APPSC MATERIAL: SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES

Showing posts with label SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Nirmal Bharat: Total sanitation for all

"Sanitation is more important than Independence."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Sanitation literally denotes measures significant for improving and protecting health and well-being of the people. It is a system that promotes appropriate disposal of human wastes, proper use of toilets and discourages open space defecation. It is hard to imagine life without toilets for us but it is a reality for approximately 2.6 billion people in the world. An estimated 40 per cent of world's population still do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities. It has been often seen that lack of sanitation facilities are main cause of some of the life-threatening diseases. Hence, sanitation facilities are often related to one of the key elements in sustaining human lives.

Importance of sanitation and WHO
Emphasising the relative importance, father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi had once said, "Sanitation is more important than Independence." India has done a commendable job in improving the sanitation facilities and providing clean drinking water to all.
India has acknowledged the fact that sanitation is a cornerstone in the well-being of a person as unsanitary surroundings form the base for spread of numerous diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) observes that polluted water is the root cause of 80 per cent diseases, a result of inadequate sanitation and sewage disposal methods. A huge number of people even today relieve themselves in the open contaminating water bodies and other natural resources. This shows that people need to be educated on the importance of sanitation and its use in rural and urban areas alike. Inadequate sanitation facilities and lack of awareness often result in a number of health problems such as intestinal worms, most commonly the human roundworm and the human hookworms. Occurrence of these diseases is generally very high in low-income semi-urban and rural areas. Therefore, sanitation is the basic infrastructure component that could contain excreta-related diseases.
The Central and State governments have now increased activities and funding to achieve the sanitation MDG (Millennium Development Goal) target. Water supply and sanitation is a State responsibility under the Constitution of India and following the 73^rd and 74^th Constitutional amendments, the States give the responsibility and powers to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to implement them.

Towards Nirmal Bharat: Vision and Strategy
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has formulated the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy for the period of 2012 to 2022. The main purpose of this strategy is to provide a framework to realize the vision of Nirmal Bharat, an environment that is clean and healthy.
A Nirmal Bharat is a dream of clean and healthy nation that thrives and contributes to the welfare of our people. This vision seeks to visualize a nation in which the traditional habit of open defecation is entirely eliminated, the worth of every human being is respected, and quality of life is improved. To achieve this in rural areas, the department has following strategies and goals to meet in coming years.

Completely eliminating the traditional habit of open defecation and making this a relic of the past.
Operationalizing systems for the safe management of solid and liquid waste at scale.
Promoting the adoption of improved hygiene behaviours.
Addressing inequalities in access with special attention to vulnerable groups such as women, children, aged and disabled.
Ensuring that providers have the capacity and resources to deliver services at scale.
Stimulating and enabling cooperation across public sector agencies concerned with rural development, health, environment and vulnerable sections.
Working with business, academic and voluntary partners to achieve the goals of the strategy.

Goals

Creation of Totally Sanitized Environments - By 2017: The end of open defecation and achievement of a clean environment where human faecal waste is safely contained and disposed.
Adoption of Improved Hygiene Practices - By 2020: All people in the rural areas, especially children and caregivers, adopt safe hygiene practices during all times.
Solid and Liquid Waste Management - By 2022: Effective management of solid and liquid waste such that the village environment is kept clean at all times.

Report

Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy (2012-2022)

Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC)

The Central Rural Sanitation Programme of the Indian government began in 1986. It has now evolved into the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) which operates in various districts of States and Union Territories. TSC successfully encourages households to finance their own toilets while giving financial incentives to the underprivileged. A nationwide network of Rural Sanitary Marts and Production Centres has been established with government funds though they are run primarily by local governance, NGOs and community based organisations. These Marts and Production Centres provide the materials required for construction of sanitary latrines and other facilities. The outlets also serve as counseling centres for those interested in building a toilet on their own. This has boosted the supply chain, promoting sanitation and hygiene, catering to an estimated 138 million rural households in the country.
Lessons from three decades of a government-driven programme suggest that visionary policies and a strong institutional setting helped in reaching more households without toilets. Although progress has happened, models in West Bengal, Maharashtra and other places show how informed strategies, strong peoples participation and strong monitoring yield results. Thus, the government has also put in efforts to focus on improvement of sanitation facilities in various schools, Anganwadi centres and communities.
TSC is a success story and achieved thousands of ODF (Open Defecation Free) villages in the last few years. For the urban areas, the National Urban Sanitation Policy was launched in 2008 to accelerate sanitation provision in cities.

Nirmal Gram Puraskar

To give fillip to the objectives of TSC, the government initiated the Nirmal Gram Puraskar . A cash award, the Puraskar recognises fully covered PRIs and those individuals and institutions that work towards ensuring full sanitation coverage in their area of operation. The project implemented in rural areas taking district as the unit. The main objectives of Nirmal Gram Puraskar are:

To bring sanitation to the forefront of social and political discourse for development in rural India.
To develop open defecation free and clean villages that will act as models for others to emulate.
To give incentives to PRIs to sustain the initiatives taken by them to eliminate the practice of open defecation from their respective geographical area by way of full sanitation coverage.
To increase social mobilization in TSC implementation, by recognizing the catalytic role played by organizations in attaining universal sanitation coverage.

United Nation Millennium Development Goal

The 2.6 billion people, 40 per cent of the world's population, still do not have access to toilets or latrine that is why sanitation is one of the key subjects in the United Nations Millennium Development Goal targets. The UN-backed Sanitation for all: the drive to 2015 aims to mobilize political will and collect resources to expand sanitation facilities across the globe.

World Toilet Day
In 2001, the World Toilet Organization (WTO) declared 19^th November as a World Toilet Day (WTD). The WTO created the WTD to raise global awareness of the struggle 2.6 billion face every day without access to proper and clean sanitation.
The WTD also highlights the health, emotional and psychological consequences the poor endures as a result of inadequate sanitation. The WTD's popularity is gaining momentum, and in 2010 there were 51 events on sanitation facilities spanning 19 countries.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Scheme for Training of Agriculture Students to Establish Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres

Government has launched a scheme ‘Establishment of Agriclinic and Agri-business Centres’. The Scheme aims to:

(i) Provide gainful self-employment opportunities to unemployed agricultural graduates, agricultural diploma holders, intermediate in agriculture and biological science graduates with PG in agri-related courses;

(ii) Support agricultural development; and

(iii) Supplement efforts of pubic extension by necessarily providing extension services to the farmers as per local needs of farmers.

Since inception of the scheme, 27,894 candidates have been trained and 9,949 of them have established agri-ventures up to February, 2012.

Salient features of the scheme:

(i) The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) is the Implementing Agency for training component of the Scheme. Two months’ free residential training is imparted to the selected eligible candidates on Agri-Entrepreneurship Development followed by one-year handholding support after completion of training, .through Nodal Training Institutes.

(ii) The Scheme has a provision of credit support (start up loan) upto ` 20 lakhs for individual projects and ` 100 lakhs for a group project.

(iii) There is a provision of credit linked back-ended composite subsidy on the bank loan availed by trained candidates under the Scheme. The subsidy is 44% in respect of women, SC/ST & all categories of candidates from North-Eastern and Hill States; and 36% in respect of all other categories

(iv) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is the Implementing Agency for disbursement of subsidy and monitoring the credit support to agri-clinics and agribusiness centres through the banks.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

New paradigm shift in India’s welfare programmes

The government will focus on welfare measures in a broader perspective than before, said a statement from the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The paradigm shift in its approach to social sector issues, which were earlier only welfare oriented, will now look at holistic empowerment, especially of the marginalized. The emphasis continues to be on empowerment and development of women, adolescent girls and children in all spheres of life.
Here is a list of all the welfare programmes at a glance and the new approach:
ICDS, Malnutrition & Early Childhood Care & Education
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme: This was launched in 1975 for holistic development of children below 6 years of age and for proper nutrition and health education of pregnant and lactating mothers with 33 projects and 4891 anganwadi centres (AWCs). It has been continuously expended to uncovered areas and has now been universalized with the Government of India cumulatively approving 7076 projects and 14 lakh AWCs including 20,000 anganwadis ‘on-demand’.
To fulfill the commitment of the Government to universalize the ICDS Scheme, it has been expanded in three phases in the years 2005-06, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Government of India has sanctioned 7015 ICDS Projects and 13.67 lakh AWCs out of which 6771 ICDS Projects and 12.95 lakh AWCs are operational as on date. The services are currently being provided to 959.22 lakh beneficiaries. Number of AWCs and Projects increased by 53, 248 and 52 respectively during the year.
Multi-sectoral programme to address maternal and child malnutrition in selected 200 high burden districts:
MWCD has prepared a draft framework of action for operationalization of multi-sectoral programmes in 200 high burden districts following four regional workshops. District level consultations have also been held in this regard in Warangal in Andhra Pradesh and Alwar in Rajasthan. The Scheme largely based on convergence and gap filling and district plan of action mode is likely to be rolled out by May, 2012 as per timelines. Detailed cost implication is likely to be Rs. 5 crore per district per annum. This programme could attempt to bring a comprehensive and collective action plan at state & district level in 200 high burden districts to combat the burden of Malnutrition in these districts.
2. A. Introducing a nationwide information, education and communication campaign against malnutrition
One of the four key decisions of Prime Minister’s Council on India’s Nutrition challenges is to launch a nationwide information, education and communication (IEC) campaign against malnutrition to address issues of status of women, care of pregnant mothers and children under two years of age, breastfeeding and the importance of balanced nutrition, health, hygiene and sanitation. The IEC campaign is being coordinated by Ministry of Women & Child Development, in consultation with Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Planning Commission.
B.        Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
A core committee of experts in early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) has been formed to formulate a national policy and curriculum framework on ECCE. After holding regional consultations and in depth discussions with other stakeholders, the committee has evolved a draft national policy on ECCE, national curriculum Framework and Quality Standards for ECCE. This would be operationalised through the ECCD Council, which is proposed. The Strengthened and restructured ICDS would reposition the AWC as the Early Childhood Development Centre, with the orientation of an enabling environment for promotion of early childhood development with focus on delivering quality ECCE. A separate and appropriate framework of action would be brought about in this regard.
C.        World Bank assisted “ICDS Systems Strengthening & Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP)” :
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has formulated a specific project on ICDS titled, “ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project” for seeking financial assistance from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. The project is proposed to be implemented in 162 districts having higher proportion of child under-nutrition across 8 States (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh). The project has been designed to strengthen the ICDS systems for effective programme implementation in selected States/districts through techno-managerial support and decentralized district based planning in ICDS. The project is one of the steps for the overall ICDS strengthening and restructuring proposal of the Ministry.
The Ministry is now in the process of expediting the approval of the project by the competent authority. It is expected that project will be made effective sometimes during the last quarter of 2011-12.
D.        Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY):
Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana is a Centrally Sponsored Insurance Scheme with cost sharing pattern of 75:25 between the Government of India and the State Governments/UTs.
The proposal has been initiated on the recommendation of the National Social Security Board under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The Scheme of RSBY has been extended to many workers in the unorganized sector such as Domestic workers, Auto Rickshaw drivers, Rickshaw pullers, Safai Karamcharis and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) Workers. The subject proposal is for the extension of RSBY to the Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme.
E.        Increased focus on issues relating to Malnutrition :
The problem of malnutrition is complex, multi-dimensional and inter-generational in nature and cannot be tackled by a single sector / programme alone. The determinants of malnutrition include household food insecurity; illiteracy especially in women; poor access to health services; lack of availability of safe drinking water; poor sanitation and environmental conditions and low purchasing power etc. The major thrust was given to issues pertaining to malnutrition with emphasis on a convergent and multi-sectoral approach involving all other line Ministries such as Drinking Water & Sanitation, MoRD, Panchayati Raj, MHRD, Agriculture etc.
II.        Rajiv Gandhi for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls’ (RGSEAG) – SABLA
The scheme is being implemented in 200 districts across the country on a pilot basis. In the remaining districts, Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) continues to be operational as before. However, SABLA has completely replaced Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG) as all districts of NPAG are now part of the SABLA.
2.         Sabla is being implemented through the State Governments/UTs with 100 percent financial assistance from the Central Government for all inputs other than nutrition provision for which 50% Central assistance to States is provided. Anganwadi Centre is the focal point for the delivery of the services. Sabla aims at an all-round development of adolescent girls of 11-18 years by making them self reliant by facilitating access to learning, health and nutrition through various interventions such as health, education, vocational training etc.
III.       Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)
IGMSY is a centrally Sponsored Scheme under which full grant-in-aid would be provided to State Governments/Union Territories. The Scheme envisages providing cash directly to P&L women in response to individual fulfilling specific conditions. The Scheme attempts to partly compensate for wage loss to P&L women both prior to and after delivery of the child. The Scheme will increase the demand for health services and promote recommended nutrition and health behaviours.
2.         A cash incentive of Rs. 4000/- is provided under the Scheme to P&L women of 19 years of age and above, for the first two live births, subject to the woman fulfilling specific conditions relating to maternal child health and nutrition. All Government/PSUs (Central & State) employees are excluded from the Scheme as they are entitled for paid maternity leave. Cash incentive is provided in three installments, between the second trimesters of pregnancy till the infant completes 6 months of age through only bank/post office accounts.
3.         An incentive of Rs. 200/- per beneficiary for Anganwadi Workers and Rs. 100/- per beneficiary for Anganwadi Helpers is provided for in the Scheme so that they can be fully involved in motivating the women to participate in the Scheme.
IV.       Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Bill, 2011.
The main aim of the Bill is to address sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including child pornography. It provides for establishment of special courts for trial of such offences. The Bill defines offences, namely, penetrative sexual assault, aggravated penetrative sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, sexual harassment and use of child for pornography. The Bill provides for stringent punishment to offenders. For speedy trail, the State Governments have been mandated to designate a Court of Session in each district, to be a Special Court to try offences under the Bill. The other provisions of the Bill include child friendly court procedure, punishment for not reporting the offence to police or appropriate authority, and punishment for abetment and for making false complaint or false information.
V.        The Juvenile Justice (Care And Protection Of Children) Act, 2000
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act). During the year 2011, the JJ Act has been amended through Gazette notification dated 8th September, 2011. The following amendment has been carried out in the JJ Act to remove discriminatory references against children under the Act having diseases such as leprosy, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, etc.
(i)         In the JJ Act, in Section 48, sub-section (2) has been omitted.
(ii)        For Section 58 of the JJ Act, the following Sections has been substituted, namely:-
Where it appears to the competent authority that any juvenile or child kept in a Special Home or an Observation Home or a Children’s Home or a Shelter Home or in an institution in pursuance of this Act, is a mentally ill person or addicted to alcohol or other drugs which lead to behavioural changes in a person, the competent authority may order his removal to a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home in accordance with the provisions of the Mental Health Act, 1987 or the Rules made there under.
In case the juvenile or child had been removed to a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home under sub-section (1), the competent authority may, on the basis of the advice given in the certificate of discharge of the psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home, order to remove such juvenile or child to an Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts or similar centers maintained by the State Government for the mentally ill persons (including the persons addicted to any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and such removal shall be only for the period required for the in-patient treatment of such juvenile or child.
VI.       Integrated Child Protection Scheme (Icps)
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) from 2009-10 through State Governments/UT Administrations for the welfare and rehabilitation of children in conflict with law as well as children need of care and protection.
The objectives of the Scheme are (i) to provide safe and secure environment for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection; (ii) to reduce vulnerabilities to situations and actions that lead to abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment and separation; (iii) to bring focus on Non-institutional care; (iv) to develop a platform for partnership between Government & Civil Society; and (v) to establish convergence of services.
To bring a focus on child protection and create an environment conducive to their growth and development, ICPS envisages creation of a dedicated cadre of personnel in structure set up at State and district level. So far 23 States have already set up State Child Protection Societies and District Children Protection Committees have been set up in 438 districts across 18 States. ICPS has also given a fillip to establishment of Statutory structures under the JJ Act, namely Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards, which have now been establishment in 548 and 561 districts respectively as against 211 and 240 before introduction of ICPS. Approximately 1 lakh beneficiaries have been covered under ICPS in 2011.
VII.     Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers
Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers launched w.e.f. 1st January 2006 to provide day care facilities to children (age group of 0-6 years) of working mothers belonging to families whose monthly income is not more than Rs. 12,000/-. The Scheme provides development services, i.e. supplementary nutrition, health care inputs like immunization, polio drops, basic health monitoring, and recreation to such children.
This scheme is presently being implemented through the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB), New Delhi, and Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), New Delhi.
A Committee had been set up by the Ministry to suggest changes in the scheme for improving its coverage and quality. The Committee has suggested enhanced financial norms, stringent monitoring recommended fulfillment of certain preconditions before setting up of the crèches. On recommendation of the Committee, 5 model crèches are being set up in Delhi on pilot basis with enhanced financial norms as per recommendations of the Committee for the remaining period of the current financial year with a view to see whether the revised norms are sufficient to provide better environment and facilities to the children in the crèches before new model is replicated or existing crèches are strengthened.
VIII.    National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW)
The National Mission for Empowerment of Women has been operationalized with the setting up of a Mission Directorate along with a National Resource Centre for Women (NRCW) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development at the National level. NRCW has technical experts in eight domains: economic empowerment, social empowerment, health and nutrition, gender budgeting, gender laws and rights, marginal and vulnerable women, media and communication and I.T services and provide technical support to operationalize activities of the mission.
NMEW has developed a multi- pronged strategy to achieve its objectives based on discussion with sectoral experts as well as recommendations from the three consultative workshops with various stakeholders including government, civil society organizations and PRI (Panchayat Raj Institutions) leaders in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. The strategy focuses on Intervention at the policy level by reviewing studies/evaluations/impact assessment of programs/schemes for gender equality, strengthening the implementation and delivery mechanism and empowering women to demand their entitlements
IX.       Scheme for Working Women Hostel
In order to promote greater mobility of women in the employment market and to provide suitable, safe and inexpensive accommodation to women residing away from their hometowns to be able to work, Government of India is implementing since 1972-73 Scheme of Working Women Hostel as a Central Sector Plan Scheme. So far, 891 hostels have been sanctioned under the Scheme since inception in 1972-73, with a sanctioned capacity of about 66,299 women and 8532 children in the attached 323 Day Care Centres.
The Scheme of working women hostel has been revised with the aim to increase coverage, proper monitoring and utilization of public money. The objective of the Scheme is to provide safe and secure accommodation to the working women at affordable rate. In the revised scheme, apart from the provision of extending financial assistance for the construction of hostel building on public land, new components of grants-in-aid for maintenance, furnishing of hostel and cost of rent of the hostels running in rented building have also been envisaged.
Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) in collaboration with Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) has constructed a 500 bedded working women hostel with 176 living rooms along-with Kitchen, dining and common area at Jasola (Behind Apollo Hospital) to provide a safe and secure accommodation to women and girls of North Eastern Region. The hostel has been inaugurated on 8th September, 2011 and handed over to YWCA.
X. Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) Scheme
This is a centrally sponsored scheme and provides training for skill up-gradation to poor and assetless women in the traditional sectors of agriculture, animal husbandry, diary, fisheries, handlooms, handcrafts, khadi and village industries, sericulture, social forestry and waste land development.
XI. Swadhar Greh
Swadhar Scheme and SSH are being implemented with similar objective and for same target group. Now these two existing schemes i.e. Swadhar and Short Stay Home have been merged in to a new scheme ‘Swadhar Greh’ with revised financial norms in order to reach out to those women who are victims of unfortunate circumstances and are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity. Under the new Scheme, sufficient financial assistance under each component of the scheme will be provided to the implementing agencies so that the day to day requirement of the intimates of the home could be fulfilled easily. The envisaged coverage of the revised scheme is all 641 districts of the country.
XII. Gender Budgeting
Gender Budgeting (GB) is a tool for gender mainstreaming in all government policies, programmes and schemes. MWCD has been engaged in conducting a number of trainings, workshops, one to one interactions/discussions and development of resource material to take GB forward. In the year 2011-12, till December end 2011, MWCD had organized 14 trainings/workshops for Central and State Government officers and other stakeholders.
An important tool of GB is the Gender Budget Statement which serves as a reporting mechanism and provides an indication of the funds flowing to women. The magnitude of GB allocations as a percentage of total budget as reflected in the GB Statement went up from 2.79 percent in 2005-06 to 6.22 percent in 2011-12.
Since Gender Audit is of utmost importance to identify the gaps in the Government policies, programmes, schemes and to assess the impact of gender budgeting interventions, a brainstorming workshop was organized by MWCD to develop gender audit guidelines. A working group has been formed to develop these guidelines.
XIII. National Girl Child Day, 2011
The National Girl Child Day is on 24th January and was celebrated on 21st January, 2011. The theme for the year was empowering of the Adolescent girls (AGs). The issues and challenges facing Adolescent girls were discussed in which eminent panelists having experts in health, nutrition, education and socio-legal empowerment made presentation which was followed up by an interactive session.
XIV. UJJAWALA
The scheme was introduced in Dec. 2007 and is being implemented mainly through the Non-Government Organization. It comprises of five components: -
i)          Prevention, which consists of formation of community vigilance groups/adolescents groups, awareness and sensitization of important functionaries like police, community leaders and preparation of IEC material, holding workshops, etc.
ii)         Rescue, safe withdrawal of the victim from the place of exploitation.
iii)        Rehabilitation, which includes providing safe shelter for victims with basic inputs of food, clothing, counseling medical care, legal aid, vocational training and income generation activities etc.
iv)        Reintegration, which includes restoring the victim into the family/community (if she so desires) and the accompanying costs.
v)         Repatriation, to provide support to cross-border victims for their safe repatriation to their country of origin.
From January 2011 to first week of December 2011, 185 new projects of Ujjawala Scheme have been considered and 53 projects have been approved   by the Project Sanctioning Committee.
So for 162 projects including 81 Rehabilitation Homes have been sanctioned, spread over 17 States.
XV.     Dhanalakshmi – A Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme for Girl Child
A new pilot Scheme Dhanalakshmi   was launched on 03rd March, 2008
Objective of the Scheme
· Provide a set of staggered financial incentives for families to encourage them to retain the girl child and educate her.
· Change the attitudinal mindset of the family towards the girl, by looking upon the girl as an asset rather than a liability since her very existence has led to cash inflow to the family.
Cash transfers are made under the Scheme to the family of the girl child (preferably the mother) on fulfilling following conditions:
·         Birth registration of the girl child
·         Progress of immunization
·         Full immunization
·         Enrolment to school and retention in school.
“Dhanalakshmi” is being implemented in 11 Blocks across seven States on pilot basis:
The Scheme is being implemented by the State Government through District Authorities.
XVI.    Women Welfare
In order to address the problems faced for women, this Ministry has arranged two major conferences on issues and challenges for Development of Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes Women & Children on 18-19 January, 2011 (for SC Women & Children) and 30-31st May, 2011 (for ST Women & Children). A synopsis of both the conferences are given hereunder:
(i) A two day conference `Issues & Challenges for Development of Scheduled Caste Women & Children was organized on 18-19 Jan., 2011 at Vigyan Bhavan. There was wide participation from various stakeholders including Central Government Ministries, State Governments, experts and representative of civil society organizations. The conference focused upon social empowerment of SC women and children by improving their access to health and nutrition, education, housing and living conditions; and economic empowerment by enhancing opportunities for development and livelihoods in agriculture and non-agriculture sector. Issues relating to manual scavenging and security & protection from atrocities were the other areas of focus. The Conference made a number of recommendations which were forwarded to Ministries concerned with the request to place them before the Working Group who may examine them for inclusion in the 12th Plan.
(ii) A two day Conference on ‘Issues & Challenges for Development of Scheduled Tribe Women & Children’ was organized on 30-31st May 2011 at Vigyan Bhavan. There was wide participation from various stakeholders including Central Government Ministries, State Governments, experts and, NGOs. The Conference focused upon the various issues e.g Atrocities (physical, mental and Sexual Oppression); Exploitation; PESA, 1996 (State laws), Forest (issue of Patta, possession on of land etc.); Land alienation; land acquisition; Economic activities; Human Resource Development and Health and Nutrition etc. The Conference made a number of recommendations which were forwarded to Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Planning Commission with the request to consider these recommendations while formulating/finalizing 12th Plan Proposals.
(iii) A Working Group on Women’s Agency & Empowerment for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) finalized its Report. An amount of Rs. 7515.72 crores has been projected for various schemes/programme relating to Women to be implemented by the Ministry in the 12th Plan.
XVII. Women Development
The Ministry sponsored the visit of a four member delegation to participate in the meeting of UN-Commission on Status of Women which commenced at New York from 22nd February 2011, the delegation comprised Smt. Chandresh Kumari Katoch and Smt. Sumitra Mahajan (Members of Parliament); Member Secretary, National Commission of Women and Director of the Ministry. The Indian delegation made important interventions at the various panel discussions in the meeting.
Celebration of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8th March, 2011 at Vigyan Bhavan. This year, the theme of the event was Socio Economic Empowerment of Women: Way Forward. The focus was on issues relating to women in the informal sector, need for their financial inclusion besides providing access to them for skill development and marketing. The Panel discussion which was organized as a part of the celebrations was chaired by Mrs. Usha Thorat, former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Conferment of Stree Shakti Puraskar
Minister of State (I/C), Women and Child Development conferred Stree Shakti Puraskar for the year 2010 to four (4) eminent women who have done excellent work and demonstrated their commitment to the cause of women on the International Women’s Day.
The Ministry has also same delegation in difference national and international conferences relating to women’s issues. These are:
(i)         ECOSOC meeting in Geneva
(ii)        Meeting of Co-Chairs of India-US Women’s Empowerment Dialogue (WED)
(iii)       Gender Mainstreaming Consultation for South Asian Countries organized by ADB at Manila.
(iv)       National Workshop on gender in development issues held in Goa
The other meeting of importance are as follows:
(i)         Meeting of IBSA is South Africa
Krishna Tirath, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Women & Child Development attended the Fourth IBSA Women’s Forum at Ministerial level on 13-14 October, 2011 at South Africa. The Forum discussed the issued related to impact of climate change on women and the challenges faced by young women for empowerment and employment generation.
(ii)        Visit of First Lady of Mozambique to India from 7-11 November, 2011
The First Lady of Mozambique, Maria Da Luz Guebuza, along with her team, visited India from 7-11th November, 2011. National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) made a presentation on various issues relating to social, economic, political and legal empowerment of women. SEWA BHARAT, a prominent NGO working with women workers in informal economy, also made a presentation on protecting livelihoods of these workers through skill development and creating market linkages.
(iii)       Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
(a) Fifth Inter-Ministerial Committee Meeting
Based on the inputs provided by various Ministries, MWCD had prepared a revised draft Combined Fourth and Fifth Periodic Reports of India on CEDAW. The fifth inter-ministerial committee meeting was organized on 17th November 2011 to discuss and finalize the draft report.
(b) National Consultation with Civil Society Organizations
The draft Combined Fourth and Fifth periodic reports of India to CEDAW prepared by MWCD was shared widely with the members of civil society through a National Consultation held on 25 November 2011 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi under the Chairpersonship Shri D K Sikri. He highlighted progress made by women of India in the spheres of social, economic, legal and political empowerment over the years but emphasized that a lot remains to be achieved in future. Over 25 participants from different civil society organizations across the country deliberated on the draft Report and gave feedback.
Initiatives for Twelfth Plan and Meetings of Sub-Groups
The Working Groups for the 12th Plan Document have been established and meetings of the following Sub-Groups have been held.
·         Sub-group on “Women’s Agency and Empowerment”
·         Sub-group on ‘Girl Child’ for Working Group on Child rights.
·         Sub-group on Adolescents as part of Working Group on Child Rights
·         Sub-group on Nutrition
·         Sub group on Child Rights and Protection
XVIII. Vatsalya Mela, 2011
A composite outreach event, Vatsalya Mela, combining information in all schemes and services relating to the Ministry and various events was held at Delhi Haat for six days from 14-19th November, 2011.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Scheme for Anti-Erosion Measures Approved

The Planning commission has given investment clearance for “Anti Erosion measures to protect Moisa and Belguri village from erosion of River Gangadhar”, Assam, with an estimated cost of Rs.14.97 Crore The project will be completed by the financial year 2012-13 and Plan account would be closed by 31st March 2013. Project may accordingly be executed as per the approved outlays in the State Annual Plans.

The project proposes to provide 600 m long revetment and RCC porcupine screens along the bank as well as across the bank at various locations. The project area consisting of thickly populated village of Moisa, Belguri, Agomoni, Pub-Kaldoba, Bhangaduli, Maragadadhar are situated at the right bank of river Gangadhar at a distance of about 48 km from district headquarter town of Dhubri and 300 km from Guwahati. The scheme will benefit an area of 2267 ha comprising of cultivated and homestead land.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

India Development Programmes

History of Development & Employment Programs in India: at a Glance

1952: Community Development Programme (CDP)
overall development of rural areas and people’s participation.
1960-61: Intensive Agriculture Development program (IADP)
To provide loan for seeds and fertilizers to farmers
1964-65: Intensive Agriculture Area programme (IAAP)
To develop special harvest in agriculture area.
1965 : Credit Authorization Scheme (CAS)
Involved qualitative credit control of reserve bank of India
1966-67: High yielding variety programme (HYVP)
To increase the productivity of food grains by adopting latest varieties of inputs of crops.
1966-67: Green Revolution:
To Increase productivity. Confined to wheat production.
1969: Rural Electrification Corporation
To provide electricity in rural areas
1972 : Scheme of Discriminatory Interest Rate
To provide loan to the weaker sections of society at a concessional interest rate of 4%
1972-73 : Accelerated Rural water Supply Programme (ARWSP)
Providing drinking water in villages
1973: Drought Prone Area Programme:
Protection from drought by achieving environement balace and by developing ground water
1973: Crash Scheme for Rural Employment CSRE
For rural employment
1973-74 : Marginal Farmer and Agriculture Labor Agency (MFALA)
Technical & financial assistance to marginal farmers
1974-75: Small Farmer Development Scheme SFDS
Technical & financial assistance to small farmers
1975: Command Area Development Programme: (CADP)
Better utilization of irrigational capacities
1975: Twenty Point Programme (TPP)
Poverty eradication and an overall objective of raising the level living
1977: National Institution of Rural Development
Training, investigation and advisory for rural development
1977-78 : Desert Development Programme: (DDP)
To control the desert expansion by maintaining environment balance
1977-78: Food For Work Programme:
providing food grains to labor
1977-78 : Antyodaya Yojna :
Scheme of Rajasthan, providing economic assistance to poorest families
1979 : Training Rural Youth for Self Employment TRYSEM (launched on 15th August)
educational and vocational training
1980 : Integrated Rural Development Programme :IRDP (launched on October 2, 1980)
overall development of rural poor
1980 : National Rural Development programme NREP
employment for rural manforce
1982 : Development of Women & Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA)
sustainable opportunities of self employment to the women belonging to the rural families who are living below the poverty line.
1983 : Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) (Launched on August 15)
employment to landless farmers and laborers
1983-84: Farmers Agriculture Service Centers FASCs
Tell the people use of improved instruments of agriculture
1984 : National Fund for Rural Development : To grant 100% tax rebate to donors and also to provide financial assistance for rural development projects
1985: Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme:
Crop Insurance
1986: Council of Advancement of People’s Action & Rural Technology (CAPART)
Assistance to rural people
1986: Self Employment Programme for the Poor SEPUP
Self employment through credit and subsidy
1986: National Drinking Water Mission:
For rural drinking water renamed and upgraded to Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission in 1991.
1988: Service Area Account
Rural Credit
1989: Jawahar Rozgar Yojna : JRY
Employment to rural unemployed
1989: Nehru Rozgar Yojna NRY
Employment to Urban unemployed
1990: Agriculture & Rural Debt Relief Scheme: ARDRS
Exempt Bank loans up to Rs. 10000 for rural artisans and weavers
1990: Scheme for Urban Micro Enterprises SUME
Assist urban small entrepreneurs
1990: Scheme of Urban wage Employment SUWE
Scheme for urban poor’s
1990: Scheme of Housing and Shelter Upgradation (SHASU)
Providing employment by shelter Upgradation
1991: National Housing Bank Voluntary Deposit Scheme
Using black money by constructing low cost housing for the poor.
1992: National Renewal Fund
This scheme was for the employees of the public sector
1993: Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) (Launched on October, 2)
Employment of at least 100 days in a year in villages
1993: Members of parliament Local Area Development Scheme MPLADS (December 23, 1993)
Sanctioned 1 crore per year for development works
1994: Scheme for Infrastructural Development in Mega Cities : SIDMC
Water supply, sewage, drainage, urban transportation, land development and improvement slums projects in metro cities
1993: District Rural Development Agency DRDA
Financial assistance to rural people by district level authority
1993 : Mahila Samridhi Yojna (October 2, 1993)
Encourage rural women to deposit in Post office schems
1994 : Child labor Eradication Scheme
Shift child labour from hazardous industries to schools
1995: prime Minister Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication programme PMIUPEP
To eradicate urban poverty
1995 : Mid day Meal Scheme:
Nutrition to students in primary schools to improve enrolment, retention and attendence
1996: Group Life Insurance Scheme for Rural Areas
Insurance in rural area for low premium
1995: national Social Assistance programme:
Assist BPL people.
1997-98; Ganga Kalyan Yojna
Provide financial assistance to farmers for exploring ground water resources
1997 Kastoorba Gandhi Education Scheme: (15 August 1997)
Establish girls schools in low female literacy areas (district level)
1997: Swaran Jayanto Shahari Rojgar Yojna:
Urban employment
1998: Bhagya Shree Bal Kalyan Policy
Upliftment of female childs
March 1999 : Annapurna Yojna
10 kgs food grains to elderly people
April 1999: Swaran Jayanto Gram Swarojgar Yojna
Self employment in rural areas
April 1999: Jawahar Gram Samriddhi Yojna
Village infrastructure
August 2000 : Jan Shree Bima Yojna
Insurance for BPL people
2000 : Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojna
Basic needs of rural people
December 25, 2000 : Antyodaya Anna Yojna
To provide food security to poor
December 25, 2000 : Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna:
Connect all villages with nearest pukka road.
September 2001: Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojna
Employment and food security to rural people
December 2001: Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojna VAMBAY
Slum houses in urban areas
2003: Universal health Insurance Scheme:
Health insurance for Rural people
2004: Vande mataram Scheme VMS
Initiative of public Private partnership during pregnecy check up.
2004: National Food for Work programme
Supplementary wage as foodgrains for work
2004: Kastoorba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
Setting up residential schools at upper primary levels for girls belonging to predominantly OBC, SC & ST
2005: Janani Suraksha Yojna
Providing care to pregnant women
2005, Dec. 16 : Bharat Nirman
Development of India through irrigation, Water supply, Housing, Road, Telephone and electricity
2005: National Rural Health Mission:
Accessible, affordable, accountable, quality health survices to the porest of the poor on remotest areas of the country.
2005: Rajeev Gandhi Grameen Vidyuti Karan Yojna:
Extending electrification of all villages and habitations and ensuring electricity to every household.
2005: Jawahar Lal Nehru national Urban Renewal Mission: (JNNURM)
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2006: February 2 : National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme NREGS
100 days wage employment for development works in rural areas.
2007: Rastriya Swasthya Bima Yojna :
Health insurance to all workers in unorganized area below poverty line.
2007: Aam Aadmi Bima Yojna
Insurance cover to the head of the family of rural landless households in the country.
2009: Rajiv Awas Yojna
To make India slum free in 5 years

Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana:

Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana was launched on February 7, 2008. The scheme aims to provide handholding assistance to first generation entrepreneurs through lead agencies or Udyami Mitra, who shall provide guidance to the potential entrepreneurs and help them in completion of various tasks and formalities necessary for the establishment of the enterprise.

Objectives:
The objective of Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (RGUMY) is to provide handholding support and assistance to the potential first generation entrepreneurs, who have already successfully completed EDP/SDP/ESDP/VT programmes, through the selected lead agencies i.e. 'Udyami Mitras', in the establishment and management of the new enterprise, in dealing with various procedural and legal hurdles and in completion of various formalities required for setting up and running of the enterprise.

Udyami Mitras:
Under RGUMY, financial assistance would be provided to the selected lead agencies i.e. Udyami Mitras for rendering assistance and handholding support to the potential first generation entrepreneurs.

Udyami Mitras provide guidance and assistance to the potential entrepreneurs registered with them, in preparation of project report, arranging finance, selection of technology, marketing tie-ups with buyers, installation of plant and machinery as well as obtaining various approvals, clearances and NOCs etc.

The Udyami Mitras are:

Existing national level Entrepreneurship Development Institutions (EDIs);
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institutes (MSMEDIs)/ Branch MSMEDIs.
Central/ State Government public sector enterprises (PSEs) involved in promotion and development of MSEs e.g. National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and State Industrial Development Corporations etc.
Selected State level EDIs and Entrepreneurship Development Centers (EDCs) in public or private sectors;
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) set up for cluster development involved in entrepreneurship development;
Capable associations of MSEs/SSIs;

Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme:

Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF) was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Barpeta in Assam on 19th February 2006. This programme signifies a new approach to addressing persistent regional imbalances in development. The programme has subsumed the Rashtriya Sama Vikas Yojana (RSVY), a scheme earlier being administered by the Planning Commission.

This Programme covers 250 districts in 27 States, of which 232 districts fall under the purview of Part IX and Part IX-A of the Constitution dealing with the Panchayats and the Municipalities respectively. The remaining 18 districts are covered by other local government structures, such as Autonomous District and Regional Councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and state specific arrangements as in the case of Nagaland and the hill areas of Manipur.

Approach:
The BRGF programme represents a major shift in approach from top-down plans to participative plans prepared from the grassroots level upwards. Panchayats at the Village, Intermediate and District levels and Municipalities, constituted under Parts IX and IX-A of the Constitution, are positioned as institutions for planning and implementing the programme. The conviction that drives this new locally driven approach is that grassroots level democratic institutions know best the dimensions of poverty in their areas and are, therefore, best placed to undertake individually small, but overall, significant local interventions to sustainably tackle local poverty alleviation.

Proposed Budget Allocation:
In 2009-10, the budget allocation for BRGF as Rs. 4670 crore has been proposed.

Panchayats as base Institutions:
In order to make optimal use of Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on February 2, 2010 designates Panchayats as base institutions for planning and implementation at the Village, Intermediate and District levels and the Municipalities. Exception to this is provided to States that are not covered by Part IX of the Constitution. The Panchayats at various tiers can plan and implement projects within their allocation and as per the functions assigned to them through the State laws.

Under the BRGF, the participatory plans prepared by each Panchayat and Municipality will be consolidated into the district plan by the District Planning Committee. In planning and implementation of the BRGF, active participation by each Panchayat and Municipality will be there so as to ensure that all the financial resources available in the district are used optimally without delay, diversion, duplication or leakage.

Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojna:

As per resolution adopted by National Development Council, reaffirming its commitment to achieve 4% annual growth in Agriculture Sector during the XIth Plan, this scheme was launched as a State Plan scheme during 2007-08.

The scheme will incentivize States to provide additional resources in their State Plans over and above their baseline expenditure to bridge critical gaps.

Two new sub-components, budgeted at Rs. 700 crore, to be introduced as part of RKVY
have been approved for 2010-11, viz.

Special initiative for pulses and oilseeds development in selected pulses/oilseed growing villages in rainfed areas as supplementary programmes, specifically targeted to rainfed areas and will be implemented on same parameter, as ongoing programmes for oilseeds and pulses
Scheme to bridge yield gap in agriculture in Eastern India. These new sub-components will be designed by the States in consultation with Govt. of India, including Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, National Rainfed Area

Authority and Planning Commission, and would form part of the approved process of RKVY.The provision of Rs. 6,722 crore is for ‘Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana’ (RKVY) in The Union Budget 2010-11

Kaushal Vikas Yojna:

On August 15, 2007, India's Prime Minister had announced to set up 1600 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) & Polytechnics and 50,000 Skill Development Centres with active help of the private sector.
Consequntly, Ministry of Labour & Employment has undertaken a project titled “Kaushal Vikas Yojana” to set up 1500 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) & 5000 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in India at locations identified by the State Governments. These ITIs are proposed to be set up in unserviced blocks (blocks where no ITIs/ITCs exist) & SDCs in a cluster of about ten villages. State Governments have been requested to identify locations where free of cost land and basic infrastructure such as power, water, road, etc. are available.

These ITIs are proposed to be set up in unserviced blocks (blocks where no ITIs /ITC s exist) & SDCs in a cluster of about ten villages.

Objective:
The objective of setting up these institutions is to provide access to vocational training facilities to youth in rural, hilly, border & difficult areas. It is expected to provide opportunities of Skill development at door step of youth.

Public Private partneship:
Participation of private sector is expected to increase the number of vocations; impart quality & relevant training according to requirement of different sectors of economy and seek their assistance in placement of skilled youth.

Establishment of such institutes involves three partners

Private Training Provider playing the leading role
State Government providing land free of cost and basic infrastructural support
Central Government providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF), if needed.

Depending on the locations, various options are proposed to be explored. Funding pattern may vary from place to place.

Navjaat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram:

Neonatal Deaths in India:

According to WHO stats, out of 9.2 million under-5 deaths in world, India accounts for 2.2 million which is maximum in the world. Two-third of the neo-natal deaths occurred in the first week of life, two-third of those took place within the first 24 hours due to non-availability of delivery institutions in villages and smaller towns.

Causes

Causes of neonatal deaths include infection, complications related to premature birth, pneumonia, diarrhoea and measles apart from hypothermia and infection, and basic newborn resuscitation.

Focus on New Born Care in National Rural Health Mission:

To reduce the neonatal mortality which constitutes 45% of under-5 mortality, the following initiatives have been taken under the NRHM framework:
(i) Navjat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram – a new programme in Basic new-born care and resuscitation (23% of neonatal death occurs due to asphyxia at birth).
(ii) Creation of new-born care units at district level hospitals, stabilization units at CHC level and new born corners at PHC level to provide specialized care.
(iii) Skill development of ASHAs and skilled birth attendants to ensure home-based new born and child care.

The above three prong strategy is expected to make a significant reduction in infant mortality.
Navjaat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram

Navjat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram is a new programme in Basic new-born care and resuscitation (23% of neonatal death occurs due to asphyxia at birth).
A two-day training module for care providers at health facilities has been developed and training programme to train master trainers at State and district levels has been rolled out with the support of Indian Academy of Paediatrics and Neonatal Forum of India. Training for all care providers shall be completed by June 2010.
The NSSK will train healthcare providers at the district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres in the interventions at birth with the application of the latest available scientific methods aimed at significantly reducing the infant mortality ratio.
The Health and Family Welfare Ministry will organise district level trainers’ training programme for 10 States and master trainers’ training programmes in other States and Union Territories.
The States will be expected to roll out training for medical officers, nurses and auxiliary nurse midwives on their own.

This program was launched in September 2009 by Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad. The aim of the program is to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 55 to 30 by the year 2012.
IMR in India was 60 in 2003 & 55 in 2007. The new programme will enable the paramedical staff to save new born child and mother at various health centres across the country.

Pradhanmantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY):

The Government of India has launched a new scheme called Pradhanmantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY) for the integrated development of scheduled castes dominated villages in the country. The Finance Minister while presenting the Budget 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha said that there are about 44,000 villages in which the population of scheduled castes is above 50 per cent. Shri Mukherjee said that the new scheme PMAGY will be launched this year on a pilot basis in 1000 such villages. An amount of Rs.100 crore has been allocated for this Scheme.

Under this Scheme, each village would be able to avail gap funding of Rs.10 lakh over and above the allocations under Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation Schemes. On successful implementation of the pilot phase, the PMAGY would be extended in coming years.

Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY):

PMGY was launched in 2000-2001 in all States and Union Territories (UTs) in order to achieve the objective of sustainable human development at the village level. The PMGY envisages allocation of Additional Central Assistance (ACA) to the States and UTs for selected basic minimum services in order to focus on certain priority areas. PMGY initially had five components viz., primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and nutrition. Rural electrification was added as an additional component from 2001-02. For 2002-03 as well as 2003-04, the allocation of ACA for PMGY was Rs.2,800 crore. Both financial and physical monitoring of the programme is being carried out by the Planning Commission.

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY):

This Scheme was launched after a review and restructuring of the erstwhile Integrated Rural Development Program(IRDP) and allied schemes like Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Million Wells Scheme (MWS), Supply of Improved Toolkits to Rural Artisans (SITRA) & Ganga Kalyan Yojna.
SGSY was launched on April 1, 1999 and is the only self employment Programme currently being implemented.
The objective of the SGSY is to bring the assisted Swarozgaris above the poverty line by providing them incomegenerating assets through bank credit and Government subsidy.
The Scheme is being implemented on a 75:25 cost sharing of between the Centre and the States.
Since its inception, and up to April 2004, a total allocation of Rs. 6,734 crore was made available by the Centre and States. Rs. 4,980 crore, have been utilized up to April 2004, benefiting 45.67 lakh Swarozgaris.
In the Union Budget 2009-10, Allocations of Rs. 2350 Crore was made for establishing micro-enterprises in rural areas through activity clusters and group approach under Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana. At least 50% of the Swarozgaries will be SCs/STs, 40% women and 3% disabled.
In The Union Budget 2010-11 Rs. 2984 Crore have been provided in outlays including Rs. 301 crore for NE region.

Objectives:

Focussed Approach to poverty Alleviation by setting up a large number of Micro enterprises in rural areas of our country.
Capitalising group lending
Overcoming the problem of running multiple programmes overlapping each other.
A holistic programme of micro enterprises covering all aspects of self employment which includes organising rural poor into Self help groups.
Integration of various agencies like District Rural Development Agencies, Banks, Line Departments., Panchayati Raj Instituions, NGOs etc.
Bring the assistated poor family above BPL by providing them a mix of income generating assets like bank credit + Government subsidy.

National Livelihood Mission:

India's Ministry of Rural Development is proposing to re-design the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) into National Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY):

The SGRY was launched in September 2001, by merging the ongoing Schemes of Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) and Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS).
The objective of the programme is to provide additional wage employment in the rural areas as also food security, along with the creation of durable community, social and economic infrastructure in rural areas.
The SGRY is open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual and unskilled work in and around the village/habitat. The Scheme is implemented through Panchyati Raj Institutions.
The scheme envisages generation of 100 crore man-days of employment in a year. The cost of each component of the programme is shared by the Centre and States in the ratio of 75:25. During the year 2003-04 an amount of Rs. 4,121 crore as cash component and 49.97 lakh tones of food grain were released to the States/UTs and 76.45 crore man-days (Provisional) have been generated as reported by the States/UTs. Under the Special Component of the SGRY, 65.84 lakh tonnes of foodgrain have been released to 12 calamity affected States during 2003-04.
This scheme has been merged with NREGS since February 2006 so only most important points are given below:

The Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was launched on 25 September, 2001 by merging the on-going schemes of EAS (Employment Assurance Scheme) and the JGSY (Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojna)
Objective was to providing additional wage employment and food security, alongside creation of durable community assets in rural areas.
The annual outlay was Rs.10, 000 crore which included 50 lakh tones on food grains.
The cash component shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.
Food grains were provided free of cost to the States/UTs.
Minimum wages paid to the workers through a mix of minimum five kg of food grains and at least 25 per cent of wages in cash.
Implemented by all the three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Each level of Panchayat was an independent unit for formulation of Action.
Resources distributed among District Panchayats, Intermediate Panchayats and the Gram Panchayats in the ratio of 20:30:50.
Contractors not permitted to be engaged for execution of any of the works and no middlemen/intermediate agencies can be engaged for executing works under the scheme.

Rural Housing Schemes:

Rural housing schemes such as Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) aim at providing dwelling units, free of cost, to the poor families of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), freed bonded laborers and also the non- SC/ST persons Below Poverty Line (BPL) in the rural areas.
The Scheme is funded on a cost-sharing basis of 75:25 between the Center and States.
Till the end of 2003-04, the ceiling on construction assistance under IAY was Rs. 20,000/- in plain areas and Rs. 22,000/- in hilly areas, which has been increased to Rs. 25,000/- per unit for plain areas and Rs. 27,500/- for hilly areas from April 1, 2004. Twenty per cent of the allocation is allowed for upgradation of unserviceable Kutcha houses for which ceiling of Rs. 12,500 per unit applies since April 2004.
Credit-cum-Subsidy Scheme for rural housing targeting rural families having annual income up to Rs.32, 000 was launched on April 4, 1999. An amount of Rs. 10 crore as equity support was provided to Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) during 2003-04 by Ministry of Rural Development.
In addition, the innovative scheme of Rural Housing and Habitat Development and Rural Building Centres (RBCs) was introduced to encourage innovative, cost effective and environment friendly solutions in building/housing sectors in rural areas.
A National Mission for Rural Housing and Habitat has also been set up to address the critical issues of housing gap and induction of science and technology inputs into the housing/construction sector in rural areas.
Since inception (up to June 1, 2004) 113.96 lakh houses have been constructed/upgraded by incurring an expenditure of Rs. 19,869 crore. During 2003-04, against the target of 14.84 lakh, 12.54 lakh (provisional) houses have been constructed/upgraded.

Rajiv Awas Yojana:

Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) is a new scheme announced by the President earlier in 2009, focuses on slum dwellers and the urban poor.
This scheme aims at promoting a slum-free India in five years and would focus on according property rights to slum dwellers.
The scheme will focus on according property rights to slum dwellers and the urban poor by the states and union territories.
It would provide basic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, drainage, internal and approach roads, street lighting and social infrastructure facilities in slums and low income settlements adopting a 'whole city' approach. It would also provide subsidized credit.
Allocation for housing and provision of basic amenities to urban poor enhanced to Rs.3,973 crore in the Union Budget 2009-10. This includes provision of Rs. 150 Crore for Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY).
As per the UPA government's proposal for this scheme , the schemes for affordable housing through partnership and the scheme for interest subsidy for urban housing would be dovetailed into the Rajiv Awas Yojana which would extend support under JNNURM to States that are willing to assign property rights to people living in slum areas.
The Government's effort would be to create a slum free India through the Rajiv Awas Yojana.
The Concept Note on RAY was finalized and sent to Planning Commission for their ‘in principle’ approval. The Planning Commission has accorded its ‘in principle’ approval for the proposed scheme recently. The draft guidelines of the scheme has been prepared and circulated to all States/UTs/Central Ministries and experts/NGOs for comments.
Developing a robust database on slums is critical for implementation of the proposed Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY). The Ministry of HUPA has released funds for Slum/Household/Livelihoods surveys in 394 class I cities having more than one lakh population in the country.
The surveys are in progress. Funds will also be released for other towns/cities in a phased manner. An e-enabled MIS is being developed for processing of data and building a national database.

Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY):

The VAMBAY was launched in December 2001 to ameliorate the conditions of the urban slum dwellers living below the poverty line without adequate shelter.
The scheme has the primary objective of facilitating the construction and up-gradation of dwelling units for slum dwellers and providing a healthy and enabling urban environment through community toilets under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, a component of the scheme.
The Central Government provides a subsidy of 50 per cent, the balance 50 per cent being arranged by the State Government.
There are prescribed ceilings on costs both for dwelling units and community toilets. During 2003-04, Central subsidy to the extent of Rs. 239 crore has been released. Since inception up to May 2004, Rs. 522 crore have been released as Government of India subsidy for the construction/upgradation of 2,46,035 dwelling units and 29,263 toilet seats under the scheme.

Jawahar Rozgar Yojna:
Jawahar Rozgar Yojna was launched on April 1, 1989 by merging National Rural Employment Program (NREP) and Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP). At the end of Seventh Five Year Plan
So this was a consolidation of the previous employment programs and it was largest National Employment Program of India at that time with a general objective of providing 90-100 Days Employment per person particularly in backward districts. People below Poverty Line were main targets.
The Yojna was implemented on rural scale. Every village was to be covered through Panchayati Raj Institutions. The village got aide and support from District Rural Development Authority. Expenditures were born by central & state in 80:20 ratios.
Since 1993-94 the Yojna was made more targets oriented and expanded substantially through increased budgetary allocations. It was divided into 3 streams:
First Stream: Comprising general works under JRY and also two sub schemes Indira Awas Yojna and Million Wells Scheme. This stream got 75% of the total allocation. In Indira Awas Yojna the allocation was increased from 6% to 10 % and in Million Wells Scheme from 20% to 30 % during that period.
Second Stream: This was also called intensified JRY and was implemented in selected 120 backward districts. It got 20% allocation.
Third Stream: This was left with 5 % allocation for Innovative programs which included Prevention of labor migration, drought proofing watershed etc. programs.
Since April 1, 1999 this Yojna was replaced by Jawahar Gram samridhi Yojna. Later from September 25, 2001, Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojna was merged with Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojna
National Livelihood Mission (NLM):
India's Ministry of Rural Development is proposing to re-design the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) into National Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Here are the proposed main features of the NRLM:
To bring each BPL household under Self Help Group (SHG) net,
To set up dedicated implementation structure at various levels,
To enhance capital subsidy for the beneficiaries,
To ensure easy access for multiple doses of credit,
To form and strengthen people owned organization such as Self Help Groups (SHG) Federation at various level,
To upscale the skill development and placement programs, Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETIs) in each district of the country.

It is also proposed to induct dedicated professionals at various levels for implementation of the program. Special emphasis will be given to technology inputs. Under the scheme, it is provided that Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribes (STs) will account for at least 50% of Swarojgaries, women 40%, minorities 15% and disabled 3%.

Under the existing guidelines of SGSY, 15% of allocation is set apart for taking up special projects which are of pioneering nature for bringing a specified large number of rural below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries above poverty line in a time bound manner.

The objective of the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) is to bring the assisted poor families (Swarozgaries) above the Poverty Line by ensuring appreciable sustained level of income over a period of time. This objective is to be achieved by inter alia organising the rural poor into Self Help Groups (SHGs) through the process of social mobilization, their training and capacity building and provision of income generating assets. The SHG approach helps the poor to build their self-confidence through community action.

Saakshar Bharat Mission:

Saakshar Bharat Mission was launched in September 2009 by Prime Minster Man Mohan Singh for Female Literacy on International Literacy Day (September 8, 2009) in New Delhi.

This is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, under the aegis of Department Of School Education & Literacy, Ministry Of Human Resource Development, Government of India.