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GS Paper: Government Scheme/Policies

  • Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar Program

    mera gaon

    Central idea: The government has identified and documented the unique cultural heritage of more than one lakh villages across the country under the National Mission for Cultural Mapping’s Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme.

    Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar

    • The National Mission for Cultural Mapping aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists, and other resources across the country.
    • The programme was launched by the Culture Ministry in 2017 but was handed over to the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) in 2021.
    • The programme aims to cover all the 6.5 lakh villages in the country.

    Why such a program?

    • The program seeks to document the cultural identity at the village level by involving citizens to share what makes their village, block, or district unique.
    • The villages have been classified into seven-eight categories based on ecological, developmental, scholastic, historical, and mythological importance.
    • The mapping aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists, and other resources across the country.

    Survey process

    • The survey process involves a CSC Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) conducting meetings with locals and then uploading interesting facts about their village, its places of interest, customs and traditions, famous personalities, festivals and beliefs, art and culture, etc., on to a special application.
    • The IGNCA plans to create special films on 6,500 village clusters showcasing their unique heritage.
    • Short films have been made on 750 cluster villages, which have been shot using drones, and the VLEs would upload these videos on the application as well.

     

  • Reversal To Old Pension Scheme (OPS): Potential Impact

    OPS

    Central Idea

    • The New Pension Scheme (NPS) implemented by the NDA government in 2003-04 was a far-sighted reform that moved towards a sustainable contributory pension system. However, some state governments have reversed the pension reform and returned to the financially burdensome and fiscally non-viable Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

    What is pension?

    • A pension is a retirement plan that provides a stream of income to individuals after they retire from their job or profession. It can be funded by employers, government agencies, or unions and is designed to ensure a steady income during retirement.

    What is OPS?

    • The OPS, also known as the Defined Benefit Pension System, is a pension plan provided by the government for its employees in India.
    • Under the OPS, retired government employees receive a fixed monthly pension based on their last drawn salary and years of service.
    • This pension is funded by the government and paid out of its current revenues, leading to increased pension liabilities.

    What is NPS?

    • NPS is a market-linked, defined contribution pension system introduced in India in 2004 as a replacement for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
    • NPS is designed to provide retirement income to all Indian citizens, including government employees, private sector workers, and self-employed individuals.

    Negative impacts of the reversal to OPS

    • The reversal to OPS would have negative impacts, especially on the poor and vulnerable population, including women and children. Here are some potential impacts:
    • Reallocation of resources: The reversal to OPS would lead to a reallocation of resources away from the state’s development expenditure, which benefits the poor, and towards a much smaller group of people who have benefited from a secured and privileged job throughout their working life. It could worsen inequality and lower economic growth in the states.
    • Reduction in productivity: Going back to OPS would reduce the productivity of the poor, further diminishing their future economic prospects. Economic services such as infrastructure and rural and urban development would be affected more severely than social services.
    • Fiscal burden: The old pension scheme (OPS) was financially burdensome and fiscally non-viable. As public employees’ life expectancy increased, the state’s fiscal burden under the OPS began to rise exponentially, necessitating pension reforms. Reversing to OPS would put the fiscal burden back on the government, which could have negative impacts on the state’s finances.
    • Tradeoff between pensions and development expenditure: Pension reforms were a watershed moment for the states, and reversing to OPS would result in a tradeoff between pension and development expenditure of the states. The pension reforms aimed to finance the increased non-development expenditure related to pensions through taxes or borrowing. However, our analysis revealed that from 1990 to 2004, the states’ revenues did not match the state’s increased expenditure, resulting in a higher fiscal deficit.

    Facts for prelims: NPS vs OPS

    Parameter National Pension System (NPS) Old Pension Scheme (OPS)
    Type of System Defined Contribution System Defined Benefit System
    Funding Contributions from employee and employer Government-funded
    Investment Market-linked investments in various asset classes No direct investment involved
    Returns Subject to market risks Predetermined and not market-linked
    Pension Amount Depends on accumulated corpus and investment returns Based on last drawn salary and years of service
    Annuity & Lump-sum Withdrawal Minimum 40% corpus used to purchase annuity, remaining can be withdrawn as lump-sum Fixed monthly pension, no annuity or lump-sum withdrawal
    Portability Portable across jobs and sectors Limited to government employees
    Flexibility Choice of investment options, fund managers, and asset allocation No flexibility, pension determined by predefined formula

    Conclusion

    • The state governments should not ignore the impact of the OPS on the poor and vulnerable, particularly women and children. The reversal will deprive them of essential services such as health and education and prevent them from participating in growth opportunities. Therefore, state governments should not reverse the far-sighted pension reform and should continue to focus on development expenditure that benefits the poor.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and how does it differ from Old Pension Scheme (OPS) Now states are reversing to OPS as a populist measure, discuss its the negative impacts.

  • Public Policy Education: Essential For Developing Effective Policies

    Central Idea

    • Government policies play a crucial role in determining the future of a country. They not only impact economic growth and public welfare but also improve the ease of living for citizens. Unfortunately, there is a lack of interest in public policy education in India, with only a small percentage of policymakers having formal education in public policy and administration.

    Public policy education

    • Public policy education refers to the study and teaching of the principles, theories, and methods involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that address societal issues.
    • This field of education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, create, and manage public policies effectively.

    How the government policies, economic growth, and public welfare are closely interconnected?

    • Government policies: Governments create and implement policies to guide economic activities, maintain social order, and promote the welfare of their citizens. These policies cover a wide range of areas, such as fiscal and monetary policy, trade policy, education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure development. The effectiveness of these policies can have a direct impact on economic growth and public welfare.
    • Economic growth: Economic growth is the increase in a country’s output of goods and services over time, usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). A growing economy typically leads to higher employment, increased income, and improved living standards for citizens. Government policies play a crucial role in stimulating or hindering economic growth by influencing factors such as investment, consumption, trade, and innovation.
    • Public welfare: Public welfare refers to the overall well-being of a society, encompassing aspects such as income distribution, access to essential services, health, education, and environmental quality. Government policies can significantly impact public welfare by determining the allocation of resources, setting priorities, and providing social safety nets.

    Paucity of Programs

    • As per the All-India Council for Technical Education, there are 3,182 institutions with an approved intake of 4.22 lakh in business management programs, but only about 130 universities that offer public administration programs and only 29 institutes that offer public policy programs.
    • The batch size of public policy courses is 20-60, and there are few jobs available for people pursuing such courses, which disincentivizes educational institutions and students from choosing public management courses.

    Lack of Exposure to Public Management

    • Most civil servants undergo departmental induction training programs that focus on the role they play in their department and not much on how to make good public policies.
    • Consequently, very few civil servants have exposure to public management before joining service, which is critical for developing effective policies.

    Suggestions to boost public policy education in India

    1. Public Management as a Compulsory Subject in UPSC:
    • Public management should be a compulsory subject for the UPSC civil service examination, either as a substitute for one optional subject or an additional paper. This will incentivize universities and private institutions to offer public policy education, research, and case studies at the graduate or post-graduate level, leading to a major boost in public policy education.
    • Additionally, civil servants who join government would have formal education in public management before they enter service, and even those who do not make it to government jobs would develop better understanding and sensitivity towards complexities involved in public management, making them better citizens and effective private sector managers.
    1. Larger Component of Public Policy in Induction Training: Existing training institutions of the government should have a larger component of public policy as part of their induction training. Moreover, a case study bank for training should also be established.
    2. Specialized Positions of Public Policy Analysts: The government can create certain specialized positions of public policy analysts to be picked up from the market directly, thereby creating new job avenues for the graduates of public policy programs.

    Conclusion

    • The lack of formal education in public management has led to governance lagging behind private sector management in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Public policy education is essential for developing effective policies that spur economic growth, public welfare, and improve ease of living for citizens.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is public policy education, and why is it important for policymakers in India to have formal education in public policy and administration? Suggest measures to boost public policy education in India.

  • Old Pension Scheme (OPS): A Call for Equitable Distribution of Resources

    Pension

    Central Idea

    • The demand for the old pension scheme (OPS) is growing in India, particularly after some states announced plans to revert to it. The mainstream critique of OPS is centered around inefficiency and fiscal deficit concerns. However, it is crucial to examine the policy from the class and welfare perspectives.

    What is pension?

    • A pension is a retirement plan that provides a stream of income to individuals after they retire from their job or profession. It can be funded by employers, government agencies, or unions and is designed to ensure a steady income during retirement.

    What is Old Pension Scheme (OPS)?

    • The OPS, also known as the Defined Benefit Pension System, is a pension plan provided by the government for its employees in India.
    • Under the OPS, retired government employees receive a fixed monthly pension based on their last drawn salary and years of service.
    • This pension is funded by the government and paid out of its current revenues, leading to increased pension liabilities.

    Pension

    Did you know: The National Pension System (NPS)?

    • NPS is a market-linked, defined contribution pension system introduced in India in 2004 as a replacement for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
    • NPS is designed to provide retirement income to all Indian citizens, including government employees, private sector workers, and self-employed individuals.

    Analyzing the Impact of OPS on India’s Socio-Economic Landscape

    1. Inequality and Regressive Redistribution: Under the National Pension System (NPS), the Sixth Pay Commission increased the basic salary of government employees to cover pension contributions and promote post-retirement savings. As a result, the salary of a government employee is higher than the income of more than 90% of the population. The OPS thus acts as a regressive redistribution mechanism favoring a better-off class.
    2. Rising Pension Liabilities: Pension liabilities of the government increased substantially due to the Sixth pay matrix, reaching 9% of total state expenditure. By 2050, pension expenditure will account for 19.4% of total state expenditures, assuming the current growth rate remains constant.
    3. Disproportionate Burden on the Lower Class: The bottom 50% of the population faces the inequitable burden of indirect taxation, six times more than their income. Due to OPS, they must bear the burden of supporting government employees’ pensions, which could push them further into poverty.
    4. Expenditure Challenges and Public Goods: As India’s population ages and public provision of education and healthcare becomes more critical, OPS poses expenditure challenges for providing public goods. This situation compels governments to compress already low social sector expenditures, pushing marginalized groups into further destitution.
    5. Monopolization of Future Labor Markets: The OPS facilitates the monopolization of future labor markets in the private sector by a proprietary class, allowing supervisory bureaucracy to consolidate its position and emerge as a dominant group.

    Pension

    Recommendations for Equitable Resource Distribution

    • Opposition to the OPS should focus on equitable distribution of resources and expansion of universal provisions of public goods.
    • Implement a participatory pension system for government employees to provide more egalitarian outcomes.
    • Tweak the NPS to provide a guaranteed monthly return for lower-rung employees.
    • Address unequal pay among various ranks of employees through administrative reforms.
    • Advocate for progressive taxation of the top 10% and a rationalization of political executives’ pensions and profligacy.

    Facts for prelims: NPS vs OPS

    Parameter National Pension System (NPS) Old Pension Scheme (OPS)
    Type of System Defined Contribution System Defined Benefit System
    Funding Contributions from employee and employer Government-funded
    Investment Market-linked investments in various asset classes No direct investment involved
    Returns Subject to market risks Predetermined and not market-linked
    Pension Amount Depends on accumulated corpus and investment returns Based on last drawn salary and years of service
    Annuity & Lump-sum Withdrawal Minimum 40% corpus used to purchase annuity, remaining can be withdrawn as lump-sum Fixed monthly pension, no annuity or lump-sum withdrawal
    Portability Portable across jobs and sectors Limited to government employees
    Flexibility Choice of investment options, fund managers, and asset allocation No flexibility, pension determined by predefined formula

    Conclusion

    • It is essential to recognize the disenchantment with neoliberalism driving the demand for the OPS. Government employees and policymakers must work together to address the challenges posed by OPS and implement pension reforms that prioritize equitable resource distribution, efficient allocation, and social welfare.

    Mains Question

    Q. Compare and contrast OPS with the National Pension System (NPS) and discuss the impact of Old Pension Scheme (OPS) on India’s socio-economic landscape.

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  • State of Child Custody Cases abroad

    child

    Central idea:

    • Activists are calling on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take a stronger interest in child custody cases in Western countries.
    • The call comes as the movie Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, which focuses on the diplomatic row between India and Norway in 2011.
    • The movie sheds light on cases where parents lose custody of their children over cultural differences in their upbringing.

    Child Custody norms in India

    • India’s child custody laws are governed by-
    1. Guardians and Wards Act of 1890: It recognizes the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration in custody matters.
    2. Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act of 1956: It deals with the custody and guardianship of Hindu children.
    • Indian law generally gives custody of children to the mother in case of young children, but the father can also seek custody.
    • In recent years, there have been calls to reform the law to provide more equal rights to fathers in custody battles.

     The story beyond: Bhattacharya Case

    • The movie depicts real life story of a Bengali couple who had moved to Norway in 2007.
    • Their child reportedly developed ‘autism-like’ symptoms in his early years and was placed in a family kindergarten.
    • The family was reportedly under watch for months by the child welfare service and in May 2011, the authorities took away the couple’s children under the pretext of bad parenting.
    • Finally the Norwegian authorities took the child away to their shelter home for almost 14 months.

    What accounts to ‘bad’ parenting in Norway?

    • Hand feeding: Norwegian authorities raised objection to the family hand-feeding the baby and equated it to force-feeding.
    • Child sleeping with parents: They also had problems with children sleeping on the same bed as their parents- something that is very common in Indian households.
    • Ban on physical discipline: Charges against the parents also included a slap by the parents – just once. Even mild physical discipline, such as a slap, is considered illegal in Norway.
    • Lack of recreation: Authorities accused the couple that the children did not have enough room to play. They were also accused of providing “unsuitable” clothes and toys to their children.

    About Norway’s Child Welfare Services

    • The Child Welfare Services in Norway is commonly known as Barnevernet and is responsible for child protection in the country.
    • The organization is very strict about child protection and applies strict regulations for all citizens living in the country, regardless of their cultural background.
    • The primary responsibility of the Child Welfare Services is to implement measures for children and their families in situations where there are special needs in relation to the home environment.
    • Assistance is provided through counseling, advisory services, and aid measures, including external support contacts, relief measures in the home, and access to daycare.

    The Bhattacharya Case and Diplomatic Row

    The case of the Bhattacharya couple, whose children were taken away by Barnevernet, caused a diplomatic row between Norway and India. The Bhattacharya had appealed to the foreign ministry to intervene in the case where the Child Welfare Services had taken their children away from them.

    • Bias against non-citizens: The couple was accused of mistreating their children, but some claimed that the decision was biased against non-Norwegian citizens.
    • State kidnapping of children: Human rights activists in India, called the incident “state kidnapping”.
    • Labelling parents for being of unsound mind: In almost every case, they claim that one of the parents has a mental problem just to make their case stronger.

    How did Norway response?

    • After a diplomatic row between the two countries, the Norwegian authorities decided to award the custody of the children to their father’s brother, enabling him to bring them back to India.

    Way forward

    • The case highlights the need for transparent and unbiased decision-making processes in child welfare services, especially in cases involving non-native citizens.
    • While child protection is of utmost importance, the authorities must ensure that their actions are fair, just, and not biased against any particular group or culture.
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  • Smart Cities Mission: With 2023 deadline looming, a status check

    smart-cities

    Central idea: The Govt asks 20 worst-performing cities to improve as June 2023 Smart Cities Mission deadline nears.

    What is the Smart Cities Mission?

    smart cities

    • The Smart Cities Mission is an initiative of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry that was launched by PM on June 25, 2015.
    • Cities across the country were asked to submit proposals for projects to improve municipal services and to make their jurisdictions more liveable.
    • Between January 2016 and June 2018 (when the last city, Shillong, was chosen), the Ministry selected 100 cities for the Mission over five rounds.

    Deadline of the project

    • The projects were supposed to be completed within five years of the selection of the city.
    • However, in 2021 the Ministry changed the deadline for all cities to June 2023, which was earlier the deadline for Shillong alone.

    What kinds of projects were proposed?

    • Project proposals ranged from making certain stretches of roads more accessible and pedestrian-friendly to more capital-intensive ones like laying water pipelines and constructing sewage treatment plants.
    • All 100 cities have constructed Integrated Command and Control Centres.
    • These centres monitor all security, emergency and civic services.
    • During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of these centres were converted into emergency response units by the cities.

    What is the status of the projects?

    • As of March 3, 100 cities have issued work orders for 7,799 projects worth Rs 1.80 lakh crore.
    • Out of these, 5,399 projects worth Rs.1.02 lakh crore have been completed, and the rest are ongoing.
    • Only around 20 cities are likely to meet the June deadline. The rest will need more time.
    • Shillong has completed just one of its 18 proposed projects.

     

  • In news: One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme

    The government told the Supreme Court that paying all dues to 1.6 million army pensioners under the OROP scheme in one go may not be in the nation’s larger interest as it could disrupt allocations for other public purposes.

    What is OROP Policy?

    • OROP means the same pension, for the same rank, for the same length of service, irrespective of the date of retirement.
    • The concept was provoked by the then decision by Indira Gandhi-led government, in 1973, two years after the historic victory in the 1971 Bangladesh war.

    Origin of the debate

    • The Rank pay was a scheme implemented by the Rajiv Gandhi-led govt in 1986, in the wake of the 4th Central Pay Commission.
    • It reduced the basic pay of seven armed officers’ ranks of 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Majors, Lt. Colonel, Colonels, Brigadiers, and their equivalent by fixed amounts designated as rank pay.

    Implementation

    • In 2008, Manmohan Singh led Government in the wake of the Sixth Central Pay Commission (6CPC), which discarded the concept of rank-pay.
    • Instead, it introduced Grade pay, and Pay bands, which instead of addressing the rank, pay, and pension asymmetries caused by ‘rank pay’ dispensation, reinforced existing asymmetries.
    • The present government has accepted the OROP and disbursed some funds for its implementation.

    Issues with this pension policy

    • The issues, veterans emphasize, are of justice, equity, honor, and national security.
    • The failure to address the issue of pay-pension equity, and the underlying issue of honor, is not only an important cause for the OROP protest movement but its escalation.

    Present status

    • The govt has already released Rs. 5500 crores to serve the purpose, but still, there are some grievances from the veterans’ side.
    • It refined Pensions for all pensioners retiring in the same rank as the average of the minimum and maximum pensions in 2013.
    • The veterans noted governments’ proposal as one rank many pensions since the review of 5 years would lead to differences in pension between senior and a junior.

     

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  • What is Digital India Act, 2023?

    india

    The Union government has formally outlined the Digital India Act, 2023 which is a broad overhaul of the decades-old Information Technology Act, 2000.

    Central idea: Reconsideration of Safe Harbour

    • The government is reconsidering a key aspect of cyberspace — ‘safe harbour’.
    • Safe harbour is the principle that so-called ‘intermediaries’ on the internet are not responsible for what third parties post on their website.
    • This is the principle that allows social media platforms to avoid liability for posts made by users.
    • Safe harbour has been reined in in recent years by regulations like the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which require platforms to take down posts when ordered to do so by the government, or when required by law.

    What is the Digital India Act, 2023?

    • The act is a new legislation that aims to overhaul the decades-old Information Technology Act, 2000.
    • The Act covers a range of topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybercrime, data protection, deepfakes, competition issues among internet platforms, and online safety.
    • The Act also aims to address “new complex forms of user harms” that have emerged in the years since the IT Act’s enactment, such as catfishing, doxxing, trolling, and phishing.

    Why was this act enacted?

    • Data privacy: The Digital India Act will be implemented alongside the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, which focuses solely on processing personal data in India.
    • Lawful use of data: It seeks to address the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognizes both the right of the individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process personal data for lawful purposes.
    • Comprehensive regulation: This Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill will work in tandem with each other.

    Key features of the Digital India Act

    • Creating new regulations around newer technology, including 5G, IoT devices, cloud computing, metaverse, blockchain, and cryptocurrency.
    • Reclassifying online intermediaries to separate categories instead of one general intermediary label, each one with its own set of regulations.
    • Removing “safe harbour” immunity for online intermediaries for purposeful misinformation or other content violations from third parties.
    • Creating digital standards and laws regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technology.
    • Criminalizing cyberbullying, identity theft, and unauthorized sharing of personal information without consent.

    Significance

    • The Digital India Act provides a legal framework for promoting the growth of the digital economy in India.
    • It aims to create a conducive environment for the development and deployment of digital technologies across different sectors.
    • The Act also addresses various challenges associated with cybersecurity and data privacy, which are critical issues in the digital age.

    Conclusion

    • The Digital India Act is expected to promote digital literacy and increase access to digital services for all citizens.
    • It will help in creating a digital infrastructure that is secure, reliable, and accessible to everyone.
    • The Act will also encourage the adoption of digital technologies in various sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, leading to increased efficiency and productivityhow-to-start-upsc-preparation-from-zero-level

     

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  • VAIBHAV fellowship for Indian Diaspora

    The centre has launched VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad on National Science Day.

    VAIBHAV fellowship

    • The Vaibhav Fellowship is a program that invites overseas Indian scientists and researchers to work with Indian institutions and universities for a period of 2-3 weeks.
    • The program is open to individuals of Indian origin who are working in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
    • The fellowship will provide opportunities for the diaspora to collaborate with Indian scientists and researchers, participate in conferences, and contribute to the development of the country’s science and technology sector.

    Objectives of the Fellowship

    • To create a platform for Indian diaspora scientists and researchers to connect with their counterparts in India and contribute to the country’s growth in the field of science and technology.
    • To foster collaboration between Indian and overseas scientists and researchers, promote knowledge exchange, and build a network of professionals who can contribute to the development of the country.

    Key facts

    • Duration: The fellowship offers researchers an opportunity to work for a minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year with a research institution or an academic institution in India.
    • Corpus: Three years with the government offering the researchers an amount of up to Rs 37 lakh for the entire period.
    • Eligibility: Researchers from institutions featuring in the top 500 QS World University Rankings will be eligible for the fellowship.
    • Who can apply: The applicant should be a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and she or he must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.

    Significance of the fellowship

    • The fellowship provides a platform for Indian scientists and researchers to collaborate with their counterparts abroad, which can help in the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
    • It also provides an opportunity for the Indian diaspora to contribute to the development of their home country.
    • By engaging with the Indian institutions and universities, the diaspora can bring in new ideas, technologies, and expertise that can help in the country’s development.

     

     

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  • In news: Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan

    A recent initiative called the ‘Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan’ (Precious Life Campaign) in Barmer, Rajasthan has motivated village panchayats and homeowners to add hand pumps and locked covers to tankas for improved structure.

    What are Tankas?

    anmol

    • The tankas with a huge water storage capacity are traditionally built adjacent to the residential units in western Rajasthan.
    • It is used for collecting rainwater and using it throughout the year for drinking and other household needs.
    • They were constructed in households under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

     

    Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan

    • The ‘Anmol Jeevan Abhiyan’ (Precious Life Campaign) has encouraged village panchayats and owners of houses to make the structural addition of hand pumps and locked covers on tankas.
    • The light-weight hand pumps made of fibre serve the dual purpose of preventing the accidents and suicides as well as drawing of water from the tank.
    • The campaign has been started jointly by the district administration, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Action Aid.
    • Among the 171 suicide cases reported last year, as many as 64 were those of women and a majority was those who had jumped into the water tanks.

    Benefits offered

    • Though the campaign has made an impact during the last three to four months, it cannot be measured in quantitative terms at present because of its continuity, even as the reports of suicides have gradually reduced.
    • The permanent closure of tankas with the metal cover having lock also ensured that no cattleheads or other animals fall into them tank.

     

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