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Mar 17, 2022

MATERNAL MORTALITY IN INDIA: WHAT DO THE RECENT FIGURES TELL US India’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has improved to 103 in 2017-19, from 113 in 2016-18 according to the special bulletin on MMR released by the Registrar General of India. About MMR
  • MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births during the same time period.
  • Sustainable Development Goals (target 3.1) says the global maternal mortality ratio should be less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
Key Findings
  • Seven Indian states have very high maternal mortality. These are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha and Assam. ‘Very high’ MMR means 130 or more maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
  • The MMR is ‘high’ in Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. This means 100-130 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. It is ‘low’ in Haryana and Karnataka (71-100 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births).
  • With this persistent decline, India is on the verge of achieving National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100/lakh live births by 2020 and certainly on track to achieve the SDG target of 70/ lakh live births by 2030.
  • The number of states which have achieved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target has now risen from 5 to 7 viz. Kerala (30), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (56), Tamil Nadu (58), Andhra Pradesh (58), Jharkhand (61), and Gujarat (70). There are now nine (9) States that have achieved the target of MMR set by the NHP which include the above 7 and the States of Karnataka (83) and Haryana (96).
  • Five states [Uttarakhand (101), West Bengal (109), Punjab (114), Bihar (130), Odisha (136) and Rajasthan (141)] have MMR in between 100-150, while for 4 states namely, Chhattisgarh (160), Madhya Pradesh (163), Uttar Pradesh (167) and Assam (205) have MMR above 150.
  • Encouraging achievement has been reported by Uttar Pradesh [which has shown the maximum decline of 30 points], Rajasthan (23 points), Bihar (19 points), Punjab (15 points) and Odisha (14 points).
  • Remarkably, three states (Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh) have shown more than 15% decline in MMR, while 6 states namely, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have shown a decline between 10-15%. Four states viz. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha and Karnataka witnessed a decline between 5-10%.
Why do women die?
  • Women die as a result of complications during and following pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these complications develop during pregnancy and most are preventable or treatable.
  • Other complications may exist before pregnancy but are worsened during pregnancy, especially if not managed as part of the woman’s care. The major complications that account for nearly 75% of all maternal deaths are
    • severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth)
    • infections (usually after childbirth)
    • high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)
    • complications from delivery
    • unsafe abortion.
  • The remainder are caused by or associated with infections such as malaria or related to chronic conditions like cardiac diseases or diabetes.
  • Poor women in remote areas are the least likely to receive adequate health care. This is especially true for regions with low numbers of skilled health workers, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
  • The latest available data suggest that in most high income and upper middle-income countries, more than 90% of all births benefit from the presence of a trained midwife, doctor or nurse. However, fewer than half of all births in several low income and lower-middle-income countries are assisted by such skilled health personnel.
  • However, unsafe abortion is a leading cause of death among women who have an unintended pregnancy.
  • A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in the lungs. PE can develop after delivery, and the risk is higher with a cesarean section. About 3 percent of maternal deaths are due to pulmonary embolism.
  • Leading contributory factors of maternal deaths include inadequate human resources for health, delay in seeking care, inadequate equipment, lack of ambulance transportation, and delay in referrals services.
Interventions for improving Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR):
  • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) launched in 2016, provides pregnant women fixed day, free of cost assured and quality Antenatal Care on the 9thday of every month.
  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) came in effect from 2017, is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss.
  • Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya), launched in 2017 aims to improve the quality of care in labour room and maternity operation theatres to ensure that pregnant women receive respectful and quality care during delivery and immediate post-partum period.
  • Government of India is implementing POSHAN Abhiyaan since 2018 with a goal to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers, in a time bound manner.
  • Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB): In 2018, Union health Ministry launched the Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy to reduce anemia prevalence both due to nutritional and non-nutritional causes, in the lifecycle approach. The strategy is estimated to reach out to 450 million beneficiaries including 30 million pregnant women.
  • Surakshit Matratva Ashwasan (SUMAN) came in effect from 2019 aims to provide assured, dignified, respectful and quality healthcare at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services for every woman and newborn visiting the public health facility to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
  • Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a demand promotion and conditional cash transfer scheme was launched in April 2005 with the objective of reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women.
  • Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) aims to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for pregnant women and sick infants by entitling them to free delivery including caesarean section, free transport, diagnostics, medicines, other consumables, diet and blood in public health institutions
  • Comprehensive Abortion Care services are strengthened through trainings of health care providers, supply of drugs, equipment, Information Education and Communication (IEC) etc.
  • Delivery Points-Over 25,000 ‘Delivery Points’ across the country are strengthened in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and trained manpower for provision of comprehensive RMNCAH+N services.
  • Functionalization of First Referral Units (FRUs) by ensuring manpower, blood storage units, referral linkages etc.
  • Setting up of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Wings at high caseload facilities to improve the quality of care provided to mothers and children.
  • Operationalization of Obstetric ICU/HDU at high case load tertiary care facilities across country to handle complicated pregnancies.
  • Capacity building is undertaken for MBBS doctors in Anesthesia (LSAS) and Obstetric Care including C-section (EmOC) skills to overcome the shortage of specialists in these disciplines, particularly in rural areas.
  • Maternal Death Surveillance Review (MDSR) is implemented both at facilities and at the community level. The purpose is to take corrective action at appropriate levels and improve the quality of obstetric care.
  • Monthly Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) is an outreach activity for provision of maternal and child care including nutrition.
  • Regular IEC/BCC activities are conducted for early registration of ANC, regular ANC, institutional delivery, nutrition, and care during pregnancy etc.
  • MCP Card and Safe Motherhood Booklet are distributed to the pregnant women for educating them on diet, rest, danger signs of pregnancy, benefit schemes and institutional deliveries.
Steps to be Taken
  • Young women (and men) who know more about reproduction, fertility, birth control, and the consequences of unprotected sex can make better choices for themselves. Family planning information can prevent unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortions.
  • Healthcare, management of pre-existing conditions, and the availability of safe procedures can prevent death during pregnancy. Nutrition services and reproductive health services are especially important for girls and young women.
  • The knowledge of good personal hygiene practices and how to care for the body can keep germs away. Regular handwashing, a clean perineal area during prenatal check-ups, and a hygienic delivery area during childbirth can also help to prevent infection.
  • Skilled care before and during childbirth can prevent complications and lead to a safe birth. If possible, women should have their babies a healthcare facility. If delivery in a hospital, clinic, or office is not possible, then someone skilled at delivering children should be at home deliveries.
  • After childbirth, women continue to need care. Postpartum checkups for abnormal bleeding or infection can make all the difference. Living far from services or not being able to afford them can prevent a woman from gaining the knowledge she needs to care for herself after the birth or to get the life-saving antibiotics and the postpartum attention she may need.
    TRIBAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Recently, Ministry of Tribal Affairs took Proactive measures to alleviate adverse effects of Covid -19 on the Tribal Community. Tribal Community in India
  • Scheduled Tribes are classified as a community of indigenous or tribal people by the Constitution who are also deemed as socially disadvantaged. Out of Scheduled Tribes, the tribal groups least affected by modern processes of development, i.e. Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) in India are characterized by being geographically isolated and relatively cut off from mainstream culture, and can exhibit backwardness in terms of socio-economic and educational parameters.
  • About 15 per cent of land area in India is occupied by tribal communities, with a wide variety of geographical landscapes, ranging from forest areas to arid regions, mountainous regions to plains and from islands and coastal areas to the interiors of landmasses.
  • Out of more than 500 tribal groups in India which can exist at various stages of socio-economic and educational development, it is estimated that there are around 75 Primitive Tribal Groups in India who can have a level of technological ability of the pre-agricultural level, low literacy, economically backward, and a stagnant or declining population.
  • In looking at the vulnerabilities of Primitive Tribal Groups in India many parameters can be considered that may harm these groups. However, in looking at the possibilities for the extinction of some particularly threatened groups, the chief characteristic that can be considered is their extremely low and/or declining population.
  • Although Scheduled Tribes in India are protected legally by the Constitution of India, in the case of Primitive Tribal Groups in India, many a time these groups might reside in areas or have a lifestyle that might set them at a distance from the percolation of official policy.
  • In many such instances in last mile delivery, especially in remote regions, agencies are routed on the ground by actors such that the prerogative of established policy is often bypassed in favour of more immediate concerns.
  • This places many Primitive Tribal Groups in India in the quandary that although there might be legal prerogatives to limit or validate their rights, much can become dependent on agency routed on the ground that places people with superior resources in an interaction with Primitive Tribal Groups in India.
  • Tribal peoples constitute 8.6 percent of India’s total population, about 104 million people according to the 2011 census (68 million people according to the 1991 census). This is the largest population of the tribal people in the world.
  • One concentration lives in a belt along the Himalayas stretching through Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh in the west, to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland in the northeast.
  • Another concentration lives in the hilly areas of central India (Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and, to a lesser extent, Andhra Pradesh); in this belt, which is bounded by the Narmada River to the north and the Godavari River to the southeast, tribal peoples occupy the slopes of the region's mountains.
  • Other tribals, the Santals, live in Bihar and West Bengal. There are smaller numbers of tribal people in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, in western India in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and in the union territories of Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The extent to which a state's population is tribal varies considerably. In the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland, upward of 90 percent of the population is tribal.
  • However, in the remaining northeast states of Assam, Manipur, Sikkim, and Tripura, tribal peoples form between 20 and 30 percent of the population. The largest tribes are found in central India, although the tribal population their accounts for only around 10 percent of the region's total population. Major concentrations of tribal people live in Maharashtra, Orissa, and West Bengal.
  • The so called "tribal belt” embraces central and northeast India, which extends across the center of India from Pakistan in the west to Bangladesh and Myanmar in the east. The belt is home to 81 million indigenous people, whose ancestors may have inhabited India before Aryan invaders, the ancestors of Hindus, arrived around 1500 B.C.
Impact of Covid-19 on Tribal Communities
  • Most of the tribes are characterised by isolation, eco­nomic backwardness, poor infrastructure, and quality of healthcare. Poverty among Scheduled Tribe (ST) was 45.3% (rural) and 24.1% (urban) as compared to the national ­average of 25.7% in rural and 13.7% in urban areas in 2011–12 (MoTA 2018–19).
  • With lockdown measures leading to suspension of manufacturing and service sectors activities, many workers were laid off or did not receive salaries. In the absence of social security, this led to widespread financial distress among migrant informal sector workers, including tribal migrants.
  • Kendu leaves and sal seeds provide tribals with a good amount of income even in the lean agricultural period and support them to invest in agri­culture activities. Since the lockdown period coincided with the collection period (April–June) of MFPs, the tribals were unable to collect and sell their produce because of physical distancing norms, lack of buyers, and movement restrictions. The closing of local haats to avoid crowding deterred their sales and in the current situation traders are unwilling to buy MFP.
  • Adivasi women depend on minor forest products, which include timber, forest medicine, herbs, honey, gooseberry, tree gum, and fruits that give them livelihood. During the summer season, this is a major source of income for the tribal women. But, due to the lockdown, the weekly markets got closed and the Adivasi women were left with no earnings.
  • The women from pastoral communities in the Kinwat area get some income by selling fresh milk to the local people. However, during the lockdown there was a sudden decline in the consumption of milk as people felt that consumption of open or unpacked milk could be unsafe. Therefore, some of them preferred packed milk and this change affected the basic earnings for the milk sellers.
  • Tribal and nomadic women who used to travel to different villages and sell their products or provide different services to villagers were stigmatised and labelled as coronavirus carriers. Many nearby villagers did not allow them to enter the villages in the lockdown period as they are strangers and coming from outside.
  • Since the lockdown, supply chains have taken a hit and vendors are faced with shortages of steady supply of produce due to restrictions imposed on public transport leading to hike in prices of produce.
  • There is a lack of customers due to the “stay home” advice, government restrictions, and short duration of lockdown relaxation, all leading to loss in profit which adversely affects their rent payment. The perishing of goods often compelled them to sell at cheap prices rather than have their goods spoilt.
  • During the lockdown, instances of forestland diversion defied this act, where the environment ministry had given clearance to 11 projects across the country and issued new guidelines for relaxing forest and environmental clearance norms for mining by new leases (MoTA 2020).
  • Data revealed that 57% of the STs expressed concern regarding a shortage of essential drugs at health centres, and 42% felt that long-distance travel to centres restricts their access to medical advice or treatment.
  • The tribal children used to go to the ashram schools (residential schools) which were established in tribal areas. These children were getting free education, tuition, textbooks and other stationery, proper meals and shelter and scholarships. Due to the lockdown all these schools are shut. Schools in urban areas are at least trying to provide online education, but the schools in villages are lacking all the facilities.
Proactive Measures to Mitigate its Adverse Effects on the Tribal Community
  • State Governments were requested to constitute a team of officers in tribal welfare department to assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19 in consultation with the District Administration and attend to essential requirements on priority.
  • Guidelines on home isolation of mild /asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and SOP on preventive measures to be followed in Entertainment Parks and similar places to contain spread of COVID-19 issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare were circulated among States / UTs for adherence.
  • All States/UTS were requested to regularly assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19 in the tribal inhabited areas and ensure testing, availability of essential medicines, vaccination facilities. It was advised that for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), there should be a dedicated officer who can coordinate with the community leaders for any specific need as these communities are particularly vulnerable.
  • News items appearing in newspapers, social media and other specific issues in tribal areas were shared with the concerned States for ensuring quick action.
  • NGOs and Centre of Excellence (CoEs) funded by MoTA were asked to provide support to District administration for provision of preventive, curative and other requirements among tribal communities to the best of their capacity.
  • States were requested to conduct/ intensify awareness campaign in the areas with significant tribal population to counter prevailing misconceptions among tribal communities regarding Covid testing and vaccination.
  • It was requested to engage tribal community leaders in such awareness campaign for easy dissemination of correct and scientifically researched information about Covid-19 among the tribal communities.
  • The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs provided Rs 10 lakh from MP LAD fund to Bundu Anumandal Hospital in Tamar for establishing 10 oxygen supported beds through District Administration.
  • State Tribal Welfare Departments were requested to ensure that livelihood activities of tribals do not hamper due to Covid.
  • The Ministry revised minimum support prices of MFP with a purpose of providing enhanced income to tribal gatherers. Further, an additional 37 MFP items have also been included in the list of MSP for MFP Scheme to expand the ambit and coverage of the scheme. Thus, the Scheme currently covers a total of 87 items.
  • During 2020-21, on request of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines aiming to relax the provisions of lockdown for Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)/ Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by STs and other forest dwellers in forest areas across the country.
  • During 2020-21, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided funds to the tune of Rs. 5476.01 crore for various development activities including education, health, and livelihood. Further, State Governments have been advised to include proposals for meeting health related urgent requirements in view of COVID-19 in the annual plan under Article 275(1) Grants for the year 2021-22 within their share of allocation for consideration by the Project Appraisal Committee in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED) was asked to coordinate with States to ascertain the problems being faced by tribals in disposal of MFPs, quantum of MFPs available with States, strategy for procurement along with plan for storage, value addition and sale of MFP.
Efforts have been Made by TRIFED During Prevailing COVID Situation to Increase Sale of Tribal Craft and Products
  • During the financial year 2020-21, procurement of tribal craft and products for an amount of Rs. 1709 lakh was made and 2802 tribal artisans were empanelled.
  • In 2020-21, 24 virtual and three on ground Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs) were organized by TRIFED across the country. For expansion of supplier base, suppliers’ conference was organized at New Delhi where about 250 tribal suppliers participated from across the country to finalise the supply orders for each Region.
  • During pandemic, TRIFED launched an e-market place www.tribesindia.com for tribal artisans/suppliers to sell their products.
  • During the financial year 2020-21 TRIFED organized Aadi Mahotsav from 1st February to 15th February, 2021 at Dilli Haat INA, New Delhi wherein 1000 tribal artisans/cooks from across the country participated.
  • Although the outlets were closed during lock down system of sale through home delivery and mobile vans adopted to enhance the sale of tribal products in the year 2020-21 and realized the sale for an amount of Rs 2963.09 lakh. In the current financial year 2021-22 sale is Rs.337.32 lakhs as at 31.7.2021.
  • TRIFED has been promoting E-Commerce sales from its own portal www.tribesindia.com and also present on all major e-commerce portals like Amazon, Snapdeal, Flipkart, Paytm, and Gem. With promotion through digital and social media, through this initiative, TRIFED has made sales of Rs. 131.76 lakh in 2020-21 and during the current financial year 2021-22, the sale of Rs. 34.98 lakh has been realized as 31.7.2021.
  • Under Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram, Van Dhan, efforts were made to establish new Van Dhan Kendras and Van Dhan Self-help groups.
  • The SOP provides for strengthening primary level healthcare infrastructure at all levels to intensify COVID-19 response in peri-urban, rural & tribal areas, while continuing to provide other essential healthcare services through inter-sectoral approach by involving community-based organizations, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs), Panchayati Raj institutions, Urban Local bodies, etc.
    MINISTRY OF TOURISM UNDER SWADESH DARSHAN SCHEME HAS SANCTIONED 76 PROJECTS UNDER 13 THEMATIC CIRCUITS INCLUDING ‘BUDDHIST THEME’ Recently, Ministry of Tourism under Swadesh Darshan scheme has sanctioned 76 projects under 13 thematic circuits including ‘Buddhist theme. Swadesh Darshan Scheme
  • Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a Central Sector scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
  • The scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of tourism in India. Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance – CFA to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits.
  • This scheme is envisioned to synergise with other schemes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential.
  • The Scheme is 100% centrally funded and efforts are made to achieve convergence with other schemes of Central and State Governments and also to leverage the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and Corporate Sector.
Scheme Objectives
  • To position tourism as a major engine of economic growth and job creation;
  • Develop circuits having tourist potential in a planned and prioritized manner;
  • Promote cultural and heritage value of the country to generate livelihoods in the identified regions;
  • Enhancing the tourist attractiveness in a sustainable manner by developing world class infrastructure in the circuit /destinations;
  • Follow community-based development and pro-poor tourism approach;
  • Creating awareness among the local communities about the importance of tourism for them in terms of increased sources of income, improved living standards and overall development of the area.
  • To create employment through active involvement of local communities;
  • Harness tourism potential for its effects in employment generation and economic development.
  • To make full use of the potential and advantages in terms of available infrastructure, national culture and characteristic strong points of each and every region throughout the country by development of theme-based circuits.
  • Development of tourist facilitation services to enhance visitor experience/satisfaction.
Definition of Tourist Circuit
  • Tourist Circuit is defined as a route having at least three major tourist destinations which are distinct and apart. Circuits should have well defined entry and exit points.
  • A tourist who enters should get motivated to visit most of the places identified in the circuit.
  • A Circuit could be confined to a State or could be a regional circuit covering more than one State/Union Territory. These circuits may have one dominant theme and other sub-themes.
  • Projects under the scheme shall be under the following identified themes; Eco-tourism, Wildlife, Buddhist, Desert, Spiritual, Ramayana, Krishna, Coastal, Northeast, Rural, Himalayan, Tribal and Heritage.
Significance
  • It promotes the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential.
  • Improvement of last mile connectivity leading to tourist sites/destinations. Restoration/ conservation of a historic structure/ monument
  • GIS based tourism inventory management. Tangible and Intangible tourism product documentation and data base
  • Upto 10% funds shall be earmarked for IEC components (like workshops, seminars, publications, stakeholder outreach, skill development etc.) & Professional & Administrative Services.
  • Capacity development of States/UTs and other implementing agencies for undertaking various activities relating to identified circuits and destinations therein through setting up of Project Management Units (PMUs), if required.
  • Ensuring coordination with the State/UT Governments and other stakeholders, Implementing Agencies etc. for effective implementation of the scheme in a time bound manner.
  • Tourism related infrastructure/ services like toilets, wayside amenities are pre requisites to enhance tourist experience. Toilets en-route to the destinations are most important to be developed from a tourist facility perspective.
Additional Information About Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) Scheme
  • The Government of India launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014-2015 under the Ministry of Tourism. The full form of the PRASAD scheme is ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive’.
  • This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience. It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience. The growth of domestic tourism hugely depends on pilgrimage tourism.
  • For tapping the potential of pilgrimage tourism, there is a need for holistic development of the selected pilgrimage destinations by the government along with the cooperation of other stakeholders.
  • The PRASAD scheme aims at paving the way for the development and promotion of religious tourism in India.
    NORTH EASTERN DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION Recently, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi), has organized a Startup Investment Festival, 2022. About North Eastern Development Finance Corporation
  • North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) is a Public Limited Company registered under the Companies Act 1956 on 9th August, 1995. The shareholders of the Corporation are IDBI, SBI, LICI, SIDBI, ICICI, IFCI, SUUTI, GIC and its subsidiaries.
  • The management of NEDFi has been entrusted upon the Board of Directors comprising representatives from shareholder institutions, DoNER, State Governments and eminent persons from the NE Region and outside having wide experience in industry, economics, finance and management.
  • NEDFi provides financial assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure and agri-allied projects in the North Eastern Region of India and also Microfinance through MFI/NGOs. Besides financing, the Corporation offers Consultancy & Advisory services to the state Governments, private sectors and other agencies.
  • It conducts sector or state specific studies under its Techno-Economic Development Fund (TEDF) and is the designated nodal agency for disbursal of Govt. of India incentives to the industries in the North-East India under North–East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy 2007 (NEIIPP 2007). Our promotional activities include NEDFi Convention Center, NEDFi Pavillion, Promotion of craft sector etc.
  • North Eastern Development Finance Corporation will provide a platform to local entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas and to pitch for investment through access to capital for scaling up their businesses. It will also help them avail themselves of other facilities like handholding support, advisor network, investor network, marketing support etc.
  • The reason for organizing this event is to reach out to start-ups and first-generation entrepreneurs of North Eastern Region (NER) and boost the start-up ecosystem in the region.
  • North East Venture Fund (NEVF) is a dedicated venture fund for the NER promoted by NEDFi, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
  • It was launched in September, 2017 with a corpus of Rs. 100 crores, with contributions of Rs. 45 crores as interest free loan from MDoNER, Rs. 30 crores by NEDFi itself and Rs. 25 crores from SIDBI. It is registered with Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) under SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012, as a sector agnostic fund.
Significance
  • The work has been carried out with the objectives of highlighting the increasing gap between the sanctioning and disbursement of loans for industrialization and to encourage youth entrepreneur of the region so that they can open small scale and cottage industry for their livelihood with proper financial assistance.
  • Today’s youth are not in a position to afford them to such expensive venture. Keeping this lacuna in mind the present work has been undertaken to invite and motivate them for self-employment.
  • Analysis of the operations performance of the NEDFi reveals that it has played an important role in the development of industries in the states of North East India. Besides, giving loans, other credit facilities, and it offered equity participation to a large extent, which is really praiseworthy.
  • The biggest recipient of the NEDFi’s assistance has been the private sector corporate enterprises. The performance of NEDFi has been really commendable, particularly in carrying out promotional functions for the development of these backward North East states of India.
  • Besides its financing activities, NEDFi has also played their role as catalyst for economic development of the North East by way of Non-Government Organization (NGOs), Self Help Group, Voluntary Associates, Individual etc. and Infrastructure activities for on-lending to the people for self-employment projects.
  • Limitation
  • The proposed study is not free from limitations. Since the study is confined to the data available from Annual Reports of NEDFi and economic survey of Assam.
  • Financial assistance programmes provided by NEDFi to the small and medium scale industries, some authentic information may also be left.
  • So far as the analysis based on secondary data is concerned, the limitation of secondary data will also be applicable. 
Initiatives Taken by Government to Organize Special Training for Development of Start-ups in the North-East region
  • Startup India Yatra Initiative: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), launched Startup India Yatra in 2017 to promote entrepreneurship in rural and non-metro regions across States through grassroot startup aspirants by providing them incubation, mentorship, and funding support.
    • As a part of this initiative, bootcamps were organized in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland from January 2019 to March 2019 reaching over 6600 individuals from 44 districts of these 7 States. In all, 179 incubation offers were extended along with funding support of Rs. 20.1 lakhs as cash prize to 57 winners.
  • As a part of DPIIT program named WING - capacity development programmes for existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs were conducted in Guwahati, Assam on 27-28 February 2020 with 45 attendees; and in Kohima, Nagaland on 22-23 January 2020 with 114 attendees.
  • The participants were given mentoring sessions on themes like Venture Ideation and Business Model Validation, Governance, Legal/Compliance, Marketing/Branding, Creating differential, Finance & Financial Decisions and Mastering Customer Acquisition Strategy & Scaling-up.
  • Startup Sensitization Training in Meghalaya & Assam: A physical training session was organized by DPIIT in Shillong on the 25th of September 2021 in which around 40 entrepreneurs of the state participated and shared their experiences and success stories.
  • A Startup Bootcamp was held by DPIIT on 23rd September 2021, at Guwahati in which around 30 startups of Assam participated and were sensitized about the programmes under the Startup India initiative.
  • Incubator Capacity Building Engagement (Mizoram): Startup India, along with Mizoram State Entrepreneurship Development Monitoring Committee organized a consultation session with incubators from Mizoram on 22ndOctober 2021 as a part of Capacity Building Program.
    LINKING OF VOCATIONAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION Recently, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has advocated integration of vocational education with mainstream education in a phased manner. Genesis
  • Education in the Indian subcontinent began with teaching of traditional elements such as Indian religions, Indian mathematics, Indian logic at early Hindu and Buddhist centres of learning such as ancient Takshila (in modern-day Pakistan) and Nalanda (in India).
  • Early education in India commenced under the supervision of a guru or prabhu. Initially, education was open to all and seen as one of the methods to achieve Moksha in those days, or enlightenment.
  • With the advent of Islam in India the traditional methods of education increasingly came under Islamic influence. Pre-Mughal rulers such as Qutb-ud-din Aybak and other Muslim rulers-initiated institutions which imparted religious knowledge.
  • Scholars such as Nizamuddin Auliya and Moinuddin Chishti became prominent educators and established Islamic monasteries. Students from Bukhara and Afghanistan visited India to study humanities and science.
  • Islamic institution of education in India included traditional madrassas and maktabs which taught grammar, philosophy, mathematics, and law influenced by the Greek traditions inherited by Persia and the Middle East before Islam spread from these regions into India.
  • According to Sir Thomas Munro's Minutes on Native Education, in 1822 and 1826, the Madras Presidency had 11,758 schools, and 740 centers for higher education in the Presidency, and with the exception of a few European missionary schools were funded and managed at a community level.
  • British education became solidified into India as missionary schools were established during the 1820s. Macaulay succeeded in replacing Persian with English, as the administrative language, the use of English as the medium of instruction, and the training of English-speaking Indians as teachers, through the English Education Act 1835. He was inspired by utilitarian ideas and called for "useful learning."
  • In 1854 the Wood's despatch to the then Governor General Dalhousie stipulated a number of reforms be made to the Companies Education system, in British India. The effectiveness of the measures stipulated in the Wood's despatch were subsequently reviewed and a number of subsequent changes made following the publication of William Hunter's Report of the Indian Education Commission 1882, in 1883.
  • The Madras Medical College opened in 1835, and admitted women so that they could treat the female population who traditionally shied away from medical treatments under qualified male professionals. The concept of educated women among medical professionals gained popularity during the late 19th century and by 1894, the Women's Christian Medical College, an exclusive medical school for women, was established in Ludhiana in Punjab.
  • Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, founded in 1875, was the first modern institution of higher education for Muslims in India. By 1920 it became The Aligarh Muslim University and was the leading intellectual center of Muslim political activity. The original goals were to train Muslims for British service and prepare an elite that would attend universities in Britain.
  • Since the country's independence in 1947, the Indian government sponsored a variety of programmes to address the problems of illiteracy in both rural and urban India. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first Minister of Education, envisaged strong central government control over education throughout the country, with a uniform educational system.
  • The Union government established the University Education Commission (1948–1949), the Secondary Education Commission (1952–1953), University Grants Commission and the Kothari Commission (1964–66) to develop proposals to modernise India's education system.
  • The Resolution on Scientific Policy was adopted by the government of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. The Nehru government sponsored the development of high-quality scientific education institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology.
  • The first Indian Institutes of Technology were established in the 1950s to promote technical education in India. Now, there are 23 IITs in India that are considered to be the premier engineering universities of the country.
  • In 1961, the Union government formed the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as an autonomous organisation that would advise both the Union and state governments on formulating and implementing education policies.
  • Based on the report and recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1964–1966), the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced the first National Policy on Education in 1968, which called for a "radical restructuring" and proposed equal educational opportunities in order to achieve national integration and greater cultural and economic development.
  • The policy called for a focus on the learning of regional languages, outlining the "three language formula" to be implemented in secondary education - the instruction of the English language, the official language of the state where the school was based, and Hindi. Language education was seen as essential to reduce the gulf between the intelligentsia and the masses.
  • In 1986, the government led by Rajiv Gandhi introduced a new National Policy on Education. The new policy called for "special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalise educational opportunity," especially for Indian women, Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. To achieve such a social integration, the policy called for expanding scholarships, adult education, recruiting more teachers from the SCs, incentives for poor families to send their children to school regularly, development of new institutions and providing housing and services.
  • The NPE called for a "child-centred approach" in primary education, and launched "Operation Blackboard" to improve primary schools nationwide. The policy expanded the open university system with the Indira Gandhi National Open University, which had been created in 1985.
  • The policy also called for the creation of the "rural university" model, based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, to promote economic and social development at the grassroots level in rural India. 1986 education policy expected to spent 6% of GDP on education.
  • The 1986 National Policy on Education was modified in 1992 by the P. V. Narasimha Rao government. In 2005, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh adopted a new policy based on the "Common Minimum Programme" of his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
  • Programme of Action (PoA) 1992, under the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 envisaged to conduct of a common entrance examination on all India basis for admission to professional and technical programmes in the country.
  • The Sarva Shikhsha Abhiyan is aimed at free and compulsory education as a fundamental right to children between the ages of 6 and 14. The Right to Education Act was passed in 2009.
About National Education Policy, 2020
  • The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), launched on 29 July 2020, outlines the vision of India’s new education system. NEP 2020 focuses on five pillars: Affordability, Accessibility, Quality, Equity, and Accountability – to ensure continual learning.
  • National Education Policy 2020 envisions an India-centric education system that contributes directly to transforming our nation sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all.
  • It has been crafted consistent with the needs of the citizens as a demand for knowledge in society and economy called for a need to acquire new skills on a regular basis. Thus, providing quality education and creating lifelong learning opportunities for all, leading to full and productive employment and decent work as enlisted in United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, forms the thrust of NEP 2020.
  • The new policy replaces the previous National Policy on Education, 1986 and forms a comprehensive framework to transform both elementary and higher education in India by 2040.
  • The NEP 2020 calls for key reforms in both school and higher education that prepare the next generation to thrive and compete in the new digital age. Thus, there is much emphasis upon multi-disciplinarity, digital literacy, written communication, problem-solving, logical reasoning, and vocational exposure in the document.
  • The National Education Policy, 2020 has recommended a revamp of the higher education in the country to make education more student-centric and multi-disciplinary.
  • It aims to pave way for transformational reforms in school and higher education systems in the country. The policy envisions a complete overhaul and re-energizing of the higher education system to overcome existing challenges and thereby deliver good quality higher education with equity and inclusion.
  • Some of the salient features of National Education Policy 2020 for higher education inter-alia includes the following: -
    • Increasing GER in higher education to 50%;
    • Holistic Multidisciplinary Education with multiple entry/exit options;
    • NTA to offer Common Entrance Exam for Admission to HEIs;
    • Establishment of Academic Bank of Credit;
    • ‘Light but Tight’ regulation;
    • Equitable and inclusive education - Special emphasis given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs);
    • Exposure of vocational education in school and higher education system;
The National Education Technology Forum (NETF)
  • The NETF envisaged to be established under NEP 2020 is a step in the right direction. The hosting of Quality Ed-Tech tools in all the dimensions of teaching-learning delivery would enable institutions of learning to adapt quickly.
  • The emphasis needs to be towards hosting indigenous Ed-Tech tools on “open-source development platforms” with built-in cyber security resilience to ensure ‘privacy & security’ besides adherence to cyber security standards, adoption of firewalls and Intrusion Detection System (IDS) from external threats and vulnerabilities. This will secure the ‘personal privacy of individual students.’
Salient features of the NEP 2020 School Education
  • Ensuring Universal Access at all levels of school education
    • NEP 2020 emphasizes on ensuring universal access to school education at all levels- pre-school to secondary.
    • Infrastructure support, innovative education centres to bring back dropouts into the mainstream, tracking of students and their learning levels, facilitating multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes, association of counsellors or well-trained social workers with schools, open learning for classes 3,5 and 8 through NIOS and State Open Schools, secondary education programs equivalent to Grades 10 and 12, vocational courses, adult literacy and life-enrichment programs are some of the proposed ways for achieving this.About 2 crores out of school children will be brought back into main stream under NEP 2020.
  • Early Childhood Care & Education with new Curricular and Pedagogical Structure
    • With emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education,the 10+2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. 
    • This will bring the hitherto uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child. The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
    • NCERT will develop a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to the age of 8.ECCE will be delivered through a significantly expanded and strengthened system of institutions including Anganwadis and pre-schools that will have teachers and Anganwadi workers trained in the ECCE pedagogy and curriculum.
    • The planning and implementation of ECCE will be carried out jointly by the Ministries of HRD, Women and Child Development (WCD), Health and Family Welfare (HFW), and Tribal Affairs.
  • Attaining Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
    • Recognizing Foundational Literacy and Numeracy as an urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning, NEP 2020 calls for setting up of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by MHRD.
    • States will prepare animplementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools for all learners by grade 3 by 2025.A National Book Promotion Policy is to be formulated.
  • Reforms in school curricula and pedagogy
    • The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning.
    • Students will haveincreased flexibility and choice of subjects. There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.
    • Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships. A new and comprehensive National Curricular Framework for School Education, NCFSE 2020-21, will be developed by the NCERT.
  • Multilingualism and the power of language
    • The policy has emphasizedmother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond. Sanskrit to be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula.
    • Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options.No language will be imposed on any student. Students to participate in a fun project/activity on ‘The Languages of India’, sometime in Grades 6-8, such as, under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ initiative. Several foreign languages will also be offered at the secondary level.
    • Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across the country, and National and State curriculum materials developed, for use by students with hearing impairment.
  • Assessment Reforms
    • NEP 2020 envisages a shift from summative assessment to regular and formative assessment, which is more competency-based, promotes learning and development, and tests higher-order skills, such as analysis, critical thinking, and conceptual clarity. All students will take school examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8 which will be conducted by the appropriate authority.
    • Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued, but redesigned with holistic development as the aim.  A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard-setting body.
  • Equitable and Inclusive Education
    • NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. Special emphasis will be given on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities. This includes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups.
    • Children with disabilities will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education, with support of educators with cross disability training, resource centres, accommodations, assistive devices, appropriate technology-based tools and other support mechanisms tailored to suit their needs.
    • Every state/district will be encouraged to establish “Bal Bhavans” as a special daytime boarding school, to participate in art-related, career-related, and play-related activities. Free school infrastructure can be used as Samajik Chetna Kendras.
  • Robust Teacher Recruitment and Career Path
    • Teachers will be recruited through robust, transparent processes. Promotions will be merit-based, with a mechanism for multi-source periodic performance appraisals and available progression paths to become educational administrators or teacher educators.
    • A common National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022, in consultation with NCERT, SCERTs, teachers and expert organizations from across levels and regions.
  • School Governance
    • Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including infrastructure, academic libraries and a strong professional teacher community.
  • Standard-setting and Accreditation for School Education
    • NEP 2020 envisages clear, separate systems for policy making, regulation, operations and academic matters. States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA).
    • Transparent public self-disclosure of all the basic regulatory information, as laid down by the SSSA, will be used extensively for public oversight and accountability. The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.
Higher Education
  • Increase GER to 50 % by 2035
    • NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. 3.5 Crore new seats will be added to Higher education institutions.
  • Holistic Multidisciplinary Education
    • The policy envisages broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic Under Graduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification.
    • UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period. For example, Certificate after 1-year, Advanced Diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s Degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with Research after 4 years.
    • An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.
    • The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.
  • Regulation
    • Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body the for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI to have four independent verticals - National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation, General Education Council (GEC) for standard setting, Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding, and National Accreditation Council (NAC) for accreditation.
    • HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, & will have powers to penalise HEIs not conforming to norms and standards. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.
  • Rationalised Institutional Architecture
    • Higher education institutions will be transformed into large, well resourced, vibrant multidisciplinary institutions providing high quality teaching, research, and community engagement. The definition of university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from Research-intensive Universities to Teaching-intensive Universities and Autonomous degree-granting Colleges.
  • Motivated, Energized, and Capable Faculty
    • NEP makes recommendations for motivating, energizing, and building capacity of faculty through clearly defined, independent, transparent recruitment, freedom to design curricula/pedagogy, incentivising excellence, movement into institutional leadership. Faculty not delivering on basic norms will be held accountable.
  • Teacher Education
    • A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, NCFTE 2021, will be formulated by the NCTE in consultation with NCERT. By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree. Stringent action will be taken against substandard stand-alone Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).
  • Mentoring Mission
    • A National Mission for Mentoring will be established, with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty – including those with the ability to teach in Indian languages – who would be willing to provide short and long-term mentoring/professional support to university/college teachers.
  • Financial support for students
    • Efforts will be made to incentivize the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other SEDGs. The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to support, foster, and track the progress of students receiving scholarships. Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and scholarships to their students.
  • Open and Distance Learning
    • This will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing GER. Measures such as online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc., will be taken to ensure it is at par with the highest quality in-class programmes.
  • Online Education and Digital Education:
    • A comprehensive set of recommendations for promoting online education consequent to the recent rise in epidemics and pandemics in order to ensure preparedness with alternative modes of quality education whenever and wherever traditional and in-person modes of education are not possible, has been covered.
    • A dedicated unit for the purpose of orchestrating the building of digital infrastructure, digital content and capacity building will be created in the MHRD to look after the e-education needs of both school and higher education.
  • Technology in education
    • An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.
    • Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education will be done to improve classroom processes, support teacher professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streamline educational planning, administration and management
  • Promotion of Indian languages
    • To ensure the preservation, growth, and vibrancy of all Indian languages, NEP recommends setting an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI), National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in HEIs, and use mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction in more HEI programmes.
    • Internationalization of education will be facilitated through both institutional collaborations, and student and faculty mobility and allowing entry of top world ranked Universities to open campuses in our country.
  • Professional Education
    • All professional education will be an integral part of the higher education system. Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities etc will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.
  • Adult Education
    • Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.
  • Financing Education
    • The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest.
Advantages of National Education Policy,2020
  • The Government aims to make schooling available to everyone with the help of NEP 2020. Approximately two crore school students will be able to come back to educational institutes through this new approach.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, the 5+3+3+4 structure will replace the existing 10+2 structure. This structure is focused on student’s formative years of learning. This 5+3+3+4 structure corresponds to ages from 3 to 8, 8 to 11, 11 to 14 and 14 to 18. 12 years of schooling, 3 years if Anganwadi and pre-schooling are included in this structure.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, the Education Ministry is to set up a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. The responsibility for successful implementation for achieving the foundation of numeracy and literacy for all students till class three falls upon the states of India. This implementation is scheduled to be done by 2025.
  • One of the merits of NEP 2020 is the formation of the National Book promotion Policy in India.
  • Appropriate authorities will conduct the school examinations for grades 3, 5 and 8. The board exams for grades 10 and 12 will continue but the NEP 2020 aims to re-design the structure with holistic development.
  • Parakh national education policy is to be set up by the Government.
  • Special daytime boarding school “Bal Bhavans” to be established in every state/ district in India. This boarding school will be used for participation in activities related to play, career, art.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, an Academic Bank of Credit will be established. The credits earned by the students can be stored and when the final degree gets completed, those can be counted.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities at par with the IITs and IIMs will be set up in the country. These are scheduled to be set up for introducing multidisciplinary academic.
  • The same list of accreditation and regulation rules will be used for guiding both the public and private academic bodies.
  • Phased out college affiliation and autonomy will be granted to colleges.
  • By the year 2030, it will be mandatory to have at least a four-year B. Ed degree for joining the occupation of teaching.
  • For making the students prepared for future pandemic situations, online academic will be promoted on a larger scale.
Drawbacks
  • In the National Education Policy 2020, language is a negative factor as there is a problematic teacher to student ratio in India, thus introducing mother languages for each subject in academic institutes is a problem.
  • Sometimes, finding a competent teacher becomes a problem and now another challenge comes with the introduction of the NEP 2020, which is bringing study material in mother languages.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, students willing to complete their graduation have to study for four years while one can easily complete his/ her diploma degree in two years. This might encourage the pupil to leave the course midway.
  • According to the national education policy 2020, students of the private schools will be introduced to English at a much earlier age than the students of the Government schools. The academic syllabus will be taught in the respective regional languages of the Government school students. This is one of the major new education policy drawbacks as this will increase the number of students uncomfortable in communicating in English thus widening the gap between sections of the societies.
Road Ahead:
  • The new education policy in 2020 came after 30 years and is all set to change the existing academic system of India with the purpose of making it at par with the international standard of academic. The Government of India aims to set up the NEP by the year 2040.
  • Till the targeted year, the key point of the plan is to be implemented one by one. Even though there are many drawbacks to the new education policy, the merits are more in number. It is believed by many that by implementing these changes, the Indian academic system will be taken a step higher.
    IMPLEMENTATION OF PM-DAKSH YOJANA Recently, the amount of funds earmarked under PM-DAKSH Yojana during 2020-21 and 2021-22 are Rs.44.79 crores and Rs.79.48 crores respectively. About PM-DAKSH Yojana
  • PM-DAKSH portal offers on-line registration for free of cost Skill Development Training Programmes. The scheme has been made trainee centric providing the facilities for
    • online registration
    • selection of job roles
    • selection of training institutes and
    • place of training to trainees in PM-DAKSH portal.
Genesis
  • The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E), caters for empowerment of the socially, educationally and economically marginalized sections of the society including SCs, OBCs, De-notified Tribes (DNTs), EBCs, Safai Karamcharies including Waste Pickers.
  • Most of the persons of target group are having minimal economic assets; therefore, provision of training and enhancing their competencies is essential for economic empowerment/ upliftment of these marginalized target groups.
  • In 2020-21, Department modified the existing Scheme of Assistance to skilling for OBCs/EBCs/DNTs with inclusion of SCs and Safai karamcharis including Waste pickers and renamed it as PM-DAKSH Yojana as Central Sector Scheme, to cover 37,958 beneficiaries with an outlay of Rs.50 Crore for FY 2020-21.
  • SFC has approved the continuation of this scheme with a target to skill around 2,71,000 SC/OBC/EBC/DNT persons, Safai Karamcharis including Waste Pickers during next five years (2021-22 to 2025-26) with a budget outlay of Rs.450.25 crore. 
  • The scheme is to be implemented through three Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), of the Ministry, i.e., National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
Objective
  • The main purpose of the scheme is to increase the skill levels of the target youth by providing for long term and short-term skills, followed by settlement in employment/self- employment.
  • Artisans–may be able to improve their revenue generation capacities within their practicing vocations,
  • Women - may be able to enter into self-employment thereby financially empowering themselves without neglecting their domestic activities; and
  • Youth from the target groups - may acquire long-term training and specialization in employable vocations giving them better standing in the job market.
Salient Features of PM DAKSH
  • Training Institutions: The training is provided through Government Sector training institutions and reputed institutions enabling them to take up suitable job/self-employment opportunities.
  • Compliance with Common Norms; Training programmes are organized in broad pursuance of Common Norms issued by Ministry of Skill Development and courses are National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligned.
  • Accordingly, SSCs/TIs providing Skill Development Training Programme (SDTP) under PM-DAKSH Yojana are required to provide wage/self-employment to the trained candidates to the extent of 70%.
  • Age of the candidates for undergoing skill training: Beneficiaries between the age of 18-45 years are considered for SDTP.
  • Stipend to the trainees: Stipend @ Rs 1500/- per month/candidate to SCs/Safai Karamcharis/ dependants and @ Rs.1000/- per month/ candidate to OBCs/EBCs/DNTS dependants is provided on attaining 80% & above attendance.
  • The Corporations, namely National Scheduled Caste Finance & Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) & National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) aspire to train 2.71 lakh persons from its target group over the period of 2021-22 to 2025-26, broadly in the following sub-categories:
    • Up-skilling/Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
    • Short Term Courses
    • Entrepreneurial Development Programmes (EDP)
    • Long Term Courses 
    PROMOTION OF SEAWEED CULTIVATION Recently, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India provided financial assistances for culture rafts and monolines/tubenets along with inputs at a unit costs Rs 1500 and Rs 8000 respectively for seaweed cultivation under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). A proposal for establishment of Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu has been received for assistance under PMMSY. About Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
  • The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is implementing Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana – A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India at an estimated investment of Rs. 20050 crores for holistic development of fisheries sector including welfare of fishers. PMMSY is being implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
  • PMMSY is designed to address critical gaps in the fisheries value chain from fish production, productivity and quality to technology, post-harvest infrastructure and marketing.
  • It aims to modernize and strengthen the value chain, enhance traceability and establish a robust fisheries management framework while simultaneously ensuring the socio-economic welfare of fishers and fish farmers.
  • The PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with two separate Components namely
(a) Central Sector Scheme (CS) and (b) Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
  • The Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) Component is further segregated into non-beneficiary oriented and beneficiary orientated subcomponents/activities under the following three broad heads:
    • Enhancement of Production and Productivity
    • Infrastructure and Post-harvest Management
    • Fisheries Management and Regulatory Framework
  • The major aim of the government behind the scheme is
    • Enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne till 2024-25,
    • Increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs.1,00,000 crore,
    • Doubling of incomes of fishers and fish
    • Reducing post-harvest losses from 20-25% to about 10%
    • Generation of additional 55 lakhs direct and indirect gainful employment opportunities in the fisheries sector and allied activities farmers
Objective Of the Scheme
  • This scheme will improve the current framework of the chain from ranch entryway to retail outlet.
  • PMMSY will expand the development of food preparing part in the nation.
  • It will build GDP, Employment, and venture.
  • This Scheme help in decreasing the gigantic wastage of horticulture items.
  • It will help in giving better costs to ranchers and twofold their salary.
  • Saddling of fisheries potential in an economical, capable, comprehensive, and even-handed way
  • Improving fish creation and efficiency through development, heightening, broadening, and beneficial use of land and water
  • Modernizing and reinforcing of meriting chain – post-reap the executives and quality improvement
  • Multiplying fishers and fish ranchers' earnings and age of work
  • Improving commitment to Agriculture GVA and fares
  • Social, physical, and financial security for fishers and fish ranchers
  • Active fisheries management and administrative structure
About Seaweed Cultivation
  • Seaweeds are (thalloid plants) macroscopic algae, which mean they have no differentiation of true tissues such as roots, stems and leaves. They have leaf-like appendages.
  • Seaweeds, the larger and visible marine plants are found attached to rocks, corals and other submerged strata in the intertidal and shallow sub tidal zones of the sea.
  • Large seaweeds form dense underwater forests known as kelp forests, which act as underwater nurseries for fish, snails and sea urchins. The herbivorous marine animals also feed on its thallus.
  • On their part, the seaweeds derive nutrition through photosynthesis of sunlight and nutrients present in seawater. They release oxygen through every part of their bodies.
  • Seaweeds grow in shallow coastal waters wherever sizable substrata are available.
  • Based on the colour of their pigmentation, sea weeds are broadly classified into different classes such a
    • blue- green,
    • green,
    • brown,
    • red etc.
  • Functions of seaweeds
  • Food for marine organism,
  • habitat for fish breeding grounds,
  • Source of sediment.
Uses of seaweeds
  • Seaweeds are important as food for humans, feed for animals, and fertilizer for plants.
  • Seaweeds are used as a drug for goitre treatment, intestinal and stomach disorders.
  • Products like agar-agar and alginates, iodine which are of commercial value, are extracted from seaweeds.
  • By the biodegradation of seaweeds methane like economically important gases can be produced in large quantities.
  • Extracts of some seaweed species show antibacterial Activity.
  • Seaweeds are also used as the potential indicators of pollution in coastal ecosystem, particularly heavy metal pollution due to their ability to bind and accumulate metals strongly.
  • Seaweeds might be a natural alternative for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by ruminants.
  • Seaweeds have been used to feed livestock from time immemorial in coastal regions during periods of feed scarcity.
  • They also supply organic nutrients, which they are capable of producing, to other marine lifeforms.
  • There is a proposal termed as ‘ocean afforestation’ for farming seaweed to remove carbon.
  • The importance of seaweed in agriculture and animal husbandry is noteworthy. They can be used as fertilizers and to increase fish production. Also, when livestock is fed with seaweed, methane emission from cattle may be reduced substantially.
  • Additionally, they may be buried in beach dunes to combat beach erosion. It is used as an ingredient in preparing toothpaste, cosmetics and paints.
Harmful effects of seaweeds
  • Rotting seaweed is a potent source of hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas, and has been implicated in some incidents of apparent hydrogen-sulphide poisoning. It can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
  • Fisher folk, mostly women, collect tonnes of seaweeds daily around the islands. And while doing so, they break the corals.
  • Mechanical dredging causes damage to the kelp forests formed by large seaweeds.
  • Indiscriminate collection of seaweed also causes severe damage to the useful algaes.
  • Declines in seaweeds leave coastlines open to the damaging effects of the sea, which reduce the stability of the land. Inhabitants of the seaweed forests, like fish, are also at risk of losing their habitat.
  • The invasive seaweed had been smothering coral reefs and destroying native algae and seagrasses, which play critical roles in protecting aquatic animals and driving local economies dependent on fish and tourism.
Threats to seaweeds
  • Eutrophication, siltation, trawling, coastal engineering constructions and over exploitation for commercial purposes are the major threats.
Scope of Seaweed cultivation in India
  • Rich seaweed beds around Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Varkala, Vizhinjam and Pulicat in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; and Chilika in Odisha, provides a huge scope for the seaweed cultivation in India.
  • Seaweed cultivation will go a long way in supporting lives of coastal fisher-families, especially fisher-women, farmers and entrepreneurs. Keeping these things in mind, the government has setup a fund of around INR 640 crore for boosting seaweed cultivation in the country.
Road Ahead: The Government of India is trying to promote seaweed cultivation in such a way that, it enhances the income of fishers in the coastal areas. Through seaweed cultivation, the industry dependent on it as a source of raw material will get a boost, which in turn will help in generating employment in the country. Thus, Seaweed cultivation is a win-win condition for all.     RASHTRIYA VAYOSHRI YOJANA Recently, the Ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme namely Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) under which free of cost assistive devices are provided to those senior citizens who suffer from age related disabilities/infirmities, and belong to BPL category. About Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana is scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
  • This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. The expenditure for implementation of the scheme is being met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund".
  • The Scheme is being implemented by the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
  •  RVY is implemented across the country.
  • Since 2020-21 senior citizens who have a monthly income upto Rs. 15,000/- can also avail the benefit.
Importance of the scheme
  • As per the Census figures of 2011, the population of senior citizens in India is 10.38 crore. More than 70% of the population of senior citizens live in rural areas of the country.
  • A sizeable percentage (5.2%) of the senior citizens suffers from some sort of disabilities related to old age. Projections indicate that the number of elderly populations will increase to around 173 million by 2026.
  • The Government has hence devised the Central Sector Scheme to provide Physical aids and Assisted Living Devices for such senior citizens suffering from age related disabilities/ infirmities, who belong to BPL category.
Eligibility
  • Senior Citizens, belonging to BPL category and suffering from any of the age-related disability/infirmity viz. Low vision, Hearing impairment, Loss of teeth and Locomotor disability will be provided with such assisted-living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity manifested.
  • The Scheme is expected to benefit 5,20,000 Senior Citizens across the country.
Salient features of the scheme
  • Free of cost distribution of the devices, commensurate with the extent of disability/infirmity that is manifested among the eligible senior citizens.
  • In case of multiple disabilities/infirmities manifested in the same person, the assistive devices will be given in respect of each disability/impairment.
  • ALIMCO will undertake one-year free maintenance of the aids & assisted living devices.
  • Beneficiaries in each district will be identified by the State Governments/UT Administrations through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector.
  • As far as possible, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district shall be women.
  • The State Government/UT Administration/District Level Committee can also utilize the data of BPL beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension under the NSAP or any other Scheme of the State/UT for identification of senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
  • The devices will be distributed in Camp mode.
Eligibility criteria for the beneficiaries
  • The person should be a Senior Citizen of India (aged 60 years and above) and possessing an Aadhaar card or should have applied for Aadhaar card and having Aadhaar enrolment acknowledgement. In case, the beneficiary does not possess an Aadhaar card, any of the specified identity documents shall be acceptable for the purpose of identification.
  • The beneficiary may produce a certificate from the District Authority for eligibility or a BPL ration card or proof of receiving Old Age Pension under Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) or any other Pension Scheme of the State/UT Government for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
  • Certificate from the Medical Officer shall be required for loss of vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and locomotor disability requiring use of wheelchair.
  • The person should not have received the same device(s) free of cost from any Government source including local bodies and public undertakings controlled by the Government during last 3 years. However, replacement of faulty/non-functional device(s) may be allowed as an exception to this condition.
  • In any State/UT, out of the total number of beneficiaries, 30 per cent shall be women.
  • It should be ensured that the percentage of SC/ST beneficiaries of the Scheme shall be equal to or more of their respective percentage of population in the district.
Awareness Generation on the Scheme The Central and the State Governments/UT Administrations shall ensure wide publicity to the Scheme so that adequate awareness is created among the potential beneficiaries and their families as well as the general public about the existence of the Scheme and the benefits available under it.


POSTED ON 17-03-2022 BY ADMIN
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