice (Swarna Sub1, Ranjit Sub1).
- Short-duration pulses & oilseeds after flood recession.
- Raised seed banks & floating gardens (Bangladesh model).
- Institutional & Policy Reforms:
- Universal insurance coverage incl. tenant farmers.
- Real-time crop loss assessment using drones & satellites.
- Decentralised grain storage & procurement.
- Structural Measures:
- Flood zoning, embankment strengthening, and river dredging.
- Community-managed flood shelters for crops & livestock.
- Livelihood Diversification:
- Promote horticulture, fisheries, and dairy in elevated areas.
- Skill development for off-farm employment.
🔹 Conclusion
The Barpeta–Nalbari floods of 2025 are not an isolated disaster but part of a recurrent agrarian crisis in Assam. Unless farming systems are reoriented towards resilience, diversification, and climate adaptation, floods will continue to erode both crops and rural livelihoods. A farmer-centric, technology-enabled, and policy-supported framework is essential to make Assam’s agriculture future-ready.
APSC CCE Daily Answer Writing 2025 (17/09/2025)
Question (15 Marks)
“The revised Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) policy around Kaziranga National Park aims to strike a balance between biodiversity conservation and livelihood needs of fringe communities. Discuss the challenges and suggest measures to ensure sustainable coexistence.”
Introduction (50 words)
Kaziranga National Park—home to over 2,700 one-horned rhinoceroses and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is India’s flagship conservation landscape. In 2025, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) revised the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the park to ensure ecological integrity with community participation, marking a shift from exclusionary conservation to coexistence-based environmental governance.
Body
1. Importance of ESZ Around Kaziranga
| Aspect | Explanation |
| Biodiversity Protection | Provides a regulated buffer zone (up to 10 km) for safeguarding rhino, tiger, and wetland ecosystems from unplanned development. |
| Disaster Resilience | Prevents deforestation and sand mining, which worsen flood and erosion vulnerability along the Brahmaputra. |
| Community Livelihoods | Allows regulated eco-tourism, handicrafts, and agroforestry, benefiting local Mishing and Karbi villagers. |
| Policy Synergy | Aligns with Project Rhino, National Biodiversity Mission, and India’s 30×30 Global Biodiversity Target. |
2. Challenges in Implementation
| Challenge | Description |
| Encroachment & Land Use Conflict | Illegal settlements and agricultural expansion near park fringes strain conservation efforts. |
| Human–Wildlife Conflict | Crop raiding and livestock depredation by elephants and rhinos increase local resentment. |
| Infrastructure Pressure | NH-37 traffic and tourism resorts threaten migratory corridors. |
| Administrative Overlap | Poor coordination between Forest Dept., Revenue Dept., and local panchayats. |
| Socio-economic Inequity | Restrictions on land use often affect poor households dependent on forest resources. |
3. Measures & Policy Initiatives
- Revised ESZ Notification (2025): Expands regulated activities zone up to 10 km, allowing eco-friendly livelihood options.
- Kaziranga Landscape Management Plan (2025–35): Focuses on flood resilience, wildlife corridor restoration, and local participation.
- Smart Anti-Poaching System (SAPS): Drone surveillance and AI-enabled night cameras reduced poaching by 90%.
- Community-Based Eco-Tourism: Village-level tourism cooperatives share 30% of revenue from park gates.
- Green Infrastructure Guidelines: Ban on plastic and sand mining; buffer plantations for soil conservation.
4. Way Forward
- Community Stewardship: Establish Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) for shared management and benefit-sharing.
- Integrated River–Landscape Approach: Manage Brahmaputra floods and erosion as part of the conservation plan.
- Alternative Livelihoods: Promote bamboo crafts, honey production, and homestay models in fringe villages.
- Technological Tools: GIS-based zoning, real-time wildlife tracking, and participatory mapping for land-use monitoring.
- Policy Coherence: Align ESZ governance with State Climate Resilience Fund (SCRF) and Assam Forest Policy 2024.
Conclusion (40 words)
The revised ESZ policy of Kaziranga exemplifies a paradigm shift from fortress conservation to participatory stewardship.
Ensuring science-led zoning, equitable compensation, and eco-friendly livelihoods can transform Kaziranga into a global model of sustainable coexistence between nature and people.
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