💥Join UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (August Batch) + XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

GS Paper: Governance, Transparency & Accountability, Citizens Charters

  • Enemy Property in India

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered some cases on allegations that huge losses to the exchequer was caused by leasing out prime-value land under the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) on forged documents.

    Why in news?

    • Hectares of commercial land located in Uttar Pradesh were leased out at nominal rates in favour of the lessees through manipulation.

    What is “Enemy Property”?

    • In the wake of the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, there was the migration of people from India to Pakistan.
    • Under the Defence of India Rules framed under The Defence of India Act, 1962, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of those who took Pakistani nationality.
    • These “enemy properties” were vested by the central government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
    • The same was done for property left behind by those who went to China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
    • The Tashkent Declaration of January 10, 1966 included a clause that said India and Pakistan would discuss the return of the property and assets taken over by either side in connection with the conflict.
    • However, the Government of Pakistan disposed of all such properties in their country in the year 1971 itself.

    Dealing with enemy property

    • The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1968, provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI).
    • The central government, through the Custodian, is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country.
    • Some movable properties too, are categorised as enemy properties.
    • In 2017, Parliament passed The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amended The Enemy Property Act, 1968, and The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Child Marriage in India

    Context

    There has been an ongoing debate on whether increasing the age of marriages can solve the problem of child marriage in India.

    Background

    • It is defined as a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and refers to both formal marriages and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live with a partner as if married.
    • The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, fixes 21 years as the marriageable age for women.

    Prevalence of child marriage in India

    •  NFHS-5 data show that about 25% of women aged 18-29 years married before the legal marriageable age of 18.
    • Marginal decline: The proportion has declined only marginally from NFHS-4 (28%).
    • Higher in rural India: Expectedly, the prevalence is higher in rural than urban India (28% and 17%, respectively).
    • West Bengal has the highest prevalence (42%), followed by Bihar and Tripura (40% each).
    • Oddly, the decline in child marriage has been paltry at best in these high-prevalence States.
    • At the other end of the spectrum are Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala (6% to 7%).
    • 39% of child marriages in India take place among Adivasis and Dalits.
    • The share of advantaged social groups is 17% and the remaining share is of Other Backward Classes.

    Role of structural issues in adverse health and educational outcomes

    • Impact: Studies associate early marriage of women with early pregnancy, lower likelihood of accessing ante-natal care, higher risks of maternal morbidity and mortality, poor nutritional status of women and poor nutritional and educational outcomes of children.
    • These studies seem to provide a rather compelling case for increasing the age of marriage of women from 18 to 21 years, as a delayed marriage might offer significant public health dividends.
    • Structural factors at play: But a closer reading of the evidence shows that the association between child marriage and adverse health outcomes does not emerge in a vacuum. 
    • Rather, it is abetted by structural factors, including social norms, poverty, and women’s education.
    • Role of social norms: It is because of social norms in many regions and cultures that parents begin preparations for a girl’s marriage once she has reached menarche.
    • Role of poverty: A large proportion of child marriages take place primarily because of poverty and the burden of the huge costs of dowry associated with delayed marriages.
    • Role of education:  The NHFS-5 data confirm that a significant proportion of child marriages takes place among women with less than 12 years of schooling and households that are socially and economically disadvantaged.
    • The average age at marriage increases from 17 years among women who are illiterate and have had up to five years of schooling to 22 years among women who have had more than 12 years of schooling.
    • This indicates that an increase in years of schooling goes hand in hand with an increase in age at marriage.
    • While an increase in education is most likely to delay marriage, the increase in age at marriage may or may not increase women’s education.

    Why the age of marriage of women matters

    • Age of marriage has bearing on maternal mortality rates, fertility levels, nutrition of mother and child, sex ratios, and, on a different register, education and employment opportunities for women.
    • It is also argued that other factors — such as poverty and health services — were far more effective as levers for improving women’s and children’s health and nutritional status.
    • Child marriage curtail a girl’s opportunities to continue her education.
    • And in turn, the lack of educational opportunities plays an important role in facilitating child marriage.

    Way forward

    • The fact that about one-fourth of women (18-29 years) in India have married before 18 years despite the law tells us that legally increasing the age of marriage may not fully prevent child marriages. 
    • 1] Ensure education for at least up to 12 years: Much of the benefits can be reaped by ensuring that women complete education at least up to 12 years.
    • Bangladesh shows that improving women’s education and imparting modern skills to them that increase their employability reduces child marriage and improves health and nutrition.
    • 2] Educational attainment criteria in schemes: Schemes which ease the financial burden of marriage but the eligibility criteria of which should essentially link to educational attainment in addition to age demand attention.
    • The lessons from Janani Suraksha Yojana and the zeal demonstrated in ending open defecation might provide valid insights here.

    Conclusion

    A legalistic approach to increasing the age at marriage will produce positive results only if it leads to an improvement in women’s education and skill acquisition for employability. In the absence of an enhancement in women’s schooling or skills, a legalistic approach to ending child marriage might become counterproductive.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • ASI Act to be made more flexible

    Union Culture Minister said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was working on an amendment to make the law that provides for the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites “more flexible and people-friendly”.

    What is the news?

    • The ASI is working to amend Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 1958.
    • It particularly seeks to change the current 100-metre prohibited area around protected monuments to site-specific limits.

    What is the AMASR Act?

    • The AMASR Act provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
    • It also provides for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.
    • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) functions under the provisions of this act.
    • The rules stipulate that area in the vicinity of the monument, within 100 metres is prohibited area.
    • The area within 200 meters of the monument is regulated category. Any repair or modifications of buildings in this area requires prior permission.

    About Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

    • The ASI is an attached office of the Ministry of Culture.
    • It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.
    • Under the provisions of the AMASR Act of 1958, the ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
    • These can include everything from temples, mosques, churches, tombs, and cemeteries to palaces, forts, step-wells, and rock-cut caves.
    • The Survey also maintains ancient mounds and other similar sites which represent the remains of ancient habitation.
    • The ASI is headed by a Director-General who is assisted by an Additional Director General, two Joint Directors General, and 17 Directors.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Upholding the right to repair

    Context

    The U.S. state of New York recently passed the Fair Repair Act, which requires manufacturers to supply repair information, tools, and parts to independent repair shops and not just their own stores or partners.

    What is the right to repair?

    • It refers to proposed government legislation that would allow consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer products (e.g. electronic, automotive devices).
    • The idea behind “right to repair” is in the name: If you own something, you should be able to repair it yourself or take it to a technician of your choice.
    • People are pretty used to this concept when it comes to older cars and appliances, but right-to-repair advocates argue that modern tech, especially anything with a computer chip inside, is rarely repairable.

    Why is such right significant?

    • Lifespan enhancement: The goal of the movement is to increase the lifespan of products and to keep them from ending up in landfills.
    • Against planned obsolescence: The electronic manufacturers are encouraging such culture so that devices are designed specifically to last a limited amount of time and to be replaced.
    • Scarcity of natural resources: Obsolescence leads to immense pressure on the environment and wasted natural resources.
    • Mitigating climate change: Manufacturing an electronic device is a highly polluting process. It makes use of polluting sources of energy, such as fossil fuel.
    • Boost to repair economy: Right to repair advocates also argue that this will help boost business for small repair shops, which are an important part of local economies.

    Why we need the right to repair?

    • Exorbitant repair price: Often, manufacturers reduce the durability of the product, compelling consumers to either repurchase the product or get it repaired at exorbitant prices affixed by the manufacturers.
    • Violation of rights: This tramples upon the right to obtain information about the quality of the product, the right to procure products at reasonable prices, and the right to seek redress against unscrupulous practices.
    • Implicit in Consumer Protection Act: The ‘right to repair’ can be said to be implicit in Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
    • Right to repair provides consumers with the right to repair and refurbish their purchased goods.
    • Providing livelihood to repair technicians: An entire repair class is, in effect, denied its right to conduct business as it does not have the tools, parts, guidelines and technical know-how to repair these high-tech products.
    • In addition to protecting their right to livelihood, it may also prove beneficial as tech companies are required to share their repair manuals with certified technicians.

    What are the concerns of the manufacturers?

    • IP rights, security and quality concers: While right to repair is a victory for consumer rights, privacy, security and quality concerns along with blatant intellectual property (IP) rights violations of the manufacturers cannot be sidelined.
    • Impact on quality and functioning: Manufacturers claim that the quality and functioning of the product might be adversely affected if they allow repairs by consumers and third parties.
    • The fear of manufacturers is so potent that they incorporate warranty clauses which lapse when the product is repaired by a third party.

    Way forward

    • Avoiding blanket waiver: While necessary clauses to maintain the quality of the product can be included, a blanket waiver should be avoided.
    • For instance, the quality assurance clause can be incorporated for use of company-recommended spare parts and certified repair shops.
    • Making available the repair manual: Making repair manuals available to certified business owners could go a long way in balancing the rights of consumers and manufacturers.
    • Sign non-disclosure agreement to protect IP rights: Manufacturers can sign a non-disclosure agreement to protect the IP with the certified repairers/businesses.
    • Alloting certification/license: Further, the lack of certification/licensing of repair workers is seen as a reflection of their lack of skills.
    • But a repair certification/licence can be allotted to those who pass certain criteria and skill tests.
    • Insert right to repair in Consumer protection Act: The ‘right to repair’ can be said to be implicit in Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
    • Its apparent disregard merits an explicit insertion of a ‘right to repair’ clause in the said provision.
    • This would make consumers more aware, provide tooth to an already implicit right, and aid in advancing repair-related liability on various stakeholders.
    • Reparability parameter: The product liability clause under Section 84 can be amended and expanded to impose product liability concerning various reparability parameters of the product.
    • France requires manufacturers to display a repairability index on their products which consists of five parameters.
    • Duration of product liability: The duration of imposing product liability may vary depending on the product and its longevity.
    • Here, we can rely on the EU’s guidelines on Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations, 2021, which mandate manufacturers to provide spare parts for up to 10 years to avoid premature obsolescence.

    Conclusion

    The New York legislation is a reminder that it is time to not only acknowledge the right to repair of consumers but also respond to the corresponding rights of the manufacturers.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • New Guidelines Against Misleading Advertisements

    The Centre has announced a new set of guidelines for advertisements preventing misleading ads by Celebrities.

    Guidelines on Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022: Key takeaways

    (1) Conditions for non-misleading and valid advertisement

    An advertisement shall be considered to be valid and not misleading:

    • If it contains truthful and honest representation;
    • Does not mislead consumers by exaggerating the accuracy,
    • Scientific validity or practical usefulness or capability or performance or service of the goods or product;
    • Does not present rights conferred on consumers by any law as a distinctive feature of advertiser’s offer.

     (2) Bait Advertisement

    • A bait advertisement shall not seek to entice consumers to purchase goods, products or services without a reasonable prospect of selling such advertised goods, products or services at the price offered.
    • The advertiser shall ensure that there is adequate supply of goods, products or services to meet foreseeable demand generated by such advertisement.

    (3) Prohibition of surrogate advertising

    • No surrogate advertisement or indirect advertisement shall be made for goods or services whose advertising is otherwise prohibited or restricted by law.
    • No circumventing of such prohibition or restriction and portraying it to be an advertisement for other goods or services shall be allowed.

    (4) Free claims advertisements

    • A free claims advertisement shall not describe any goods, product or service to be ‘free’, ‘without charge’ or use such other terms if the consumer has to pay anything other than the unavoidable costs.
    • Seller must make clear the extent of commitment that a consumer shall make to take advantage of a free offer.

    (5) Children targeted advertisements

    • An advertisement that addresses or targets or uses children shall not condone, encourage, inspire or unreasonably emulate behaviour that could be dangerous for children or take advantage of children’s inexperience, credulity or sense of loyalty.

    (6) Limitations on Celebrity Endorsers

    • The government has tightened norms for endorsers, including celebrities and sportspersons.
    • They are now required to make material connection disclosures and undertake due diligence while doing advertisements.
    • Endorsements must reflect the honest opinions, belief or experience of the endorsers.
    • The endorsers have to make material connection disclosures and failing to do so will attract penalty under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
    • Material disclosures mean any relationship that materially affects the weight or credibility of any endorsement which a reasonable consumer would not expect.
    • Violation of these guidelines will attract a penalty of ₹10 lakh for the first offence and ₹50 lakh for the subsequent offence, under the CPA.

    (7) ASCI rules

    • The latest guidelines will also apply to government advertisements.
    • Moreover, the advertising guidelines for self-regulation issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) will also be in place in a parallel manner.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • What is National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)?

    The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has curtailed the tenure of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) and moved him to the Border Security Force (BSF).

    What is NATGRID?

    • NATGRID is an intelligence-sharing network that collates data from the standalone databases of the various agencies and ministries of the Indian government.
    • It is a counter terrorism measure that collects and collates a host of information from government databases including tax and bank account details, credit/debit card transactions, visa and immigration records and itineraries of rail and air travel.
    • It will also have access to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS), a database that links crime information, including First Information Reports, across 14,000 police stations in India.
    • As of 2019, NATGRID is headed by an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ashish Gupta.

    Its establishment

    • The 26/11 terrorist siege in Mumbai back in 2008 exposed the deficiency that security agencies had no mechanism to look for vital information on a real-time basis.

    Access to NATGRID

    • Prominent federal agencies of the country have been authorized to access the NATGRID database.
    • They are the:
    1. Central Bureau of Investigation
    2. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence,
    3. Enforcement Directorate
    4. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
    5. Central Board of Direct Taxes (for the Income Tax Department)
    6. Cabinet Secretariat
    7. Intelligence Bureau
    8. Directorate General of GST Intelligence
    9. Narcotics Control Bureau
    10. Financial Intelligence Unit, and
    11. National Investigation Agency

    Future prospects

    • According to the first phase plan, 10 user agencies and 21 service providers will be connected with the NATGRID, while in later phases, about 950 additional organizations will be brought on board.
    • In the following years, more than 1,000 organizations will be further integrated into the NATGRID.
    • These data sources include records related to immigration entry and exit, banking and financial transactions, and telecommunications.

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • The Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions are improving people’s well-being

    Context

    The performance of the Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions highlights the importance of convergence as an operating principle of the government.

     Jal Jeevan Mission: Progress made so far

    • Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is a flagship programme of the Government of India, launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 15th August 2019.
    • Jal Jeevan Mission, is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.
    • Community approach: The Jal Jeevan Mission is based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as a key component of the mission.
    • Over 9.6 crore rural households get tap water supply; notably, more than 6.36 crore households have been provided tap water connections since the programme was announced in August 2019.

    Achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission

    • Universal sanitation coverage: To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put the focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2nd October 2014.
    • Under the mission, all villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories in India declared themselves “open-defecation free” (ODF) by 2 October 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
    • To ensure that the open defecation free behaviours are sustained, no one is left behind, and that solid and liquid waste management facilities are accessible, the Mission is moving towards the next Phase II of SBMG i.e ODF-Plus.
    • Swachh Bharat Mission Phase-2: The government has launched Swachh Bharat Mission Phase 2 with a focus on plastic waste management, biodegradable solid waste management, grey water management and faecal sludge management.
    •  Under Swachh Bharat Mission Phase-2, arrangements for solid and liquid waste management have been made in 41,450 villages; nearly 4 lakh villages have minimal stagnant water.
    • ODF Plus: Nearly 22,000 villages have been named “model village” under the ODF Plus scheme, and another 51,000 villages are on their way to achieving this tag.
    • Sludge treatment and plastic waste management: Before the government embarked on Swachh Bharat Mission, nearly 1,20,000 tonnes of faecal sludge was left untreated as two-thirds of all toilets were not connected to the main sewer lines
    • The scale of India’s plastic waste pollution is staggering.
    • Both these problems find themselves on the agenda of Swachh Bharat Mission’s Phase 2.
    • In a short time, 3.5 lakh villages have become plastic dump free and nearly 4.23 lakh villages have minimal litter.
    • Nearly 178 faecal sludge treatment plants and nearly 90,000 km of drains have been constructed.

    How convergence between SBM and JJM enabled each other

    • Principle of convergence: The late Arun Jaitley introduced convergence as one of the primary operating principles of the government in his first budget speech.
    • One enabling the other: The best exhibition of this can be found in the ways in which the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission work in tandem, one enabling the other.
    • More than 10 crore toilets were built under SBM but this accomplishment could have been difficult had the government not had the foresight to build the toilets on a twin-pit design that has in-situ treatment of faecal sludge.
    • Now, providing tap water connections through the Jal Jeevan Mission is among the government’s top priorities.
    • Managing grey water discharge: The Jal Jeevan Mission faces a challenge similar to that faced by the Swachh Bharat Mission — managing grey water discharge.
    • Holistic sanitation: When household tap connections were provided, the Jal Jeevan Mission converged with the Swachh Bharat Mission to achieve holistic sanitation in which the treatment of grey water became a vital component.
    • Focus on women: The Jal Jeevan mission intends to relieve women of the drudgery of travelling long distances to fetch water.
    • The Swachh Bharat Mission too is centred around the dignity of women.
    • A joint study by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF revealed that an overwhelming number (80 per cent) of the respondents stated that safety and security were the main drivers of their decision to construct toilets.
    • The Jal Jeevan Mission is catalysing change at the grass roots level by reserving 50 per cent seats for women in village and water sanitation committees.
    • In every village, at least five women have been entrusted with water quality surveillance and many of them have been trained as plumbers, mechanics and pump operators.

    Impact on growth and economy

    •  In 2006, a joint study by WSP, Asian Development Bank and UKAID revealed that inadequate sanitation cost India Rs 2.4 trillion — 6 per cent of India’s GDP at that time.
    • The Swachh Bharat Mission, apart from preventing GDP loss, provides annual benefits worth Rs 53,000 per household.

    Conclusion

    The success of Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission is a good example of convergence, one of the primary operating principles of the government.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • [pib] Children in Street Situations (CiSS) Application

    The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched a “CiSS application” under the Baal Swaraj portal to help in the rehabilitation process of Children in Street Situations (CiSS).

    CiSS Application

    • The CiSS application is used for receiving data of children in street situations from all the states and union territories, tracking their rescue and rehabilitation process.
    • The initiative is taken under the direction of the Supreme Court of India.
    • The program embodies Article 51 (A) of the Constitution of India, as it provides a platform to the public and organizations catering to the welfare of the children to report any child in need of assistance.
    • The platform serves to collect data and report to the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) for them to take necessary action.
    • It also provides a platform for professionals and organizations to provide any help that they can to children in need.
    • Help can be provided in the form of open shelters, counselling services, medical services, sponsorships, de-addiction services, education services, legal/paralegal services, volunteering etc.

    Its working framework

    • It categorizes any child under ‘Children in Street Situation’ if the child is living on the streets alone, living on the streets during the day, or living on the streets with the family.
    • The root cause of this phenomenon is the migration of families from rural to urban areas in search of a better standard of living.

    How does it work?

    It follows six stages framework for the rehabilitation of children.

    1. Collection of the child’s details, which is accomplished through the portal.
    2. Social Investigating Report (SIR)e. investigating the child’s background. This is done under the supervision of the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) by the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) by conversing and counselling the child.
    3. Formulating an Individual Care Plan (ICP) for the child.
    4. Child Welfare Committee (CWC) based on the SIR submitted to the CWC.
    5. Allocating the schemes and benefits that the beneficiary can avail of.
    6. A checklist is made for the evaluation of the progress i.e. (Follow Ups).

     

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Malnutrition in India is a worry in a modern scenario

    Context

    The country’s response to its burden of malnutrition and growing anaemia has to be practical and innovative.

    What is malnutrition?

    • Malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients.
    • The term malnutrition covers 2 broad groups of conditions.
    • One is ‘undernutrition’—which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals).
    • The other is overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer).

    What are the root causes of malnutrition in India?

    The following three deficits are the root cause of malnutrition in India.

    1) Dietary deficit

    • There is a large dietary deficit among at least 40 per cent of our population of all age groups, shown in— the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau’s Third Repeat Survey (2012), NFHS 4, 2015-16, the NNMB Technical Report Number 27, 2017.
    • Our current interventions are not being able to bridge this protein-calorie-micronutrient deficit.
    • The NHHS-4 and NFHS-5 surveys reveal an acute dietary deficit among infants below two years, and considerable stunting and wasting of infants below six months.
    • Unless this maternal/infant dietary deficit is addressed, we will not see rapid improvement in our nutritional indicators.

    2) Information deficit at household level

    • We do not have a national IEC (information, education and communication) programme that reaches targeted households to bring about the required behavioural change regarding some basic but critical facts.
    • For example, IEC tells about the importance of balanced diets in low-income household budgets, proper maternal, child and adolescent nutrition and healthcare.

    3) Inequitable market conditions

    • The largest deficit, which is a major cause of dietary deficiency and India’s chronic malnutrition, pertains to inequitable market conditions.
    • Such market conditions deny affordable and energy-fortified food to children, adolescents and adults in lower-income families.
    • The market has stacks of expensive fortified energy food and beverages for higher income groups, but nothing affordable for low-income groups.

    The vicious cycle of malnutrition

    • Link with mother: A child’s nutritional status is directly linked to their mother.
    • Poor nutrition among pregnant women affects the nutritional status of the child and has a greater chance to affect future generations.
    • Impact on studies: Undernourished children are at risk of under-performing in studies and have limited job prospects.
    • Impact on development of the country: This vicious cycle restrains the development of the country, whose workforce, affected mentally and physically, has reduced work capacity.

    Marginal improvement on Stunting and Wasting

    • The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) has shown marginal improvement in different nutrition indicators, indicating that the pace of progress is slow.
    • This is despite declining rates of poverty, increased self-sufficiency in food production, and the implementation of a range of government programmes.
    • Children in several States are more undernourished now than they were five years ago.
    • Increased stunting in some states: Stunting is defined as low height-for-age.
    • While there was some reduction in stunting rates (35.5% from 38.4% in NFHS-4) 13 States or Union Territories have seen an increase in stunted children since NFHS-4.
    • This includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Kerala.
    • Wasting remains stagnant: Wasting is defined as low weight-for-height.
    • Malnutrition trends across NFHS surveys show that wasting, the most visible and life-threatening form of malnutrition, has either risen or has remained stagnant over the years.

    Prevalence of anaemia in India

    • What is it? Anaemia is defined as the condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal.
    • Consequences: Anaemia has major consequences in terms of human health and development.
    • It reduces the work capacity of individuals, in turn impacting the economy and overall national growth.
    • Developing countries lose up to 4.05% in GDP per annum due to iron deficiency anaemia; India loses up to 1.18% of GDP annually.
    • The NFHS-5 survey indicates that more than 57% of women (15-49 years) and over 67% children (six-59 months) suffer from anaemia.

    Way forward

    1] Increase investment:

    • There is a greater need now to increase investment in women and children’s health and nutrition to ensure their sustainable development and improved quality of life.
    • Saksham Anganwadi and the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) 2.0 programme have seen only a marginal increase in budgetary allocation this year (₹20,263 crore from ₹20,105 crore in 2021-22).
    • Additionally, 32% of funds released under POSHAN Abhiyaan to States and Union Territories have not been utilised.

    2] Adopt outcome oriented approach on the nutrition programme

    • India must adopt an outcome-oriented approach on nutrition programmes.
    • It is crucial that parliamentarians begin monitoring needs and interventions in their constituencies and raise awareness on the issues, impact, and solutions to address the challenges at the local level.
    • Direct engagement: There has to be direct engagement with nutritionally vulnerable groups and ensuring last-mile delivery of key nutrition services and interventions.
    • This will ensure greater awareness and proper planning and implementation of programmes.
    • This can then be replicated at the district and national levels.

    3] Increase awareness and mother’s education

    • With basic education and general awareness, every individual is informed, takes initiatives at the personal level and can become an agent of change.
    •  Various studies highlight a strong link between mothers’ education and improved access and compliance with nutrition interventions among children.

    4] Monitoring

    • There should be a process to monitor and evaluate programmes and address systemic and on the ground challenges.
    • A new or existing committee or the relevant standing committees meet and deliberate over effective policy decisions, monitor the implementation of schemes, and review nutritional status across States.

    Conclusion

    We must ensure our young population has a competitive advantage; nutrition and health are foundational to that outcome.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • The Digital India transformation

    Context

    Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a telling observation about his idea of India: “… every Indian must have a smartphone in his hand and every field must be covered by a drone”.

    Digital India program and its impact

    • Digital India solved some of the most difficult problems the country had been facing for decades.
    • The Jan-Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity has ensured that the poorest receive every penny of their entitled benefits.
    • Financial benefits worth nearly Rs 23 lakh crore have been transferred using DBT technology in the last eight years.
    • This has led to savings of Rs 2.22 lakh crore of public money.
    • Leveraging the power of drones and GIS technologies, SVAMITVA Yojana is providing digital land records to the rightful owners
    • Digital inclusion: The inclusive character of Digital India not only makes it a unique initiative but also reflects our core philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas”.

    Digital transformation in India

    • India today is home to more than 75 crore smartphones, 133 crore Aadhaar cards, more than 80 crore internet users, has 4G and is now accelerating towards 5G.
    • It has among the lowest data tariffs in the world.
    • Digital technology must be low-cost, developmental, inclusive, and substantially home-grown and it should bridge the digital divide and usher in digital inclusion.
    • The digital ecosystem was also useful in tackling the challenge of the pandemic.
    • To provide high-speed broadband to all the villages, optical fibre has been laid in 1.83 lakh gram panchayats under Bharat Net.
    • CSCs: There were only 80,000 Common Service Centers (CSCs) in 2014, which is an entity under the Ministry of Electronics and IT headed by Secretary IT, for providing assisted delivery of digital services to common citizens offering only a few services. Today, there are nearly four lakh CSCs.
    • Fintech innovation ecosystem: India has emerged as the fastest-growing ecosystem for fintech innovations. 
    • This was made possible due to innovative digital payment products like UPI and Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Systems (AEPS).
    • Startup ecosystem: India has more than 61,400 startups as of March 2022, making it the third-largest startup ecosystem after the US and China.
    • With nearly 14,000 startups getting recognized during 2021-22, 555 districts of India had at least one new startup as per the Economic Survey 2022.

    Atmanirbharta in electronic manufacturing

    • With initiatives like Modified Special Incentive Scheme (MSIPS), Electronics Manufacturing Cluster, National Policy on Electronics 2019, Electronics Development Fund, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and Scheme for Promotion of Electronics Components and Semiconductors (SPECS), India is moving towards self-reliance in the field of electronics manufacturing.
    • The value of electronics manufacturing in India has touched $75 billion in 2020-21 from $29 billion in 2014.
    • Indian companies have developed their own 4G and 5G technologies.

    Conclusion

    Digital India’s motto – “Power to Empower” — is truly living up to its goals and expectations. The success of Digital India only confirms that it has a robust future in India’s development.

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)