Plan for an Early Summer and Extreme Heat in India
Practice PYQs on this topic
500+ questions on Environment with explanations
📌 Summary:
-
Context: India facing unprecedented early summer heat; 11 states issued heatwave alerts in April 2026
-
Core argument: Existing Heat Action Plans (HAPs) are inadequate — too localised, underfunded, and not integrated with fiscal planning
-
Causal chain: (a) Climate change extends heat season from March to June; (b) Urban heat island effect amplifies city temperatures; (c) HAPs lack inter-department coordination; (d) Vulnerable groups (construction workers, farmers) lack access to cooling infrastructure
-
Key data: India saw 700+ heat-related deaths in 2023; over 50% of districts are now classified as heat-prone
-
Solution 1: 16th Finance Commission should allocate dedicated funds for HAP implementation at district level
-
Solution 2: Mandatory HAP grading system for states with incentive-linked funding
-
Solution 3: Night cooling centres and employer mandates for outdoor workers
-
India's vulnerability: Urban poor, agriculture-dependent population (58%), and limited public cooling infrastructure create disproportionate exposure
UPSC Classification
See PYQs related to “Environment”
Every classification tag above links to actual UPSC questions asked on that topic — with answer, explanation and elimination logic. Only in the app.