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GS Paper: GS2-10.Government Policies & Interventions for development of various sectors (issues in their design, implementation)

  • Census 2027 finalises Phase 2 questions with caste enumeration

    Why in the News

    Around 28 questions have been finalised for the Population Enumeration phase of Census 2027, which will record caste for all residents for the first time in decades. The enumeration begins on 17 August in Ladakh and snow bound areas ahead of the rest of the country.

    What is the Census in India?

    1. Constitutional and legal basis: The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948 by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, and Census is a Union subject in the Seventh Schedule.
    2. Decadal count: It is a decennial enumeration of the entire population covering demographic, social and economic characteristics.

    What are the two phases of Census 2027?

    1. Houselisting phase: The first phase records houses, household amenities and assets.
    2. Population Enumeration: The second phase counts every individual and records personal and household particulars, and is where caste will be captured.

    What is new in Census 2027?

    1. Caste for all: For the first time in decades, the caste of every resident is to be recorded, not only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
    2. Questionnaire: The final questionnaire is likely to carry 28 questions for the Population Enumeration phase.
    3. Phased timing: Snow bound areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are counted from 17 August, and the rest of the country in February 2027.

    Why does caste enumeration matter?

    1. Evidence for policy: Caste data informs reservation, welfare targeting and assessment of backwardness beyond SC and ST groups.
    2. Filling a data gap: The last full caste count outside SC and ST dates to 1931, leaving current policy reliant on dated estimates.

    Challenges to caste enumeration in the Census

    1. Classification complexity: Caste names run into thousands with regional and spelling variations, complicating standardised recording.
    2. Self identification: Responses depend on self reporting, which can be inconsistent or strategically stated.
    3. Enumerator training: Accurate capture of caste needs trained enumerators and a controlled code list.
    4. Political sensitivity: Publication of caste numbers can intensify demands for revised reservation shares.
    5. Data privacy: Handling granular caste data raises confidentiality and misuse concerns.

    Census Act, 1948

    1. Central legislation empowering the government to conduct the decennial Census.
    2. Administered by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    3. Makes public cooperation compulsory and guarantees confidentiality of individual records.
    4. Census information is not admissible as evidence in court, protecting respondent data.

    [2009] Consider the following statements:
    1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.
    2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.
    (a) 1 only
    (b) 2 only
    (c) Both 1 and 2
    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • Parliamentary panel flags that only 30% of urban households under AMRUT have sewerage

    Why in the News

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs reported that only about 30% of urban households under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have a sewerage connection. It flagged slow progress and inter state gaps in sanitation infrastructure.

    What is AMRUT?

    1. Flagship civic scheme: AMRUT is the Union government’s flagship urban civic infrastructure mission, providing water supply, sewerage, septage, stormwater drains and green spaces.
    2. Two phases: AMRUT (2015 to 2021) covered 500 cities, and AMRUT 2.0 (from 2021) covers all statutory towns with a focus on universal water and sewerage coverage.

    What did the parliamentary panel find?

    1. Low sewerage coverage: Of 11.32 crore urban households, only 3.44 crore had sewerage connections and 2.84 crore relied on septage systems, per the City Water Balance Plans (2025).
    2. Inter state variation: Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar depend more on septage than on sewer networks.
    3. Network gap: Of 59,261 km of approved sewer network, only 27,418 km has been laid so far.

    Why does the sewerage gap persist?

    1. Small share of projects: Of 8,743 projects approved under AMRUT 2.0, only 594 (about 6.79%) relate to sewerage and septage management.
    2. Slow completion: Only 104 of those 594 sewerage projects (17.51%) are complete, while 398 (67%) remain under implementation.
    3. Funds pending: Only Rs 22,762 crore of the Rs 66,059 crore committed as central assistance has been released.

    What did the committee recommend?

    1. Database and audit: The Ministry should build a database of existing sewer networks, functional status and household connectivity gaps and carry out periodic assessments.
    2. End manual cleaning: Manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks should be eliminated.

    Challenges to urban sanitation delivery

    1. Weak urban local bodies: Municipal bodies often lack the finances and technical staff to build and operate sewage treatment plants.
    2. Trunk versus last mile: Laying trunk sewer lines without household connections leaves treatment capacity underused.
    3. Cost recovery: User charges for sewerage are politically difficult, so operation and maintenance is chronically underfunded.
    4. Land and legacy: Retrofitting sewer networks into dense, unplanned settlements is slow and expensive.
    5. Faecal sludge gap: Cities dependent on septic tanks lack faecal sludge treatment plants, so untreated waste re enters water bodies.

    AMRUT

    1. Launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
    2. Aims at universal household water supply and sewerage or septage coverage in urban areas.
    3. AMRUT 2.0, launched in 2021, targets all statutory towns and water body rejuvenation.
    4. Beneficiaries are urban households, with a stated focus on the urban poor.

    [2022] Consider the following statements
    1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization.
    2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 only

    [C] Both 1 and 2

    [D] Neither 1 nor 2

  • Rajya Sabha clears the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026

    Why in the News

    The Rajya Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after the Lok Sabha cleared it earlier. The amendment requires an order from a Judicial Magistrate First Class for any birth or death registered more than two years after the event, tightening the civil registration system toward universal registration.

    What is the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969?

    1. Legal basis: The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 makes recording of every birth and death compulsory and lays down the machinery of registrars for the Civil Registration System.
    2. Vital statistics: Registration data feeds official birth and death rates and underpins the issue of legal identity documents.

    What does the amendment change?

    1. Stricter delayed registration: It amends sub section (3) of Section 13 so that registrations delayed beyond two years need an order from a Judicial Magistrate First Class.
    2. Existing tier retained: Delays of up to two years will continue to require an order from a district, sub divisional or authorised executive magistrate.

    Why tighten delayed registration?

    1. Curbing misuse: The government stated that late registration beyond two years was being misused to create fraudulent records.
    2. Guarding the rolls: Ministers argued the change stops fictitious entries from becoming voters and prevents registration of persons born elsewhere.
    3. Universal registration: The stated aim is that every child born is registered and every death recorded, encouraging timely reporting.

    What concerns were raised?

    1. Overburdened magistrates: Members warned that judicial magistrates are already overburdened, so the requirement could delay genuine registrations.
    2. Uneven capacity: The number of judicial magistrates varies sharply across states, creating disparity in access.
    3. Ease of registration: Some urged easier registration through camps and door to door drives and removal of penalties rather than added judicial steps.

    What are the challenges to universal civil registration?

    1. Rural and remote reach: Home births and deaths in remote areas often go unreported because families lack awareness of the reporting window.
    2. Migrant populations: Mobile and migrant families struggle to register events at their place of residence, producing gaps and duplicate records.
    3. Institutional coordination: Registration depends on hospitals, panchayats and municipal registrars whose reporting discipline varies widely.
    4. Cause of death recording: Medical certification of cause of death remains weak outside large hospitals, limiting the quality of vital statistics.
    5. Added judicial load: Routing older registrations through magistrates can create backlogs where courts are already understaffed.

    Conclusion

    The amendment tightens the civil registration system by making very late registration a judicial act rather than an administrative one. It now proceeds to receive the President’s assent, after which state rules and registrar capacity will determine whether it improves accuracy without excluding the genuinely late.

    Back2Basics:

    Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969

    1. Central legislation administered through the Registrar General of India and state Chief Registrars.
    2. Makes registration of births, deaths and stillbirths compulsory across the country.
    3. Provides for the Civil Registration System that generates continuous vital statistics.
    4. Amended in 2023 to enable a national database and use of birth certificates as a single document for various services.

    The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI)

    1. It is the top government authority under the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for conducting the country’s decennial Census, managing demographic surveys, and overseeing civil registration.

    Key Functions and Responsibilities

    1. Census Operations: Plans, conducts, and analyzes India’s large-scale population censuses.
    2. Civil Registration: Implements the Registration of Births and Deaths Act (1969), maintaining national vital statistics via the Civil Registration System.
    3. Linguistic & Demographic Surveys: Conducts linguistic surveys and tracks socio-economic and population indicators

    What are the benefits of registration of birth and death?
    The birth certificate is the first right of the child and it is the first
    step towards establishing its identity. The following compulsory
    uses     of birth and death certificates are emerged:

    1. For admission to schools
    2. As proof of age for employment.
    3. For proof of age at marriage.
    4. To establish parentage.
    5. To establish age for purpose of enrollment in Electoral
      Rolls.
    6. To establish age for insurance purposes.
    7. For registering in National Population Register (NPR).
    8. Production of Production of death certificate for the purpose of inheritance of property and for claiming dues from insurance companies and other companies.

  • Supreme Court extends mandatory third party motor insurance and floats a no-insurance, no fuel pilot

    Why in the News

    The Supreme Court extended mandatory Third-Party Motor Insurance to 4 years for new cars and 6 years for new two-wheelers. It also proposed a “No Insurance, No Fuel” pilot to improve compliance.

    What is Third-Party Motor Insurance?

    • Mandatory under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
    • Covers compensation for injury, death, or property damage caused to a third party.
    • Does not cover damage to the insured vehicle or owner.

    Supreme Court Directions

    • Mandatory third-party cover:
      • 4 years for new cars.
      • 6 years for new two-wheelers.
    • Link Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras with:
      • Insurance Information Bureau of India (IIB)
      • VAHAN portal.
    • Enable police to verify insurance in real time through mobile applications.
    • Explore a “No Insurance, No Fuel” pilot.

    Why is Enforcement Needed?

    • Around 56% of vehicles reportedly operate without valid third-party insurance.
    • Victims face delays in compensation.
    • Insurance often lapses after the initial mandatory period.

    Challenges

    • Lack of integration among IIB, VAHAN, and police databases.
    • Low renewal rates, especially for two-wheelers.
    • Concerns over denying fuel as an essential service.
    • Weak penalties and limited rural enforcement.

    Comprehensive vs Third-Party Insurance

    • Third-Party Insurance: Mandatory; covers third-party losses only.
    • Comprehensive Insurance: Optional; covers both third-party liability and damage to the insured vehicle.

    Key Platforms

    • VAHAN: National vehicle registration database managed by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
    • ANPR: Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology for vehicle identification.
    • IIB: Insurance Information Bureau of India, maintains insurance-related databases.

    Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)

    • Established under: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999.
    • Headquarters: Hyderabad.
    • Functions: Regulates insurance companies and intermediaries. Protects policyholders’ interests. Prescribes solvency, pricing, and disclosure norms.

  • Proof of life: reworking the law on delayed birth and death registration

    Why in the News?

    The Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. It requires a Judicial Magistrate’s order for registration of births or deaths delayed by more than two years.

    Key Provisions

    • Judicial Approval: Delayed registration beyond 2 years requires approval from a Judicial Magistrate.
    • Existing Process Retained: Delays up to 2 years continue to require approval from an Executive Magistrate.
    • Objective: Strengthen verification and prevent fraudulent birth or death registrations.

    Why was the Amendment Needed?

    • The 2023 amendment made the birth certificate the primary proof of date and place of birth for: School admissions, Passports, Aadhaar, Voter rolls, Driving licences, and Government jobs
    • Higher importance of birth certificates increased the risk of fraudulent registrations.

    Significance

    • Enhances authenticity of delayed registrations.
    • Supports reliable digital civil registration records.
    • Reduces misuse of birth certificates for identity fraud.

    Challenges

    • Judicial process may increase costs and delays for genuine applicants.
    • Remote and vulnerable populations may face greater difficulty.
    • Adds workload to the lower judiciary.
    • No clear evidence supporting the two-year threshold.

    Back2Basics

    • Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969: Makes registration of every birth and death compulsory.
    • Registrar General of India (RGI): Nodal authority under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
    • Concurrent List: Both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate on registration.
    • 2023 Amendment: Birth certificate became the primary document for proving date and place of birth.

    [2018] Consider the following statements:
    1.Aadhaar can be used as proof of citizenship and domicile.
    2.Once issued, the Aadhaar number cannot be deactivated or omitted by the issuing authority.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 only

    [C] Both 1 and 2

    [D] Neither 1 nor 2

  • Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan launched

    Why in the News?

    The government launched the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, a nationwide anti-drug campaign from 28,000+ locations with a 100-week action plan to promote a drug-free youth for Viksit Bharat 2047.

    About the Campaign

    • A national drug awareness and demand reduction campaign targeting youth.
    • Launched simultaneously from 28,000+ locations.
    • Over 1 crore youth participated in the anti-drug pledge.
    • Includes a 100-week activity plan for sustained community engagement.

    Significance

    • Strengthens the demand reduction pillar of India’s anti-drug strategy.
    • Promotes awareness, prevention and rehabilitation alongside enforcement.
    • Supports the vision of a healthy workforce for Viksit Bharat 2047.

    Challenges

    • Sustaining community participation over 100 weeks.
    • Expanding de-addiction and counselling infrastructure.
    • Measuring the campaign’s long-term impact.
    • Success depends on parallel action against drug trafficking.

    Prelims Facts

    • Implemented under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).
    • Complements the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE).
    • Focuses on awareness, prevention, rehabilitation and youth participation.

  • Census 2027 self-enumeration begins in Assam

    Why in the News?

    India has launched its first Digital Census with self enumeration starting in Assam. The online phase continues till 16 August, followed by House Listing from 17 August.

    What is the Census?

    The Census is the official collection of demographic, social and economic data of the population.

    Key Facts

    • Legal Basis: Census Act, 1948
    • Authority: Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs
    • Frequency: Every 10 years (Decennial)
    • Nature: Mandatory; information is kept confidential
    • Constitutional Status: Union Subject (Entry 69, Union List)

    What is Self Enumeration?

    Households can submit Census details online instead of depending solely on enumerators.

    Two Phases

    • House Listing: Housing and household details
    • Population Enumeration: Individual demographic details

    Significance

    • Improves data accuracy through digital verification.
    • Enables faster processing and publication.
    • Provides updated data for Delimitation, Welfare targeting, Reservation, Fiscal devolution, and Development planning
    • Replaces reliance on 2011 Census data after the delay of the 2021 Census.

    Prelims Facts

    • First Census: 1872 (non synchronous)
      • A non-synchronous census is a population count that is carried out at different times in different regions rather than all at once on a single date
    • First synchronous Census: 1881
      • A synchronous census is an official population count conducted simultaneously across an entire country within a specific, unified timeframe rather than at different times in different regions.
    • Conducted by Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
    • Census falls under the Union List.

    [2009] Consider the following statements:

    1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times.

    2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • On guard: on India and the Qdenga dengue vaccine

    Why in the News?

    India’s drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has approved Qdenga, the country’s first dengue vaccine, after its licensing in over 40 countries and World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification, arriving amid some of India’s worst dengue outbreaks.

    Why was developing any dengue vaccine so difficult in the first place?

    1. Four serotypes must be defeated at once: The four antigenically distinct dengue serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4) require a vaccine to generate strong immunity against all four simultaneously.
    2. The antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) risk: A second infection with a different serotype can cause more severe disease through antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), the mechanism that undermined the first licensed dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia, and led to the 2017 Philippines controversy.
    3. Qdenga’s design choice: Developed by Japan-based Takeda, Qdenga differs from Dengvaxia and does not require prior screening for previous dengue infection before vaccination.

    What specific gaps in Qdenga’s protection could undermine its rollout this monsoon?

    1. Uneven serotype coverage: Protection is highest against DENV-2, followed by DENV-1, while uncertainty remains regarding DENV-3 and DENV-4 in seronegative individuals.
    2. A rising mismatch: Although DENV-2 currently predominates in India, DENV-3 is increasing. If DENV-3 becomes dominant during the 2026 monsoon, the vaccine’s real-world effectiveness could decline, especially among those with no prior dengue exposure.
    3. A dangerous timing gap: Qdenga requires two doses administered three months apart. The first dose provides uneven protection, leaving seronegative individuals vulnerable if exposed to DENV-3 before completing the vaccination schedule.
    4. A specific trial finding on vulnerable children: The Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study (TIDES) trial raised concerns about negative efficacy against hospitalisation related to DENV-3 among seronegative children who do not complete both doses.

    Why is the vaccine’s price, not just its science, presented as the real barrier to protection?

    1. The mobile workforce problem: Ensuring that migrant workers receive the second dose on schedule will be difficult, increasing the risk highlighted in the TIDES trial.
    2. Tiered pricing risks excluding vulnerable groups: Under Takeda’s global tiered pricing strategy, Qdenga may remain unaffordable for residents of dense urban slums with poor drainage, who face the highest exposure to Aedes mosquitoes.
    3. The Aedes mosquito’s changing range compounds the problem: Aedes mosquitoes are spreading into semi-urban and rural areas, making vector control more difficult and expanding the population requiring affordable vaccination.

    Conclusion

    The approval of Qdenga is a significant milestone in India’s fight against dengue, but its public health impact depends on addressing serotype-specific protection gaps, ensuring completion of the two-dose schedule, and making the vaccine affordable for high-risk populations. The editorial argues that price negotiations are essential for the vaccine to achieve meaningful public health outcomes.

    Back2Basics

    About Dengue:

    1. Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral infection that is spread from mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical than in temperate climates.
    2. Transmission: The dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Other species within the Aedes genus can also act as vectors, but their contribution is normally secondary to Aedes aegypti.
    3. Human-to-mosquito transmission: Mosquitoes can become infected by people who are viremic with DENV. This can be someone who has a symptomatic dengue infection, someone who is yet to have a symptomatic infection (those who are pre-symptomatic), and also someone who shows no signs of illness (those who are asymptomatic).

    Dengue Serotype

    1. Four Types: The virus exists as four closely related strains: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.
    2. Immunity: Catching one serotype gives you lifelong immunity to that specific type, but only short protection against the other three.
    3. Severe Risk: Getting infected a second time by a different serotype can raise your chance of getting severe dengue.

    Important Keywords:

    1. Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE): A phenomenon in which antibodies generated from a previous infection with one dengue serotype enhance, rather than prevent, severe disease during infection with a different serotype, making dengue vaccine development particularly challenging.
    2. WHO prequalification: A World Health Organization (WHO) assessment that certifies a vaccine meets international standards of quality, safety, and efficacy, enabling procurement by governments and international agencies.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2022] What is the basic principle behind vaccine development? How do vaccines work? What approaches were adopted by the Indian vaccine manufacturers to produce COVID-19 vaccines?

    Linkage: The PYQ examines the science behind vaccine development and immunization, a core GS-3 Science & Technology theme. The article applies these principles to dengue, highlighting challenges of multi-serotype vaccines, ADE, efficacy, and rollout.

  • Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026

    Why in News?

    The Union Government introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha to extend statutory protection to the National Song (Vande Mataram).

    Key Highlights

    • Introduced by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.
    • Seeks to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
    • Extends penalties for insulting the National Flag, Constitution, and National Anthem to the National Song.
    • Opposition members argued that the Constituent Assembly intentionally did not accord the National Song the same constitutional status as the National Anthem.
    • The government cited Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s statement (24 January 1950) that both should enjoy equal respect.

    National Anthem

    • Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
    • Adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950.
    • Full rendition duration: 52 seconds.

    National Song

    • Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
    • Taken from the novel Anandamath (1882).
    • Only the first two stanzas enjoy official status as the National Song.

    Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971

    • Prohibits insults to the National Flag, Constitution, and National Anthem.
    • Prescribes imprisonment up to 3 years, or fine, or both.
    • The 2026 Amendment Bill seeks to include the National Song within its ambit.

    [2023] Consider the following statements in respect of the National Flag of India according to the Flag Code of India, 2002:
    Statement-I: One of the standard sizes of the National Flag of India is 600 mm x 400 mm.
    Statement-II: The ratio of the length to the height (width) of the Flag shall be 3:2.
    Which one of the following is correcti in respect of the above statements?

    [A] Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-l.

    [B] Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

    [C] Statement-l is correct but Statement-II is incorrect is incorrect.

    [D] Statement-l is incorrect Statement-II is correct.

  • Lakhpati Didi Mission: Roadmap for 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis

    Why in News?

    The Ministry of Rural Development, in collaboration with BRLPS-JEEVIKA, organised a two-day Regional Workshop to prepare a strategy and roadmap for achieving the national target of 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis.

    Key Highlights

    • Objective: Formulate a Strategy, Roadmap, and Annual Action Plan (FY 2026–27) for creating 6 Crore Lakhpati Didis.
    • Organised by: Ministry of Rural Development with BRLPS-JEEVIKA at BIPARD, Gaya (Bihar).
    • Key Focus Areas:
      • Farm and non-farm livelihoods.
      • Enterprise promotion and value addition.
      • Digital Management Information System (MIS).
      • Market linkages and convergence.
      • Climate-resilient livelihoods.
    • Major Outcomes:
      • Strategy for sustainable income enhancement.
      • Greater use of digital platforms and data-driven planning.
      • Strengthening community institutions and SHGs.
      • MoU signed between BRLPS-JEEVIKA and Arunachal State Rural Livelihood Mission (ArSRLM) for knowledge sharing.
    • Milestone Achieved: 3 Crore Lakhpati Didis; next target is 6 Crore.

    About Lakhpati Didi Initiative

    • Launched under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
    • Aims to enable women Self-Help Group (SHG) members to earn a sustainable annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh through diversified livelihood activities.
    • Focuses on financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, skill development, and market access.

    [2023] Consider the following statements:
    1. The Self-Help Group (SHG) programme was originally initiated by the State Bank of India by providing microcredit to the financially deprived.
    2. In an SHG, all members of a group take responsibility for a loan that an individual member takes.
    3. The Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Commercial Banks support SHGs.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All three

    [D] None