UNION HRD MINISTER CHAIRS THE REVIEW MEETING ON SWAYAM
Why in news? Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ held a detailed review of the National online education platform SWAYAM and the 32 DTH Television Education Channels SWAYAM PRABHA. In the lockdown condition there has been a tremendous increase in demand and the usage of SWAYAM Courses and SWAYAM PRABHA videos. […]
LIFELINE UDAN FLIGHTS
Why in news? ‘Lifeline Udan’ flights are being operated by MoCA to transport essential medical cargo to remote parts of the country to support India’s war against COVID-19. Air India operated two flights between Mumbai- Frankfurt and Mumbai- London last week under the Krishi Udan program, carrying seasonal fruits and vegetables from Mumbai and returning […]
A HEALTH SCHEME SANS CLOUT
Why in news? Mainstreaming transformative technologies in the healthcare ecosystem and boosting innovation in delivery are a major focus under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — with the three intentions of containing costs, improving care quality, and bridging existing gaps in service provision. The PMJAY – Capability and Scope The unremitting sluggishness […]
MISSING AT BIRTH
Why in news? Recent case of infanticide in Tamil Nadu’s Usilampatti, historically notorious for its crude methods of killing female babies, sent a chill down the spine of the country. Years after it was believed that awareness generation and targeted behaviour change communication had led to people giving up the inhuman practice of feeding female […]
DISABLED AND EXTREMELY POOR
Why in news? Using the two rounds of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) data for 2005 and 2012, the analysis shows there is a link between disability, loss of employment and impoverishment in rural India. Patterns of disability The prevalence of disability was 9.70% in the rural population in 2012. Of the disabled, more […]
A PLURAL LEGACY MORE VITAL THAN EVER
To ensure good health by 2023, focus on agriculture, sanitation, women education: Why in news? President Donald Trump applauded India’s achievements in his February 24. These achievements ranged from religious freedom to reducing poverty to becoming an emerging giant economy. Facts about Poverty reduction: The World Bank’s estimates of extreme poverty — measured as $1.9/per […]
END THE HARASSMENT OF FARMERS NOW
Why in news? An order dated March 28 said all agricultural, horticultural activities and those relating to harvesting, transportation, procurement, mandis, farming operations and the like are exempted from the lockdown. The order was made so that “harvesting would continue uninterrupted”. The exempted categories included “agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture products, including MSP operations; […]
WOMEN’S SAFETY DURING LOCKDOWN
Introduction to Domestic Violence during crisis It is well-documented that during a war, a natural disaster or a pandemic, women’s bodies bear the worse brunt of the crisis. Now, at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations recognises domestic violence against women as a “shadow pandemic”. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a huge […]
NO LOCKDOWN FOR ABUSE
Why in news? The National Commission of Women has recorded a more than two-fold rise in domestic violence and sexual assaults and a three-fold increase in cases of police apathy in the first week of lockdown since March 24th 2020. In China, France, the U.K. and other countries, there have been reports of a significant […]
OUTDATED CENSUS DATA KEEP 10 CR. OUT OF PDS: ECONOMISTS
Why in news? Over 10 crore people have been excluded from the Public Distribution System because outdated 2011 census data is being used to calculate State-wise National Food Security Act coverage. The disastrous impact of this gap is being seen in the midst of a crippling lockdown, as people who have lost their livelihoods depend […]