Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Census
The deadline for finalizing the administrative boundaries of districts, tehsils, towns, and other divisions has been extended until December 31, implying that the Census will not take place before the 2024 General Elections.
✓ The decennial Census exercise that was to be conducted in 2021 was postponed indefinitely, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
✓ The commencement is scheduled for April 2024. However, the latest order also does not specify any reason.
✓ It is noteworthy that India has conducted a Census every decade since 1881, even persevering through World War II.
✓ The forthcoming Census will mark a significant milestone as it will be the first digital Census, allowing citizens the opportunity to self-enumerate.
Population Projection for India:
According to the “Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections” published by the National Commission on Population, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the population projections for India (2011-2036) is:
The population of India is expected to increase from 121.1 crore (1.211 billion) to 151.8 crore (1.518 billion) during this period.
This indicates an overall increase of 25% over 25 years, with an average annual growth rate of 1.0%.
Consequently, the population density is projected to rise from 368 persons per square kilometer to 462 persons per square kilometer.
It is important to note that these projections are based on Census 2011 data.
About Census:
The census provides information on size, distribution and socio-economic, demographic and other characteristics of the country’s population.
Census is essentially a two-step process involving a house-listing and numbering exercise followed by the actual population enumeration.
House-listing and numbering takes place in the middle of the year prior to the Census year.
Population enumeration happens in two to three weeks of February.
Background of Census:
According to “Rig Veda,” a population count was kept about 800-600 BC.
In his Arthasastra, Kautilya (c. 321-296 BC) emphasised the importance of census taking as a gauge of state policy for taxation purposes.
The administrative report ‘Ain-e-Akbari’ from the reign of Mughal monarch Akbar had extensive information about the population, industry, wealth, and many other aspects.
India’s first census was carried out in 1872, during the administration of Lord Mayo, the Governor-General. In 1881, the first comprehensive synchronised Census was carried out.
Henry Walter is widely regarded as the “Father of the Indian Census.”
Census 2021 will be the eighth since independence and the 16th such effort overall.
Constitutional and Legal Provision for Census:
Constitutional Provision: A Census is Constitutionally mandated in India, but it does not say when the Census has to be carried out, or what the frequency of this exercise should be. Thus, there is no Constitutional or legal requirement that a Census has to be done every 10 years.
The population census is a Union subject under Article 246 of India Constitution.
It is listed at serial number 69 of the seventh schedule of the constitution.
Legal Provision for Census: The Census of India Act of 1948, which provides the legal framework for carrying out the Census, also does not mention its timing or periodicity.
The Act makes it obligatory on the part of every citizen to answer the Census question truthfully and also penalises for giving false information.
Office: The decennial Census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs.
It was formed for arranging, conducting and analysing the results of the demographic surveys of India including Census of India and Linguistic Survey of India.
Census Rules, created in 1990, were amended by the Union government in 2022 to enable self-enumeration by respondents as well as the capture and storage of information in electronic form.
Significance of Census:
The Census is the only reliable source of population information for every village and town in the nation.
Census data are used by researchers and demographers to forecast population growth and trends.
Contains the most reliable statistics: Information on language, religion, migration, disability, SCs and STs, housing & household amenities, urbanisation, literacy and education, and a variety of other sociocultural and demographic statistics.
Good governance: The government uses the census data for management, planning, and policy-making, as well as for managing and evaluating a number of activities.
Reservation: The number of seats that must be set aside for SCs and STs in the Parliament, State legislatures, local authorities, and government services is determined using the Census data.
The number of seats reserved for SCs and STs in panchayats and municipal authorities is determined by their share in the population.
Future planning: It offers solutions to organise, deal with issues, and make improvements. Government conducts an examination of the census data and develops future policies in accordance.
Funding: Based on population figures obtained from the Census data, the Finance Commission awards payments to the states.
Welfare programmes: Census is the key to establishing identification and reaffirming it over time by identifying the actual beneficiaries. Census statistics provide for easy intertemporal comparison.
Consequences of Delayed Census:
Trust Factor: The reliability of outdated census data, which is still available from the 2011 Census, has an impact on both people who do and do not benefit from assistance programmes.
It may be necessary for researchers and decision-makers to rely on old data or other data sources, which might not offer the same level of precision or granularity.
Census data are essential since other sample surveys carried out throughout the nation refer to them. For instance, data from the 2011 census were utilised in the most recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), which was published last year.
Policy Planning: Accurate census data is necessary for spotting trends as they emerge, evaluating needs, and exploiting opportunities.
Missed opportunities for targeted interventions, economic planning, and commercial decisions can be brought on by a census delay.
Funds Allocation: When allocating funds to the states, the Finance Commission takes census statistics into consideration.
Funding distribution to the states would be disproportionate without precise data.
Migration data: Census information is essential for understanding migration, migration patterns, and the economic effects of migration.
Because of the Census’s delay, policymakers and planners do not have access to the most recent data on domestic and international migration.
Delimitation/reservation of Constituencies: Panchayats that have seen rapid changes in the composition of their population over the last decade, would mean that either too many or too few seats are being reserved.
Delimitation of parliamentary and Assembly constituencies would continue to be based on the 2001 Census till data from a Census after 2026 are published.
Rural-urban distribution of population: There is high population growth in urban areas. Some cities have been growing faster than others through in-migration.
For example, areas under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike grew by 49.3% during 2001-11, while the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (11.9%), the Delhi Municipal Corporation (11.7%), and Greater Chennai Corporation (7.0%) had much lower growth rates.
Conclusion:
The census is vital and precious as it is a repository of complete data about the country which is gathered openly, voluntarily, and with the use of public money, making it a social good.
The new Census is likely to capture the extent of the observed movement in migration trends towards smaller two-tier towns apart from the large metropolitan centre.
Inaccuracies in population statistics, stymied planning and development, difficulties with resource allocation, effects on political representation, restrictions on research and analysis, and missed chances for decision-making are just a few of the many consequences of a delayed census.
Thus, it is crucial to complete the census on time in order to ensure accurate and current data for efficient governance and growth.
Saturday, July 22, 2023
Manual For Disaster Management Plan
The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released the Manual for Disaster Management Plan (DMP) during the two-day national conference of Rural WASH Partners Forum at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi which culminated on 22, July 2023. The Manual is developed by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation to ensure safety, uninterrupted supply and minimum loss of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assets and services involving stakeholders at national, state, district, and village level. The Plan aligns with the two-flagship programmes on WASH implemented by the Department namely the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G).
The Disaster Plan is developed based on the Advisory issued by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) which, under Section 37 of Disaster Management Act, 2005 desires every Ministry/ Department to develop its own disaster plan to counter and be prepared for any emergency arising in future. The objective of the Plan is to ensure immediate WASH response to disasters as per the agreed standards; enhance WASH resilience to reduce disaster vulnerability; establish a robust environment, fund and coordination mechanism to achieve the desired goals; and develop a plan which caters to disaster preparedness, response, recovery, reconstruction, and mitigation.
The document developed by the Department looks into the vulnerability of WASH assets and services under different types of disasters, impact of disaster on WASH infrastructure and services, disaster management cycle and activities for disaster-resilient WASH infrastructure construction at all stages, institutional mechanism for disaster preparedness, response, recovery, reconstruction, mitigation at various levels, minimum standards for WASH service delivery during and post-disaster and financial mechanism to fund the integration of disaster-resilience in WASH assets and services. This disaster management plan includes, Gender-based vulnerabilities, issues concerning Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), elderly, children and people with disabilities.
According highest priority to the issue of disaster recovery the Manual offers a holistic approach addressing community preparedness, technology use, and international cooperation. The document focuses on four stages of planning – preparedness, response, recovery & reconstruction and mitigation apart from addressing the issues as per the 10-point agenda for risk reduction. In case of disaster, three kinds of assessment need to be conducted
1. Before the disaster: A Hazard-Vulnerability-Capacity mapping to guide the preparedness activities most needed,
2. During Response: A Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) which can be completed in a day and point out the immediate needs of the affected population,
3. During Recovery & Reconstruction: A detailed Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) which highlights the long-term needs of the community and helps the administration “build back better” the damaged infrastructure and update the service delivery mechanisms to mitigate against future disasters.
It is envisaged that the Manual shall provide clear guidance to States and Districts for planning of disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness and for undertaking prompt and efficient efforts for disaster recovery.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Saturday, July 15, 2023
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Monday, July 10, 2023
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Women Empowerment Schemes in India
1. Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao Scheme – This scheme was generated on 22nd January 2015 with the funding of 100 crores. The objectives are – to prevent sex-selective abortion, to ensure the survival and protection of a girl child, and to ensure education for a girl child.
The government believes in “Beta Beti Ek Samaan”. The aim of this scheme is to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender, to ensure that every girl child survives and the government ensures that every girl in the country receives the basic education.
2. One-Stop Centre Scheme – This scheme will be funded by the Nirbhaya scheme. The aim of the scheme is to provide support and assistance to women affected by violence both in private and public spaces.
It also facilitates immediate emergency or non-emergency to seek medical, legal, psychological support to fight against any form of violence against women.
3. Women Helpline Scheme – This has been generated on 1st April 2015. The aim is to provide 24 hours of immediate and emergency response to women who are affected by violence.
4. Working Women’s Hostel – The aim of the scheme is to envisage the provision of safe and affordable hostels for women. It also gives rise to a chance of employment to women in urban, semi-urban and rural areas via daycare facilities, etc.
5. Support to Training and Employment Programme (STEP) for women – This scheme targets mostly the marginalized less rural and urban poor women. It also includes wage laborers, unpaid daily workers, women-headed households, and families below the poverty line.
The objectives are to provide skill for development and up-gradation, to enable groups of women to take up employment-cum-income generation programs.
6. Swadhar Greh Scheme – This scheme was launched in 2011. The aim is to provide temporary accommodation, maintenance, and rehabilitation centre for homeless women due to dysfunctional family or violence.
The objectives include providing them with legal service and emotional support and help as well to start their lives with dignity again, to cater to the primary need for shelter, clothing, and medicine.
7. Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme – The scheme was launched in 2011 and as of 2016 this scheme provides support to different NGOs to carter to the needs.
The aim of the scheme is to provide support to the children of the working mothers who were previously resorting to friends and relatives to take care of their babies. As a result, the employment of women who take care of babies has increased.
8. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna – The scheme was initially launched in 2010. The aim of the scheme is to ensure safe delivery and good nutrition for pregnant women – women who are having their first child. It provides partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of the cash incentives.
9. Mahila-e-Haat – The aim of the scheme is to strengthen the financial inclusion of Women Entrepreneurs in the economy by providing support to their ideas and notions.
The startup “Rashtriya Mahila Kosh” uses the help of technology so that they can showcase products made/manufactured/sold by women entrepreneurs.
10. Mahila Police Volunteers – The aim is to ensure the safety of the citizens and women in particular. It also aims to increase the number of women police officers in the Indian Police. One of its objectives is to make sure the women police officers act as a role model to the citizens of the country.
11. National Mission for Empowerment of Women – It was launched on 15th August 2011. Its aim is to empower women holistically. The objectives are to strengthen the understanding of gender issues, conceptual and programmatic basics of women-centric schemes.
12. Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme – This scheme was launched in 2017. The aim is to promote community participation through the involvement of Student Volunteers for the empowerment of rural women. The main purpose of the scheme is to enhance the quality of women’s lives.
13. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh – This scheme was launched in March 1993. Its aim is to provide micro-credit to poor women for various livelihood support and income-generating activities at concessional terms in a client-friendly procedure to enhance their socio-economic development.
14. Nand Ghar Yojna – This scheme was launched on 24th June 2015. The aim is to enhance the learning environment through an e-learning module and skill development for women.
The objectives are to make Anganwadis as a community center for women and children, to provide supplementary nutrition to children below 6 years to combat against malnutrition.
15. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – It was launched in March 2016. The aim is to provide clean fuel to women who are below the poverty line who generally use unclean cooking fuels which harms more – hence they should replace it with LPG.
The objective is to protect the health of women and empower them.
16. Maternity Benefit Program – It was launched in 2017. The aim is to provide partial compensation for wage loss to women during pregnancy and offers a cash incentive of Rs. 6000 to mothers bearing their first child. The objective is to promote nutrition and of pregnant and lactating mothers.
17. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana – This scheme was launched in January 2015. The aim is to encourage parents of the girl child to create a fund or savings for the future education and marriage expenses of their child.
The objective is to ensure the financial independence of the girl which helps her to pursue education, other skills, and marriage as well.
18. eSamvad Portal – This was launched in 2018. The aim is to provide a platform for NGOs and civil society to interact with the Ministry on relevant subjects. The portal allows NGOs to contact the Ministry of Women and Child Development and to receive feedback, suggestions based on their practice.
19. Nari Web Portal – This was launched in 2018. The aim of the portal is to spread information about schemes and benefits provided by the Government to the women. The portal enables to access different programs offered by various states as well as the Central Government.
20. She-Box Portal – It was launched in 2018. The aim is to provide a faster remedy to women facing sexual harassment at the workplace. The prompt disposal of the complaints directly goes to the central/state authority concerned so that jurisdiction can be sorted soon.
21. New Draft National Policy – It was launched in 2019. The aim of this policy is to ensure women’s participation as equal partners in all spheres of life. It covers the priority areas like – nutrition and health, education, economic growth, environment, and violence.
Friday, July 7, 2023
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Monday, July 3, 2023
Sunday, July 2, 2023
Saturday, July 1, 2023
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