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Subject: Governance

Important aspects of Society

  • Why community efforts are essential for real change

    The article highlights the important role played by civil society and suggest the need for the new framework for the participation of community in the solution of problems.

    Important role played by civil society in second wave of Covid

    • We also have to realise that the state or the market cannot be the only provider for what citizens need.
    • Effective social interactions and community participation can play an important role in scaling up some of the actions that have been found useful.
    • During the second wave of Covid infections, communities emerged as resilient entities across the country.
    • Active engagement with civil society: Recently,  the Prime Minister called for an active engagement of civil society in coping with the pandemic.
    • The empowered group of secretaries has also identified the role of civil society during this period of crisis.

    Tasks for NITI Aayog: New framework

    • NITI should engage government institutions that encourage public participation and also support new frameworks for crisis management.
    • This new framework should critically look into the weaknesses and failures of the existing ones in attracting community participation in an effective manner.
    • This would also help in NITI’s own goal of localisation of development as part of its SDG strategy.
    • NITI should create mechanisms for facilitating the creation of required space for community initiatives.
    • It should leverage advanced technologies ABCD — artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing and data analytics for bridging demand-supply gaps.
    • It is time for NITI to apply the institutional framework where it has to, to rationalise select activities of communities and overcome the failure of the state where it is imminent.
    • NITI should partner with willing state governments to explore the launch of platforms that promote cross-learning and experience-sharing to reduce the cost of operations.
    • This may help in scaling up and, in some cases, overcome the asymmetric flow of information.
    • Opportunities for the participation of communities in decision making and their implementation at local levels may be explored.
    • The advantage for NITI is DARPAN, its portal for all voluntary organisations/non-governmental organisations engaged in development activities.
    • Several informal entities, start-ups and others, at times undefined, may also have to be engaged.

    Initiatives and micro-models

    • Several micro-models are coming up, but few have a larger footprint.
    •  In Nandurbar, for instance, a district collector could achieve what now seems a rare coordination between beds, number of critical patients and supply of oxygen.
    • At the end of the day, they had more beds with oxygen than required.
    • Breathe India and HelpNow represent an array of options, these apps have facilitated access to oxygen concentrators, hospitals and ambulances.
    • There are several such initiatives that are taking place across the country with little connection with each other.
    • These micro-models need to be scaled up.

    Consider the question “The role played by the civil society during the second covid wave highlighted its importance. What we need is a new framework for community participation. In light of this, discuss the important aspects of such framework.”

    Conclusion

    Solutions to any social problem call for an effective collective action that coordinates the aspirations of several groups of stakeholders. The present situation underlines the necessity of combined efforts to face this challenge.

    B2BASICS

    What is civil Society?

    • The society considered as a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity is a civil society.
    • It is the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens.
    • It is referred to as the third sector of the society distinct from government and business.

  • CBI

    The high-powered selection committee headed by the Prime Minister has finalized some names for the post of CBI director.

    Try answering this:

    Q.Why the CBI is called “a caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice”? Critically comment.

    Central Bureau of Investigation

    • The CBI is the premier investigating agency of India operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
    • It was originally set up to investigate bribery and governmental corruption.
    • In 1965 it received expanded jurisdiction to investigate breaches of central laws enforceable by the Government of India, multi-state organized crime, multi-agency or international cases.
    • The agency has been known to investigate several economic crimes, special crimes, cases of corruption, and other cases.
    • CBI is exempted from the provisions of the Right to Information Act. CBI is India’s officially designated single point of contact for liaison with Interpol.

    Its composition

    • The CBI is headed by a Director, an IPS officer with a rank of Director General of Police.
    • The director is selected by a high-profile committee constituted under The Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946 as amended through The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and has a two-year term.
    • The Appointment Committee consists of:
    1. Prime Minister – Chairperson
    2. Leader of Opposition of Loksabha or the Leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, if the former is not present due to lack of mandated strength in the Lok Sabha – member
    3. Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court Judge recommended by the Chief Justice – member

    Jurisdiction, powers and restrictions

    • The legal powers of investigation of the CBI are derived from the DSPE Act 1946, which confers powers, duties, privileges and liabilities on the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) and officers of the UTs.
    • The central government may extend to any area (except UTs) the powers and jurisdiction of the CBI for investigation, subject to the consent of the government of the concerned state.
    • Members of the CBI at or above the rank of sub-inspector may be considered officers in charge of police stations.
    • Under the DSPE Act, the CBI can investigate only with notification by the central government.

    Relationship with state police

    • The CBI was originally constituted under the DSPE Act, to operate within the territory of Delhi.
    • As policing and law is a subject that falls within state powers under the structure of Indian federalism, the CBI needs prior consent from other state governments in order to conduct investigations within their territory.
    • This consent can be in the form of a ‘general consent’ under Section 6 of the DSPE Act, which remains in operation for all investigations.
    • Once consent is granted, the CBI can investigate economic, corruption, and special crimes (including national security, drugs and narcotics, etc.)
    • Most Indian states had granted general consent to the CBI to investigate crimes within their territory.
    • However, as of 2020, several states have withdrawn their ‘general consent’ for the CBI to operate, and require special consent to be granted on a case-to-case basis.

    Issues with CBI

    • In 2013, Judge of the Supreme Court of India (and later CJI) R. M. Lodha criticized the CBI for being a “caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice”.
    • This was due to its excessive political interference irrespective of which party happened to be in power.

  • [pib] Competition Commission of India

    Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs recently commemorated the 12th Annual Day of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

    Competition Commission of India

    • CCI is the competition regulator in India.
    • It is a statutory body responsible for enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 and promoting competition throughout India and preventing activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India.
    • It was established on 14 October 2003. It became fully functional in May 2009.

    Its establishment

    • The idea of CCI was conceived and introduced in the form of The Competition Act, 2002 by the Vajpayee government.
    • A need was felt to promote competition and private enterprise especially in the light of 1991 Indian economic liberalization.
    • The Competition Act, 2002, as amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007, follows the philosophy of modern competition laws.
    • The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises, and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control, and Merger and acquisition), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.

  • What is Vaccine Tourism?

    A couple of days ago, reports emerged of a Dubai-based tour operator offering a 24-day package tour from Delhi to Moscow that has included two shots of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine.

    What is vaccine tourism?

    • In India, the term “vaccine tourism” became popular late last year when reports emerged of several tour operators offering packages to the US with the additional benefit of a vaccine shot.
    • Meanwhile, South Africans are said to be flying to Zimbabwe, Canadians and South Americans are traveling to the US for jabs, while tour operators in Europe are offering trips to Russia for Sputnik V shots.
    • It is said that Russia and the Maldives are already working on programs to offer people abroad the chance to get vaccinated during a visit; similar offerings are sprouting in the US as well.

    Why is it gaining popularity?

    • In fact, vaccine tourism is an emerging trend in countries where vaccines are in short supply, or where certain groups are still restricted from being inoculated.
    • Still, there are only a few countries in the world (parts of the US, Russia, Slovakia, Zimbabwe, etc) that don’t restrict their vaccination policy to local residents.
    • Currently, it is not illegal to travel to a foreign country to get vaccinated if air travel is allowed.
    • Recently, Seychelles announced that only vaccinated visitors from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh who have completed two weeks after their second dose are permitted to travel to and enter the island nation, with proof.

    Can Indians go abroad to get vaccinated for Covid-19?

    • There may be no need for anyone from India to go abroad for vaccination since all eligible Indians will be vaccinated in the country by the end of this year – that too, at the most reasonable rates possible.
    • However, the idea of vaccine tourism is gaining momentum in India.
    • Many Indians, who fled to Dubai just before the international flight ban came into effect last month, are said to be availing of the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm shots in the UAE.

    Not to be confused with Vaccine Passport

    • Sometimes, vaccine tourism is confused with vaccine passports, which is a more regulated practice gaining currency around the world.

  • Maratha quota judgment could lead to a federal crisis on reservation

    The article highlights the issues with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the 102nd amendment depriving the States of power to identify the SEBCs.

    How 102nd Constitution Amendment was interpreted by the SC?

    • Supreme Court held that the 102nd Constitution Amendment has taken away the power of the states to identify and prepare a list of Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBCs).
    • The Supreme Court has interpreted the 102nd constitutional amendment to the effect that only the President can publish a list of backward classes in relation to each state and that only Parliament can make inclusions and exclusions in that list.
    • The Supreme Court has also directed the central government to notify the list of SEBCs for each state and Union Territory.
    • Until such lists are prepared, the court directed that the present state list would continue to be in operation.

    Time-honoured authority of the States

    • The states have been exercising the power to identify the list of SEBCs from the beginning of the 20th century.
    • In states like the Madras Presidency, Mysore, Bombay, Travancore-Cochin, reservation and other benefits to OBCs were in practice since the 1920s.
    • The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951 and the insertion of Article 15(4), empowered the states to make “special provision for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens”.
    • In states like Bihar, 26 per cent reservation to OBCs in jobs and educational institutions were provided in 1978 on the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission.
    • Similarly, in more than a dozen states, reservation in jobs and educational institutions were provided on recommendations of the respective state commissions.

      Central list of SEBC after Indra Sawhney judgment

    • Till 1992, there was no central list of SEBCs and no reservation in jobs and educational institutions in the central government.
    • In the Indra Sawhney judgment in 1992, the Supreme Court upheld 27 per cent reservation in central government jobs for SEBCs.
    • After Indra Sawhney, the Union government was authorised to prepare a central list for reservation of SEBCs in central government jobs and take other affirmative actions.
    • Acting on the directions of the Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney, the central and several state governments enacted laws for setting up commissions to ascertain and identify the backward class of citizens.
    • Therefore, after 1992, there was a “central list” for central government services and a “state list” that was prepared by state governments for state-specific jobs.

    Intention of the Union government

    • The intention was not to change the status quo and to take away the power of the state governments to prepare and notify a separate state list of SEBCs.
    • Even during the discussion in the select committee of Parliament on the 102nd Constitution Amendment, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment clarified that the proposed insertion of Article 342A (1) and (2) did not interfere with the power of state governments to identify SEBCs.
    • In the affidavit filed by the central government before the Supreme Court, it was submitted that the power of Parliament to identify SEBCs lay with reference to the central list and states would have a separate list of SEBCs for reservation.

    Way forward

    • If the review petition fails to convince the Supreme Court, the central government would have to expeditiously bring a constitutional amendment to resolve this crisis.

    Consider the question “Examine the issues with the Supreme Courts interpretation of the 102nd constitutional amendment regarding the States’ right to identify the socially and economically backward class.” 

    Conclusion

    The majority judgement by 3:2 has failed to appreciate that Article 15 empowers the states to identify socially and economically backward classes of citizens and that this power has not been changed by the 102nd Constitution Amendment.

  • E-way bill integrated with FASTag, RFID

    GST officers have been armed with real-time data of commercial vehicle movement on highways with the integration of the e-way bill (EWB) system with FasTag and RFID.

    Why such a move?

    • The integration of e-way bill, RFID, and FASTag will enable tax officers to undertake live vigilance in respect of EWB compliances by businesses and will help curb tax evasion.
    • It will aid in preventing revenue leakage by real-time identification of cases of recycling and/or non-generation of EWBs.

    What are E-way bills (EWB)?

    • Under the GST regime, transporters should carry the eWay Bill when moving goods from one place to another when certain conditions are satisfied.
    • EWBs are mandatory for inter-state transportation of goods valued over Rs 50,000 from April 2018, with the exemption to precious items such as gold
    • In this system, businesses and transporters have to produce before a GST inspector the e-way bill, if asked.
    • On average, 25 lakh goods vehicle movements from more than 800 tolls are reported on a daily basis to the e-way bill system.

    Benefits of the move

    • Tax officers can now access reports on vehicles that have passed the selected tolls without EWBs in the past few minutes.
    • Also, vehicles carrying critical commodities specific to the state and having passed the selected toll can be viewed.
    • Any suspicious vehicles and vehicles of EWBs generated by suspicious taxpayer GSTINs, that have passed the selected toll on a near real-time basis, can also be viewed in this report.
    • The officers can use these reports while conducting vigilance and make the vigilance activity more effective.
    • Also, the officers of the audit and enforcement wing can use these reports to identify fraudulent transactions like bill trading, recycling of EWBs.

  • The outdated nature of bureaucracy

    The second wave of Covid has exposed the inherent weakness of the bureaucracy in India. The article highlights the necessity for reforms in the way bureaucracy functions in India.

    Features of traditional bureaucracy

    • Preference to generalist: Weberian bureaucracy still prefers a generalist over a specialist.
    • Preference to leadership of position: The leadership of position is preferred over leadership of function in the traditional bureaucracy.
    • The leadership of function is when a person has expert knowledge of a particular responsibility in a particular situation.
    • The role of the leader is to explain the situation instead of issuing orders.
    •  Every official involved in a particular role responds to the situation rather than relying on some dictation from someone occupying a particular position.
    • Lack of innovation: The rigid adherence to rules has resulted in the rejection of innovation.

    Covid exposed limits of traditional bureaucracy

    • A generalist officer IAS and State civil service officials are deemed an expert and as a result, superior in traditional bureaucracy.
    • Specialists in every government department have to remain subordinate to the generalist officers.
    • The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weakness of this system.
    • Healthcare professionals who are specialists have been made to work under generalist officers and the policy options have been left to the generalists when they should be in the hands of the specialists.
    • The justification is that the generalist provides a broader perspective compared to the specialist.

    Is privatisation and private sector managerial techniques an answer?

    • The reform often suggested in India is new public management.
    • This as a reform movement promotes privatisation and managerial techniques of the private sector as an effective tool to seek improvements in public service delivery and governance.
    • But this isn’t a viable solution in India where there is social inequality and regional variations in development.
    • It renders the state a bystander among the multiple market players with a lack of accountability.
    • Further, COVID-19 has shown that the private sector has also failed in public service delivery.

    Way forward: Collaborative governance

    • The most appropriate administrative reform is the model of new public governance.
    • Work together: In collaborative governance, the public sector, private players and civil society, especially public service organisations (NGOs), work together for effective public service delivery.
    • As part of new public governance, a network of social actors and private players would take responsibility in various aspects of governance with public bureaucracy steering the ship rather than rowing it.
    • As part of new public governance, the role of civil society has to be institutionalised.
    • It needs a change in the behaviour of bureaucracy.
    • Openness to reforms: It needs flexibility in the hierarchy, a relook at the generalist versus specialist debate, and an openness to reforms such as lateral entry and collaboration with a network of social actors.
    • All major revolutions with huge implications on public service delivery have come through the collaboration of public bureaucracy with so-called outsiders.
    • These include the Green Revolution (M.S. Swaminathan), the White Revolution (Verghese Kurien), Aadhaar-enabled services (Nandan Nilekani) and the IT revolution (Sam Pitroda).

    Consider the question “What are the weaknesses of bureaucracy in India? Suggest the measures to improve the quality of public service delivery in India.”

    Conclusion

    New public governance is the future of governance, especially public service delivery.

    Back2Basics: The Weberian Model of bureaucracy

    • The classic model of bureaucracy is typically called the ideal Weberian model, and it was developed by Max Weber, an early German sociologist.
    • Weber argued that the increasing complexity of life would simultaneously increase the demands of citizens for government services.
    • Therefore, the ideal type of bureaucracy, the Weberian model, was one in which agencies are apolitical, hierarchically organized, and governed by formal procedures.
    • Furthermore, specialized bureaucrats would be better able to solve problems through logical reasoning.
    • Such efforts would eliminate entrenched patronage, stop problematic decision-making by those in charge,, impose order and efficiency, create a clear understanding of the service provided, reduce arbitrariness, ensure accountability, and limit discretion.

  • The fault line of poor health infrastructure

    The poor public health infrastructure in India hits the poor hard. The article examines the factors responsible for poor public health infrastructure and suggests the measures to deal with it.

    Poor state of health infrastructure

    • World Bank data reveal the poor state of India’s health infrastructure.
    • It reveals that India had 85.7 physicians per 1,00,000 people in 2017.
    • In contrast, it is 98 in Pakistan, 58 in Bangladesh, 100 in Sri Lanka and 241 in Japan.
    • India had 53 beds per 1,00,000 people.
    • It is 63 in Pakistan, 79.5 in Bangladesh, 415 in Sri Lanka and 1,298 in Japan.
    • India had172.7 nurses and midwives per 1,00,000 people in contrast to 220 in Sri Lanka, 40 in Bangladesh, 70 in Pakistan, and 1,220 in Japan.

    What are the factors responsible for poor health infrastructure?

    • Stagnant expenditure: Analysis by the Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA), Ashoka University, shows that health expenditure has been stagnant for years.
    • Lack of expertise with states: Despite health being a state subject, the main bodies with technical expertise are under central control.
    • The States lack corresponding expert bodies such as the National Centre for Disease Control or the Indian Council of Medical Research.
    • Inter-State variation: States also differ a great deal in terms of the fiscal space to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic because of the wide variation in per capita health expenditure.
    • Kerala and Delhi have been close to top in years from 2011 to 2019-20.
    • Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, States that have been consistently towards the bottom of the ranking in the same years.

    Out-of-pocket expenditure and its impact on the poor

    • Due to low levels of public health provision, the World Health Organization estimates that 62% of the total health expenditure in India is OOP, among the highest in the world.
    • Some of the poorest States, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha, have a high ratio of OOP expenditures in total health expenditure.
    • Impact on the poor: High ratio of OOP means that the poor in the poorest States, the most vulnerable sections, are the worst victims of a health emergency.

    Way forward

    1) Coordinated national plan

    • The inter-State variation in health expenditure highlights the need for a coordinated national plan at the central level to fight the pandemic.
    • The Centre already tightly controls major decisions, including additional resources raised specifically for pandemic relief, e.g. the PM CARES Fund.
    • The need for a coordinated strategy on essential supplies of oxygen and vaccines is acute.
    • The Centre can bargain for a good price from vaccine manufacturers in its capacity as a single large buyer like the European Union did for its member states.
    • Centre will also benefit from the economies of scale in transportation of vaccines into the country.
    • Once the vaccines arrive in India, these could be distributed across States equitably in a needs-based and transparent manner.
    • Another benefit of central coordination is that distribution of constrained resources like medical supplies, financial resources can internalise the existing disparities in health infrastructure across States.

    2) Form Pandemic Preparedness Unit

    • There is a need for the creation of a “Pandemic Preparedness Unit” (PPU) by the central government.
    • PPU would streamline disease surveillance and reporting systems; coordinate public health management and policy responses across all levels of government.
    • It will also formulate policies to mitigate economic and social costs, and communicate effectively about the health crisis.

    Consider the question “India has among the highest out-of-pocket expenditure in the world, which is the result of poor public health infrastructure. Examine the factors responsible for poor public health infrastructure and suggest the ways to deal with it.”

    Conclusion

    As and when we emerge on the other side of the pandemic, bolstering public health-care systems has to be the topmost priority for all governments: the Centre as well as States.

  • Issues in Social Security Code 2020

    Provisions in Social Security Code 2020

    • India’s Parliament in September 2020 passed a Social Security Code (SS Code 2020).
    • The SS Code 2020 merges existing social security laws and attempts to include informal workers within the ambit of social security administration.
    • The SS Code 2020 amalgamates and rationalises the provisions of eight existing central labour laws.
    • Of these acts, employees provident fund, employees state insurance (ESI), maternity benefit, gratuity are entirely for organised sector workers. 
    • Employee threshold removed: For employees’ state insurance, the existing employee threshold has been withdrawn.
    • Now the central government can extend ESI benefits to any organisation irrespective of the number of workers employed.

    Key benefits not available to informal workers in Social Security Code 2020

    • Maternity benefit: Under the SS Code, the provision of maternity benefit has not been made universal.
    • Maternity benefit is presently applicable for establishments employing 10 workers or more.
    • The definition of ‘Establishment’ in the proposed code did not include the unorganised sector.
    • Hence, women engaged in the unorganised sector would remain outside the purview of maternity benefit.
    • Employees Provident Fund: The SS Code maintains that the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme will remain applicable, as before, to every establishment in which 20 or more employees are employed.
    • Thus, for informal sector workers, access to employees’ provident fund remains unfulfilled too in the new code.
    • Payment of gratuity: Gratuity shall be payable to eligible employees by every shop or establishment in which 10 or more employees are employed, or were employed, on any day of the preceding 12 months.
    • But although payment of gratuity was expanded in the new Code, it still remains inaccessible for a vast majority of informal workers.

    Challenges faced by informal workers in availing social security

    • Registration barrier: To avail social security, an informal worker must register herself on the specified online portal to be developed by the central government.
    • Absence of definition: The absence of definite and unambiguous provisions in the present code would further complicate achievement of universal registration.
    • Lack of awareness: Experience shows that there is an awful lack of awareness among informal workers regarding social security schemes.
    • Lack of digital literacy: Online registration places a further challenge as most informal workers lack digital literacy and connectivity.
    • Lack of documents: Informal workers also find it difficult to furnish all documentary papers required as part of the registration process.
    • Furnishing proof of livelihood and income details in the absence of tangible employer-employee relations is very difficult.
    • Such requirements deter informal workers from completing the registration and they continue to remain outside the social security ambit.

    Way forward

    The provision of social security could be used to formalise the workforce to a certain extent. Employers could have been made to own up to the responsibility of providing social security to their workers.

    1) Inter-State cooperation

    • As unorganised workers are spread across the length and breadth of India, inter-State arrangement and cooperation becomes imperative.
    • The central government should conceptualise a basic structure, which if successful, should be adopted by States after necessary customisation.

    2) Universal coverage

    • The unorganised workforce is all encompassing, minus the minuscule regular workers of organised sectors.
    • This identity should be primal and all unorganised workers should have basic social security coverage, irrespective of labour market classifications.
    • The code fails to undertake such inclusion in a meaningful way.

    Conclusion

    The Social Security Code fails to provide adequate protection to informal workers, who constitute 91% of the workforce. The pandemic and misery brought by it on these informal workers highligths the need for universal social security.

  • Creating a new District

    Punjab CM has recently declared Malerkotla the 23rd district of the State.

    How are new districts carved?

    • The power to create new districts or alter or abolish existing districts rests with the State governments.
    • This can either be done through an executive order or by passing a law in the State Assembly.
    • Many States prefer the executive route by simply issuing a notification in the official gazette.

    How does it help?

    • States argue that smaller districts lead to better administration and governance.
    • For example, in 2016, the Assam government issued a notification to upgrade the Majuli sub-division to the Majuli district for “administrative expediency”.

    Are there are any exceptions?

    • The State government has been vested with unfettered powers under Section 5 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 to create new districts.
    • This power is generally held temporarily in abeyance only during active census operations or during the delimitation exercise of Lok Sabha/Vidhan Sabha constituencies.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q. The Constitution (Seventy-Third Amendment) Act, 1992, which aims at promoting the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the country, provides for which of the following?

    1. Constitution of District Planning Committees.
    2. State Election Commissions to conduct all panchayat elections.
    3. Establishment of State Finance Commissions.

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    (a) Only 1

    (b) 1 and 2 only

    (c) 2 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    Does the Central government have a role to play here?

    • The Centre has no role to play in the alteration of districts or creation of new ones. States are free to decide.
    • The Home Ministry comes into the picture when a State wants to change the name of a district or a railway station.
    • The State government’s request is sent to other departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Intelligence Bureau, Department of Posts, Geographical Survey of India Sciences and the Railway Ministry seeking clearance.
    • A no-objection certificate may be issued after examining their replies.

    What has been the trend?

    • According to the 2011 Census, there were 593 districts in the country.
    • The Census results showed that between 2001-2011, as many as 46 districts were created by States.
    • Though the 2021 Census is yet to happen, Know India, a website run by the Government of India, says currently there are 718 districts in the country.
    • The surge in number is also due to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into A.P and Telangana in 2014. Telangana at present has 33 districts and A.P has 13 districts.