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Subject: Governance

Important aspects of Society

  • Smart Cities Mission and the public health

    “Smart Cities Mission” lacks the focus on public health. This article highlights the consequences of this. The article suggests strengthening the of local governments and provisions for the livelihood through an urban employment guarantee scheme.

    “Smart Cities Mission”: Progress so far

    • The ‘Smart Cities Mission’, a flagship programme of the government, completed five years, in June 2020.
    •  The Mission had sought to make 100 selected cities “smart”.
    • Cities are being developed under “Area-Based Development” model.
    • Under this model, a small portion of the city would be upgraded by retrofitting or redevelopment.
    • Many of the projects undertaken under the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ are behind schedule.
    • According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, of the 5,151 smart city projects, only 1,638 projects have been completed.
    • In terms of expenditure, of the total investment of ₹2,05,018 crore, only projects worth ₹26,700 crore have been completed.

    Lack of focus on Public health in Smart Cities Mission

    • ‘Smart Cities Mission’ has given little importance to basic services such as public health.
    •  An analysis shows that only 69 of over 5,000 projects undertaken under the Mission were for health infrastructure.
    • These projects are for an estimated cost of ₹2,112 crore, amounting to just around one per cent of the total mission cost.
    • Hence, public health seems to be a major blind spot in India’s smart city dreams.

    Public Health: Essential local government function

    • ‘Smart Cities Mission’ had the stated aim of improving the quality of life of urban residents.
    • Further, public health is an essential local government function in India’s constitutional scheme.
    • As per the 74th Amendment ( 12th Schedule), “public health” is one of the 18 functions that are to be devolved to the municipalities.
    • However, public health infrastructure of cities has often been neglected over the years.

    Strengthening Local Governments

    • Success of Kerala in containing the pandemic has shown how a decentralised political and administrative system can be effective.
    • It is important to strengthen local government capacities.
    • Investment in urban public health systems is needed.
    • Promoting programmes that improve the livelihoods of urban vulnerable communities should be the priority.
    • Programs such as the National Urban Livelihoods Mission and National Urban Health Mission, need to be strengthened.

    Focus on Urban Employment

    • It is time to consider the introduction of a national urban employment guarantee programme.
    • Kerala has been running such a scheme since 2010.
    • States such as Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand have also recently launched similar initiatives in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

    Consider the question “Covid pandemic has highlighted the lack of focus on public health in our Smart Cities Mission. Suggest the measures to make our cities resilient and source of livelihood. 

    Conclusion

    As Indian cities face an unprecedented challenge, it is important to get the priorities of urban development right and invest in programmes that improve the health and livelihoods of its residents.

  • Policing the police

    Custodial deaths in Tamil Nadu and death of a criminal in UP has brought to the fore the issue of illegalities carried out by the police. This article discusses the ways in which people face such illegalities and need for the reforms.

    Issue of illegalities by police

    • It is common practice in police stations to ignore the statute, laid down processes and Supreme Court guidelines.
    • So frequent is the brazen disobedience to the law that a lot of illegality seems to have morphed into accepted practice.

    Following are the ways in which police illegalities are carried out

    1) Custodial deaths

    •  The National Crime Records Bureau records 853 custodial deaths between 2010 to 2018.
    • At 1,636, the National Human Rights Commission puts the death figure much higher.
    • For this, just 3 policemen have been convicted.

    2) Issues of encounters

    •  The Supreme Court is clear that in each encounter case, an FIR must be registered and the matter probed independently.
    • If false, an “encounter” is premeditated murder.
    • Encounter threaten the basis of the rule of law.

    3) Avoiding registering complaint

    • Avoiding registration of complaint is the most common problem faced by the people.
    •  Even when the complaint is registered its magnitude is often diluted.
    • It is difficult for women, in particular, to get crimes registered.
    • So, in 2013, the law itself had to be changed.
    • Now a policeman who refuses to register a complaint of a sexual assault faces a two-year sentence.
    • The crime rate in India in 2018, it stood at 383.5 per 1,00,000 population.
    • By contrast, the crime rate in the US was over 2,500 per 1,00,000 .
    • This difference in crime rate highlights the reluctance by the police to registering crime.
    • This low crime rate on paper makes a fine excuse for governments to leave vacancies unfilled, go short on equipment and upgrades.
    • At 158, India’s police to population ratio which is police staff per 1,00,000 citizens, is one of the worst in the world. 

    4) Detention without cause

    •  People with prior records form a pool of easy pickings, as do the powerless.
    •  Often it is because the local public wants a quick arrest and the police want a scapegoat.

    5) Discrimination in arrest and investigation

    •  In the Tuticorin custodial murder, it took six days, the Madras High Court’s dogged intervention and a national hue and cry before six policemen could be arrested.
    • While police act swiftly in some cases, it goes soft against in other cases.

    Mechanisms and Checks and balances

    • There are many checks and balances from taluka to the national level to avoid police transgressions.
    • Internally, there are disciplinary mechanisms.
    • Outside, there are the courts.
    • Every state has human rights commissions, special interest bodies like the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, women, and minorities commissions, and some have the police complaints authorities.
    • The Supreme Court’s clear directions coupled with the criminal code provide ample safeguards against excess.

    Why these checks and balances fail

    • In real life, internal mechanisms are overindulgent of illegal behaviour, obscure and dilatory.
    • The first responder lower courts are constrained by capacity and circumstance.
    • Very few of the over one hundred guardian bodies dotted around the country work effectively

    Issues with the Guardian bodies

    • Many bodies are without any functions and powers.
    • Others are deliberately left understaffed and under-resourced.
    • The Andhra Pradesh SHRC has no chairperson nor members.
    • Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu SHRCs function with acting chairs.
    • The few institutions that have the power and resources restrain their own functioning through terminal timidity.

    Consider the question “Issue of the illegalities by the police raises the question of guarding the guardians. Examine the ways in which police illegalities are manifested and suggest ways to deal with the issue.”

    Conclusion

    The number and regularity of heinous crimes by the police calls out for root and branch repair of the police and the many guardian agencies tasked with keeping them lawful.

  • National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) signed MoU with NCRB

    The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has signed an MoU with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to access the centralised online database on FIRs and stolen vehicles. The MoU would enable the NATGRID to get information about details of a suspect as mentioned in the FIR such as his/her father’s name, telephone number and other details.

    Practice question for mains:

    Q.What is NATGRID? Discuss its role in facilitating criminal investigation and intelligence by various agencies.

    About NATGRID

    • NATGRID initially started in 2009 is an online database for collating scattered pieces of information and putting them together on one platform.
    • It links intelligence and investigation agencies.
    • At least 10 Central government agencies, such as the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing and others have access to the data on a secured platform.
    • NATGRID is exempted from the Right to Information Act, 2005 under sub-section (2) of Section 24.

    Utility of NATGRID

    • The NATGRID enables multiple security and intelligence agencies to access a database related to immigration entry and exit, banking and telephone details, among others, from a common platform.
    • The 10 user agencies will be linked independently with certain databases which will be procured from 21 providing organisations including telecom, tax records, bank, immigration etc. to generate intelligence inputs.

    Back2Basics: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)

    • The NCRB is a government agency responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL).
    • NCRB is headquartered in New Delhi and is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
    • NCRB was set-up in 1986 to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators.
    • Mission: To Empower Indian Police with IT and criminal Intelligence to enable them to uphold the law and protect people & to provide leadership and excellence in crime analysis particularly for serious and organized crime.

    Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS)

    • The CCTNS is a project for creating a comprehensive and integrated system for effective policing through e-Governance.
    • The concept was first conceived in the year 2008 by the then Home Minister in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
    • The system includes a nationwide online tracking system by integrating more than 14,000 police stations across the country.
    • The project is implemented by NCRB.

  • [pib] ASEEM Portal

    Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee-Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.

    There are various web/portals/apps with peculiar names such as YUKTI, DISHA, SWAYAM etc. Their core purpose is similar with slight differences. Pen them down on a separate sheet.

    ASEEM Portal

    • ASEEM refers to all the data, trends and analytics which describe the workforce market and map demand of skilled workforce to supply.
    • It is developed and managed by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with Bengaluru-based Company named Betterplace.
    • It is an AI-based portal which will map details of workers based on regions and local industry demands and will bridge the demand-supply gap of skilled workforce across sectors.
    • It will provide employers with a platform to assess the availability of a skilled workforce and formulate their hiring plans.
    • It will also provide real-time granular information by identifying relevant skilling requirements and employment prospects.

  • Rabari, Bharvad and Charan Tribes of Gujarat

    The Gujarat government will constitute a commission to identify the members of Rabari, Bharvad and Charan communities who are eligible to get the benefits of Schedule Tribe (ST) status.

    Try this question from CSP 2017:

    Q.Every year, a monthlong ecologically important campaign/festival is held during which certain communities/ tribes plant saplings of fruit-bearing trees. Which of the following are such communities/ tribes?

    (a) Bhutia and Lepcha

    (b) Gond and Korku

    (c) lrula and Toda

    (d) Sahariya and Agariya

    About the Tribes

    (1) Rabari

    • The Rabari, also called the Rewari are an indigenous tribal caste of nomadic cattle and camel herders and shepherds that live throughout northwest India, primarily in the states of Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan.
    • The word “Rabari” translates as “outsiders”, a fair description of their primary occupation and status within Indian society.
    • They speak ‘Bhopa’ which is a mixture of Gujarati, Kachchi, Marwari words and Pharasi (Persian) and use Gujarati script.
    • The Rabari are known for their distinctive art, particularly the mirrored and whitewashed mud sculpture-work that adorns their homes and villages.
    • Rabari women are responsible for this artwork and also traditionally spin the wool from their sheep and goats, and give it to local weavers to make their woollen skirts, veils, blankets and turbans.

    (2) Bharvad

    • The Bharwad are tribals primarily engaged in herding livestock.
    • The Bharwad name may derive from the Gujarati word badawad, constructed from bada (sheep) and wada (a compound or enclosure).
    • The Bharwads have numerous subgroups known as ataks or guls (clans) whose main purpose is to determine eligibility for marriage.
    • Constrained exogamy is practised between clans.

    (3) Charan

    • The Charan, also called Gadhvi, is a small tribe in Gujarat and the name Charan is derived from the word ‘Char’ which means grazing.
    • Members of the caste are considered to be divine by a large section of society.
    • Women of the caste are adored as mother goddesses by other major communities of this region.

  • Rewriting the social contract to deal with the pandemic

    The article examines the theoretical basis on which the governments exercise power. That basis is encapsulated in the ‘social contract theory’. The role of government, however, came under the scanner in the pandemic in which the impact of pandemic was different for the different people.

    Social contract theory: Then and now

    • In the course of evolution, formed the concept of social groups and resultant rules they would abide by.
    • This is the most rudimentary form of what is known as the ‘social contract theory’.
    • When monarchies and empires prevailed, it was easy to understand a social contract.
    • But democratically elected governments have found it more difficult to derive the same legitimacy.
    • Modern society and modern governments also use the social contract theory to claim legitimacy for their actions.
    • The social contract comprises people agreeing to live as one under common laws and in enforcing those common laws justly.

    Modern-day governments’ approach

    • Modern-day governments fundamental credo is that society is best served if a government takes on an executive or sovereign power, with the consent of the people.
    • Governments also use the power democratically invested in them to decide what is in the best interest of the people.
    • Thus, there is a bending of individual free will towards the collective will.
    • So, the social contract is being used by modern governments to justify greater aggrandisement of power in the hands of the sovereign.

    Governments role in pandemic and social contract

    • The novel coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the falsity of this image.
    • Access to information about this pandemic has not been equal.
    • Access to resources to avoid the disease has not been equal.
    • And, of course, access to treatment has not been equal.
    • All this led to uneven impact of the pandemic on people belonging to the different strata of the society.

    Inequality and the impact of pandemic

    •  All societies have some measure of inequality.
    • However, in deeply unequal societies, where the Gini Coefficient exceeds 0.4, for instance, different strata of society will have very different needs to deal with a crisis of this nature.
    • We have seen societies with lower Gini Coefficients deal with the crisis far better.
    • This is because a uniform approach works perfectly when society is perfectly equal.

    Centralised or decentralised approach: Which is better to deal with pandemic?

    • The social contract which imbues a centralised sovereign with overreaching powers has clearly failed on this occasion.
    • The centralised sovereign will work well against a mighty external aggressor, but not against a microscopic pathogen.
    • What is required is not just a decentralised approach but also a state which is sensitive.

    Consider the question “The COVID pandemic has impacted the people with varying intensity and its impact was more on societies with more inequality. This highlights the centrality of the government. Critically examine.”

    Conclusion

    The novel coronavirus cannot be defeated by a centralised government. COVID-19 can only be defeated by an empowered populace. The social contract requires to be rewritten. It does not require anything drastic such as a revolution or anarchy. Rather, it only needs fundamental introspection and rethinking by the governing classes including bureaucrats.

    Oped-snap

    https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-social-contract-needs-to-be-rewritten/article32025342.ece

  • [pib] Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (AHRCs) for Urban Migrants / Poor

    The Union Cabinet has given its approval for developing of Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (AHRCs). for urban migrants  / poor.

    Try this question from CSP 2015:

    “Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojna’ has been launched for

    (a) Providing housing loan to poor people at cheaper interest rates

    (b) Promoting women’s Self-Help Groups in backward areas

    (c) Promoting financial inclusion in the country

    (d) Providing financial help to the marginalized communities

    AHRC

    • It is a sub-scheme under PM Awas Yojana – Urban.
    • Under the scheme, existing vacant government-funded housing complexes will be converted in ARHCs through Concession Agreements for 25 years.
    • The concessionaire will make the complexes livable by repair/retrofit and maintenance of rooms and filling up infrastructure gaps like water, sewer/ septage, sanitation, road etc.
    • States/UTs will select concessionaire through transparent bidding.
    • Complexes will revert to ULB after 25 years to restart next cycle like earlier or run on their own.

    Beneficiaries of the scheme

    • A large part of the workforce in manufacturing industries, service providers in hospitality, health, domestic/commercial establishments, and construction or other sectors, labourers, students etc. who come from rural areas or small towns seeking better opportunities will be the target beneficiary under ARHCs.

    Benefits of AHRCs

    • Usually, these migrants live in slums, informal/ unauthorized colonies or peri-urban areas to save rental charges.
    • They spend a lot of time on roads by walking/ cycling to workplaces, risking their lives to cut on the expenses.
    • ARHCs will create a new ecosystem in urban areas making housing available at affordable rent close to the place of work.
    • Investment under ARHCs is expected to create new job opportunities.
    • ARHCs will cut down unnecessary travel, congestion and pollution.

    Back2Basics: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)

    PMAY-Urban

    The PMAY- Urban Programme launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA), in Mission mode envisions provision of Housing for All by 2022. The Mission seeks to address the housing requirement of urban poor including slum dwellers through following programme verticals:

    • Slum rehabilitation of Slum Dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a resource
    • Promotion of Affordable Housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy
    • Affordable Housing in Partnership with Public & Private sectors
    • Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction /enhancement.

    PMAY-Rural

    • In pursuance to the goal – Housing for all by 2022, the rural housing scheme Indira Awas Yojana has been revamped to Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin and approved during March 2016.
    • Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided for construction of a pucca house to all houseless and households living in dilapidated houses.
    • It is proposed that one crore households would be provided assistance for construction of pucca house under the project during the period from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
    • The scheme would be implemented in rural areas throughout India except for Delhi and Chandigarh. The cost of houses would be shared between the Centre and States.

  • [pib] Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

    The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) as part of Economic Response to COVID-19, for another five months from July to November 2020.

    Practice question for mains:

    Q.Discuss how the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana has helped to ensure food security to the vulnerable sections of India during the Covid-19 induced lockdown period.

    PM- Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

    • Under the scheme it is proposed to distribute 9.7 Lakh MT cleaned whole Chana to States/UTs for distribution to all beneficiary households under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).
    • Thus it would 1kg per month free of cost under for the next five months -July to November 2020.
    • All expenses on the extended PMGKAY are to be borne by the Central Government.
    • About 19.4 crore households would be covered under the Scheme.

    Benefits of the scheme

    • Extension of the scheme is in line with the commitments of the GOI to allow anybody, especially any poor family, to suffer on account of non-availability of food grains due to disruption during next five months.
    • Free distribution of whole Chana will also ensure adequate availability of protein to all the above-mentioned individuals during these five months.

  • Prerak Dauur Samman

    The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced a new category of awards titled ‘Prerak Dauur Samman’ as part of Swachh Survekshan 2021.

    Try this question:

    Q. The Prerak Dauur Samman recently seen in news is related to:

    a) Swachh Bharat b) Literature c) Health Services d) Visual Arts

    Prerak Dauur Samman

    • The Prerak Dauur Samman has a total of five additional subcategories -Divya (Platinum), Anupam (Gold), Ujjwal (Silver), Udit (Bronze), Aarohi (Aspiring) – with top three cities being recognized in each.
    • In a departure from the present criteria of evaluating cities on ‘population category’, this new category will categorize cities on the basis of six select indicator wise performance criteria which are as follows:

    1) Segregation of waste into Wet, Dry and Hazard categories

    2) Processing capacity against wet waste generated

    3) Processing and recycling of wet and dry waste

    4) Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing

    5) Percentage of waste going to landfills

    6) Sanitation status of cities

  • What are Containment Zones?

    In the current pandemic, all interventions are primarily geared towards reducing people-to-people contact, and thus breaking the chain of transmission to the extent possible. The demarcation of containment zones, which works at a more micro level, is likely to remain as long as the disease is spreading.

    Practice question for mains:

    Q.Discuss how the preemptive lockdowns imposed during earlier phases of coronavirus pandemic has led to reduced casualties in India.

    What are Containment Zones?

    • The lockdown, implemented in five phases, worked at the national level, while the classification of red, orange and green districts operated at the state and inter-district levels.
    • Demarcation of containment zones is done within a town, village, or municipal or panchayat area.
    • Neighbourhoods, colonies, or housing societies where infected people live are sealed, and access is restricted.
    • Containment zones are where the restrictions on movement and interaction are the most severe.
    • In many cities, the entire demarcated area is barricaded and the entry and exit points closed. Only the very basic supplies and services are allowed inside.

    Who defines the containment zones?

    • It is the district, town or panchayat authorities that decide which areas have to be marked as containment zones, how large they would be, and what kind of restrictions would apply.
    • The rules for the national lockdown, for example, were set by the central government, while the state governments decided what restrictions to impose on districts.
    • The district administration, Municipal Corporation or panchayat bodies exercise a great deal of discretion in the demarcation of containment zones.
    • The definition and time period vary and are continuously reviewed and updated.

    How are they demarcated?

    • The parameters used are similar, but the exact criteria applied to vary, and usually depends on local conditions. These have also evolved with time, and are under constant review.
    • In general, containment zones are getting smaller with time as the number of cases is increasing — from entire localities to colonies or neighbourhood, to streets and lanes, to particular buildings, and now just particular floors.
    • As of now, in Delhi, a containment zone is declared if three or more infections are detected.
    • The perimeter of the containment zone is also different in different cities.