Showing posts with label SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

National Leprosy Eradication Programme

The National Leprosy Eradication Programme is a centrally sponsored Health Scheme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. The Programme is headed by the Deputy Director of Health Services (Leprosy ) under the administrative control of the Directorate General Health Services Govt. of India. While the NLEP strategies and plans are formulated centrally, the programme is implemented by the States/UTs. The Programmes also supported as Partners by the World Health Organization, The International Federation of Anti-leprosy Associations (ILEP) and few other Non-Govt. Organizations.
The year 2012-13 started with 0.83 lakh leprosy cases on record as on 1st April 2012, with PR 0.68/10,000. Till then 33 States/ UTs had attained the level of leprosy elimination. A total of 542 districts (84.7%) out of total 640 districts also achieved elimination by March2012. A total of 209 high endemic districts were identified for special actions during 2012-13. After thorough analysis a total of 1792 blocks and 150 urban areas were identified for special activity plan (SAP- 2012). The States were advised to post well trained District Leprosy Officer in all the districts where these blocks are located. In addition one officer should be identified in each of these blocks to strengthen the process of supervision and monitoring. Active house to house survey was the main strategy alongwith IEC and capacity building of the workers and volunteers. This activity helped in detection of more than 20,000 new cases during 2012-13
Objectives:
1.  Early detection through active surveillance by the trained health workers;
2.  Regular treatment of cases by providing Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) at fixed in or centres a nearby village of moderate to low endemic areas/district;
3.  Intensified health education and public awareness campaigns to remove social stigma attached to the disease.
4.  Appropriate medical rehabilitation and leprosy ulcer care services.

REVISED NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL PROGRAMME (RNTCP): DOTS STRATEGY

The National TB Control Programme was stated in 1962 with the aim to detect cases earliest and treat them. In the district, the programme is implemented through the district Tuberculosis Centre (DTC) and the Primary Health Institutions. The District Tuberculosis Programme (DTP) is supported by the state level organization for the coordination and supervision of the programme. The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), based on the DOTS strategy, began as a pilot project in 1993 and was launched as a national programme in 1997 but rapid RNTCP expansion began in late 1998
The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme has initiated early and firm steps to its declared objective of Universal access to early quality diagnosis and quality TB care for all TB patients'. The year 2012 witnessed innumerable activities happening towards the same. Notification of TB; case based web based recording and reporting system ( NIKSHAY); Standards of TB care in India; Composite indicator for monitoring programme performance; Rapid scale up of the programmatic management of drug resistant TB services are few of the worthwhile mention in this regard.
NIKSHAY, the web based reporting for TB programme has been another notable achievement initiated in 2012 and has enabled capture and transfer of individual patient data from the remotest health institutions of the country.
Objectives :
  • Pursue quality DOTS expansion and enhancement, by improving the case finding are cure through an effective patient-centred approach to reach all patients, especially the poor.
  • Address TB-HIV, MDR-TB and other challenges, by scaling up TB-HIV joint activities, DOTS Plus, and other relevant approaches.
  • Contribute to health system strengthening, by collaborating with other health programmes and general services
  • Involve all health care providers, public, nongovernmental and private, by scaling up approaches based on a public-private mix (PPM), to ensure adherence to the International Standards of TB care.
  • Engage people with TB, and affected communities to demand, and contribute to effective care. This will involve scaling-up of community TB care; creating demand through  context-specific advocacy, communication and social mobilization.
  • Enable and promote research for the development of new drugs, diagnostic and vaccines. Operational Research will also be needed  to improve programme performance.

Pulse Polio Programme

With the global initiative of eradication of polio in 1988 following World Health Assembly resolution in 1988, Pulse Polio Immunization programme was launched in India in 1995. Children in the age group of 0-5 years administered polio drops during National and Sub-national immunization rounds (in high risk areas) every year. About 172 million children are immunized during each National Immunization Day (NID).
The last polio case in the country was reported from Howrah district of West Bengal with date of onset 13th January 2011. Thereafter no polio case has been reported in the country (25th May 2012).
WHO on 24th February 2012 removed India from the list of countries with active endemic wild polio virus transmission.
Objective :
The Pulse Polio Initiative was started with an objective of achieving hundred per cent coverage under Oral Polio Vaccine. It aimed to immunize children through improved social mobilization, plan mop-up operations in areas where poliovirus has almost disappeared and maintain high level of morale among the public.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Union Government launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

Union government on 25 September 2014 launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana. The Yojana was launched by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Rural Development during the National Convention on Skills for Rural and Urban Poor held in New Delhi.
The Yojana was launched during the 98th birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. Earlier the Yojana was known as Aajeevika Skills Development Programme (ASDP).
Main Highlights of the Yojana
  • The Yojana aims at training 10 lakh (1 million) rural youths for jobs in three years, that is, by 2017.
  • The minimum age for entry under the Yojana is 15 years compared to 18 years under the Aajeevika Skills Programme.
  • Skill development training centres to be launched so as to address the unemployment problem in the rural area.
  • The skills imparted under the Yojana will now be benchmarked against international standards and will complement the Prime Minister’s Make In India campaign.
  • The Kaushalya Yojana will also the address the need for imparting training to the differently-able persons and chip in private players including international players to impart the skills to the rural youths.
The Rationale for launching the Yojana
The Yojana was launched in the light of huge problem of unemployment among the rural youths despite the fact that they have merits. In order to correct this match, Union government decided to launch skill development scheme.
Further, in light of the fact that, by 2020 developed countries will have a shortfall of over 57 million semi-skilled workers while India by 2020 will have 47 million surplus of workers. This effectively means that there will be high demand for skilled manpower in developed countries, where Indian rural youth can be absorbed after they acquire industry-specific training.
Status of Skilled workers in India
In India as against 12 million people entering the workforce every year during the last 10 years only 1 million youths were trained. Further out of 12 million people, only 10 percent were skilled ones, while the percentage in European Union is 75 and in China it is 50 percent. Also, as compared to 4500 skills in China, India only has 1600 skills, a huge gap indeed.
About the Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP)
Aajeevika Skills Development Programme (ASDP) was launched in June 2011 as a sub-mission under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). It was launched to cater to the occupational aspirations of the rural youth who are poor and to diversify incomes of the rural poor.
The ASDP aimed at skilling and placing 50 lakhs youth in the formal sector by 2017.

Union Government launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for urban and rural poor

Union Government on 25 September 2014 launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for urban and rural poor. The Yojana aims at alleviating urban and rural poverty through enhancement of livelihood opportunities through skill development and other means.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana has two components one for urban India and other for rural India. The Urban component will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation while rural component named as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana will be implemented by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
Under the Yojana, the Union Ministry of Rural Development will launch skill development training centres on a large scale to address the problem of unemployment particularly in rural India.
Main Highlights of the Rural Scheme
• The Yojana aims at training 10 lakh (1 million) rural youths for jobs in three years, that is, by 2017.
• The minimum age for entry under the Yojana is 15 years compared to 18 years under the Aajeevika Skills Programme.
• Skill development training centres to be launched so as to address the unemployment problem in the rural area.
• The skills imparted under the Yojana will now be benchmarked against international standards and will complement the Prime Minister’s Make In India campaign.
• The Kaushalya Yojana will also the address the need for imparting training to the differently-able persons and chip in private players including international players to impart the skills to the rural youths.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for urban areas
Under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) for urban areas extends the coverage to all the 4041 statutory cities and towns, there by covering almost the entire urban population. Currently, all the urban poverty alleviating programmes covered only 790 towns and cities.
Main Highlights of the Urban Scheme 
The scheme will focus on 
• Imparting skills with an expenditure of 15000 rupees to 18000 rupees on each urban poor
• Promotion of self-employment through setting up individual micro-enterprises and group enterprises with interest subsidy for individual projects costing 2lakhs rupees and 10 lakhs rupees for group enterprises. Subsidized interest rate will be 7 percent.
• Training urban poor to meet the huge demand from urban citizens by imparting market oriented skills through City Livelihood Centres. Each Centre would be given a capital grant of 10 lakhs rupees.
• Enabling urban poor form Self-Help Groups for meeting financial and social needs with a support of 10000 rupees per each group who would in turn would be helped with bank linkages.
• Development of vendor markets besides promotion of skills of vendors 
• Construction of permanent shelters for urban homeless and provision of other essential services.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) Related practice Questions


1. 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) launched by Prime Minister of India on 28 August 2014. The theme of the scheme is ....
1) Bringing more people under financial inclusion
2) Providing cash subsidy to farmers
3) Creating awareness about the value of money encouraging people to buy gold
4) Providing cash to people to participate in Mutual Funds market
5) None of above

2. What is the tag line of 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana'?
1) Hamara Khatha Hamara Swabhiman
2) Khatha Kholo, Paisa Bachao
3) Mera Khatha Bhagya Vidhata
4) Hamara Khatha Bhagya Vidhata
5) Sab ka Khata Sab ka Vikas

3. 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana' (PMJDY) is the dream project of the central Government provides ......
1) At least one bank account to every house hold
2) Bank account with locker facility to keep the valuables of people
3) One bank account to every house hold and ask the bank to enroll the minor names to open the account in future
4) None of above
5) All of above

4. How many crore people cover under Jan Dhan Yojana by January 26, 2015?
1) 1.5 crore
2) 4.5 crore
3) 7.5 crore
4) 90 lakh
5) 10.50 crore

5. How many no frill accounts opened under PMJDY on the day of launch?
1) 2.5 crore
2) 4.5 crore
3) 1.5 crore
4) 3.5 crore
5) None

6. Under PMJDY, every account holder will get a .......
1) RuPay debit card
2) Visa International debit card
3) Master Card debit card
4) EVM debit card
5) All of above

7. Issuing of KCC as RuPay Kisan Card also proposed under PMJDY. KCC stands for ......
1) Kisan Core Card
2) Kisan Call Card
3) Kisan Combo Card
4) Kisan Credit Card
5) None

8. The account holder under Jan Dhan Yojana, get how much life insurance cover, if the account open before 26 January, 2015?
1) Rs.5,000
2) Rs.10,000
3) Rs.80,000
4) Rs.70,000
5) Rs.30,000

9. After six months of satisfactory operations, the account holder would be eligible ...... overdraft facility under PMJDY.
1) Rs.5,000
2) Rs.15,000
3) Rs.25,000
4) Rs.35,000
5) None

10. While speaking on the occasion of launching of Jan Dhan Yojana, PM said .......
1) To eradicate poverty we have to get rid of financial untouchability.
2) Financial stability break the vicious cycle of poverty.
3) Once bank accounts open, the people connected with the economic system.
4) None of the above
5) All of above

11. Account given under Jan Dhan Yojana, also cover accidental insurance of up to ........
1) Rs.1 lakh
2) Rs.2 lakhs
3) Rs.5 lakhs
4) Rs.3 lakhs
5) None

12. In order to make the programme PMJDY successful, at least 50000 Business Correspondents, more than 7000 branches and more than how many new ATMs will be established?
1) 10000
2) 200000
3) 45000
4) 20000
5) 75000

13. The earlier schemes of financial inclusion focussed on villages. The present PMJDY focus on .......
1) Employees
2) House wives
3) Rural youth
4) Urban slum dwellers
5) House holds

14. Under Phase I under PMJDY Universal access to banking, cover all house holds with at least one Basic Banking Account with RuPay debit card, providing insurance cover, linking DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) Scheme provided. Phase I runs between .......
1) 15 August, 2014 to 14 August, 2015
2) 15 August, 2014 to 31 March, 2015
3) 15 August, 2014 to 31 August, 2015
4) 1 August, 2014 to 1 August, 2015
5) None

15. The Phase II of PMJDY (15th August, 2015 to 14th August, 2018) covers .......
1) Providing micro-insurance.
2) Unorganised sector Pension schemes like Swavalambana through the Business Correspondents.
3) All basic savings accounts opened will be shifted to PMJDY accounts.
4) Facility to buy immovable property through PMJDY accounts.
5) 1 & 2 only


ANSWERS:
1-1, 2-3, 3-1, 4-3, 5-3, 6-1, 7-4, 8-5, 9-1, 10-5
11-1,  12-4, 13-5, 14-1, 15-5, 

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Swarna Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana restructured as the National Urban Livelihoods Mission

With a view to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed and underemployed through encouraging the setting up of self-employment ventures or provision of wage employment, a new urban poverty alleviation programme, namely, Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) was launched by the Government of India on 01.12.1997.
This scheme subsumed the earlier three urban poverty alleviation programmes, namely Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP), Nehru RozgarYojana (NRY) and Prime Minister’s Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme (PMIUPEP).

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal for restructuring of the centrally sponsored Scheme of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in the 12th Plan and as the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) with an allocation of approximately Rs. 6,405 crore.

The Mission of NULM is to reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in an appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots level institutions of the poor. The mission would also aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the Mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors also by facilitating access to suitable spaces, institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendors for accessing emerging market opportunities.

NULM will rest on the foundation of community mobilization and women empowerment. NULM envisages universal mobilisation of urban poor households into thrift and credit-based Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations/collectives. These groups will serve as a" support system for the poor, to meet their financial and social need.

Under the Mission, City Livelihood Centres (CLCs) will be established in Mission cities to provide a platform whereby the urban poor can market their services and access information on self-employment, skill training and other benefits.

NULM will target the urban poor who are occupationally vulnerable for Employment through Skills Training & Placement (EST&P). The Mission will focus on providing assistance for development / upgrading of the skills of the urban poor so as to enhance their capacity for self-employment and salaried employment. It intends to provide training to the urban poor as per the skill demand from the market, so that they can set up self-employment ventures or secure salaried employment.

Through the Self-Employment Programme (SEP), NULM will provide financial assistance to individuals and groups of urban poor to set up gainful self-employment / micro-enterprise ventures.

The Support to Urban Street Vendors (USV) component will cover a socio-economic survey of street vendors, development of pro-vending urban planning and vendors` markets, credit enablement of vendors, skill development and micro-enterprise development and convergence under various schemes of the Government.

NULM would aim at providing shelter for the urban homeless equipped with essential services. The shelters should be permanent all-weather 24 x 7 shelters for the urban homeless. For every one lakh urban population, provisions will be made for permanent community shelters for a minimum of one hundred persons. Depending upon local conditions each shelter could cater to between 50 and 100 persons.

A mission mode approach in the form of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is considered necessary to organize urban poor in Self Help Groups, creating opportunities for skill development leading to market-based employment and helping them to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. This will result in the empowerment and dignity of life of the urban poor. The approval of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) represents a strategic shift in the Government`s commitment to urban poverty alleviation.

The NULM will be implemented in two phases: Phase I (2013-2017) and Phase II (2017-2022). In Phase I, NULM will target all cities with a population of one lakh or more and district headquarter towns with a population of less than one lakh as per Census of India 2011. However, other towns may be allowed in exceptional cases on the request of the States.

Funding will be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. For North Eastern and Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), this ratio will be 90:10.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Objectives of National Urban Livelihoods Mission

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has proposed to launch a “National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM)” in 12th Five Year Plan, which will replace the existing Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY). The NULM would focus on organizing urban poor in self help groups, creating opportunities for skill development leading to market-based employment and helping them to set up self-employment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit. The Mission would aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the Mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors. This was stated by Dr. (Ms.) Girija Vyas, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA), in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today. 

The Minister further stated that a total of 13,06,767 beneficiaries have been assisted under Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP), 31,32,830 persons have been skill trained under Skill Training for Employment Promotion amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP) and 6,62,766 women beneficiaries have been assisted for setting up Group micro enterprises under Urban Women Self-help Programme (UWSP) components of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) since its inception. So far, total Central funds to the tune of Rs. 5038.53 Crores has been released to States/UTs under the SJSRY scheme. 

A total of 1,35,298 beneficiaries have been assisted under Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP), 1,84,739 persons have been skill trained under Skill Training for Employment Promotion amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP) and 69,077 women beneficiaries have been assisted for setting up Group micro enterprises under Urban Women Self-help Programme (UWSP) components of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in Andhra Pradesh since its inception, as reported by the State Government. So far, total Central funds to the tune of Rs. 473.76 Crores has been released to Andhra Pradesh under this scheme since inception, the Minister added. 

Monday, August 5, 2013

Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY)

An estimated 5 million Indian Nationals with ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports are working on temporary employment/contract visas in the Gulf Countries.

It is observed that a majority of the earnings periodically remitted by overseas Indian workers to their families in India are rarely accumulated as savings and often cause only a temporary improvement in the consumption expenditure of their families. As a result majority of overseas Indian workers face the risk of poverty when they return to India and when they are too old to work. Overseas Indian workers are largely excluded from formal social security benefits available to residents of ECR countries.

Overseas Indian workers are largely excluded from formal social security benefits available to residents of ECR countries.

Thus, to provide them social security, the Ministry has launched Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana(MGPSY) in May 2012. The objective of MGPSY is to encourage and enable overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports going to ECR countries, to (a) save for their return and resettlement and (b) save for their pension. They are also provided Life Insurance cover against natural death, during the period of coverage, without any additional payment by them.

Overseas Indian workers with ECR passports and aged between 18 and 50 years on an employment/contract visa are eligible to join the scheme.

The Ministry also contributes, for a period of five years, or till the return of workers to India, whichever is earlier, as under:

a) Rs.1,000 per subscriber who saves between Rs.1,000 and Rs.12,000 per annum in their National Pension Scheme(NPS) -Lite account;
b) An additional contribution of Rs.1,000 per annum for overseas Indian women workers who save between Rs.1,000 and Rs.12,000 per annum in National Pension Scheme(NPS)-Lite account;
c) An annual contribution of Rs. 900 per annum per subscriber who saves at least Rs. 4000 per annum towards Return and Resettlement fund;
d) Rs.100/- for life insurance cover of Rs.30,000 per year against natural death and Rs.75,000 against death by accident through the Janshree Bima Yojana of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

There is an integrated enrollment process for the subscribers who will be issued a unique MGPSY account number upon enrolment. On their return to India, the subscriber can withdraw the Return and Resettlement savings as a lump sum.

However, the subscriber would be able to continue savings for their old age in the NPS-Lite in line with the Swavalamban Scheme. Alternatively subscriber can withdraw pension corpus as per the guidelines prescribed by the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA).


What is ECR:

As per the Emigration Act, 1983, Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of Indian passport holders, require to obtain "Emigration Clearance" from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for going to following 18 countries.

United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand, Iraq (emigration banned). 

However , the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Emigration Policy Division) have allowed  ECR passport holders traveling abroad for purposes others than employment  to leave the country on production of valid passport, valid visa and return ticket at the immigration counters at international airports in India w.e.f. 1st October 2007.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Government to launch Bharat Mobile Scheme

Government planned to launch Bharat Mobile Scheme under which one member of every rural household who has completed 100 days of work under MGNREGA can get free mobile device on 30th July. The new scheme is aimed at empowerment. The mobile may be provided per household preferably to a woman and the handset will come with a three-year warranty.

The mobile device for The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act workers will be non-transferable as it will also be customized for transfer of benefits of different government programmes like direct cash transfers scheme.

According to initial proposal, selected telecom operators will be asked to provide mobile devices. Distribution would be done by the service providers in coordination with district administration. The mobile numbers in the device is expected to work as first level authentication to identify and inform the beneficiary of scheme, sources said. Around 5 crore households have been provided work in year 2012-13. The proposal for Bharat Mobile Scheme was mooted by Planning Commission of India.

Petroleum Ministry and Delhi Government launched IGL Suraksha Yojana

Union Ministry for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Delhi state government on 31 July 2013 launched IGL Suraksha Yojana, a group accident insurance scheme for nearly 2.5 lakh drivers of CNG run public transport vehicles in Delhi.
New schemes like IGL Suraksha Yojana are required to be introduced to benefit the common man.  IGL would be paying the premium amounting to nearly 35 lakh rupees for the insurance scheme, which is currently being offered through Oriental Insurance Company.

What is IGL Surakhsa Yojana
IGL Suraksha Yojana is an initiative being undertaken by IGL under its CSR programme. Under the scheme, a sum of 1.5 Lakh rupees would be paid to the nominee in case of Death of a Driver in an accident while driving the CNG run Public Transport vehicles. An additional amount of 25000 rupees towards children’s education allowance per child subject to a maximum of 50000 rupees for two children would also be paid to the family in such cases. In case of an accident requiring treatment for fracture a maximum sum of 10000 rupees would be paid to the driver. In case of permanent disability that leads to loss of employment, than a lump sum equal to 100 percent is payable to such insured person. In case of partial disability, a graded compensation from 1500 rupees to 75000 rupees would be paid to the driver. The insurance policy is being issued through Oriental Insurance Company in the first year and IGL would be paying premium for the policy to cover drivers of nearly 2.5 lakh CNG run public transport vehicles operating in the capital.
IGL Suraksha Yojana would be absolutely free for the drivers and the procedure for claim would be quite simple. The claim forms would be available at all CNG stations of IGL as office of Oriental Insurance Company in the capital. In case of death claim, nominee will have to submit copies of FIR, postmortem report, viscera report, copy of driving license of the deceased and copy of RC of public transport vehicle being driven. In case of disability, the claim would have to be supported by certificate from government approved panel. However, acceptance of claim would be subject to the driver having a valid driving licence and the CNG mode being endorsed on RC at the time of accident.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Schemes Providing Subsidised Foodgrains

TARGETED PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

      Government of India makes allocation of foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families @ 35 kg per family per month. Beneficiaries for the scheme are identified by the States on the basis of 1993-94 poverty estimates of Planning Commission and March 2000 population estimates of Registrar General of India.  

OTHER WELFARE SCHEMES

The Department of Food & PD also makes allocation of food grains at BPL prices for the following welfare schemes implemented by various Ministries/Departments of the Government of India as well as State Governments/UTs:

MID DAY MEAL SCHEME

The Mid Day Meal Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The Scheme covers students of Primary & Upper Primary Classes in the Government Schools/Schools aided by Government and the Schools run by local bodies. Food grains are supplied free of cost @ 100 gram per child per school day where cooked/processed hot meal is being served or 3 kgs per student per month where foodgrains are distributed in raw form. 

WHEAT BASED NUTRITION PROGRAMME

This Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Women & Child Development. The food grains allotted under this Scheme are utilized by the States/UTs under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) for providing nutritious/energy food to children in the age group of 0-6 years and expectant/lactating women.

RAJIV GANDHI SCHEME FOR EMPOWERMENT OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS ‘SABLA’

      The Ministry of Women and Child Development administers the scheme at the central level and State/UT Governments implement the scheme.  The SABLA Scheme has been launched on 19.11.2010 by merging two schemes namely Nutrition Programme and Adolescent Girls (NPAG) and Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) in to a single scheme and proposed to be implemented in 200 selected districts across the country.  The Scheme aims at empowering adolescent girls of 11-18 years by improvement of their nutritional and health status and upgrading various skills like home skills, life skills and vocational skills.  It also aims at equipping the girls on family welfare, health hygiene etc. and information and guidance on existing public services along with aiming to mainstream out of school girls into formal or non-formal education. The requirement of food grains under the scheme for nutrition is @ 100 grams of grains per beneficiary per day for 300 days in a year. 

SUPPLY OF FOODGRAINS TO HOSTELS/WELFARE INSTITUTIONS
     
This Scheme is implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution through the State Governments/UTs. To meet the requirement of Hostels/Welfare Institutions, viz., N.G.Os/Charitable Institutions, an additional allocation of foodgrains up to 5% of the BPL allocation of each State/UT is made to States/UTs at BPL rates under this Scheme.  

SUPPLY OF FOODGRAINS FOR SC/ST/OBC HOSTELS

      This Scheme is implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution through the State Governments/UTs. Under this Scheme, all residents of the hostels having 2/3rd students belonging to SC/ST/OBC are given 15 kg. foodgrains per resident per month .

ANNAPURNA SCHEME

      This Scheme is implemented by Ministry of Rural Development. Indigent senior citizens of 65 years of age or above who, though eligible for old age pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) but are not getting the same, are covered under this Scheme and 10 kgsof foodgrains per person per month are supplied free of cost.   


EMERGNCY FEEDING PROGRAMME

This Scheme is implemented by Department of Food and Public Distribution through the State Government of Orissa. The Scheme is being implemented in eight KBK Districts of Orissa covering 2 lakh beneficiaries andfoodgrains (rice) at BPL rates are being allocated to State Government of Orissa.  Cooked food containing, inter alia, rice-200 gmsdal (pulse)-40 gms and vegetables-30 gms is provided daily in the diet of each EFP beneficiary by the State Government.  


VILLAGE GRAIN BANKS SCHEME

Village Grain Bank Scheme was earlier implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 11 States. However, since 24.11.2004, the scheme is being implemented by the Department Food & Public Distribution. 

The main objective of the scheme presently being implemented is to provide safeguard against starvation during the period of natural calamity or during lean season when the marginalized food insecure households do not have sufficient resources to purchase rations.  Such people in need of food grains will be able to borrow food grains from the Village Grain Bank. The grain banks are to be set up in food scarce areas like the drought prone areas, the hot and cold desert areas, tribal areas and the inaccessible hilly areas which remain cut off because of natural calamities like floods, etc. These villages are to be notified by the concerned State Government/Union Territory. The scheme envisages inclusion of all willing BPL/AAY families in the villages to be identified by   the State Government in food deficit areas. The quantity to be lent and the period of repayment is to be decided by the Group themselves.  Village Panchayat/Gram Sabha, Self Help Group for NGOs etc. identified by the State Governments are eligible for running the Grain Banks.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Cabinet approves IWMP as a flagship programme

In order to make Centrally-sponsored programmes condensed, the Cabinet has approved Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) as a flagship programme of the government.

Why IWMP:

Around 60% of cultivated area across India is rain-fed. Besides, these areas are also blighted by poverty, water scarcity, low productivity, malnutrition and prone to severe land degradation. The watershed development programme has been adopted as a tool to address problems of the rain-fed or degraded areas in the country.

Key Points of IWMP:

Launched in 2009-10 by the integration of various area development programmes of the Department of Land Resources, including the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP), the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP).

The 12th Plan allocates the programme an additional Rs. 29,296 crore.
Cost sharing ratio of Central Government : State Government = 90 : 10
9% of the project cost is earmarked for development of livelihoods for asset-less people
10% of the project cost is for productivity enhancement and development of micro-enterprises for small & marginal farmers.
An average size of project under the IWMP is about 5,000 ha which is cluster of micro-watersheds.
A portion of institution &capacity building (5% of the total project cost) has been provided to set up institutional mechanism at State, District, Project and Village levels and to build capacities of stakeholders.
It also entails involvement of primary stakeholders in the form of grassroots community organisations.
Expected Benefits of IWMP:

The benefits include increase in availability of surface water & groundwater, changes in cropping pattern from one to two crops annually, increase in fodder availability and increase in milk yield, increase in agriculture

What are Flagship Programmes:

Flagship programmes derive their origin from the term flagship which is the main or most important ship of a country’s navy and is symbolic of the main thrust of the nation’s developmental policy. Major Flagship programmes of the Government of India are:
Bharat Nirman: The objective of the Bharat Nirman Programme is to give top priority to rural infrastructure by setting time-bound goals under various schemes to develop rural housing, rural roads, irrigation, rural drinking water and rural electrification. The Programme imposes a responsibility on sub-national governments to create these facilities in a transparent and accountable manner.
National Rural Health Mission: The main aim of NRHM is to provide accessible, affordable, accountable, effective, and reliable primary health care, especially to poor and vulnerable sections of the population. The programme sets standards for rural health care and provides financial resources from the Union Government to meet these standards.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme: The Act was notified on 7 September 2005 and is aimed at providing livelihood security through employment for the rural poor.
Sarva Siksha Abhigyan: This programme was started with the objective of providing elementary education for all children in the age group of 6–14 years by 2010.
Mid-day meal Scheme: The MDM Scheme launched in 1995 aims to give a boost to universalization of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention, and attendance and
simultaneously impacting upon nutritional status of students in primary classes.
 Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)

Monday, June 17, 2013

CDSCO to strengthen whistle blower scheme

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is planning to strengthen its whistle blower scheme to "motivate the public and provide information to the regulators on movement of spurious drugs”. 

Apart from this, the organization is working on plans to set up 20 mini drug testing labs at port offices of CDSCO to monitor quality of imported and exported drugs and is also looking at purchasing 20 mobile drug testing vans to monitor quality of drugs moving in the market.

With Indian drug firms under increasing scrutiny, CDSCO also has plans to set up 'India Country Offices' in five countries to inspect foreign manufacturing facilities and address other regulatory issues. Over the next seven years, the organization also plans to correspondingly beef up its manpower by creating 1,195 new posts within its ranks, including 64 experts and additional 4,300 personnel for new laboratories, mobile drug testing labs and setting up a training academy. 

On the problems currently faced by drug firms in the US, CDSCO is planning to monitor case documents of companies that are already under the USFDA scanner such as:  On May 13, Ranbaxy had pleaded guilty to charges related to drug safety and falsifying data for adulterated drugs produced at two of its facilities in Dewas and Paonta Sahib and agreed to pay $500 million, the biggest ever settlement by a generic drug maker. Shortly thereafter, the USFDA had banned import of generic drugs from Wockhardt's Aurangabad facility. 

Glenmark Generics, a subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, too announced on May 23 that it was recalling multiple lots of three of its drugs from the US market due to an "odd smell", according to USFDA notification. Around the time Wockhardt got its import alert, a similar USFDA warning was issued to a Gujarat unit of Sterling Biotech. Sterling Biotech had received an earlier alert in end-November 2012 when the USFDA collected and analyzed samples of pharmaceutical use gelatin and "found them to be contaminated with spore forming bacteria". 

Due to these incidents CDSCO will increase the vigil so that the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act are adhered to. An e-governance system will also be set up that would increase transparency along with credibility. Under this framework, all offices and laboratories of CDSCO and offices of state drugs controllers will be interlinked.  Eight new Central Drugs Testing Laboratories with a capacity to test around 8,000 samples a year by each laboratory and an upgradation of existing six laboratories is also in the pipeline.

Under the Drug and Cosmetics Act, the regulation of manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs is primarily the concern of the states, while the Central authorities are responsible for approval of new drugs, clinical trials, laying down the standards for drugs, control over the quality of imported drugs and coordination of the activities of state drug control organizations.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Poverty Eradication Programmes

Below Poverty Line (BPL) : According to the "Task Force on projection of minimum needs and effective consumption demand" appointed by the Planning Commission, a person is BPL if his daily consumption of calories is less than 2400 in Rural Areas and 2100 calories in Urban areas.
  • About 22% of total population is BPL in 2004-05 as per NSSOs survey.
  • 10th plan target of reduction in poverty ratio to 19.3% by 2007 and 11th plan target is 15% by 2012.
  • Poverty eradication is the explicit objective of 5th plan. Dandekar & Rath are the 1st to use energy requirements i.e., calorie intakes as a measure of poverty line. 8th Plan took Rs. 11,000 p.a. as poverty line for 5 member family in rural; for urban, Rs 12,000 p.a.

Poverty Eradication Programmes :


  • Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) (1st Jan 1986) : Construction of houses for the poor free of cost. Now part of Bharat Nirman.
  • Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarojgar Yojana (April 99) : IRDP, MWS, TRYSEM , GKY, DWAKRA, SITRA. These 6 programmes were merged to become this scheme.
  • Sampoorna Grameena Rojgar Yojana : Emplt Assurance Scheme and Jawahar Gram Samviddhi Yojana were merged to become this scheme.
    • Aims : Providing wage - emplt in rural areas, food security.
  • "National Food for Work Programme" (Nov 2004) : This is for wage-emplt and food security to rural poor.
  • National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme : NREP and the above 2 programmes i.e., (Sampoorna Grameena Rojgar Yojana and National Food for Work Programme"  were merged to become this programme. 
    • 100 Day's guaranteed work in an year.
    • Rs 100/- wage per day per person.
    • Unskilled manual work in rural areas was launched on 2nd Feb. 2006 at Badlapalli, Ananthapur Dist (Andhra Pradesh) by the P.M. Extended to whole of India from 01-04-08. Budget allotment for 09-10 is Rs 39,100 Cr.
  • Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (Dec 1997) :  Nehru Rojgar Youjana, Urban Basic Services Programme and PM's integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme were merged to become this programme.
    • This is for self-emplt for Urban Unemployed.
  • DPAP : Drought Prone Area Programme was launched in 1973-74.
  • Desert Devt. Programme : Launched in 1977-78.
  • Integrated Wasteland Programme : Launched in 1989-90.
  • Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Youjana (Dec 2001) : Construction of dwelling Units for the slum dwellers and community Toilets.
    • It is merged in Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme on 3rd Dec 2005.
  • Antyodaya Anna Yojana (25th December 2000) :  For the "Poorest of the Poor." 
    • 30 Kg of Rice / Wheat per month per family from Jan 2006.
    • 25% of BPL house holds i.e., 2.5 Cr households are covered. Rice @ Rs. 3 per kg and wheat Rs. 2 per Kg.
    • Under this, the Govt provides guarantee by law to provide 25 kg of rice / wheat @ Rs. 3 per kg to 6.52 Cr. BPL households.
    • The current poverty estimate is 27.5% of population.
  • PM Gram Sadak Yojana : Launched in 25-12-2000.
    • 100% Centrally Sponsored.
    • To provide all-weather road connectivity to all habitations by 10th plan end.
    • 2009-10 allocation : Rs 12,000 Cr.
  • Annapurna Anna Yojana (2nd October 2000) : For Seniur citizens of more than 65 years, not covered by National old-age pension scheme.
    • Food grains 10 kg per month free of cost.
    • 100 % centrally sponsored.
  • PM's Adarsha Gram Yojana (2009-10) : Rs. 100 Cr for 1000 villiages (SC Population more than 50%).
Some More Important Points :
  • "Rajiv Awaas Yojana" is launched to provide affordable houses to slum dwellers and the Urban poor.
  • "Indira Awaas Yojana"  is launched to provide housing to Rural Poor.
  • The concept of "P-Index was coindec by Amarthya Sen.
  • India's per capita food consumption fell to 155 Kg/Year.
  • As per planning commission estimate BPL for 2007 : 19.34%
  • World Bank's Poverty Line : $ 1.25 per person per day; Asian Devt. Bank's new measure of Poverty : $ 1.35.
  • Flagship Schemes of UPA Govt :
    • Sarva Siksha Abhiyan
    • Midday Meals Scheme
    • NREGS
    • JNNURM
    • National Rural Health Mission.
  • Government of India appointed Task Forces under Nandan Nilekani (Chairman, UIIDAI) to work out mechanism to provide direct subsidies on keroscene, LPG and Fertiliser for the Poor.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme launched

The Government enacted a Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Under this act, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional forest Dwellers have been given the right to hold the forest land for habitation or for self-cultivation or for carrying out any other traditional activity for their livelihood. Most of the Scheduled Tribes are poor and need financial support for productive utilization of land for their livelihood.

In order to provide concessional finance to the Forest Dwelling STs, the NSTFDC has formulated the new Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme. NSTFDC would generate awareness, provide training and assist in market linkage apart from providing financial assistance at concessional rate of interest of 6% p.a. to the beneficiaries. This assistance would be made available through 33 State Channelizing Agencies of NSTFDC and certain PSU Banks/ Regional Rural Banks having refinance agreements with NSTFDC.

The Radio Partnership MoU between NSTFDC and AIR will cover events organized by NSTFDC for socio economic empowerment of STs. The broadcast can be in 23 languages and 146dialects throughout the country. The coverage will be in the form of Radio Report with in-house/news reel programmes. As AIR is having foot print over the entire country and is covering more than 99% of population, this partnership will facilitate creation of larger awareness about programmes of NSTFDC throughout the country.

World Bank Assisted ISSNIP launched

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) data had indicated about 43 percent children under 5 years of age and 40 percent under three children are underweight. Thus the World Bank assisted ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) has been launched by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women & Child Development

The four major components under the project are: (i) Institutional and systems strengthening in ICDS (ii) Community mobilization and behaviour change communication (iii) piloting multi-sectoral nutrition actions, and (iv) Project Management, Technical Assistance and Monitoring & Evaluation. The programme aims at improving child development and nutritional outcomes for children in selected districts having higher proportional of child under nutrition.

The estimated cost of phase 1 of the project is about US$ 151.50 million (Rs. 682 crore) of which US$ 106 million is the International Development Association (IDA) share (70 percent). The World Bank is supporting this project initially with a concessionary loan of US$ 106 million payable over 25 years. This is likely to be followed by a second phase of support of US$ 344 million subject to assessment of phase 1. 

The first phase of the project will support the government’s efforts to strengthen policy measures and institutional capacity needed to improve nutrition in the targeted groups of mothers and children and will also finance innovative pilots and programmers in 162 high malnutrition-burden districts across eight States. In additional the project will support urban/sub-urban pilots in NCR of Delhi and convergent nutrition action pilots in Odisha and Uttarakhand. 

There are significant regional disparities in nutritional indicators with 60 percent of the burden of malnutrition found in the low-income states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh) and an additional 8-10 percent of the burden concentrated in specific geographical areas in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.