In February 2018, the Centre had launched the initiative to establish 1,50,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), formerly known as Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), by December 2022.
As of 31st July 2024, 1,73,881 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been set up and are fully operational, exceeding the original target.
About theAyushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs):
Details
Launched to provide comprehensive health services covering preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care for all age groups.
First AAM was launched in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh on April 18th, 2018.
In FY 2018-19, over 17,000 AAMs were operationalized, surpassing the target of 15,000.
Currently, there are 1.6 lakh such centres across India.
National Health Policy of 2017 envisioned AAMs as the cornerstone of India’s health system.
In 2023, the Union Health Ministry renamed AB-HWCs as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs with the tagline ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’.
Aims and Objectives
To provide universal, free-of-cost, and accessible primary healthcare services to both rural and urban populations.
Features and Significance
Services provided include preventive, promotive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative care.
AAMs offer a comprehensive 12-package set of services.
Sub-Health Centres (SHC) and Primary Health Centres (PHC) are being transformed to offer broader healthcare services.
Structural Mandate
Implemented via 2 Components:
Comprehensive Primary Health Care: The mission plans to establish 1,50,000 AAMs in rural and urban areas to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): The scheme provides a health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per year to more than 10 crore vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary care.
PYQ:
[2022] With reference to Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, consider the following statements:
Private and public hospitals must adopt it.
As it aims to achieve universal health coverage, every citizen of India should be part of it ultimately.
It has seamless portability across the country.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Union Health Ministry has urged states to make snakebites a Notifiable Disease, meaning both private and public hospitals must report it to the government.
Snakebites Menace in India:
Snakebites are a significant public health concern in India, with approximately 3 to 4 millioncases reported annually.
It causes an estimated 58,000 deaths every year, according to the 2020 Indian Million Death Study.
States such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat report the highest number of snakebites.
The National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), launched by the government earlier in 2024, aims to halve snakebite deaths by 2030 and includes making snakebites notifiable.
What are Notifiable Diseases?
Notifiable diseases are those that must be reported to the government for effective public health monitoring and management. These are typically:
Infectious diseases likely to cause outbreaks.
Diseases that result in deaths or require quick action to prevent wider transmission.
Legal Basis:
According to WHO’s International Health Regulations, 1969, disease reporting is mandatory for global surveillance.
The primary law governing notifiable diseases is the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 which outlines the reporting requirements for diseases considered a public health threat.
However, the specific list of notifiable diseases can vary across different states and is typically determined by the respective state governments under their individual public health acts.
Common examples of notifiable diseases include tuberculosis, HIV, cholera, malaria, dengue, and hepatitis.
Why snakebite is considered a Notifiable Disease?
Snakebites can cause severe health issues, including paralysis, fatal hemorrhages, and tissue damage, making it crucial for timely intervention.
Victims need immediate antivenom treatment to prevent death and long-term effects.
In 2009, the WHO added snakebite to its list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), acknowledging its widespread impact on public health.
Making snakebites a notifiable disease will enhance surveillance, help track case numbers, and improve treatment strategies across the country.
It will ensure the availability of adequate antivenoms in regions where snakebites are frequent.
Medical staff will receive training to handle snakebite cases effectively, reducing mortality rates.
The Government has empowered Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to operate Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJK), aiming to provide generic medicines at affordable prices to underserved rural areas.
AboutPradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) by PACS:
Details
PMBJKs were established in November 2008.
Government-established outlets that provide affordable, quality generic medicines.
Operated by PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) in rural areas.
PACS are empowered to run these Kendras to ensure accessibility in remote regions under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
Aims and Objectives
To provide affordable medicines, promote healthcare equity, and reduce medical expenses for farmers, while generating local employment and ensuring PACS’ financial sustainability through the sale of medicines and allied products.
Structural Mandate and Implementation
Administered by the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers;
Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementation agency.
Implementation:
PACS receive technical and administrative support from the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
PACS leverage their existing infrastructure, including land, buildings, and storage, to run the Kendras.
PACS-run Kendras receive a 20% incentiveon monthly purchases, capped at Rs. 20,000 per month.
Kendra owners receive a 20% margin on MRP (excluding taxes).
They can sell allied medical products.
Features and Significance
Affordable Medicine Distribution: Ensures that generic medicines are affordable in rural areas.
Economic and Healthcare Benefits: Reduces medical costs and improves healthcare outcomes for farmers.
Alignment with National Health Policy: Supports equitable healthcare access, especially in remote areas.
Strengthening Rural Infrastructure: Utilizes PACS’ infrastructure to boost rural healthcare.
PYQ:
[2015] Public health system has limitations in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector could help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives would you suggest?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) released the Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instructions in the Award of UG and PG Degrees) 2024 to bring sweeping reforms in India’s higher education sector.
The new regulations will apply to all Central, State, Private, and Deemed Universities across India.
Back2Basics: University Grants Commission (UGC)
UGC was inaugurated in 1953 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, then Minister of Education.
it was established as a statutory body in November 1956 under the UGC Act 1956.
The Sargeant Report (1944) recommended a University Grants Committee, established in 1945, initially handling all universities by 1947.
Post-independence, the University Education Commission (1948) under Dr. S Radhakrishnan proposed reorganizing the committee along the lines of the UK’s University Grants Commission.
A proposal to replace UGC with the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is under consideration.
UGC handles:
Providing funds to higher education institutions.
Coordination, determination, and maintenance of academic standards.
About the Draft UGC Regulations, 2024:
Aims and Objectives
To reform India’s higher education system.
To introduce flexibility, multidisciplinary learning, and inclusivity in higher education while removing disciplinary rigidities.
Key Provisions and Features
Biannual Admissions: Institutions can admit students twice a year (July/August and January/February).
Multiple Entry and Exit: Students can enter or exit their programs multiple times, with continuous assessments, recognition of prior learning, and the possibility to pursue two programs at the same time.
Flexibility for Students: Students can choose any discipline for UG and PG programs, irrespective of their background, subject to clearing entrance exams (e.g., CUET or university-specific exams).
Minimum Attendance Requirement: Institutions will set the minimum attendance based on program-specific requirements and statutory approvals, in line with the NEP 2020.
UG Degree Credits: At least 50% of credits must be earned in the major discipline for an undergraduate degree. The remaining 50% credits can be from skill courses, apprenticeships, or multidisciplinary subjects.
Duration of Degrees: UG degrees can be completed in 3 to 4 years, depending on the course structure. PG degrees will typically take 1 to 2 years, though they can be longer or shorter based on the program.
Accelerated and Extended Degree Programs:
ADP (Accelerated Degree Programs): Allows students to complete their degree in a shorter duration while covering the full curriculum.
EDP (Extended Degree Programs): Extends the duration for students who need more time to complete the program.
Up to 10% of the sanctioned intake can be earmarked for ADP. Students can choose ADP or EDP by the end of the first or second semester.
ADP/EDP degrees will include a note specifying the adjusted duration, while ensuring the full academic content is covered.
Postgraduate Eligibility: Students completing a four-year undergraduate degree (Hons./Research, BTech, BE) will be eligible for a two-year postgraduate program.
PYQ:
[2012] Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education?
Directive Principles of State Policy
Rural and Urban Local Bodies
Fifth Schedule
Sixth Schedule
Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
The Supreme Court remarked that a long-term solution to food security issues is generating employment, while advocate Prashant Bhushan pointed out that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) still relies on 2011 census data.
About National Food Security Act, 2013:
Details
Launch
NFSA was signed into law on 12th September 2013, with retroactive effect from 5th July 2013.
It aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately 2/3rd of India’s population.
Aims and Objectives
Provide subsidized food grains to 2/3rd of India’s population, covering about 75% of rural and 50% of urban areas.
Converts food security programs into legal entitlements.
Recognizes maternity entitlements for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children.
Structural Mandate
Central Government directs states to implement the provisions of the Act (Section 38).
Mandates that the subsidized prices remain fixed for 3 years (with no revision yet).
Ensures that eligible households have a legal right to food grains at subsidized rates under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
Eldest woman (18 years or above) in the household is considered the head of the family for issuing ration cards.
Provides free meals to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged 6 months to 14 years under ICDS and mid-day meal schemes.
Ensures pregnant and lactating women receive a ₹6,000 cash benefit, payable in installments.
Midday Meal and ICDS are universal, and PDS reaches 75% of rural and 50% of urban populations.
Priority Households get 5 kg of food grains per person per month, and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households get 35 kg per month.
Why figures from 2011 Census still drive it?
Data Discrepancy: The 2021 census is getting extensions indiscriminately. It would have identified additional beneficiaries, possibly up to 10 crore more people.
Ration Card Issue: Many migrant workers had still not received ration cards, despite several court orders.
Logistical and Administrative Constraints: Updating census-based allocations requires substantial administrative coordination and a shift in policy across the Centre and States.
PYQ:
[2018] With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements:
The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains.
The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
“Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore” a nationwide campaign is launched by the Government of India, from December 19–24, 2024, as part of the 4th Good Governance Week.
About the Nationwide Campaign ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’
It is a nationwide campaign to address public grievances and improve service delivery across rural and urban areas.
It aims to strengthen governance at the grassroots level and bring effective solutions to the common people.
It will be conducted in all districts, states, and union territories of India, with a focus on delivering timely solutions and improving the quality of services provided to citizens.
Key objectives of the campaign include:
Redressing Public Grievances: Ensuring that citizens’ complaints related to government services are resolved swiftly.
Improving Service Delivery: Enhancing the efficiency of government services at the local level.
Creating Awareness: Spreading knowledge about good governance practices and encouraging citizens to be proactive in using available services.
Key Observations from the Good Governance Index (GGI) 2022
The GGI, 2022 evaluates 58 indicators across 10 governance sectors, such as agriculture and allied sectors, human resource development, public health, and law and order, among others. The key observations are as follows:
Top Performers: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra ranked highest for good governance, excelling in public health, human resources, and economic governance.
Service Delivery: States like Tamil Nadu and Kerala were praised for transparency, accountability, and citizen-focused policies, leading in service delivery.
Agriculture & Rural Development: Uttar Pradesh and Bihar showed improvements in agriculture and rural development, aligning with the goals of Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore.
Health & Education: Kerala and Tamil Nadu excelled in healthcare and education, with significant investments in infrastructure and public schemes.
Sustainable Development: States like Sikkim emphasized environmental governance and sustainable development practices.
PYQ:
[2016] What do you understand by the terms ‘governance’, ‘good governance’ and ‘ethical governance’? (150 words)
Q) Public health system has limitation in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest? (UPSC CSE 2015)
Mentor’s Comment: UPSC Mains have asked questions around the Public Health Policies (2017) and Newer Health Challenges (2020 and 2022).
India is aiming for real-time public health monitoring platforms National Health Mission Health Management Information System (NHM-HMIS), and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)to enhance surveillance, monitoring, and resource allocation at primary healthcare levels.
Today’s editorial reflects on the historical context of the Bombay Plague of 1896 and its implications for contemporary public health practices. This content can be used as a case study while exchanging ideas on ‘Public Health Policies and challenges in India’.
_
Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
There are ongoing discussions in Parliament around public health strategies in the wake of recent health crises, including the past COVID-19 pandemic.
By reflecting on historical lessons from the Bombay 1896 plague outbreak, we can analyze the significance of community engagement, comprehensive disease management strategies, and ethical considerations in health interventions.
What were the Public Health Measures implemented by Britishers and how effective were they?
• Quarantine and Isolation: Infected individuals were forcibly removed from their homes and taken to plague hospitals or camps, where they were often separated from their families. This included door-to-door searches conducted by soldiers to identify the sick. • Destruction of Property: Personal belongings and houses of the infected were often burned and demolished which led to substantial loss of property for many residents. • Sanitation Campaigns: A large-scale sanitation initiative was launched, which included flushing sewers with seawater, washing streets with lime, and disinfecting homes. o Special camps were established for the treatment of the infected but often faced criticism for poor conditions and high mortality rates. • Legislative Measures: The Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 was enacted, granting authorities extensive powers to enforce health measures, including movement restrictions and compulsory examinations.
Were they effective? • Limited Success: The death toll exceeded 33,000 within a short period, indicating that these strategies did not sufficiently curb the outbreak. • Social Backlash: Reports of disrespect during inspections and inadequate hospital conditions fueled anger, resulting in protests and even violent incidents against medical personnel. • Migration and Spread: Many residents fled Bombay in response to the plague and government actions, which inadvertently contributed to the spread of the disease beyond urban areas. • Long-term Impact: While some improvements in urban infrastructure and public health policies emerged post-plague, many immediate measures were criticized for their insensitivity to local customs and needs.
What was positive in this policy implementation despite the criticism?
Emphasis on control over cases: The Indian Plague Commission’s approach during the 1896 Bombay Plague focused significantly on controlling the movement of people and the spread of the disease rather than directly addressing the health needs of affected individuals. Focus Areas were:
Railway Plague Inspection Stations Map (to monitor the movement of people) focused on railway networks and inspection points.
Chausa Observation Camp Plan detailed layouts of observation camps that reflected a militarized approach to quarantine with prominent police presence.
Khanpur Station Map illustrated disinfection zones and highlighted the role of police in maintaining control over these areas.
Cartographic Approach and Its Consequences: The maps were unusually colorful for administrative reports, possibly to convey a sense of effective control while downplaying the epidemic’s severity.The emphasis moved from identifying who was affected by the plague to understanding where the disease could potentially spread.
Prioritization of State Control: The Commission’s focus on control points indicated a prioritization of state mechanisms for surveillance rather than an understanding of epidemiological factors or community health requirements.
This approach raised concerns about the adequacy of public health responses that prioritized state security over effective disease management and community welfare.
What lessons can contemporary public health systems learn from the Bombay Plague?
Community Engagement: Effective public health responses must include community cooperation. The mistrust generated by colonial policies highlights the need for transparent communication and involvement of local leaders in health initiatives.
Comprehensive Disease Management: The outbreak underscored the importance of not only immediate medical responses but also long-term strategies addressing underlying social determinants of health such as poverty and sanitation.
Ethical Considerations: The harsh measures taken during the plague raise ethical questions regarding public health interventions. Balancing individual rights with community safety remains a critical challenge for public health officials today.
Historical Reflection: Understanding past epidemics can inform current practices. The Bombay Plague illustrates how historical narratives shape contemporary health policies and societal attitudes toward disease management.
Recently, Tamil Nadu hosted the Sixteenth State Finance Commission, highlighting the need for fair resource allocation to performing states and addressing fiscal imbalances between the Union and states.
What are the primary challenges faced by State Finance Commissions?
Vertical Fiscal Imbalance: There is a significant disparity in revenue-raising capabilities between the Union and state governments. The Union holds greater powers to generate revenue, while states bear most of the expenditure responsibilities. This imbalance has led to insufficient funds for states to meet developmental needs.
Inequitable Resource Distribution: Despite efforts to achieve equitable redistribution through vertical and horizontal devolution, actual outcomes often fall short of expectations.
For instance, the Fifteenth Finance Commission’s effective devolution was only 33.16% of the Union’s gross tax revenue, despite a declared share of 41%.
Inadequate Devolution: The increasing reliance on cess and surcharges by the Union government has further constrained the financial resources available to states. This trend undermines the intended fiscal autonomy that states require to implement local schemes effectively.
Demographic and Urbanization Challenges: Progressive states like Tamil Nadu face unique challenges related to ageing populations and rapid urbanisation, which strain their fiscal capacities while necessitating increased investment in infrastructure and services.
How can compliance with constitutional mandates be improved?
Strengthening Legal Frameworks: Ensuring that SFCs operate within a robust legal framework that mandates transparency and accountability can enhance compliance with constitutional directives. This includes clearer guidelines on resource allocation and devolution processes.
Public Disclosure: Mandating public disclosure of financial data and project details in accessible formats can foster greater transparency and allow for citizen engagement in governance, thereby ensuring that SFCs adhere more closely to their constitutional roles.
Participatory Budgeting: Encouraging participatory budgeting practices can help align state financial decisions with local needs, ensuring that resources are allocated in a manner that reflects constitutional mandates for equitable development across regions.
What reforms are necessary to enhance the effectiveness of SFCs?
Revising Devolution Principles: A reassessment of the principles governing vertical and horizontal devolution is essential to create a fairer distribution system that recognizes both the needs of less-developed states and the contributions of high-performing states like Tamil Nadu.
Augmenting State Resources: Increasing the share of gross central taxes allocated to states from 41% to at least 50% could provide states with greater fiscal autonomy, allowing them to fund locally relevant initiatives effectively.
Focus on Growth Incentives: Developing a progressive resource allocation methodology that rewards high-performing states can stimulate economic growth while ensuring that less-developed states also receive adequate support for their development needs.
Addressing Urbanization Needs: Specific reforms aimed at addressing urbanization challenges—such as earmarking funds for infrastructure development—will be crucial for progressive states experiencing rapid urban growth.
Conclusion: State Finance Commissions must address fiscal imbalances, enhance devolution principles, and prioritise growth incentives to empower states. This is vital for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through equitable and inclusive development.
Mains PYQ:
Q Discuss the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission which have been a departure from the previous commissions for strengthening the local government finances. (UPSC IAS/2013)
PYQ Relevance: Q) Reforming the government delivery system through the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a progressive step, but it has its limitations too. Comment. (UPSC CSE 2022)
Mentor’s Comment: UPSC Mains have focused on the ‘cash transfer system for the welfare schemes to minimize corruption, eliminate wastage and facilitate reforms (in 2013), and ‘Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a progressive step’ (in 2022).
In the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, cash transfer schemes for women became a key focus of political campaigns. In August, the Maharashtra government launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana,’ giving ₹1,500 a month to eligible women in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. Similarly, the Jharkhand government introduced the ‘Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana,’ offering ₹1,000 a month to eligible women.
Today’s editorial highlights why are cash transfer schemes for women gaining popularity across states? Is this a case of policy learning, or are state governments simply following the trend out of fear of missing out? Are we reaching a stage where there is no alternative approach to welfare?
_
Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
Direct cash transfer schemes are not a new idea in politics. According to Axis Bank, 14 states in India already have such programs, reaching nearly one-fifth of the country’s adult women.
What are the reasons for the growing popularity of Cash Transfer Schemes?
Increased Voter Turnout: The turnout of women voters has significantly risen from 47% in 1962 to 66% in 2024, indicating a growing political engagement among women.
This trend is mirrored in state assembly elections, highlighting women’s increasing influence in the electoral process.
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Efficiency: Cash transfer schemes, particularly through DBT, allow governments to bypass traditional bureaucratic structures that often involve middlemen. This method reduces corruption and ensures that funds reach beneficiaries directly, making these schemes more appealing for political leaders who want to demonstrate effective governance.
Immediate Political Gains: Cash transfers provide a quick and visible form of assistance that can be implemented rapidly compared to longer-term infrastructure projects or social services. This immediacy allows governments to showcase their commitment to welfare, thereby enhancing their political capital in the short term.
Standardization of Welfare Approaches: The proliferation of similar cash transfer schemes across states indicates a trend towards standardization in welfare policies, often referred to as “policy learning.”
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): As some states successfully implement these schemes and gain political traction, others may feel compelled to adopt similar measures to avoid losing electoral support.
Addressing Structural Inequalities: Cash transfer schemes are often designed to address gender-specific issues such as female foeticide, child marriage, and educational disparities.
What are the significance of bypassing the Middleman?
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Advantage: DBT allows governments to transfer cash directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, thus minimizing corruption and inefficiencies associated with traditional welfare distribution methods that often involve middlemen.
Reduction of Corruption: By eliminating intermediaries, DBT aims to reduce systemic corruption that has historically plagued welfare schemes in India, ensuring that funds reach intended recipients more effectively.
Personalized Political Relationships: Cash transfers help establish a direct relationship between political leaders and citizens, fostering personal loyalty through financial assistance. This dynamic is referred to as “techno-patrimonial,” where technology enhances individual connections with leaders.
Immediate Impact: Cash transfers provide immediate financial relief to beneficiaries, allowing governments to demonstrate their commitment to welfare without the long-term planning required for infrastructure projects or social services.
What are the key challenges?
Lack of Welfare Innovation: The proliferation of similar cash transfer schemes across various states indicates a stagnation in innovative welfare policies. This trend suggests a reliance on established models rather than exploring diverse approaches to address poverty and welfare needs.
Political Conformity: Even opposition-ruled states are adopting cash transfer schemes similar to those initiated by ruling parties, reflecting a broader acceptance of this welfare strategy without offering substantial alternatives.
Efficiency vs. State Capacity: While cash transfers may enhance efficiency in delivering aid, critics argue that they allow the state to avoid addressing deeper structural issues within its capacity to provide comprehensive welfare services.
Temporary Solutions: Cash transfers are seen as short-term solutions (or “bandages”) for poverty alleviation, potentially nudging citizens toward private alternatives for basic needs while failing to address systemic issues that require more robust state intervention.
Way forward:
Innovate and Diversify Welfare Strategies: Encourage states to develop innovative welfare policies beyond cash transfers, focusing on long-term solutions like skill development, education, and healthcare to address systemic poverty.
Strengthen State Capacity: Invest in enhancing the state’s institutional framework to deliver comprehensive welfare services efficiently, ensuring sustainable development and reducing reliance on temporary solutions.
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the Supreme Court’s Centre for Research and Planning report, Prisons in India: Mapping Prison Manuals and Measures for Reformation and Decongestion, highlighting electronic prisoner tracking to tackle overcrowding.
What are the key finding of the report?
Addressing Overcrowding: The report highlights the critical issue of overcrowding in Indian prisons, which had an occupancy rate of 131.4% as of December 2022, with a significant number of inmates being undertrials (75.8%). It proposes that electronic tracking could serve as a cost-effective alternative to incarceration, allowing for the release of low and moderate-risk prisoners while ensuring compliance with legal conditions.
Implementation Recommendations: The report suggests initiating pilot programs for electronic monitoring, specifically targeting undertrial prisoners who exhibit good behavior. This phased approach aims to assess community readiness and the feasibility of broader implementation while ensuring that such measures respect individual rights and privacy concerns.
What are the benefits of electronic tracking of people out of prison on bail?
Reduction in Overcrowding: Electronic tracking can significantly alleviate prison overcrowding. With Indian prisons operating at an occupancy rate of 131.4% as of December 2022, implementing electronic monitoring for low and moderate-risk undertrials could free up space and resources.
Cost-Effectiveness: The financial implications are substantial; for instance, the annual cost of maintaining a single undertrial prisoner in Odisha is around Rs 1 lakh, while the cost of an electronic tracker is estimated to be between Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. This shift could lead to considerable savings in prison management costs.
Improved Rehabilitation: Allowing undertrials to remain in the community while monitored electronically supports their rehabilitation. It enables them to continue education and work, thereby maintaining family connections crucial for reintegration into society.
Enhanced Monitoring: Electronic tracking provides a reliable method to ensure compliance with release conditions, reducing the risk of absconding or re-offending.
What are the present challenges in India?
Privacy Concerns: The use of electronic monitoring raises significant privacy issues. Continuous surveillance can be perceived as intrusive and may infringe on individuals’ fundamental rights, as highlighted by recent Supreme Court rulings against invasive bail conditions.
Technical Reliability: The effectiveness of electronic tracking systems depends on the technology’s reliability. Issues such as device malfunctions or signal loss can undermine the monitoring process.
Human Rights Risks: There is a potential for misuse or overuse of electronic tracking, leading to human rights violations. Clear guidelines and safeguards are essential to prevent abuse of this technology.
Stigmatisation: Individuals may face social stigma associated with wearing electronic tracking devices, which can exacerbate feelings of isolation and mental health issues.
Implementation Costs: While the initial costs may be lower than incarceration, establishing a comprehensive electronic tracking system requires significant investment in technology and training for law enforcement personnel.
What are the lessons from other countries?
E-Carceration Concerns: In the United States, electronic monitoring has been criticized as a form of ‘e-carceration’, extending punitive measures beyond physical jails and potentially creating oppressive environments, particularly for marginalized communities.
Cost-Bearing Issues: In some jurisdictions, costs associated with electronic monitoring are borne by the monitored individuals rather than the government, leading to additional financial burdens that could deter participation in such programs.
Community Impact: Studies show that over-reliance on electronic monitoring can disproportionately affect specific demographics, similar to how marginalized groups are overrepresented in prison populations in India.
Way forward:
Balancing Privacy and Efficiency: Implement clear guidelines and legal safeguards to ensure electronic tracking respects privacy and prevents misuse. Regular audits and judicial oversight can mitigate potential human rights violations.
Equitable and Scalable Implementation: Subsidize costs for underprivileged individuals and invest in reliable technology and training for law enforcement. Pilot programs can identify best practices before nationwide adoption.