Programmes Policies

CHRONICLE
IAS ACADEMY
A CIVIL SERVICES CHRONICLE INITIATIVE
PROGRAMMES
&
POLICIES
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CHRONICLE
Civil Services
22yrs of Guiding Success
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AGRICULTURE
1. NATIONAL
MISSION
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
RISK MANAGEMENT: The agricultural sector may face risks due to extreme climatic
events. Priority areas are as follows:
FOR
Recognizing the challenge of climate change to

Indian agriculture, the National Mission for
Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), which is one
of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) has
been conceptualized. The proposed national
mission will focus on four areas crucial to agriculture in adapting to climate change, namely
dryland agriculture, risk management, access
to information, and use of biotechnology.
Strengthening of current agricultural and

weather insurance mechanisms
Development and validation of weather derivative models (by insurance providers ensuring their access to archival and current
weather data)
Creation of web-enabled, regional language

based services for facilitation of weatherbased insurance
Development of GIS and remote-sensing

methodologies for detailed soil resource mapping and land use planning at the level of
a watershed or a river basin
Mapping vulnerable eco-regions and pest

and disease hotspots
Dryland Agriculture: Out of the net cultivated

area of approximately 141 million hectares,
about 85 million hectares (60%) falls under the
dryland/rain-fed zone. Accordingly, to realise
the enormous agricultural growth potential of
the drylands in the country and secure farmbased livelihoods, there is a need to prevent
declines in agricultural yields during climatic
stress. Priority actions on dryland agriculture
with particular relevance to adaptation will be
as follows:
Developing and implementing region-specific contingency plans based on vulnerability and risk scenarios
Development of regional databases of soil,

weather, genotypes, land-use patterns and
water resources.
Monitoring of glacier and ice-mass, impacts

on water resources, soil erosion, and associated impacts on agricultural production in
mountainous regions.
Providing information on off-season crops,

aromatic and medicinal plants, greenhouse
crops, pasture development, agro-forestry,
livestock and agro-processing.
Climate Change Risks at Three Levels
Crop (Livestock) Level: Productivity and Quality of Produce

Farm (Cropping System) Level: Soil quality,
Water resources, Pest & Diseases
Food System Level: Pricing, Food Security
ACCESS TO INFORMATION: A l t h o u g h
many information channels are available to
farmers, none of them offers need-based information in an interactive mode. Supplying
customized information can boost farm productivity and farm incomes, and the following
areas deserve priority:
Development of drought- and pest-resistant

crop varieties.
Improving methods to conserve soil and

water.
Stakeholder consultations, training workshops and demonstration exercises for farming communities, for agro-climatic information sharing and dissemination.
Financial support to enable farmers to invest in and adopt relevant technologies to

overcome climate-related stresses.
Programmes & Policies
Chronicle IAS Academy
Collation and dissemination of block-level

data on agro-climatic variables, land-use,
and socio-economic features and preparation of state-level agro-climatic atlases.
To strategise long-term interventions for

emission reduction from energy and nonenergy uses by way of introduction of suitable crop varieties and farm practices, livestock and manure management.
To realise the enormous potential of growth

in dryland agriculture through the development of drought and pest resistant crop
varieties, adopting resource-conserving
technologies, providing institutional support
to farmers and capacity building of stakeholders.
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USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: Biotechnology

applications in agriculture relate to several
themes, including drought proofing, taking advantage of elevated CO 2 concentrations,
increased yields and increased resistance to
disease and pests. Priority areas include:
Use of genetic engineering to convert C-3

crops to the more carbon responsive C-4
crops to achieve greater photosynthetic efficiency for obtaining increased productivity
at higher levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere or to sustain thermal stresses.
2. THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

MISSION (NFSM)
Development of crops with better water and

nitrogen use efficiency which may result in
reduced emissions of greenhouse gases or
greater tolerance to drought or submergence
or salinity.
Development of nutritional strategies for

managing heat stress in dairy animals to
prevent nutrient deficiencies leading to low
milk yield and productivity.
Launched in Rabi 2007-08 with a view to

enhancing the production of rice, wheat,
and pulses by 10 million tonnes, 8 million
tones, and 2 million tonnes respectively
The Mission aims to increase production

through area expansion and productivity;
create employment opportunities; and enhance the farm-level economy to restore
confidence of farmers.
The NFSM is presently being implemented

in 47 identified districts of 17 States of the
country. Besides, a series of activities for
more vigorous promotion of pulse crops has
been adopted under the NFSM to intensify
the pulse production programme from 201011. These are:
Mission Objectives
To devise strategic plans at the agro-climatic

zone level so that action plans are
contextualised to regional scales in the areas of research and development (R&D),
technology and practices, infrastructure and
capacity building.
To enhance agricultural productivity

through customised interventions such as
use of bio-technology to develop improved
varieties of crops and livestock, promoting
efficient irrigation systems, demonstration of
appropriate technology, capacity building
and skill development.
To facilitate access to information and

institutional support by expanding Automatic Weather Station networks to the
Panchayat level and linking them to existing insurance mechanisms including the
Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme and
the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme
(NAIS), scaling the returns at that level.
To promote "laboratory to land" research

by creating model villages and model farm
units in rain-fed and dryland areas.
i) Merging of the pulse component of the

Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil
Palm and Maize (ISOPOM) with the
NFSM so as to increase the scope and
area coverage of the pulses programme.
Jharkhand and Assam have also been
included under the programme since
there is immense potential for pulse promotion in rice fallows.
ii) Through a new programme under the
NFSM called the Accelerated Pulses Production Programme (A3P), 1000 block
demonstrations of technology have been
launched from 2010-11. This programme
will essentially promote plant nutrients and plant protection-centric technologies
in compact blocks of 1000 ha each for
five major pulse crops, namely, tur,
moong, urad, gram, and lentil.
Another programme, namely Bringing

Green Revolution in the Eastern States is
The Oil Palm Development Programme

under the ISOPOM is being implemented in
10 States.
The Rice Development and Organizing

Pulses and Oilseeds Villages is another
programme, beside the pulses promotion
strategies and other initiatives undertaken to
boost agricultural productivity in these states.
Its Maize Development Programme is under implementation in 15 States.
Launched in 2007-08 with an outlay of Rs.

25,000 crore for the Eleventh Plan to
incentivize States to enhance public investment so as to achieve a 4 per cent growth
rate in agriculture and allied sectors during
the Plan. Specific allocation has been made
for the following three new initiatives introduced under the RKVY in 2010-11:
The Ministry of Agriculture has been implementing the centrally sponsored NHM for
the holistic development of the horticulture
sector since 2005-06, duly ensuring forward
and backward linkages, and with the active
participation of all the stakeholders.
All the States and the three Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Lakshadweep, and Puducherry are covered
under the Mission except the eight northeastern States including Sikkim and the
States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The latter are covered under the Horticulture Mission for the North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH).
The scheme is being implemented in 37 districts in the country
KRISHI
(i) Extending the Green Revolution to the

eastern region of the country, covering
the States of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Orissa, eastern UP, and West
Bengal.
(ii) Special initiatives for pulses and oilseeds

in dry-land areas by organizing 60,000
pulse and oilseeds villages in identified watersheds where pulse and oilseed
farmers are provided farm machinery and
equipment on custom hiring basis.
6. NATIONAL MISSION
IRRIGATION
(iii) Implementation of the National Mission

on Saffron - Economic Revival of Jammu
& Kashmir Saffron Sector during 2010-11.
The RKVY has linked 50 per cent of Central assistance to the percentage of State
Plan expenditure on agriculture and allied
sectors.
Its convergence with other schemes like the

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGA) is expected to
boost development of the agrarian economy.
MICRO
The Centrally sponsored National Mission

on Micro Irrigation (NMMI) was launched
in June 2010 in addition to the earlier Micro
Irrigation Scheme launched in January 2006.
The scheme provides assistance at 60 per

cent of the system cost for small and marginal farmers and at 50 per cent for general
farmers.
7. NATIONAL BAMBOO MISSION (NBM)
The ISOPOM is being implemented in 14

major States for oilseeds and pulses, 15 for
maize, and 10 for oil palm.
The pulses component has been merged
with the NFSM with effect from 1 April 2010.
ON
With a view to harnessing the potential of

the bamboo crop in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture has been implementing
the centrally sponsored NBM in 27 States in
the country with a total outlay of Rs. 568.23
crore.
The Mission aims to promote holistic growth

of the bamboo sector by adopting an areabased, regionally differentiated strategy and
to increase the area under bamboo cultivation and marketing.
4. THE INTEGRATED SCHEME OF

OILSEEDS, PULSES, OIL PALM AND
MAIZE (ISOPOM)
HORTICULTURE
VIKAS
3. THE RASHTRIYA
YOJANA (RKVY)
5. THE NATIONAL
MISSION (NHM)
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operational in seven states - Uttar Pradesh,

Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam,
Orissa, and Chhattisgarh.
8. LIVESTOCK INSURANCE
A Centrally sponsored scheme of livestock
insurance is being implemented in all the
States with twin objectives: providing protection mechanism to the farmers and cattle
rearers against any eventual loss of their
animals due to death; and demonstrating
the benefits of insuring livestock to the
people.
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Two new components have been added

namely. (a) Pulses and oilseeds crop production programmes for the areas not covered under the Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM)
and (b) "Reclamation of Acidic Soil" along
with the existing component of "Reclamation of Alkali Soil."
The scheme, which was introduced in 100

selected districts on pilot basis during 200506, has now been extended to 300 selected
districts covering all states.
Permissible ceiling for new initiatives has

been increased from existing 10 per cent to
20 per cent of the allocation.
At least 33 per cent of the funds have to be

earmarked for small, marginal and women
farmers.
9. REVISED MACRO MANAGEMENT OF

AGRICULTURE
Active participation of the Panchayati Raj

Institutions (PRIs) of all tiers would have to
be ensured in the implementation of the
Revised MMA scheme including review,
monitoring and evaluation at district/subdistrict level.
In the year 2008-09, Macro Management of

Agriculture Scheme was revised to improve
its efficacy in supplementing / complementing the efforts of the States towards enhancement of agricultural production and
productivity.
10. REVAMPING
OF
COOPERATIVE
CREDIT STRUCTURE
The Revised MMA scheme comprises 11 subschemes relating to crop production and
natural resource management.
Some of the salient features of the Revised Macro

Management of Agriculture Scheme are as follow:
The Practice of allocating funds to States/

UTs on historical basis has been replaced by
a new allocation criteria based on gross
cropped area and area under small and
marginal holdings. The revised MMA
Scheme has formula-based allocation criteria and provides assistance in the form of
grants to the States/UTs on 90:10 basis except in case of the north-eastern States and
Union Territories where the Central share
is 100 per cent.
In January 2006, the Government announced a package for revival of the Shortterm Rural Cooperative Credit Structure on
the recommendation of the Vaidyanathan
Committee.
The National Bank for Agriculture and

Rural Development (NABARD) has been
designated the implementing agency for the
purpose.
11. REHABILITATION PACKAGE

DISTRESSED FARMERS
Subsidy structure has been rationalized to

make the pattern of subsidy uniform under
all the schemes implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. Revised subsidy norms indicate maximum
permissible limit of assistance. States may
either retain the existing norms, or increase
them to a reasonable level provided that the
norms do not exceed the revised upper limits specified.
FOR
The Government is implementing a rehabilitation package for 31 suicide-prone districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra involving a financial outlay of Rs. 16,978.69
crore.
Special packages are being implemented in

Kerala for the development of Kuttanad
wetland ecosystem and mitigation of agrarian distress in Idukki district with an outlay of Rs. 1840.75 crore and Rs. 764.45 crore,
respectively.
12. KISAN CREDIT CARD (KCC) SCHEME
The KCC scheme was introduced in August 1998.

The scheme includes reasonable components

of consumption credit and investment credit
within the overall credit limit sanctioned to
the borrowers to provide adequate and
timely credit support to the farmers for their
cultivation needs.
16. COCONUT
PALM
SCHEME (CPIS)
13. THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL

INSURANCE SCHEME (NAIS)
The Agriculture Insurance Company of

India Ltd. (AIC) is the implementing agency
(IA) for the Scheme.
The CPIS is being implemented on pilot basis

since 2009-10 in selected areas of Andhra
Pradesh,
Goa,
Karnataka,
Kerala,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West
Bengal.
The scheme is administered by the Coconut

Development Board (CDB) through the AIC.
The main objective of the scheme is to protect farmers against crop losses suffered on
account of natural calamities.
17. ACCELERATED IRRIGATION BENEFIT

PROGRAMME (AIBP)
The NAIS is being implemented in the country from Rabi 1999-2000 seasons.
The scheme is available to all the farmers loanee and non-loanee and covers all food
crops.
The Accelerated Irrigation Benefit

Programme (AIBP) was launched during
1996- 1997 to give loan assistance to the
States to help them complete some of the
incomplete major/medium irrigation
projects which were at an advanced stage
of completion and to create additional irrigation potential in the country.
Surface minor irrigation schemes of northeastern states, hilly states of Sikkim,

Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Koraput, Bolangir
and Kalahandi districts of Orissa have also
been provided Central Loan Assistance
(CLA) under this programme since 1999 2000.
Grant component has been introduced in

the programme from April 2004 like other
Central Sector Schemes. As per the existing
AIBP criteria effective from December 2006,
grant amounting to 25% of the project cost
for major and medium irrigation projects in
non-special category States and 90% grant
of the project cost for major/medium/minor irrigation projects in special category
States (including Koraput, Bolangir and
Kalahandi districts of Odisha) are provided
to the selected projects.
The minor irrigation schemes in non-special

category States falling in drought-prone/
tribal areas are treated at par with special
category States and are provided 90% grant
of the project cost.
Major and medium projects providing irrigation benefits to drought-prone/tribal area
A 10 per cent subsidy is available for small

and marginal farmers.
All financial liabilities under the scheme are
shared by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis.
The scheme is at present being implemented

by 25 States and two UTs.
14. THE PILOT MODIFIED NAIS (MNAIS)
Keeping in view the limitations/shortcomings of the existing scheme, the Government

has approved the Modified NAIS for implementation on pilot basis in 50 districts from
Rabi 2010-11 seasons.
Seven States have already notified the areas for implementation of the scheme during Rabi 2010-11.
15. WEATHER BASED CROP INSURANCE

SCHEME (WBCIS)
INSURANCE
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In addition to the Agriculture Insurance

Company of India Ltd. (AIC), private insurers have also been included for implementing the scheme in selected areas.
Efforts have been made to bring more farmers under the fold of crop insurance by introducing a Weather Based Crop Insurance
Scheme (WBCIS) as announced in the
Union Budget 2007 in selected 208 areas
on pilot basis.
The WBCIS is intended to provide insurance protection to farmers against adverse
weather incidences, which are deemed to
unfavourably impact crop production.
and flood-prone area are also eligible for

90% grant of the project cost.
The State Governments have been provided
an amount of about Rs. 36,534 crores as
CLA/Grant under AIBP since inception of
this programme till 07.07.2009 for 268 major/medium irrigation projects and 9,908
Surface Minor Irrigation Schemes.
Demonstration of technologies
Production of quality planting material
Organic farming
Efficient water management
Plant health.
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It covers:-
18. HORTICULTURE
MISSION
FOR
NORTH EAST AND HIMALAYAN
STATES
In order to improve livelihood opportunities and to bring prosperity to the North

Eastern Region (NER) including Sikkim,
Government of India launched a Technology Mission for North East for integrated
Development of Horticulture in 2001-02.
Considering the potential of Horticulture for

socio-economic development of Jammu &
Kashmir,
Himachal
Pradesh
and
Uttarakhand, Technology Mission was extended to these States from 2003-04.
The Mission is based on the "end-to-end approach" taking into account the entire
gamut of horticulture development, with all
backward and forward linkages, in a holistic manner.
The mission has now been renamed as Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH).
Plantation works
Area expansion
Post harvest management, processing, value

addition including that of aromatic plants,
marketing and exports.
Department of Agriculture will be the nodal

department for the Horticulture Mission for
coordination and implementation.
The Horticulture Mission will be implemented through "Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium" (SFAC), except the
programmes of ICAR, NHB, APEDA and
NCDC.
All the funds are to be routed through

SFAC, New Delhi (SFAC is a society under
the Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation - Declared as a
Financial Institution under Section 17(8A)
of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934).
Half percent service charges would be paid

to SFAC Society for the funds routed
through it.
The objectives of the Mission are:
To improve the production and productivity of horticulture crops by harnessing the

potential of the region.
Special emphasis on "Low Volume, High

Value, Less Perishable Horticulture Crops".
A horticulture-based farming system to be

developed, thereby providing viable and
ample opportunities for employment, especially for women, besides improving the
productivity of land.
19. OECD SEED SCHEMES IN INDIA
The programmes under the HMNEH have

been evolved in consultation with all the
stakeholders, including the State Governments. The HMNEH strives to address the
following issues:
Technology & technological development
The OECD Seed Schemes provide an international framework for the certification of
agriculture seed moving in international
trade.
The schemes were established in 1958 driven

by a combination of factors including a fastgrowing seed trade, regulatory harmonization in Europe, the development of off-season production, the seed breeding and production potential of large exporting countries in America (North and South) and
Europe, and the support of private industry.
Membership of the Schemes is voluntary and

participation varies.
India became its member in 2008.

With the accession of India and Moldova,

number of participating countries in the
OECD Seed Schemes has increased to 57
from Europe, North and South America,
Africa, the Middle-East, Asia and Oceania.
How do the Seed Schemes operate?
There are seven Agriculture Seed Schemes

in OECD viz.,
Grasses and Legumes

Cereals
Crucifers and other oil or fibre species

Fodder beet and sugar beet
Frequent meeting allow for a multi-stakeholder dialogue to exchange information,

discuss case studies, prepare new rules and
update the Schemes.
The UN family of bodies, a vast range of

non-government organizations (UPOV,
ISTA) and seed industry networks participate actively in the Schemes.
Subterranean clover and similar species

Maize and sorghum
Vegetables
Objectives
The success of international certification depends upon close cooperation between

maintainers, seed producers, trades and the
designated authority (appointed by the government) in each participating country.
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The quantity of seed certified through the

OECD Schemes has grown rapidly in recent years and reached 5,90,000 tonnes in
2005-06.
The objectives of the OECD Schemes for

the varietal certification of seed are to encourage the use of "quality-guaranteed" seed
in participating countries.
Benefits of the Schemes
The Schemes authorize the use of labels and

certificates for seed produced and processed
for international trade according to agreed
principles ensuring identity and purity.
The Schemes facilitate the import and export of seed, by the removal of technical
trade barriers through internationally recognized labels (passports for trade).
They also lay down guidelines for seed multiplication abroad as well as for the delegation of some control activities to the private
sector ("accreditation").
To facilitate international trade by using globally recognized OECD labels and certificate (e.g. they are required to export seeds
to Europe).
To build a framework to develop seed production with countries or companies.
To participate in the elaboration of international rules for seed certification.
To develop collaboration between the public and private sectors.
To benefit from regular exchanges of information with other national certification

agencies and observer organizations.
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EDUCATION
1. SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
Achievements of SSA:
SSA, the principal programme for Universal

Elementary Education (UEE), is the culmination of all previous endeavours and experiences
in implementing various education programmes.
While each of these programmes and projects
had a specific focusOperation Blackboard on
improving physical infrastructure; DPEP on
primary education; Shiksha Karmi Project on
teacher absenteeism, and Lok Jumbish Project
on girls' educationSSA has been the single
largest holistic programme addressing all aspects of elementary education covering over one
million elementary schools and Education Guarantee Centre (EGS)/Alternate and Innovative
Education (AIE) Centres and about 20 crore
children.
opening of 3,02,872 new schools;
construction of 2,42,608 school buildings;
construction of 10,77,729 additional classrooms in existing schools;
provision of drinking water facilities in

1,92,486 schools;
provision of toilets in 3,19,607 schools;
appointment of 10.30 lakh teachers;
textbook support for approximately 10 crore

children annually;
teacher training support for approximately

35 lakh teachers; and
Establishing 2573 KGBVs in which 2, 38,600

girls are enrolled, with priority to girls from
SC, ST, Muslim and BPL groups.
Under SSA, India has not only been able to

improve access to 99 percent of primary
level but has also been able to reduce dropout of school children to 3-4 per cent of the
age cohort of 6-14 years.
Launched in 2001, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

(SSA) is one of India's major flagship
programmes for universalisation of elementary education. Its overall goals include universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in elementary
education, and achieving significant enhancement in learning levels of children.
SSA is implemented in partnership with the

state governments and reaches out to 19.4
crore children in 12.3 lakh habitations across
the country.
Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative

and Innovative Education
SSA goals are:
Enrolment of all children in school, education guarantee centres, alternative school,

'back-to-school' camp by 2005;
Retention of all children till the upper primary stage by 2010.
Bridging of gender and social category gaps

in enrolment, retention and learning; and
Ensuring that there is significant enhancement in the learning achievement levels of

children at the primary and upper primary
stage.
10
Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative Innovative Education (EGS and AIE) is
an important component of Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) to bring out-of-school children in the fold of Elementary Education.
The scheme envisages that child-wise planning is undertaken for each out-of-schoolchild.
Under EGS, educational facilities are set up

in habitations that do not have a primary
school within a distance of 1 km.
Any habitation with 25 out-of-schools in

the 6-14 age groups (15 in the cases of hilly
and desert areas and tribal hamlets) is

eligible to have an EGS centre.
mending village-specific action based on

their understanding of local issues.
It is a transitory facility till primary school

replaces it within a period of two years.
3. KASTURBA
GANDHI
VIDYALAYA SCHEME
Alternative education interventions for specific categories of very deprived children e.g.,
child labour, street children, migrating children, working children, children living in
difficult circumstances and older children
in the 9+ age group especially adolescent
girls are being supported under EGS and
AIE all over the country.
A sizeable number of out-of-school children

are in the habitations where schooling facility is available but these children either did
not join the school or dropped out before
completing their schooling. These children
may not fit into the rigid formal system. To
bring such children back to school, back to
school camp and Bridge Courses strategies
have been implemented. Bridge courses and
back-to-school camps can be residential or
non-residential depending upon the need of
children.
The scheme targets areas of scattered habitations, where schools are at great distances
and are challenge to the security of girls.
This often compels girls to discontinue their
education. KGBV addresses this through setting up residential schools in the block itself.
The scheme provides for a minimum reservation of 75 per cent seats for girls from
SC/ST/OBC/ Minority Communities and
25% to girls from families that are below
the poverty line.
With a view to enhancing enrollment, retention and attendance and simultaneously

improving nutritional levels among children, the
National Programme of Nutritional Support to
Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched
as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15 August 1995, initially in 2408 blocks in the country. By the year 1997-98, the NP-NSPE was
introduced in all blocks of the country. It was
further extended in 2008 to cover not only
children in classes 1-4 of government, government-aided and local body schools, but also
children studying in EGS and AIE centres.
NPEGEL Scheme is a holistic effort to address obstacles to girl's education at the micro
level through flexible, decentralized process
and decision-making.
It is implemented in educationally backward
blocs and addresses the needs of girls who
are 'in' as well as 'out' of school.
The scheme has the following components:
It also reaches out to girls who are enrolled

in school but do not attend school regularly.
1. Borne entirely by state government
Children become vulnerable to leaving

school when they are not able to cope with
the pace of learning in class or feel neglected
by teachers /peers in class. The scheme
emphasizes the responsibility of teachers to
recognize such girls and pay special
attention to bring them out of their state of
vulnerability and prevent them from dropping out.
The scheme works through village level
women's and community groups to follow
up girls' enrolment, attendance and achievement. The community is engaged in recom-
4. MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME
2. THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR

EDUCATION
OF
GIRLS
AT
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme

provides for setting up of residential upper
primary schools for girls for SC, ST, OBC,
and Muslim communities.
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BALIKA
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Supply of free food grains @ 10 grams per

child per school day for primary and @ 150
grams for upper primary stage from FCI
godowns.
Assistance for transportation of food grains

from FCI godowns to the schools.
For north eastern states and Jammu and

Kashmir,
Himachal
Pradesh
and
Uttarakhand at the rate prevalent under
the public distribution system (w.e.f.
1 December 2009)
For all states and UTs at @ 75 per quintal.
Assistance for monitoring management and

evaluation, (MME) at the rate of 2 per cent
of total cost of food grains, transport cost
and cooking cost.
2. Shared with the states/UTs.

Cooking cost @ Rs. 2.69 per child per day
for primary classes and @ Rs. 4.03 for per
child per day for upper primary classes
w.e.f. 1 April 2010.
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The Mahila Samakhya Scheme is currently

being implemented in ten states, viz.,
Andhra
Pradesh,
Assam,
Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand spread over 102 districts and
covering more than 21,000 villages.
Payment of honorarium of Rs. 100 per

month to cook-cum-helper.
Assistance for the cost of construction of

kitchen-cum-store to be determined on the
basis of plinth area norm and State Schedule of Rates.
6. RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA

ABHIYAN
Launched in March, 2009, this scheme with

the objective to enhance access to secondary education and improve its quality,
envisages to achieve an enrolment rate of
75 per cent from 52.26 per cent in 2005-06
in secondary stage within five years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of any habitation.
The other objectives include improving quality of education imparted at secondary level
through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, removing gender, socio-economic disability barriers, providing universal access to secondary level
education by 2017 and achieving universal
retention by 2020.
Broad physical targets include providing facilities for estimated additional enrolment
of more than 32 lakh students by 2011-12.
The central government shall bear 75 per

cent and state governments will bear 25 %
of the project expenditure during the 11th
Plan. Sharing pattern will be 50:50 for the
12th Plan. For both the Plan periods sharing pattern will be 90:10 for the north
eastern states.
The scheme is to be implemented by the

state government societies established for
implementation of the scheme.
The central share is released to the implementing agency directly. The applicable state
share is also released to the implementing
agency
by
the
respective
state
governments.
The cooking cost, honorarium for cookscum-help and the cost of construction of
kitchen-cum-stores will be shared between
the centre and the NER states/UTs on 75:25
basis.
5. MAHILA SAMAKHYA SCHEME
Pursuant to the objectives of the NPE, 1986,

the Mahila Samakhya Scheme was started
in 1989 to translate the goals enshrined in
the NPE into a concrete programme for the
education and empowerment of women in
rural areas particularly those from socially
and economically marginalized groups.
The MS scheme recognizes the centrality of

education in empowering women to achieve
equality.
The Mahila Sanghas or women's collectives

at the village level provide the women a
space to meet, reflect, ask questions and
articulate their thoughts and needs to make
informed choices.
The Mahila Sanghas through various

programmes and awareness campaigns
have brought about a change in the outlook of rural women and the effects can
now be seen in various facets of life at home
within the family, the community and at
the block, and Panchayat levels.
The programme has also focused on awareness of the need to educate the children,
especially girls, to give the equal status and
opportunities which has resulted in a direct
impact on enrolment and retention of girls
in schools.
Currently, DFID (UK) is providing assistance

of 35 million sterling to this programme on
the basis of a 90:10 fund sharing pattern
between DFID and Government of India for
a seven year period from 2007-14.
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attainment of population and development

goals of the country.
7. TEACHER EDUCATION SCHEME
I.
Centrally sponsored scheme of teacher education was launched in 1987-88 with, inter-alia, the following components:
Establishment of district institute of education & training (DIETs)- by up-gradation of

existing Elementary Teacher Education Institutions (ETEIs) wherever possible, and establishment of new DIET where necessary.
Up to 2002, this was implemented as externally aided project which was fully funded
by the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA).
It was being implemented in the university

education and adult education sector as well.
In view of the achievements and significance of the project, Government of India

decided to continue it in the 10th Five Year
Plan with a more focused objective of integrating the elements of reconceptualised
framework of population education in
school curriculum.
UNFPA decided to support a concomitant

project focused on adolescent reproductive
and sexual health (ARSH) from 2004.
During 2006-07, the NPEP was implemented

as an integral part of Adolescence Education programme, launched by ministry of
human resource development in 2005 in
collaboration with National AIDS Control
Organisation.
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II. Up-gradation of selected secondary teacher

education institutions (STETIs) into:
Colleges of teacher education (CTEs) and
Institutes of advanced study in education

(IASEs).
III. Strengthening of state council of education

research and training (SCERTs).
The scheme was revised under the 10th Plan

in 2003 and the revised guidelines were issued in January 2004.
The main objectives of the Teacher Education Scheme are as follows:
1. Speedy completion of DIET/CTE/IASE/

SCERT projects sanctioned but not completed up to the 9th Plan period, optimally functional and operational.
9. SAAKSHAR BHARAT
Since the campaign of total literacy that began with the launching of National Literacy
Mission (NLM) in 1988, literacy rates have
moved up from 43.57 per cent in 1981 to
64.84 per cent in 2001.
In the context of government's overall policy

aimed at empowerment of women and in
recognition of the fact that literacy is a prerequisite for socio-economic development,
the National Literacy Mission has been recast as "SAAKSHAR BHARAT" with prime
focus on female literacy.
The flagship programme of the government

will cover all adults in the age group of 15
and beyond though its primary focus will
be on women.
The scheme has not only been relieved of

the shortcomings noted in its preceding
editions, but also, several new features
added to it.
2. Sanction and implementation of fresh

DIET/CTE/IASE/SCERT projects to the
extent necessary.
3. Improvement in the quality of

programmes to be undertaken by DIETs,
etc. especially those of pre-service and
in-service training, so as to enable them
to effectively play their nodal role of improving quality of elementary and secondary education in their respective
jurisdiction, as measured in terms of levels of learner achievements.
8. NATIONAL POPULATION EDUCATION

PROJECT
The National Population Education Project

was launched in April 1980 with the
overarching objective of institutionalizing
population education in the school education and teacher education systems to contribute to the attainment of population education in the school education and teacher
education systems to contribute to the
The mission has four broad objectives, mainly:
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Impact functional literacy and numeracy to

non-literate and non-numerate adults.
Enable the neo-literate adults specially

younger adults to continue their learning
beyond basic literacy and acquire equivalency to formal educational system.
Impart non and neo-literates relevant skill

development programmes to improve their
earning and living conditions.
Set up a National Qualifications Framework, which establishes equivalence and

provides horizontal mobility between various vocational, technical and academic
streams at more than one career points and
a Trainee Placement and Tracking System
for effective evaluation and future policy
planning.
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Promote a learning society by providing opportunities to neo-literate adults and other

potential learners for continuing education.
Enlarge the coverage of skill spectrum to

1,000 trades with relevance to our emerging needs, while making a distinction between structural, interventional and last
mile unemployability, and correspondingly
set up programmes for 24 months, 12
months and 6 months duration.
Finishing Schools will be encouraged to take

care of last mile unemployability.
Create a National Skill Development Fund

imposing a universal skill development obligation on industry to invest in skill development of SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities/others candidates from BPL families - as their
contribution to affirmative action combined
with matching Government contribution.
Enlarge the 50,000 Skill Development Centres programme eventually into a Virtual
Skill Development Resource Network for
web based learning.
10. JAN SHIKSHA SANSTHANS
Jan Shiksha Sansthans (JSSs) are established

to provide vocational training to non-literate, as well as school dropouts by identifying skills as would have a market in the
region of their establishment.
They are categorized into Category 'A', 'B'

and 'C' and are entitled to an annual grant
up to 40 lakh, 35 lakh, and 30 lakh
respectively.
JSSs impart skill development training in

nearly 394 vocational courses in Cutting and
Tailoring, Beauty Culture and Health Care,
Fashion Design, Electrical and Electronics,
Automobile Repairs, Soft Toys making, Agriculture Allied Courses, Cottage Industry
Courses, Handicrafts, Bakery and
Confectionary, Textile Technology, Leather
Technology and Building Technology.
12. OPEN SCHOOLING SYSTEM
It is necessary to design, create and establish alternative Educational provisions for

some prospective learners who will not be
able to take advantage of formal schooling
during stipulated school hours.
The Open Schooling Programmes up to predegree level are being offered by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
and 10 State Open Schools (SOSS).
The States that have set up SOSS are West

Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu
and Kashmir.
The open schools network when fully developed should be able to cater to at least
15% students in secondary education.
The open schooling network needs to be expanded to ensure that every state provides
Open Schooling Facility through its regional
language.
11. VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SKILL

DEVELOPMENT
There was an effort to launch a National Skill

Development Mission with an outlay of INR
31,200 crore to increase employment capacity
from 2.5 million to 10 million per annum. The
National Skill Development Mission was envisioned to:
Modernise existing public sector infrastructure to get into PPP mode with functional
and governance autonomy, establish a credible accreditation system and a guidance
framework for all accrediting agencies, encourage agencies to rate institutions on standardized outcomes, and establish a National
Skill Inventory and a National Database for
Skill Deficiency Mapping on a national web
portal.
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ENVIRONMENT
1. NATIONAL LAKE CONSERVATION
PROGRAMME
2. NATIONAL GANGA RIVER BASIN

PROJECT (NGRBA)
The proposed World Bank assisted National

Ganga River Basin Project (NGRBP) envisages
two main components.
Recognizing the importance of urban lakes

in particular, the Ministry of Environment
and Forests launched a National Lake Conservation Programme in 2001, exclusively
aimed at restoring the lakes in different parts
of the country.
Component One: Institutional Development

(US$ 200 million)
Objectives
The objective of the scheme is to restore and

conserve the urban and semi-urban lakes of
the country degraded due to waste water
discharge into the lake and other unique
freshwater eco-systems, through an integrated ecosystem approach.
The objectives of this component are to:
The scheme operates on a funding pattern

of 70:30 cost-sharing between the Central
and the participating State Governments.
build functional capacity of the NGRBA's

operational institutions at both the central
and state levels; and
provide support to associated institutions

for implementing the NGRBA programme.
Activities Covered Under NLCP
The activities financed under this component

are grouped under the following sub-components:
In situ measures of lake cleaning such as

de-silting, de-weeding, bioremediation, etc.
NGRBA Operationalization and Programme

Management
Catchment area treatment which may include afforestation, storm water drainage,
silt traps etc.
Technical Assistance for ULB Service Providers
Technical Assistance for Environmental

Regulators
Strengthening of bund, lake fencing, shoreline development, etc.
Component Two: Priority Infrastructure

Investments (US$ 1,270 million)
Lake front eco-development, including public interface.
Objective
Solid waste management & provision of

dhobi ghats is generally not covered under
NLCP.
Prevention of pollution from non-point

sources by providing low-cost sanitation.
The objective of this component is to finance

demonstrative infrastructure investments to
reduce pollution loads in priority locations
on the river.
The majority of investments are expected

to be in the wastewater sector, particularly
in wastewater treatment plants and sewerage networks.
Investments will also be supported in industrial pollution control and prevention
Public awareness and public participation.

Capacity building, training and research in
the area of Lake Conservation.
Any other activity depending upon location

specific requirements.
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(e.g. common effluent treatment plants),

solid waste management (e.g. collection,
transport and disposal systems), and river
front management (e.g. improvement of the
built environment along river stretches, improvement of small ghats and electric crematoria, and the conservation and preservation of ecologically-sensitive sites).
greening will not only strive to restore

degraded forests, but will also contribute in
the protection and enhancement of forests
with relatively dense forest cover.
Vulnerability' and 'Potential' as criteria for
intervention: Criteria for selection of project
areas/sub-landscapes/sub-watersheds under the Mission will include projected vulnerability to climatic change, potential of
areas for enhancing carbon sinks and the
significance of the area from ecosystem services angle, such as biodiversity and hydrological services.
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Many investments are likely to combine elements of more than one of these sectors.
3. NATIONAL MISSION FOR GREEN

INDIA
The National Mission for a Green India was

announced by the Prime Minister as one of
the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
The Green India Mission puts the 'greening'

in the context of climate adaptation and
mitigation, aiming to enhance ecosystem
services like carbon sequestration and storage (in forests and other ecosystems), hydrological services and biodiversity; along
with provisioning services like fuel, fodder,
timber and NTFPs.
Significance of the Mission
Mission Objectives
Increased forest/tree cover on 5 m ha of

forest/non-forest lands and improved quality of forest cover on another 5 m ha (a
total of 10 m ha).
Improved ecosystem services including

biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration as a result of treatment
of 10 m ha.
Increased forest-based livelihood income of

about 3 million households living in and
around the forests.
Enhanced annual CO2 sequestration by 50

to 60 million tonnes in the year 2020.
Ameliorating climate: Over the past decades, national policies of conservation and
sustainable management have transformed
the country's forests into a net sink of CO2.
From 1995 to 2005, carbon stocks stored in
our forests were estimated to have increased
from 6245 million tonnes to 6622 m tonnes
thereby registering an annual increment of
37.68 million tones of carbon or 138.15 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Food security: Forests are essential for maintaining favourable and stable conditions
needed for sustained agricultural productivity. Also, forests provide food directly in
the following categories: fruits, flowers,
leaves, stems, seeds, roots, tubers, mushrooms, etc.
Water security: Forests are vital for maintaining the hydrological cycle and regulating water flows and sub-soil water regimes,
recharging the aquifers and maintaining the
flow of water in rivers and rivulets.
Livelihood security of local communities:

Forests provide a range of provisioning services, particularly fuel-wood, fodder, small
Key Elements of Mission Strategy
Holistic view to "greening" (broader than

plantations): The scope of greening will go
beyond trees and plantations to encompass
both protection and restoration. Emphasis
will be placed on restoration of degraded
ecosystems and habitat diversity, for example, grassland and pastures (more so in
arid/semi-arid regions), mangroves, wetlands and other critical ecosystems. The
Integrated cross-sectoral approach to

implementation: The Mission will foster an
integrated approach that treats forests and
non-forest public lands as well as private
lands simultaneously, in project units/sublandscapes/sub-watersheds. Livelihood dependencies, for example firewood needs and
livestock grazing, will be addressed using
inter-sectoral convergence (e.g. livestock,
forest, agriculture, rural development,
and energy).
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Several stretches of the coastline is undergoing serious to moderate erosion because

of various anthropogenic activities and
natural events. The Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification does not take into account these
issues.
The restrictive nature of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification has caused hardships to the communities/people living in
certain coastal stretches which includes the
slum dwellers and people living in unsafe
buildings in Mumbai, communities living in
islands within backwaters of Kerala, local
communities along Goa and the traditional
inhabitants living within ecologically sensitive areas.
The Coastal Zone Management Plan is critical to the implementation of the Coastal
Regulation Zone Notification. Lack of clarity and non-availability of the Coastal Zone
Management Plans to the communities has
been instrumental in causing hardship to
the communities. In addition, this has been
one of the reasons for increase in violation
of the Notification.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests

has issued the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011 which takes into account all
the above issues in a comprehensive manner, including the recommendations made
in "Final Frontier" and the outcome of the
eleven consultations held in various coastal
States and Union territories.
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timber, NTFP and medicinal plants, and

artisanal raw material like canes and bamboo that are crucial to livelihood security of
forest-dependent communities. Nearly 27%
of the total population of India, comprising
275 million rural people, depends on forests
for its livelihood. This number includes 89
million tribal people, who constitute the
poorest and most marginalized section of
the country.
4. COASTAL REGULATION ZONE
To protect and conserve the coastal environment the Ministry of Environment and Forests
has issued Coastal Regulation Zone Notification on February 19, 1991 under Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986. Some of the major issues with regard to the Coastal Regulation Zone
Notification, 1991 are
Stipulates uniform regulations all along the

5500 kms of the coastline of the mainland
and 2000 kms of the coastline of islands of
Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
The Indian coastline, including that of the

Islands of Andaman & Nicobar and
Lakshadweep are highly diverse in terms of
geomorphological and geological features,
hydrodynamics conditions, demographic
patterns, biodiversity and natural resources.
This fragile coastline is under severe pressure due to increased developmental economic activities and also impacts of climate
change i.e. increased frequency of cyclones,
floods, etc. and sea level rise.
Objectives of Draft CRZ Notification, 2011
The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification is

a land based Notification which regulates
developmental activities in the inter tidal
area and 500mt on the landward side.
Whereas, the coastal area and the ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, fisheries, etc. are dependent upon the coastal
waters.
to ensure livelihood security to the fisher

communities and other local communities,
living in the coastal areas,
to conserve and protect coastal stretches,

its unique environment and its marine area,
and
to promote development through sustainable manner based on scientific principles

taking into account the dangers of natural
hazards in the coastal areas, sea level rise
due to global warming.
The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification

does not provide for steps to be taken in
view of the natural hazards such as cyclones, storms, surges, etc.
The current notification has several new positive

features:
No concrete steps are indicated in the

Coastal Regulation Zone Notification with
regard to the pollution from land-based activities that has serious impacts on the coastal
and marine environment.
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It widens the definition of CRZ to include

the land area from HTL to 500 m on the
landward side, as well as the land area
between HTL to 100 m or width of the creek,

whichever is less, on the landward side
along tidal-influenced water bodies connected to the sea.
The CRZ also includes, for the first time,
water area up to 12 nautical miles in the
sea and the entire water area of a tidal
water body such as creek, river, estuary
without imposing any restrictions of fishing
activities. Thus, the main change in the
scope of regulation has been to expand
the CRZ to include territorial waters
as a protected zone.
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With respect to the list of prohibited activities, one of the most important changes has
been that of expanding the list of exceptions to the rule prohibiting setting up of
new industries and expansion of existing
industries. While the earlier exception was
limited to those activities which required
access to the water front, four other exceptions have been now incorporated which
include:
1. Projects of Department of Atomic Energy;

2. Facilities for generating non-conventional
energy sources and desalination plants,
except for CRZ-I zones on a case-by-case
basis after doing an impact assessment
study;
The concept of a 'hazard line' has been introduced. While the notification merely
states that the hazard line will be demarcated by the Ministry of Environment and
Forests MoEF through the Survey of India,
by taking into account tides, waves, sea level
rise and shoreline changes, this
concept owes its introduction to the
realisation of natural disasters such as tsunami and floods that may take place in
this zone.
3. Development of greenfield airport permitted only at Navi Mumbai; and

4. Reconstruction, repair works of dwelling
units of local communities, including fishers in accordance with local town and
country planning regulations.
5. PROJECT TIGER
In May 2010, the MOEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Survey
of India for undertaking this exercise over a
period of four-and-a-half years, at an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore.
Project Tiger Scheme has been under implementation since 1973 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India.
The impetus behind Project Tiger is to ensure a viable population of tiger in India for
scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and
ecological values and to preserve for all time,
areas of biological importance as a natural
heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.
Main objectives under the scheme include

wildlife management, protection measures
and site-specific eco-development to reduce
the dependency of local communities on tiger reserve resources.
3. CRZ III- Coastal areas that are not substantially built up, including rural coastal
areas.
Initially, the Project started with 9 tiger reserves, covering an area of 16,339 km2, with
a population of 268 tigers.
4. CRZ IV- water area from LTL to the limit

of territorial waters of India
At present, there are 39 tiger reserves covering an area of 53,547 km2, with a population of 1706 tigers. This amounts to almost 1.63% of the total geographical area
of the country. Project Tiger is undisputedly
a custodian of major gene pool. It is also a
repository of some of the most valuable ecosystem and habitats for wildlife.
The concept of classification of CRZ into

four zones has continued in the 2011 notification with the following delineation:
1. CRZ I- ecologically sensitive areas such

as mangroves, coral reefs, salt marshes,
turtle nesting ground and the inter-tidal
zone.
2. CRZ II- areas close to the shoreline, and

which have been developed.
A new category called areas requiring special consideration has been created which
consists of (i) CRZ areas of Greater Mumbai,
Kerala and Goa, and (ii) Critically vulnerable coastal areas such as Sunderbans.
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TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA (State wise)
2. Kaziranga (Assam)
3. Nameri (Assam)
4. Nagarjunasagar (Andhra)
5. Namdapha (Arunachal)
6. Pakke (Arunachal)
7. Valmiki (Bihar)
8. Indravati (Chhattisgarh)
9. Undanti-Sitandadi (Chhattisgarh)
10. Achanakmar (Chhattisgarh)
11. Palamau (Jharkhand)
12. Periyar (Kerala)
13. Parambikulam (Kerala)
14. Bandipur (Karnataka)
15. Bhadra (Karnataka)
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1. Manas (Assam)
16. Dandeli-Anshi (Karnataka)
17. Nagarhole (Karnataka)
18. Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra)
19. Pench (Maharashtra)
20. Melghat (Maharashtra)
21. Bandhavgarh (M.P)
22. Kanha (M.P)
23. Satpura (M.P)
24. Panna (M.P)
25. Sanjay-Dubri (M.P)
26. Pench (M.P)
27. Dampa (Mizoram)
28. Satkosia (Orissa)
29. Simlipal (Orissa)
30. Ranthambhore (Rajasthan)
31. Sariska (Rajasthan)

34. Anamalai (Tamil Nadu)
32. Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu)

35. Corbett (Uttarakhand)
33. Kalakad-Mundanthurai (Tamil Nadu)

36 Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh)
37. Buxa (West Bengal)
38. Sunderbans (West Bengal)
39. Sahyadri (Maharashtra)
Tiger Reserves are constituted on a 'corebuffer' strategy. The core area is kept free of
biotic disturbances and forestry operations,
where collection of minor forest produce,
grazing, human disturbances are not allowed within. However, the buffer zone is
managed as a 'multiple use area' with twin
objectives of providing habitat supplement
to the spillover population of wild animals
from the core conservation unit, and to provide site specific eco-developmental inputs
to surrounding villages for relieving their
impact on the core.
port through site-pecific eco-development in

the buffer/fringe areas.
Except for the National Parks portion if contained within, normally no relocation of villages is visualised in the buffer area, and
forestry operations, NTFP collection and
other rights and concessions to the local
people are permitted in a regulated manner
to complement the initiatives in the core unit.
The Project has contributed towards several intangible environmental benefits to society, such as absorption of carbon dioxide,
improvement of micro climate, rainfall and
river flow.
The Project has generated considerable

wages for the benefit of fringe-dwelling communities, who are deployed as local work
force for protection.
While conserving the flagship species, the

Project has saved several other species of
plants and animals from extinction.
The local communities are benefiting from

eco-tourism apart from eco developmental
inputs in fringe areas.
RECENT INITIATIVES
India is one of the thirteen tiger range countries and has the largest number of source
sites with wild tigers. As far as the scale of
implementation of Project Tiger and the diverse habitats under its coverage are concerned, the project has no parallel in the
contemporary world.
Strengthening of anti-poaching activities, including special strategy for monsoon patrolling, by providing funding support to tiger
reserve states, as proposed by them, for deployment of anti-poaching squads involving ex-army personnel/home guards, apart
from workforce comprising local people, in
addition to strengthening of communication/wireless facilities.
Declaration of nine new tiger reserves and

in-principle approval accorded for creation
of four new reserves - Biligiri in Karnataka,
Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Ratapani in
Madhya Pradesh and Sunabeda in Orissa.
What have been the Major Achievements?
Project Tiger has saved the endangered tiger from extinction, and has put the species
on an assured path to recovery by improving the protection and status of its habitat.
The core buffer strategy of Project Tiger has
provided scope for eliciting local public sup-
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The revised Project Tiger guidelines have

been issued to states for strengthening tiger
conservation, which apart from ongoing activities, include funding support to states for
enhanced village rehabilitation package for
people living in core or critical tiger habitats (from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per family), rehabilitation of communities involved
in traditional hunting, mainstreaming livelihood and wildlife concerns in forests outside tiger reserves and fostering corridor conservation through restorative strategy to
arrest habitat fragmentation.
The Project is being mainly implemented in

13 States/UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal. Small support is
also being given to Maharashtra and
Chhattisgarh.
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Main activities under the Project are as follows:
Ecological restoration of existing natural

habitats and migratory routes of elephants;
Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of Wild Asiatic
elephants in India;
Promotion of measures for mitigation of man

elephant conflict in crucial habitats and
moderating pressures of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant
habitats;
Asian elephants were believed to be widely

distributed-from Tigris - Euphrates in West
Asia eastward through Persia into the Indian sub-continent, South and Southeast
Asia, including Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra,
Borneo and up to North China. However,
currently they are confined to Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia and some Asian
Islands -Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Strengthening of measures for protection of

wild elephants form poachers and unnatural causes of death;
Research on Elephant management related

issues;
Public
education
programmes;
About half of the Asian elephant population is in India.
Eco-development;
Veterinary care
Current distribution of wild elephant in India is confined to South India; North East,
including North West Bengal; Central Indian states of Orissa, South WB and
Jharkhand; and North West India in
Uttarakhand and UP.
7. PROJECT SNOW LEOPARD
A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created for addressing international issues related to tiger conservation.
As part of active management to rebuild

Sariska and Panna tiger reserves where tigers have become locally extinct, reintroduction of tigers have been done.
6. PROJECT ELEPHANT
Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the

Government of India in the year 1992 as a
Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the following objectives :
1. To protect elephants, their habitat &

corridors
2. To address issues of man-animal conflict

3. Welfare of domesticated elephants
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and
awareness
Project Snow Leopard is a manifestation of

the Government of India's resolve to conserve biodiversity with community participation. They are at the apex of ecological
pyramid, suffer the most on account of relatively smaller population size and also because of man-animal conflict. This situation
further gets aggravated by the hostile landscape forming its habitat. Referring to its
globally-endangered species status as well
as the most important flagship species of
the mountain region, the government
informed that Snow Leopard has been included in the list of species under Recovery
Programme to be funded through

the umbrella scheme of integrated
Development of Wildlife Habitats.
India is signatory to a number of multilateral

environment agreements (MEA) and conventions. An overview of some of the major MEAs
and India's obligations under these is presented
below.
There are more than 26 protected areas in

the Himalayan landscape where snow
leopard is reported. However, areas outside
protected areas are equally important for a
long range species like Snow Leopard.
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INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
1. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL
TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF
WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES),
1973
To give it the same status of importance in

the high altitude as that of Tiger in the terrestrial landscape, the ministry has launched
the Project Snow Leopard in the country.
The project will be operational in five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim,
and Arunachal Pradesh with active support
from Wildlife Institute of India and the
Mysore based Nature Conservation
Foundation.
The project stresses on a landscape approach

to conservation wherein smaller core zones
with relatively conservation values will be
identified and conserved with support and
the larger landscape will be managed in such
a way that it allows necessary development
benefits to the local communities.
For facilitating effective planning and action, the project will set up enabling administrative mechanisms from the village duster
level to the Central Government. At the
Central level, a Steering Committee chaired
by Director General of Forests & Special
Secretary to the Government of India will
help guide the project. Each State will have
a State Snow Leopard Conservation Society
that will coordinate work by the Landscapelevel Implementation Committees, which in
turn will coordinate work by the village
Wildlife Conservation Committees.
The aim of CITES is to control or prevent

international commercial trade in endangered species or products derived from them.
CITES does not seek to directly protect endangered species or curtail development
practices that destroy their habitats. Rather,
it seeks to reduce the economic incentive to
poach endangered species and destroy their
habitat by closing off the international
market.
India became a party to the CITES in 1976.
International trade in all wild flora and

fauna in general and species covered under
CITES is regulated jointly through the provisions of The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972,
the Import/Export policy of Government of
India and the Customs Act, 1962.
2. MONTREAL
PROTOCOL
ON
SUBSTANCES THAT DEPLETE THE
OZONE LAYER, 1987
The Project Snow Leopard is an innovative

project that would help to arrest species decline in the Indian high altitudes and would
lead to conservation based on sound scientific plans and local support. Species such
as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan
Argali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru, Takin, Serow
and Musk Deer will particularly benefit from
this project.
21
The Montreal Protocol to the Vienna Convention on substances that deplete the
Ozone layer came into force in 1989.
The Protocol set targets for reducing the

consumption and production of a range of
ozone depleting substances (ODS).
In a major innovation, the Protocol recognized that all nations should not be treated
equally.
The agreement acknowledges that certain

countries have contributed to ozone depletion more than others.
It also recognizes that a nation's obligation

to reduce current emissions should reflect
its technological and financial ability to do
so. Because of this, the agreement sets more

stringent standards and accelerated phaseout timetables to countries that have contributed most to ozone depletion.
India acceded to the Montreal Protocol along

with its London Amendment in September 1992.
The Indian Hazardous Wastes Management

Rules Act 1989, encompasses some of the
Basel provisions related to the notification
of import and export of hazardous waste,
illegal traffic, and liability.
4. UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON
CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC), 1992
The MoEF has established an Ozone Cell

and a steering committee on the Montreal
Protocol to facilitate implementation of the
India Country Programme, for phasing out
ODS production by 2010.
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To meet India's commitments under the

Montreal Protocol, the Government of India has
also taken certain policy decisions.
Goods required to implement ODS phaseout projects funded by the Multilateral Fund
are fully exempt from duties.
This benefit has been also extended to new

investments with non-ODS technologies.
Commercial banks are prohibited from financing or refinancing investments with

ODS technologies.
The Gazette of India on 19 July 2000 notified rules for regulation of ODS phase-out
called the Ozone Depleting Substances
(Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. They
were notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules were drafted
by the MoEF following consultations with
industries and related government departments.
The primary goals of the UNFCCC were to

stabilize greenhouse gas emissions at levels
that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the global climate.
The Convention embraced the principle of

common but differentiated responsibilities
which has guided the adoption of a regulatory structure.
India signed the agreement in June 1992,

which was ratified in November 1993.
As per the convention, the reduction/limitation requirements apply only to developed

countries. The only reporting obligation for
developing countries relates to the construction of a Greenhouse Gases (GHG) inventory.
India has initiated the preparation of its First

National Communication (base year 1994)
that includes an inventory of GHG sources
and sinks, potential vulnerability to climate
change, adaptation measures and other
steps being taken in the country to address
climate change.
5. CONVENTION
ON
DIVERSITY, 1992
3. BASEL
CONVENTION
ON
TRANSBOUNDARY MOVEMENT OF
HAZARDOUS WASTES, 1989
Basel Convention, which entered into force

in 1992, has three key objectives:
The Convention on Biological Diversity

(CBD) is a legally binding, framework treaty
that has been ratified until now by 180
countries.
The CBD has three main thrust areas: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of
biological resources and equitable sharing
of benefits arising from their sustainable use.
The Convention on Biological Diversity came

into force in 1993.
Many biodiversity issues are addressed in

the convention, including habitat preservation, intellectual property rights, bio-safety,
and indigenous people's rights. These include the promulgation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, amended in 1991; and
participation in several international conventions such as CITES.
1. To reduce trans-boundary movements of

hazardous wastes;
2. To minimize the creation of such wastes;

and
3. To prohibit their shipment to countries

lacking the capacity to dispose hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound
manner.
India ratified the Basel Convention in 1992,

shortly after it came into force.
22
BIOLOGICAL
6. UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON

DESERTIFICATION, 1994
8. RAMSAR
WETLANDS
The 'Convention on Wetlands signed in

Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework
for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use
of wetlands and their resources.
There are presently 158 Contracting Parties

to the Convention, with 1758 wetland sites,
totaling 161 million hectares, designated for
inclusion in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of
International Importance.
Ramsar Convention is the only global environment treaty dealing with a particular
ecosystem.
The UN General Assembly established such

a committee in 1992 that later helped formulation of Convention on Desertification
in 1994.
The convention is distinctive as it endorses

and employs a bottom-up approach to international environmental cooperation.
Major obligations of countries which are party

to the Convention are:
Under the terms of the convention, activities

related to the control and alleviation of desertification and its effects are to be closely linked
to the needs and participation of local landusers and non-governmental organizations.
Seven countries in the South Asian region

are signatories to the Convention, which
aims at tackling desertification through
national, regional and sub-regional action
programmes.
The Regional Action Programme has six Thematic Programme Networks (TPN's) for the
Asian region, each headed by a country task
manager.
Designate wetlands for inclusion in the 'List

of Wetland of International Importance'.
Promote, as far as possible, 'the wise use of

wetland in their territory'.
Promote 'international cooperation' especially with regard to trans-boundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared
species.
Create 'wetland reserves'.
The Montreux Record: The Montreux

Record is a register of wetland sites on the
List of Wetlands of International Importance
where changes in ecological character have
occurred, are occurring, or are likely to
occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar
List.
7. INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER

AGREEMENT
AND
THE
INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER
ORGANISATION (ITTO), 1983, 1994
ON
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Delegates to the 1992 UN Conference on

Environment and Development (UNCED)
recommended establishment of an
intergovernmental negotiating committee for
the elaboration of an international convention
to combat desertification in countries
experiencing serious
drought
and/
or desertification.
CONVENTION
The ITTO established by the International

Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), 1983,
came into force in 1985 and became operational in 1987.
9. UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK

CONVENTION
ON
CLIMATE
CHANGE, 2011
The ITTO facilitates discussion, consultation

and international cooperation on issues relating to the international trade and utilization of tropical timber and the sustainable
management of its resource base.
The successor agreement to the ITTA (1983)

was negotiated in 1994, and came into force
on 1 January 1997. The organization has 57
member countries.
India ratified the ITTA in 1996.
23
The 2011 United Nations Climate Change

Conference was held in Durban, South Africa, from 28 November to 9 December 2011.
The conference is officially referred to as

the 17th session of the Conference of the
Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and the 7th session of the Con-
ference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties (CMP 7) to the Kyoto Protocol.
A primary focus of the conference was to
secure a global climate agreement as the
Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period
(2008-2012) is about to end.
"REDD+" goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Countries that reduce emissions and undertake sustainable management of forests will
be entitled to receive funds and resources as
incentives.
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One of the central outcomes of the meeting

in South Africa was to pave the way for a
legally binding agreement under the UN
Climate Convention applicable to all Parties, to be completed by 2015 and to come
into effect from 2020.
India's representative at the conference,
Jayanthi Natarajan stated that India "will
never be intimidated by any threat or
pressure".
The agreement entails the continuation of

the Kyoto Protocol in the interim, although
only some countries including members of
the EU are likely to commit.
The conference led to progress regarding

the creation of a Green Climate Fund for which
a management framework was adopted. The
fund is to distribute US $ 100 bn per year to
help poor countries adapt to climate
impacts.
REDD+ works on the basis of creating a

financial value for the carbon stored and
enhanced in the biomass and soil of standing forests.
The REDD+ approach incorporates important benefits of livelihoods improvement,

biodiversity conservation and food security
services.
REDD+ & INDIA
The agreement, referred to as the "Durban

platform", is notable in that for the first time
it includes developing countries such as
China and India, as well as the US which
refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
India has more than 70 m ha under forest

cover with four global biodiversity hotspots,
and is one of the 17 megadiverse countries.
India recognizes that conserving, expanding and improving the quality of our forests
is a major national priority. This has enormous domestic and transnational mitigating benefits. Not only it is a cost-effective
and efficient way to mitigate the effects of
climate change, but it also improves India's
water security, safeguards its rich
biodiversity and provides livelihood security
for millions of Indians.
India will gain a lot from REDD+ as it has

opened avenues to get compensation for the
efforts of pro-conservation and sustainable
management of forests, which will result in
further increase of forest cover and consequently forest carbon stocks.
The incentives which will be received from

REDD+ would be passed on to the local
communities which are involved in forest
conservation. The REDD+ initiative will help
local Indian communities as it clearly safeguards their rights.
It is estimated that India could provide capture of more than 1 billion tonnes of additional CO2 over the next 30 years and will
gain US$ 3 billion as carbon service
incentives.
India has been insisting on following a comprehensive and holistic approach in realiz-
10. REDD+
Deforestation and forest degradation,

through agricultural expansion, conversion
to pastureland, infrastructure development,
destructive logging, fires etc., account for
nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second only to the
energy sector.
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and

Forest Degradation (REDD) is an effort to
create a financial value for the carbon stored
in forests, offering incentives for developing
countries to reduce emissions from forested
lands and invest in low-carbon paths to
sustainable development.
24
ing the full potential of mitigation in the

forestry sector. India's stand was finally
accepted in 13th Meeting of the Conference
of Parties (COP 13) at Bali, when elements
of conservation, sustainable management of
forests and enhancement of forest carbon
stocks were added to the then existing text
of reducing deforestation and forest degradation as part of the Bali Action Plan.
11. NAGOYA PROTOCOL
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic

Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted at the tenth meeting of
the Conference of the Parties on 29 October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan.
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1970s. There is likely to be an increase in

net primary productivity ranging from 20%
to 57%.
India has started an ambitious 'Green India

Mission' under the National Action Plan on
Climate Change with a budget of Rs 46,000
crore over a period of 10 years. The objective of the Mission is to increase forest and
tree cover in 5 m ha of land and improve
quality of forest cover in another 5 m ha.
Thus, the Mission will help in improving
ecosystem services in 10 m ha of land, and
increase the flow of forest-based livelihood
services and the income of about 3 million
forest dwellers.
The Protocol significantly advances the

Convention's third objective by providing a
strong basis for greater legal certainty and
transparency for both providers and users
of genetic resources.
It specifies specific obligations to support

compliance with domestic legislation or
regulatory requirements of the Party providing genetic resources and contractual obligations reflected in mutually agreed terms
are a significant innovation of the Protocol.
These compliance provisions as well as provisions establishing more predictable conditions for access to genetic resources will
contribute to ensuring the sharing of benefits when genetic resources leave a Party
providing genetic resources.
In addition, the Protocol's provisions on access to traditional knowledge held by indigenous and local communities when it is
associated with genetic resources will
strengthen the ability of these communities
to benefit from the use of their knowledge,
innovations and practices.
The objective of this Protocol is the fair and

equitable sharing of the benefits arising from
the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all
rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding, thereby
contributing to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its
components.
India has made a submission to the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) on REDD, sustainable
management of forest and afforestation and
reforestation in December 2008.
A technical group has been set up to develop methodologies and procedures to assess and monitor contribution of REDD+
actions.
A National REDD+ Coordinating Agency
is being established.
A National Forest Carbon Accounting

Programme is being institutionalized.
India is hosting the Conference of Parties

(COP-11) of the Convention on Biological
Diversity in 2012, to coincide with 20 years
of Rio.
A report on the study of the impact of climate change on India's forests assigned to
the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment, has been released in November
2010. In the year 2030, 8-56% of forests are
likely to experience a change in vegetation
type with respect to those observed in the
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FOOD SECURITY
AND NUTRITION
have been covered under AAY. According
to the central government there are around
65 million poor households in the country.
1. TARGETED PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

SYSTEM (TPDS)
The Public Distribution System (PDS) is one

of the instruments for improving food security at the household level in India. The PDS
evolved as an important instrument of government policy for management of scarcity
and for distribution of food grains at
affordable prices. Supplemental in nature,
the scheme is not intended to make available the entire requirements of food grains
of the households.
The PDS ensures availability of essential
commodities like rice, wheat, edible oils, and
kerosene to the consumers through a network of outlets or fair price shops. These
commodities are supplied at below market
prices to consumers.
With a network of more than 28,462,000

fair price shops (FPS) distributing commodities worth more than Rs. 300 billion annually to about 160 million families, the PDS
in India is perhaps the largest distribution
network of its kind in the world.
The Targeted PDS (TPDS) was introduced

in 1997 and under this scheme special cards
were issued to families below poverty line
(BPL) and food grains were distributed at a
lower price for these families compared to
those above the poverty line (known as APL
families).
The entire population was divided into three

categories - BPL (Below Poverty Line), APL
(Above Poverty Line) and AAY - Antyodaya
Anna Yojana (destitute).
The BPL population is provided 35 kg of

food grains per month at subsidized price.
AAY, the destitute households (part of BPL
households) are provided a monthly provision of 35 kg of food grains at specially
subsidized rates (Rs. 2 per kg for wheat and
Rs. 3 for rice).
The central government allocates food

grains to different states of India based on
poverty ratios. States, in turn, distribute food
grains based on the BPL list.
Targeting is done by states based on 13 nonincome indicators to select BPL population.

If we add together the households on the
states' BPL lists, there are 100 million poor
households. There is competitive populism
to include more households in the BPL list.
2. NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MISSION
The National Development Council (NDC)

in its 53rd meeting held on 29th May, 2007
adopted a resolution to launch a Food Security Mission comprising rice, wheat and
pulses to increase the production of rice by
10 million tons, wheat by 8 million tons and
pulses by 2 million tons by the end of the
Eleventh Plan (2011-12). Accordingly, A
Centrally Sponsored Scheme, 'National Food
Security Mission', has been launched from
2007-08.
The major objective of this scheme is to increase production and productivity of

wheat, rice and pulses on a sustainable basis
so as to ensure food security of the country.
The approach is to bridge the yield gap in

respect of these crops through dissemination of improved technologies and farm management practices.
The mission has three components:
1. National Food Security Mission - Rice

(NFSM-Rice)
2. National Food Security Mission - Wheat

(NFSM-Wheat)
3. National Food Security Mission - Pulses
(NFSM-Pulses)
About 25 million (38 per cent of BPL) people
26
Area Covered Under the Mission
4. MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME
1. 142 districts of 15 States (AP, Assam,

Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Maharashtra,
Orissa, Tamil Nadu, U.P. and West Bengal) will be covered under NFSM-Rice.
2. 142 districts of 9 States (Punjab, Haryana,

UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP, Gujarat,
Maharashtra and West Bengal) will be
covered under NFSM-Wheat.
3. 468 districts of 16 States (AP, Assam,

Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana,
Jharkhand,
Karnataka,
MP,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, UP and West Bengal) will
be covered under NFSM-Pulses.
4. 20 million hectares of rice, 13 million
hectares of wheat and 4.5 million hectares of pulses are included in these districts that roughly constitute 50% of
cropped area for wheat and rice. For
pulses, an additional 20% cropped area
would be created.
The Integrated Child Development Services

(ICDS), launched in 1975, aims at the holistic development of children up to six years
of age with a special focus on children up
to two years, besides expectant and nursing
mothers.
This is done through a package of six services: health check-ups, immunization, referral services, supplementary feeding, nonformal pre-school education, and advice on
health and nutrition.
The Scheme covers students (Class I-V) in

the Government Primary Schools/Primary
Schools aided by Government and in the
Primary Schools run by local bodies.
Food grains (wheat and rice) are supplied

free of cost @ 100 gram per child per school
day where cooked/processed hot meal is
being served with a minimum content of
300 calories and 8-12 gm of protein each
day of school for a minimum of 200 days
and 3 kg per student per month for 9-11
months in a year, where food grains are
distributed in raw form.
In drought-affected areas, the mid-day meal

is distributed in summer vacations also.
The Scheme is implemented by the Department of Women and Child Development.
The food grains allotted under this Scheme

are utilised by the States/UTs under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)
for providing nutritious/energy food to
children below 6 years of age and expectant/lactating women.
6. SCHEME FOR SUPPLY OF FOOD

GRAINS
TO
HOSTELS/WELFARE
INSTITUTIONS
The ICDS, which has been in existence for

over three decades, was intended to address
the problem of child and maternal malnutrition, but clearly had limited impact. Child
malnutrition has barely declined at all in a
decade and a half, anaemia among women
and children has actually risen and a third
of all adult women were undernourished at
the end of 1990s and also in 2005-06. The
scheme has also had limited coverage.
5. WHEAT-BASED NUTRITION PROGRAMME
3. INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT

SERVICES
The Mid-Day Meal Scheme was launched

by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) with
effect from 15th August 1995 for the benefit of students in primary schools under
Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS)/
earlier Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS) blocks (2368).
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With a view to meeting the requirement of

Hostels/Welfare Institutions viz., N.G.Os/
Charitable Institutions which help the shelter-less/homeless poor and other categories
not covered under TPDS or under any other
Welfare Schemes, an additional allocation
of food grains (rice and wheat) equal to 5%
of the BPL allocation of each State/UT is
made to States/UTs at BPL rates.
This scheme was introduced during 200203 to liquidate the stocks of food grains.
free of cost
Development.
7. SCHEME
FOR
SUPPLY
OF
FOODGRAINS
FOR
SC/ST/OBC
HOSTELS
This scheme was introduced in October,
1994 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs,
Food & Public Distribution.
Ministry
of
Rural
The Ministry of Rural Development will reimburse the cost of food grains at economic
cost prevailing at the time.
The Ministry of Rural Development has been

authorized to communicate to FCI directly
the allocations made to various State Governments under the scheme.
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Allocation of food grains was made for the

first time during 2001-02 to nineteen States
on the recommendation of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
The residents of the hostels having 2/3rd

students belonging to SC/ST/OBC are eligible to get 15 kg food grains per resident
per month.
In such hostels, food grains are provided

for all resident students, including those
who belong to other categories.
Only Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are

availing this scheme.
10. NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMME

ADOLESCENT GIRLS (NPAG)
8. ANNAPURNA SCHEME
Ministry of Rural Development launched this

scheme in 2000-2001. Indigent senior citizens of 65 years of age or above who though
eligible for old age pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS)
but are not getting the pension are covered
under the Scheme.
10 kg of food grains per person per month

are supplied free of cost under the scheme.
From 2002-2003, the scheme has been transferred to State Plan along with the National
Social Assistance Programme comprising the
National Old Age Pension Scheme and the
National Family Benefit Scheme.
A Pilot Project - ''Nutritional Programme for

Adolescent Girls" (NPAG) was launched by
the Planning Commission initially for a period of two years, i.e. 2002-03 and 2003-04
in 51 identified districts, i.e. in two of the
backward districts in each of the major States
and most populous district (excluding the
capital district) in remaining smaller States/
UTs in the country.
This scheme was restarted in 2005-06.
Ministry of Women and Child Development

administers the scheme at the central level
and State/UT Governments implement the
scheme.
As per the revised guidelines of the

programme, adolescent girls (age group 1119 years) as identified by weight would be
covered irrespective of financial status of the
family to which they belong.
Free food grains @ 6 kg per beneficiary per

month is provided to the adolescent girls
(weight <35 kg.) initially for a period of
three months. Those beneficiaries, who cross
the cut off point for weight, would not receive food grains any further. Those, who
in spite of receiving food grains for three
consequent months, do not show improvement in nutritional status are investigated
by Anganwadi Workers and if necessary,
ROZGAR
The Ministry of Rural Development, which

is the nodal Central Ministry for the
programme, launched the scheme on
25.9.2001 for all the States/UTs for organizing various employment generation
programmes.
Under the Scheme, 50 lakh tonnes of food

grains are to be allotted to the States/UTs
28
FOR
The implementation of the Scheme at the

ground rests with the States/UTs.
9. SAMPOORNA GRAMIN
YOJANA (SGRY)
Special Component of SGRY: Special Component of Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar

Yojana aims at extending support to the
people affected by natural calamities in
States/UTs. Food grains are released under
the special component of SGRY by the Ministry of Rural Development, being the nodal
Ministry for the Scheme, after the approval
of Department of Food and Public Distribution.
Grain Banks in the States of Uttar Pradesh,

Assam, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat,
West Bengal, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra
and Manipur.
referred to a doctor for investigation and

treatment, but continue to receive free food
grains for the next three months.
11. VILLAGE GRAIN BANK SCHEME (VGB
SCHEME)
12. NATIONAL
FOOD
FOR
PROGRAMME (NFFWP)
A centrally sponsored scheme of grain Banks

in Tribal villages was launched during 199697 by Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 11 States.
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During 1996-97 to 2004-05, Ministry of

Tribal Affairs released Rs. 10.26 crores for
establishing 4858 Grain Banks. Now the
scheme has been transferred to Ministry of
Food & Public Distribution.
The scheme for National Food for Work

Programme was launched with effect from
13.10.2004.
This programme is being implemented in

150 most backward districts of the country
so that the generation of supplementary
wage employment and providing of food
security through creation of need-based
economic, social and community assets in
these districts is further intensified.
Most of the backward districts, which

would benefit from the scheme, are in the
tribal belts.
The scheme will provide 100 days of employment at minimum wages for at least
one able-bodied person from each household in the country.
The revised Village Grain Bank Scheme for

establishment of Grain Banks in chronically
food scarce areas was approved by Ministry
of Finance on 15.2.2006.
The main objective of the scheme is to provide safeguard against starvation during the
period of natural calamity or during lean
season.
The grain banks are to be set up in food

scarce areas like the drought-prone areas,
the hot and cold desert areas, tribal areas
and the inaccessible hilly areas.
13. ANTYODAYA ANNA YOJANA (AAY)
The revised scheme envisages inclusion of

all willing BPL/AAY families in the villages
which will be identified by the State Government in food deficit areas. The quantity
to be lent and the period of repayment would
be decided by the groups themselves. To
ensure recovery of grains lent, it is proposed
to tie up the scheme with the entitlement of
the members under TPDS.
Village Panchayat/Gram Sabha, Self Help

Group or NGOs etc. identified by the State
Govt. shall be eligible for running the Grain
Banks. Each such Executive Committee will
have a woman as its member.
A provision of Rs. 20.20 crores was made
for 2005-06 (Plan) by Planning Commission
out of which an amount of Rs. 19.76 crores
was sanctioned for the establishment of 3282
grain banks in the States of Andhra Pradesh,
Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Tripura and Meghalaya.
In order to make TPDS more focused and

targeted towards the poorest section of
population, the "Antyodaya Anna Yojana"
(AAY) was launched in December, 2000 for
one crore poor families.
Initially AAY contemplated identification of

one crore poorest of the poor families from
amongst the BPL families covered under
TPDS within the States and providing them
food grains at a highly subsidised rate of
Rs. 2/ per kg for wheat and Rs. 3/- per kg
for rice.
The States/UTs are required to bear the distribution cost, including margin to dealers
and retailers as well as the transportation
cost. Thus, the entire food subsidy is being
passed on to the consumers under the
scheme.
14. PROGRAMME FOR PREVENTION OF

FOOD ADULTERATION
A provision of Rs. 50.00 crores was made

for 2006-07 out of which Rs. 49.996 crores
was sanctioned for the establishment of 7925
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The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

is responsible for ensuring safe food to the
consumers. The laws regulating the quality

of food have been in force in the country
since 1899. Until 1954, several States formulated their own food laws. But there was
a considerable variance in the rules and
specifications of the food, which interfered
with inter-provincial trade.
of Food Adulteration Act (PFA) in the year

1954 which came into effect from 15 June,
1955. The Act repealed all laws, existing at
that time in States concerning food adulteration.
The objective envisaged in this legislation
was to ensure pure and wholesome food to
the consumers and also to prevent fraud or
deception.
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The Central Advisory Board appointed by

the Government of India in 1937 and the
Food Adulteration Committee appointed in
1943, reviewed the subject of Food Adulteration and recommended for Central legislation. The Constitution of India provided
the powers to Central Government for
making such legislation as the subjects of
Food and Drugs Adulteration are included
in the concurrent list.
The Government of India, therefore, enacted

a Central Legislation called the Prevention
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Enforcement of the food laws primarily rests

with the State/UTs.
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006:

With the coming into effect of the Food
Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSSA)
enacted by Parliament in August 2006, the
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 will
stand repealed, from the date on which Food
Safety and Standards Act comes into force.
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HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
2005, to provide accessible, affordable and
accountable quality health services to the
poorest households in the remotest rural
regions. The detailed framework for implementation that facilitated a large range of
interventions under NRHM was approved
by the Union Cabinet in July 2006.
1. NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY, 2002
The National Health Policy 2002 aims at

achieving an acceptable standard of health
for the general population of the country.
Keeping in line with this broad objective,

the Eleventh Five Year Plan had set upon
itself the goal of achieving good health for
the people, especially the poor and the underprivileged. To achieve the objective, a
comprehensive approach was advocated,
which included improvements in individual
health care, public health, sanitation, clean
drinking water, access to food and knowledge of hygiene and feeding practices.
Importance was accorded to reducing disparities in health across regions and communities by ensuring access to affordable
health. Special attention was given to the
health and marginal groups like adolescent
girls, women, children, the older persons,
disabled and tribal groups, with due recognition to gender issues, as the cross-cutting
theme across all schemes.
The country has a well-structured 3-tier public health infrastructure, comprising Community Health Centres, Primary Health
Centres and Sub-Centres spread across rural and semi-urban areas and tertiary medical care providing multi-specialty hospitals
and medical colleges located almost exclusively in the urban areas.
The National Rural Health Mission was

launched by the Prime Minister on 12th April
Under the NRHM, the difficult areas with

unsatisfactory health indicators were classified as special focus states to ensure greatest attention where needed.
The thrust of the mission is on establishing

a fully functional, community owned, decentralized health delivery system with inter-sectoral convergence at all levels, to ensure simultaneous action on a wide range
of determinants of health, like water, sanitation, education, nutrition, social and gender equality.
From narrowly defined schemes, the NRHM

is shifting the focus to a functional health
system at all levels, from the village to the
district.
The NRHM has increased public expenditure on health care from 0.9 per cent of the
GDP to 2 to 3 per cent of the GDP. The
architectural correction under NRHM is organized around five pillars, each of which
is made up of a number of overlapping core
strategies. These are:
1. Increasing Participation and Ownership

by the Community: This is sought to be
achieved through an increased role for
PRIs, the ASHA programme, the village
health and sanitation committee, increased public participation in hospital
development committees, district health
societies in the district and village health
planning efforts and by a special community monitoring initiative and also
through a greater space for NGO participation.
However, the progress has been quite uneven across the regions (large scale interstate variations), gender (male-female differences) as well as across space to be made
during the current year to step-up funding
of the health in the public domain reach 3
per cent of the GDP by 2012.
2. NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH MISSION

(NRHM)
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2. Improved Management Capacity: the

core of this is professionalise management by building up management and
public health skills in the existing
workforce, supplemented by inculcation
of skilled management personnel into the
system.
3. NATIONAL VECTOR BORNE DISEASES

CONTROL PROGRAMME (NVBDCP)
The National Vector Borne Disease Control
Programme is a comprehensive programme
for prevention and control of vector borne
diseases namely Malaria, Filaria, Kala-azar,
Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Dengue and
Chikungunya which is covered under the
overall umbrella of NRHM.
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3. Flexible Financing: The central strategy

of this pillar is the provision of united
funds to every village health and sanitation committee, to the sub-center, to the
PHC, to the CHC including district hospital.
MALARIA
4. Innovations in Human Resources Development for the Health Sector: the central
challenge of the NRHM is to find definitive answers to the persistent questions
about ensuring adequate recruitment for
the public health system and adequate
functionality of those recruited. Contractual appointment route to immediately fill
gaps as well as ensure local residency, incentive and innovation to find staff to
work in hitherto undeserved areas and the
use of
multi-skilled
and
multitasking options are examples of other
innovations that seek to find new solutions
to old problems.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation: It involves
Independent evaluation of ASHAs/JSY

by UNEPA/UNICEF/GTZ in 8 states.
Immunization coverage evaluated by

UNICEF.
Independent monitoring by identified

institutions like Institute of Public Auditors of India.
Phase 1 of the community monitoring

in 9 states namely Rajasthan, Odisha,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Karnataka and Assam has been completed.
Concurrent evaluation by several independent agencies is in progress.
District wise Annual Health Survey for

high focus states are in pipeline.
The areas vulnerable to malaria are largely

tribal, difficult, and remote, forested and forest fringe inaccessible areas with operational
difficulties. The high transmission areas are
the North Eastern States and largely tribal
areas of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan.
Government of India launched the National

Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in
1953.
The State governments are responsible for

the planning, implementation, supervision
and monitoring of the programme.
North Eastern states are being provided 100

per cent support by Government for implementation of the programme including operational cost.
In 100 districts in 8 states namely Andhra

Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and
Rajasthan, 1045 PHCs predominantly inhabited by tribals were also provided 100 per
cent support including operational expenses
under the Enhanced Malaria Control Project
(EMCP) with World Bank assistance,
since 1997.
"Malaria Control and Kala-Azar Elimination" has been approved by World Bank for
a period of 5 years starting from 2008-09.
FILARIASIS
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Filariasis is transmitted by mosquito species

culex quinquefasciatus and mansonia annulifera/
M. uniformis. The vector mosquitoes breed
in polluted water in drains, cross-pits etc.
in areas with inadequate drainage and sanitation.
The disease is endemic in 250 districts in 20

states and UTs.
The target year for global elimination of this

disease is by the year 2020.
Government of India is signatory to the

World Health Assembly Resolution in 1997
for Global Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis.
The National Health Policy (2002) has however, envisaged elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis in India by 2015.
DENGUE
HAEMORRHAGIC
CONTROL PROGRAMME
The case fatality rate which was 3.3% in

1996 had come down to 0.57% in 2009 till
November because of better management
of Dengue cases in the country following
National guidelines.
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urban areas to prevent mosquito breeding

conditions in line with the Delhi, Mumbai,
Goa, Chandigarh health administrations.
JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
PROGRAMME
FEVER
Dengue fever is an outbreak-prone viral disease, transmitted by aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,

Gujarat,
Karnataka,
Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are the
worst affected states.
The Directorate of National Vector Disease

Control has provided detailed guidelines for
the prevention and control of dengue to the
affected states. Intensive health education
activities through print, electronic and inter-personal media, outdoor publicity as
well as an inter-sectoral collaboration with
civil society organizations (NGOs, CBOs,
SHGs), PRIs, Municipal bodies have been
emphasized. Regular supervision and monitoring is conducted by the programme.
Govt. of India in collaboration with state

initiated various public health measures to
contain JE of which introduction of JE Vaccination Programme is most pertinent.
JE vaccination Programme was launched

during 2006 for children between 1 and 15
years of age in 11 districts of the 5 states of
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka and
West Bengal with using single dose live attenuated SA-14-14-2 vaccine.
The programme was expanded to 27 districts in 9 states during 2008 and, 23 districts in 9 states in 2009.
KALA-AZAR CONTROL PROGRAMME
Kala-azar is caused by protozoan parasite

leishmania donovani and spread by sand fly,
which breeds in shady, damp and warm
places in cracks and crevices in the soft soil,
in masonry, and rubble heaps, etc. Proper
sanitation and hygiene are therefore critical
to sand fly breeding.
The National Health Policy (2002) of Govt.

of India had set the goal of elimination of
Kala-Azar from the country by 2010. In pursuance to achieve the elimination goal, case
detection and treatment compliance has been
strengthened and Rapid Diagnostic Test in
39 and oral drug miltefosine have been introduced.
The Kala-Azar Control programme was

launched in 1990-91.
The annual incidence of diseases came down

from 77,099 cases in 1992 to 44533 cases in
2007 and deaths from 1419 to 203 in 2007
respectively. In the year 2008, 33234 cases
and 146 deaths were reported, whereas in
2009 upto October, 20478 cases and 70
deaths have been reported.
The government of India in consultation

with the states has identified 137 sentinel
surveillance hospitals with laboratory support for augmentation of diagnostic facilities in the dynamic states.
To make these functional, test kits are provided through National Institute of Virology, Pune and cost is borne by GOI. Contingency grant is also provided to meet the
operational costs.
Since there is no specific treatment for Dengue, the stress is on methods and ways of
prevention of disease with measures like control and prevention of mosquito breeding
conditions in residential/workplace areas
and minimizing the man-mosquito contact.
In this stance, community awareness and
participation are conducive for effective
control of Dengue.
In addition, enactment and enforcement of
appropriate Civic bye-laws and Building
bye-laws should also be stressed upon in all
CONTROL
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CHIKUNGUNYA
Chikungunya is a debilitating non-fatal viral illness caused by Chikungunya virus
which has re-emerged in the country after
a gap of three decades. In India a major
epidemic of Chikungunya fever was reported
during the last millennium viz. 1963
(Kolkata), 1965 (Puducherry and Chennai
in
Tamil
Nadu,
Rajahmundry,
Vishakhapatnam and Kakinada in Andhra
Pradesh, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh and
Nagpur in Maharashtra) and 1973 (Barsi in
Maharashtra).
Following are the Components of the

Programme:
1. Decentralized integrated leprosy services
through General Health Care System,
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Since integration of the programme with

GHC system in 2002-03, leprosy diagnosis
and treatment services are available at all
PHCs and govt. hospitals in the country.
2. Capacity building of all general health

services functionaries,
3. Intensified information, Education and
Communication (IEC),
This disease is also transmitted by Aedes

mosquito.
4. Prevention of disability and medical rehabilitation and
During 2006, total 1.39 million clinically suspected Chikungunya cases were reported
in the country. Out of 35 states/union territories 16 were affected: Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi,
Rajasthan, Puducherry, Goa, Odisha, West
Bengal, Lakshadweep, and Uttar Pradesh.
5. Monitoring and Supervision. Spectacular success has been achieved against the
disease after introduction of MDT.
In 2007, total 14 states were affected and

reported 59535 suspected Chikungunya fever cases with no death. During 2009 till
November, 66281 suspected Chikungunya
fever cases and no death have been reported.
By the end of March 2009, 0.86 lakh cases

were on record and 1.34 lakh new cases
were detected during 2008-09. In 2009-10,
by the end of September, 76,064 new leprosy cases were detected. Out of these cases,
48 per cent were MB cases. 10.1 per cent
child cases, 35.2 per cent were visible deformity cases.
5. NATIONAL
PROGRAMME
CONTROL OF BLINDNESS
Maximum cases were reported from

Karnataka (61.62%) followed by Kerala
(17.96).
4. NATIONAL LEPROSY ERADICATION

PROGRAMME
FOR
National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) was launched in the year 1976
as a 100 per cent centrally sponsored
scheme with the goal of reducing the prevalence of blindness to 0.3 per cent by 2020.
The National Leprosy Control Programme

was launched in 1955 based on dapsone monotherapy. Multi Drug Therapy came
into wide use from 1982.
Main Objectives of the Programme
To reduce the backlog of blindness through

identification and treatment of blind;
National Leprosy Eradication Programme

was launched in 1983 with the objective to
arrest the disease in all the known cases of
leprosy.
To develop comprehensive eye care facility

in every district;
To develop human resources for providing

eye care services;
In 1991, the World Health Assembly resolved to eliminate leprosy by the year 2000.
To improve quality of service delivery;
Since 2005, the programme is being continued with government of India funds with
technical support from WHO and International Federations of Anti Leprosy Associations (ILEP).
To secure participation of voluntary organizations /private practitioners in eye care;

and
To enhance community awareness on eye

care.
34
CONTROL
The programme basically aims to reach the

unreached tribal areas of the country.
National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)

is a 100 per cent centrally-sponsored
scheme.
Launched in July 2007, NACP Phase-3

(2007-12) has the goal to halt and reverse
the epidemic in the country over the next
five years by integrating programmes for
prevention, care, support and treatment.
The National Institute of Communicable Diseases has been identified as the nodal agency
for the planning, monitoring and evaluating the programme.
India declared elimination of Yaws in 2008.

An amount of Rs. 50 lakhs was allocated to
financial year 2008-09.
AIDS
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6. NATIONAL
PROGRAMME
9. NATIONAL
CANCER
PROGRAMME
The programme has adopted a four-pronged

strategy:
1. Prevention of new infections in high risk

groups and general population.
Cancer is an important public health problem with 7 to 9 lakh cases occurring every
year. At any point of time, it is estimated
that there are nearly 25 lakh cases in the
country. Four lakh deaths are estimated to
occur every year due to cancer.
The National Cancer Control Programme

was launched in 1975-76 with the objectives of primary prevention, early detection,
treatment and rehabilitation.
A National Strategic Task Force has been

constituted to formulate a strategy for the
National Cancer Control Programme for the
Eleventh Five Year Plan.
In order to cater to the changing needs of

the disease, the programme has undergone
three revisions with the third revision completed in December 2004. Under the revised
programme, the primary focus is on correcting the geographic imbalance in the
availability of cancer care facilities across
the country.
2. Providing greater care, support and

treatment to larger number of PLHA.
3. Strengthening the infrastructure, systems and human resources in prevention, care, support and treatment
programmes at the district, state and
national level.
4. Strengthening the nationwide Strategic

Information Management System.
7. NATIONAL IODINE DEFICIENCY

DISORDERS CONTROL PROGRAMME
The Government is implementing the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control

Programme (NIDDCP) formerly known as
National Goitre Control Programme (NGCP)
since 1962, a 100% centrally assisted
programme with a focus on the provision
of Iodated salt, IDD survey/ resurvey, laboratory monitoring of Iodated salt and Urinary Iodine excretion, health education and
publicity.
There are 5 schemes under the Revised

Programme:
Government of India has banned the sale

of non-iodated salt in the entire country for
direct human consumption under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 with
effect from 17th May, 2006.
1. Recognition of new Regional Cancer

Centres (RCCs) by providing a one-time
grant of Rs.5.00 crore.
2. Strengthening of existing RCCs by providing a one-time grant of Rs. 3.00 crore.
8. YAWS ERADICATION PROGRAMME

(YEP)
3. Development of Oncology Wing by providing enhanced grant of Rs. 3.00 crore

to the Government institutions (Medical
Colleges as well as government hospitals).
Yaws Eradication Programme (YEP) was

launched as a central sector health scheme
in 1996-97 in Koraput district, Odisha,
which was subsequently extended to cover
all 49 Yaws endemic districts in ten states
during Ninth Plan period.
CONTROL
4. District Cancer Control Programme by

providing the grant-in-aid of Rs. 90.00
lakh spread over a period of 5 years.
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5. Decentralised NGO Scheme by providing a grant of Rs. 8000 per camp to the
NGOs for IEC activities.
As of now, there are 25 Regional Cancer
Centres providing comprehensive cancer
care services. There are 210 institutions
possessing radiotherapy installations.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

(MoHFW), Government of India, designated
IIPS as the nodal agency, responsible for
providing coordination and technical guidance for the NFHS.
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collaborative project of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS),

Mumbai, India; ORC Macro, Calverton,
Maryland, USA and the East-West Center,
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
A National Strategic Task Force has been

constituted to formulate a strategy for the
National Cancer Control Programme for the
Eleventh Five Year Plan.
Training: In order to increase the capacity

of the health staff at all levels of health care,
training manuals have been developed in
cancer control, tobacco cessation, cytology
and palliative care.
Onconet-India: C-DAC Trivandrum has

been entrusted with the responsibility of
preparing the DPR for Operationalisation
of Onconet India. Under the project all 25
RCCs will be linked with each other and
also each RCC would in turn be linked to
5 peripheral centres.
Membership of IARC: India has become a

member of the International Agency for Research in Cancer that shall provide a fillip
to cancer research in the country.
National Cancer Awareness Day : November 7th, the birth anniversary of Madame
Curie is observed as the National Cancer
Awareness Day. Number of banners are
displayed for creating awareness among the
general masses about cancer on the day.
Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund

Under "RAN": The "Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund" (HMCPF) within the
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) Scheme has
also been set up in 2009. In order to utilize
the HMCPF, it is proposed to establish the
revolving fund like RAN in the Various
Regional Cancer Centre(s) (RCCs) which are
getting fund for equipments from Cancer
Programme of Govt. of India.
10. NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY

(NFHS)
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS)

is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. The NFHS is a
36
NFHS was funded by the United States

Agency for International Development
(USAID) with supplementary support from
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
IIPS collaborated with a number of Field
Organizations (FO) for survey implementation. Each FO was responsible for conducting survey activities in one or more states
covered by the NFHS. Technical assistance
for the NFHS was provided by ORC Macro
and the East-West Center.
The first National Family Health Survey

(NFHS-1) was conducted in 1992-93. The
survey collected extensive information on
population, health, and nutrition, with an
emphasis on women and young children.
Eighteen Population Research Centres
(PRCs), located in universities and institutes
of national repute, assisted IIPS in all stages
of conducting NFHS-1. All the state-level
and national-level reports for the survey have
already been published (48 reports in all).
The second National Family Health Survey

(NFHS-2) was conducted in 1998-99 in all
26 states of India with added features on
the quality of health and family planning
services, domestic violence, reproductive
health, anemia, the nutrition of women, and
the status of women. The results of the
survey are currently being published.
The third National Family Health Survey

(NFHS-3) was carried out in 2005-2006.
Eighteen Research Organizations including
five Population Research Centres carried out
the survey in 29 states of India. The funding for NFHS-3 is provided by USAID,
DFID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, UNFPA, and MoHFW, GoI.
ORC Macro, USA, is providing technical
assistance for NFHS-3, and the National
AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and
the National AIDS Research Institute

(NARI) are providing technical assistance
for the HIV component.
6. Employees & Pensioners of Autonomous

Bodies covered under CGHS (Delhi)
Recently, the Union government has decided

to discontinue the country's most reliable
and widely tracked health survey, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the
fourth round of which was to be conducted
in 2012-13, in a move that has been criticized by development experts. The ministry
of health and family welfare is instead planning to roll out an integrated national health
survey(NHS) that will replace three existing ones-NFHS, the district-level health survey (DLHS) and the Annual Health Survey
(AHS) conducted across nine priority states
by the office of the census commissioner.
7. Ex-Governors and Ex-Vice Presidents

8. Former Prime Ministers
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5. Ex-Members of Parliament
9. Former Judges of Hon'ble Supreme Court

of India and Hon'ble High Courts
10. Freedom Fighters
It provides service through following categories of systems:-
11. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH

SCHEME
Allopathic
Homeopathic
Indian System of Medicines i.e.
1. Ayurveda
2. Unani
The "Central Government Health Scheme"

(CGHS) provides comprehensive health care
facilities for the Central Govt. employees and
pensioners and their dependents residing in
CGHS covered cities.
3. Yoga
4. Sidha System
The main components of the Scheme are:
Started in New Delhi in 1954, Central Govt.

Health Scheme is now in operation in
Allahabad
,Ahmedabad,
Bangalore,
Bhubhaneshwar, Bhopal, Chandigarh,
Chennai, Delhi, Dehradun, Guwahati,
Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jabalpur, Kanpur,
Kolkata, Lucknow, Meerut, Mumbai,
Nagpur, Patna, Pune, Ranchi , Shillong,
Trivandrum and Jammu.
The Central Govt. Health Scheme is applicable to the following categories of people
residing in CGHS covered cities:
1. All Central Govt. Servants paid from Civil

Estimates (other than those employed in
Railway Services and those employed under Delhi Administration except members of Delhi Police Force).
The dispensary services including domiciliary care.
F. W. & M.C.H. Services
Specialists consultation facilities both at dispensary, polyclinic and hospital level including X-Ray, ECG and Laboratory Examinations.
Hospitalization.
Organization for the purchase, storage, distribution and supply of medicines and other
requirements.
Health Education to beneficiaries.
12. GANDHIGRAM INSTITUTE OF RURAL

HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
TRUST (GIRHFWT)
2. Pensioners drawing pension from Civil

Estimates and their family members (Pensioner residing in non- CGHS areas
also may obtain CGHS Card from nearest CGHS covered City)
3. Hon'ble Members of Parliament
The trust was established in 1964 with financial support from the Ford Foundation,
Government of India and Government of
Tamil Nadu.
The broad objectives are..:
1. Conducting research studies in the field

of Reproductive and Child Health, Rural Health, and Family Health Activities
4. Hon'ble Judges of Supreme Court of

India
37
2. Organizing training programs in Reproductive and Child Health, Health and

Family Welfare Programs for Personnel
from the State and those from other
States.
Total number of children vaccinated during each NID round in the country is about
17 crore.
14. PROHIBITION OF PRE-CONCEPTION

AND
PRE-NATAL
SEX
DETERMINATION
In order to check female foeticide, the PreNatal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation

and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 was
enacted and brought into operation from
1st January, 1996.
The Act prohibits determination and disclosure of the sex of the foetus.
It also prohibits any advertisements relating to pre-natal determination of sex.
Punishments are prescribed for contravention of any of its provisions, like imprisonment up to 5 years and fine up to Rs.
1,00,000/- in addition to cancellation of the
registration/ license in the case of medical
professionals/ diagnostic centres, clinics, etc..
The Act and the Rules framed under it have

been amended with effect from 14th February, 2003 to ban selection of sex before or
after conception and to remove difficulties
in the implementation of the Act keeping
in view certain directions of the Supreme
Court of India.
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3. Developing newer methodologies for

implementing Reproductive and Child
Health, and other Health programs.
The Health and Family Welfare Training

Centre at GIRHFWT is one of 47 such training centres in the country. At Gandhi-gram
Institute of Rural Health and Family Welfare Trust (GIRHFWT), HFWTC functions
as a Central Training Institute (CTI). It trains
Health and Health-related functionaries
working in Primary Health Centres, Corporations/Municipalities, and Tamilnadu Integrated Nutrition Projects.
13. PULSE
POLIO
PROGRAMME
IMMUNIZATION
In the pursuance of the World Health Assembly resolution of 1988, in addition to

administration of routine Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) through the Universal Immunization Programme, the Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI) Programme was launched in
1995-96 to cover all children below the age
of 3 years.
In order to accelerate the pace of polio eradication, the target age group was increased
from 1996-97 to all children under the age
of 5 years.
15. JANANI SURAKSHA YOJANA
Till 1998-99, the PPI programme consisted

of vaccination of children at fixed booths
on the National Immunization Days (NIDs)
held twice, separated by six weeks, during
the winter season. In spite of very good
coverage during NIDs, 5-6 percent of children were being missed even in the PPI
programme.
During 1999-2000 therefore, in addition to

booth immunization, a house-to-house
search of missed children and vaccinating
them on the next 1-3 days following each
NID/Sub NID was undertaken. The houseto-house programme resulted in identification and vaccination of 2.3 crore children
who had never been vaccinated earlier.
38
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) comes under

the bigger umbrella of National Rural
Health Mission (NRHM) and was launched
in April, 2005 by way of modifying the existing National Maternity Benefit Scheme
(NMBS).
While NMBS is linked to provision of better

diet for pregnant women from BPL families, JSY integrates the cash assistance with
antenatal care during the pregnancy period,
institutional care during delivery and immediate post-partum period in a health
centre by establishing a system of coordinated care by village level health worker.
The JSY is a 100% centrally sponsored

scheme.
The Yojana has identified ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) as an effective
link between the Government and the poor

pregnant women in low performing states,
namely the 8 EAG states and Assam and
J&K, the remaining NE States and tribal
districts of all other States.
The main role of ASHA is to facilitate pregnant women to avail services of maternal
care and arrange referral transport.
The scheme focuses on the poor pregnant
woman with special dispensation for states
having low institutional delivery rate namely
the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Assam, Orissa, Rajasthan and
Jammu and Kashmir.
The benefits would also be available to such

pregnant women falling in the above category even though not registered under JSY
previously during pregnancy period but requiring institutional care for delivery including management of complications like obstructed
labour, PPH, eclampsia, PP sepsis etc.
Up-gradation of the following existing medical institutions among others with an outlay of Rs. 120 crores per institution, of which
Rs. 100 crores would be borne by the Central Govt. and the remaining Rs. 20 by the
respective State Govt:1. Govt. Medical College, Jammu (J&K)
2. Govt. Medical College, Srinagar (J&K)
3. Kolkata Medical College, Kolkata (W.B.)
Each village of 1000 population is expected

to have one ASHA or an equivalent worker
registered with the sub-centre and the PHC
of that concerned village, who would be
working under the supervision of the ANM
and in tandem with the AWW. Under JSY,
her main role would be:
4. Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute

of Medical Sciences, Lucknow (U.P)
1. To organize delivery care services for the

registered expectant mother,
7. Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical

Sciences, Tirupati (A.P)
2. To assist in immunization of the new

born,
8. Govt. Medical College, Salem (T.N.)
5. Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU,

Varanasi (UP),
6. Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences,
Hyderabad (A.P)
17. INTEGRATED DISEASE SURVEILLANCE

PROJECT (IDSP)
3. To act as a propagator/motivator of family planning services,
The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project

(IDSP) was launched by Union Minister of
Health and Family Welfare in November 2004.
It is a decentralized, State based Surveillance Program in the country. It is intended

to detect early warning signals of impending outbreaks and help initiate an effective
response in a timely manner.
4. Cash Assistance for Institutional Delivery Payment to the expectant mother,
16. PRADHAN
MANTRI
SWASTHYA
SURAKSHA YOJANA (PMSSY)
Setting up 6 AIIMS-like institutions one

each in: Bihar (Patna), MP (Bhopal), Orissa
(Bhubaneswar), Rajasthan (Jodhpur),
Chhattisgarh (Raipur) and Uttaranchal
(Rishikesh) at an estimated cost of Rs. 332
crores per institution with 850 bedded hospital intended to provide healthcare facilities in 39 specialty/super-specialty disciplines. Medical College will have 100 UG
intakes besides facilities for imparting PG/
doctoral courses in various disciplines.
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The PMSSY envisages:-
The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha

Yojana (PMSSY) was approved in March
2006 with the objective of correcting the imbalances in availability of affordable/reliable
tertiary level healthcare in the country in
general and to augment facilities for quality
medical education in the under-served
States.
Objectives of the Policy:
39
To reiterate strongly the Government's firm

commitment to prevent the spread of HIV
infection and reduce personal and social
impact.
To generate a feeling of ownership among

all the participants both at the Government
and non-Government levels, like the Central Ministries and agencies of the Govt. of
India, State Governments, city corporations,
industrial undertakings in public and private sectors, Panchayati Raj Institutions and
local bodies to make it a truly national
effort.
To provide adequate and equitable

provision of health care to the HIV-infected
people and to draw attention to the compelling public health rationale for overcoming stigmatization and discrimination
against them in society.
To promote better understanding of HIV

infection among the people at large, to generate awareness about the nature of its
transmission and to adopt safe behavioral
practices to prevent the disease from
spreading.
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To mobilize support of a large number of

NGOs/CBOs for an enlarged community initiative for prevention and alleviation of the
AIDS problem.
To promote a more supportive socio-economic environment for prevention of HIV

AIDS.
To provide proper health care both in the

hospitals and at homes for the care and
support of people affected with AIDS and,
To prevent women, children and other

socially weak groups from becoming vulnerable to HIV infection by improving
health education, legal status and economic prospects.
To constantly interact with international

and bilateral agencies for support and cooperation in the field of research in vaccines, drugs, emerging systems of health care
and other financial and managerial inputs.
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INCLUSIVE
DEVELOPMENT
1. INDIA
HUMAN
REPORT, 2011
age of illiterates from SC, ST and Muslim

minority community are very high. Among
SC/ST, more than 50 per cent of women
are illiterates.
DEVELOPMENT
The recently released Human Development

Report, 2011 with the theme 'Towards Social Inclusion' has praised the efforts of
poorer States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
in making the development process more
'socially inclusive' through improving the lot
of their marginalized Dalits and Tribals.
However it has lamented the richer and
developed States like Gujarat wherein the
process has not been 'socially inclusive'.
The highlights of the Report are as follows:
The improvement in health index has been

slow. It has improved by 13.2 per cent in
the last decade. The highest growth in the
health improvement has been noted in Goa
(72%) followed by Chhattisgarh (22%). In
Delhi the growth rate is a meager 4 per
cent. Further there exists wide inter-State
variation in the health index. It ranges from
0.82 in Kerala to 0.41 in Assam.
The prevailing condition of sanitation is

threatening according to the report. Though
half of the population had access to sanitation in 2008 still there exists wide inter-State
variation. In the States of MP, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Rajasthan and
Uttarakhand, still 75 per cent of the population does not have access to sanitation.
The most serious challenge arises on the nutrition front. Though Madhya Pradesh still
is numero uno in malnutrition and undernutrition, more concern arises from the increase in malnutrition in the richer and
developed States like Gujarat. The State with
69.7% kids up to 5 being anaemic and 44.6%
suffering from malnutrition, proves that
high growth was no guarantor of improvement in health.
It is the robust infrastructure in Kerala,

Delhi and Goa that has contributed to the
overall improvement in HDI, whereas it is
the poor condition of infrastructure in poorer
States that has kept these States poor.
There has been "impressive growth" in teledensity overtime from 22 per cent in 2008
to 66 per cent in 2010 on account of increase in urban tele-density. Besides, the report also highlights that 75 per cent of
population have access to electricity.
The report prepared by the Delhi-based Institute of Applied Manpower Research for
The overall Human Development Index

(HDI) for the country has improved through
the last decade, with the inequality gap between States narrowing down. In the last
decade the HDI increased by 21 per cent
from 0.387 in 1999-2000 to 0.467 in 200708.
The HDI list has been topped by Kerala with

highest education, health and consumption
expenditure index. It is followed by Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh and Goa.
Chhattisgarh, Orissa, MP, UP, Jharkhand
& Assam have an HDI below the national
average of 0.467. MP has the lowest HDI
value and thus is at the bottom.
In some poorer States like Bihar, Andhra

Pradesh, MP, Chhattisgarh, Orissa & Assam
the quantum of improvement in HDI has
been higher than the national average of 21
per cent.
The overall increase in HDI is attributed to

28.5 per cent increase in education index
across the country. It ranges from 0.92 for
Kerala to 0.41 in case of Bihar. The improvement in the education index was the "greatest" in States like UP, Rajasthan & MP.
However, according to the Report, India is
also home to more than one-third of the
global world illiterates wherein the percent-
41
the Planning Commission focuses on income, education, health, literacy, nutrition

and sanitation in the country.
Development to recommend a suitable methodology for identification of BPL families in

rural areas.
2. TENDULKAR COMMITTEE REPORT

ON POVERTY ESTIMATION
The Planning Commission constituted an
Expert Group in December 2005 under the
chairmanship of Professor Suresh D.
Tendulkar to review the methodology for
estimation of poverty. The Expert Group submitted its report in December 2009.
The committee observed that the national

poverty line at Rs. 356 per capita per month
in rural areas and Rs. 539 per capita per
month in urban areas at 2004-05 prices permitted both rural and urban people to consume about 1820 k calories as against the
desired norm of 2400/2100 k calories.
Hence a large number of the rural poor got
left out of the BPL status benefits as in order to consume the desired norm of 2400/
2100 k calorie.
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While acknowledging the multidimensional

nature of poverty, the Expert Group recommended moving away from anchoring poverty lines to the calorie-intake norm to
adopting MRP based estimates of consumption expenditure as the basis for future
poverty lines and MRP equivalent of the
urban poverty line basket (PLB) corresponding to 25.7 per cent urban headcount ratio
as the new reference PLB for rural areas.
On the basis of the above methodology, the

all-India rural poverty headcount ratio for
2004-05 was estimated at 41.8 per cent, urban at 25.7 per cent, and all-India at 37.2
per cent. It may, however, be mentioned
that the Tendulkar Committee's estimates
are not strictly comparable to the official
poverty estimates because of different methodologies.
As has been indicated in the Mid Term Appraisal of the Eleventh Five Year Plan, the
revised poverty lines for 2004-05 as recommended by the Tendulkar Committee have
been accepted by the Planning Commission.
The Tendulkar Committee has specifically

pointed out that the upward revision in the
percentage of rural poverty in 2004-05, resulting from the application of a new rural
poverty line should not be interpreted as
implying that the extent of poverty has increased over time. These estimates, as reported by the Committee, clearly show that
whether we use the old method or the new,
the percentage of BPL population has declined by about the same magnitude.
The committee recommended that the percentage of people entitled to BPL status
should be revised upwards to at least 50
percent though the calorie norm of 2400
would require it to be 80 percent.
The committee also recommended doing

away with score-based ranking of rural
households followed for the BPL census 2002
and has recommended automatic exclusion
of some privileged sections and automatic
inclusion of certain deprived and vulnerable sections of society, and a survey for the
remaining population to rank them on a
scale of 10.
Automatic Exclusion: Households that fulfill any of the following conditions will not
be surveyed for BPL census:
2. Families that have three or four-wheeled

motorized vehicles, such as, jeeps or SUVs.
3. Families that have at least one mechanized
farm equipment, such as, tractors, power
tillers, threshers or harvesters.
4. Families that have any person who is
drawing a salary of over Rs. 10,000 per
month in a non-government/ private organization or is employed in government
An Expert Group headed by Dr N.C. Saxena

was constituted by the Ministry of Rural
Thus, the committee recommended that the

cut-off line for determining BPL status
should be around Rs. 700 in rural areas and
Rs. 1000 in urban areas.
1. Families who own double the land of the

district average of agricultural land per
agricultural household if partially or
wholly irrigated (three times if completely
un-irrigated).
3. SAXENA COMMITTEE REPORT ON

CONDUCTING BPL CENSUS IN RURAL
AREAS
42
on a regular basis with pensionary or

equivalent benefits.
2. People unemployed for a significant proportion of time or with irregular employment or whose work is subject to unsanitary or hazardous conditions or has no
stability of payment for services should
be regarded occupationally vulnerable.
5. Income tax payers.
Automatic Inclusion: The following would

be compulsorily included in the BPL list:
3. Households headed by women or minors

or where the elderly are dependent on
the head of household or where the level
of literacy is low or members are disabled
or chronically ill should be considered
socially vulnerable.
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1. Designated primitive tribal groups.
2. Designated most discriminated against SC

groups, called Maha Dalit groups.
3. Single women-headed households.
4. Households with a disabled person as

breadwinner.
5. Households headed by a minor.
6. Destitute households which are dependent

predominantly on alms for survival.
5. MULTI-DIMENSIONAL
INDEX
7. Homeless households.
The HDR 2010 and 2011 measured poverty

in terms of a new parameter, namely multidimensional poverty index (MPI), which
replaced the human poverty index (HPI)
used since 1997.
The MPI indicates the share of the population that is multi-dimensionally poor adjusted by the intensity of deprivation in
terms of living standards, health, and
education.
According to this parameter, India with a

poverty index of 0.292 and poverty ratios
of 41.6 per cent (in terms of PPP $ 1.25 a
day) and 28.6 per cent (national poverty
line) is not favourably placed when compared with countries like China and Sri
Lanka. In fact, the difference in population
below the poverty line (BPL) widens substantially in case of India when this indicator is used instead of the national poverty
line indicator, while for other countries,
there is less of a difference and in some
cases even a fall.
According to HDR-2011 with an MPI of

0.283, 53.7% Indians have been placed in
the bracket of multi-dimensionally poor (612
million), the largest concentration of such
poor people in the world. Moreover, 'intensity of deprivation' in India was 50 per cent
in terms of 'overall life satisfaction' between
2006 and 2010.
8. Households that have a bonded labourer

as member.
4. S.R. HASHIM COMMITTEE FOR

IDENTIFICATION OF BPL FAMILIES IN
URBAN AREAS
The expert group is yet to finalise the detailed methodology for an ordinal ranking
of the poor on the basis of vulnerability.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) is the nodal Ministry for issue of guidelines to identify BPL
families in urban areas. Till now, no uniform methodology was being followed by
the States/UTs to identify the urban poor.
An Expert Group under the Chairmanship
of Professor S.R. Hashim has been constituted by the Planning Commission in May
2010 to recommend the methodology for
identification of BPL families in urban areas
in the context of the 12th Five Year Plan.
The expert group submitted an interim report this month recommending that poverty in urban areas be identified through
specific vulnerabilities in residential, occupational and social categories. It said that:
1. Those people who are homeless, live in

temporary houses where usage of dwelling space is susceptible to insecurity of
tenure and is affected by lack of access to
basic services should be considered residentially vulnerable.
43
POVERTY
6. MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL

RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE
SCHEME (MGNREGS):
MGNREGS, the flagship programme of the
Government of India to promote inclusive
growth aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days
of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose
adult members volunteer to do unskilled
manual work.
The annual outlay for the programme is Rs.

10,000 crore which includes 50 lakh tonnes
on food grains.
The cash component is shared between the

Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25.
Food grains are provided free of cost to the

States/UTs. The payment of food grains is
made directly to FCI at economic cost by
the Centre. However, State Governments are
responsible for the cost of transportation of
food grains from FCI godown to work-site/
PDS shops and its distribution. Minimum
wages are paid to the workers through a
mix of minimum five kg of food grains and
at least 25 per cent of wages in cash.
The programme is implemented by all the

three tiers of Panchayat Raj Institutions.
Each level of Panchayat is an independent
unit for formulation of Action Plan and
executing the scheme. Resources are distributed among District Panchayat, Intermediate Panchayats and the Gram Panchayats
in the ratio of 20:30:50.
The Gram Panchayats can take up any work

with the approval of the gram sabha as per
their felt need and within available funds.
Fifty per cent of the funds earmarked for
the gram panchayats are to be utilised for
infrastructure development works in SC/
ST localities. 22.5 per cent resources must
be spent on individual beneficiary schemes
meant for SCs/STs out of the resource share
of District Panchayat and Intermediate
Panchayats.
Contractors are not permitted to be engaged

for execution of any of the works and no
middlemen/intermediate agencies can be
engaged for executing works under the
scheme.
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SGRY, poor families above the poverty line

can also be offered employment wherever
NREGA has been launched.
It also mandates 33 per cent participation

for women.
The primary objective of the Scheme is to

augment wage employment. This is to be
done while also focusing on strengthening
natural resource management through
works that address causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, and soil
erosion and thus encourage sustainable
development.
The MGNREGS Act was notified in 200 districts in the first phase with effect from 2
February 2006 and then extended to an additional 130 districts in the financial year
2007-08.
The Act has been notified throughout the

country with effect from 1 April 2008.
During 2009-10 Rs. 5.26 crore households

were provided employment under this
scheme as against more than 4.51 crore
during 2008-09.
7. SAMPOORNA GRAMEEN ROZGAR

YOJANA (SGRY)
The Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana

(SGRY) was launched on 25 September,
2001 by merging the on-going schemes of
EAS and the JGSY with the objective of
providing additional wage employment and
food security, alongside creation of durable
community assets in rural areas.
The programme is self-targeting in nature

with provisions for special emphasis on
women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes
and parents of children withdrawn from
hazardous occupations.
While preference is given to BPL families

for providing wage employment under
8. SWARNA
JAYANTI
GRAM
SWAROZGAR YOJANA (SGSY)
44
The Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana

(SGSY) was launched as an integrated
programme for self-employment of the rural poor with effect from 1 April 1999.
The objective of the scheme is to bring the

assisted poor families above the poverty line
by organising them into Self Help Groups

(SHGs) through the process of social
mobilisation, their training and capacity
building and provision of income generating assets through a mix of bank credit and
government subsidy.
The scheme emphasizes establishment of activity clusters through selection of key activities based on aptitude and skill of the
people, availability of resources and market
potentiality. The scheme adopts a process
approach and attempts to build the capacities of the rural poor. It provides for involvement of NGOs/CBOs/Individuals/
Banks and Self Help Promoting Institutions
in nurturing and development of SHGs,
including skill development.
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this number may be a minimum of five.

Self Help Groups should also be drawn from
the BPL list approved by the Gram Sabha.
The SHGs broadly go through three stages
of evolution such as group formation, capital formation through the revolving fund
and skill development and taking up of
economic activity for income generation.
The focus of the programme is on establishing a large number of micro-enterprises in

rural areas based on the ability of the poor
and potential of each area, both land-based
and otherwise, for sustainable income generation. Due emphasis is being laid on different components such as capacity building of the poor, skill development training,
credit, training, technology transfer, marketing and infrastructure.
The subsidy allowed under the SGSY is 30

per cent of the total project cost, subject to
a ceiling of Rs. 7,500 (for SC/STs and disabled persons subsidy limit is 50 per cent of
the project cost subject to a ceiling of Rs.
10,000). For Self-Help Groups (SHGs), subsidy is 50 per cent of the project cost subject
to a ceiling of Rs. 1.25 lakh or per capita
subsidy of Rs. 10,000, whichever is less.
There is no monetary ceiling on subsidy for
minor irrigation projects for SHGs as well
as individual swarozgaris.
Under SGSY each block should concentrate

on 4-5 selected key activities and attend to
all aspects of these activities in a cluster
approach, so that swarozgaris can draw
sustainable income from their investments.
The scheme lays special emphasis on development of swarozgaris through welldesigned training courses tailored to the activities selected and the requirement of each
swarozgari.
SGSY is being implemented through the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs)
with active involvement of Panchayati raj
institutions, banks and NGOs.
It is financed on 75:25 cost-sharing basis

between the Centre and the states.
Since the inception of the programme, 22.52

lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have been
formed covering 66.97 lakh swarozgaris.
These include 35.54 lakhs members of the
SHGs and 31.43 lakh individual
Swarozgaris who have been assisted with
a total investment of Rs. 14403.73 crore.
Out of total Swarozgaris assisted, SCs/STs
were 45.54 per cent and women 47.85
per cent.
9. SWARNAJAYANTI SHAHARI SWAROJGAR

YOJANA (SJSRY)
The SGSY has a special focus on the vulnerable groups among the rural poor. SC/STs
account for at least 50 per cent, women 40
per cent and the persons with physical disability constitute 3 per cent of the
Swarozgaris respectively.
The SGSY seeks to promote multiple credits

rather than a one-time credit injection.
The SHGs may consist of 10-20 members
and in case of minor irrigation or in case of
disabled persons and difficult areas, i.e.,
hilly, desert and sparsely populated areas;
45
The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana

(SJSRY) was launched on 01.12.1997 after
subsuming the earlier three schemes for urban poverty alleviation, namely Nehru
Rozgar Yojana (NRY), Urban Basic Services
for the Poor (UBSP), and Prime Minister's
Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication
Programme (PMIUPEP). The key objective
of the Scheme was to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed through the setting up of selfemployment ventures or provision of wage
employment.
To overcome the difficulties faced by the

States/UTs and address certain drawbacks
in the implementation of SJSRY, the Guidelines of the Scheme have been revised. It is
presumed that the revised guidelines will
assist in the effective implementation of
SJSRY and make a dent on the urban poverty scenario in the country. The Revised
Guidelines will come into effect from
1.4.2009.
2. Urban Women Self-help Programme

(UWSP): This Component will be having
two sub-components:
(a) Assistance to groups of urban poor
women for setting up gainful self-employment ventures- UWSP (Loan &
Subsidy)
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(b) Revolving Funds for Self-Help Groups

(SHGs) / Thrift & Credit Societies
(T&CSs) formed by the urban poor
women - UWSP (Revolving Fund).
The objectives of the revised Swarna Jayanti

Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) are:
3. Skill Training for Employment Promotion

amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP): This component of SJSRY will focus on providing
assistance for skill formation/up-gradation
of the urban poor to enhance their capacity to undertake self-employment as well
as access better salaried employment.
1. Addressing urban poverty alleviation

through gainful employment to the urban unemployed or underemployed poor
by encouraging them to set up self-employment ventures (individual or group),
with support for their sustainability; or
undertake wage employment;
4. Urban Wage Employment Programme

(UWEP): This programme seeks to provide wage employment to beneficiaries
living below the poverty line within the
jurisdiction of urban local bodies by
utilising their labour for construction of
socially and economically useful public assets. These assets may be Community Centres, Stormwater Drains, Roads, Night
Shelters, Kitchen Sheds in Primary Schools
under Mid-day Meal Scheme and other
community requirements like Parks, Solid
Waste Management facilities, as decided
by the community structures themselves.
The Urban Wage Employment Programme
(UWEP) will be applicable only to towns/
cities with population upto 5 Lakhs, as
per the 1991 Census.
2. Supporting skill development and training programmes to enable the urban poor
have access to employment opportunities opened up by the market or undertake self-employment; and
3. Empowering the community to tackle the

issues of urban poverty through suitable
self-managed community structures like
Neighbourhood
Groups
(NHGs),
Neighbourhood Committees (NHC), Community Development Society (CDS), etc.
The target population under SJSRY is the

urban poor - those living below the poverty
line, as defined by the Planning Commission from time to time.
SJSRY will have five major components,

namely-
5. Urban Community Development Network

(UCDN): SJSRY shall rest on the foundation of community development and empowerment. Rather than relying on the
traditional method of top-down implementation, the Scheme shall rely on establishing and nurturing community organizations and structures that facilitate sustained urban poverty alleviation. Towards
this end, community organizations like
Neighbourhood
Groups
(NHGs),
Neighbourhood Committees (NHCs), and
Community Development Societies (CDSs)
shall be set up in the target areas.
1. Urban Self Employment Programme

(USEP): This Component will be having
two sub-components:
(a) Assistance to individual urban poor beneficiaries for setting up gainful self-employment ventures [Loan & Subsidy]
(b) Technology/marketing/infrastructure/
knowledge & other support provided
to the urban poor in setting up their
enterprises as well as marketing their
products.
46
Funding under SJSRY will be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio
of 75:25. For Special Category States
(Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim,
Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh and Uttarakhand) this ratio will be
90:10 between the Centre and States.
The trainees will be provided intensive shortterm residential self-employment training

programmes with free food and
accommodation.
It will be set up in each district of the country for basic and skill development training
of rural BPL youth to enable them to undertake micro-enterprises and wage
employment.
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10. RURAL SELF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING

INSTITUTE (RSETI)
Government and Non government agencies

have taken certain initiatives and implementing many schemes to promote micro enterprises. However, the efforts seem to be inadequate against the gigantic unemployment
problem. An innovative initiative was taken
way back in the year 1982 jointly by Sri
Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Educational Trust, Syndicate Bank, Canara Bank
to motivate unemployed youth to take up
self-employment as an alternative career.
11. JAWAHAR LAL NEHRU NATIONAL

URBAN RENEWAL MISSION (JNNURM)
The unique experiment of building confidence of the youth by developing skill and
positive attitude among them through dedicated training was found effective. The
model has proved very successful in building the morale of the youth and empowering them to set up self-employment ventures
in their own places. The project reported a
success rate of 66 per cent.
RUDSETI model was appreciated by Government of India, State Governments, SIDBI,
and NABARD. Replication of this model was
recommended to tackle the unemployment
problem successfully and developing entrepreneurship.
The JNNURM, a seven year programme

launched in December 2005, provides financial assistance to cities for infrastructure,
housing development, and capacity
development.
Mission Statement: The aim is to encourage reforms and fast track planned development of identified cities. Focus is to be on
efficiency in urban infrastructure and service delivery mechanisms, community participation, and accountability of ULBs/
Parastatal agencies towards citizens.
Objectives of the Mission
2. Focused attention to integrated development of infrastructure services in cities

covered under the Mission;
Rural BPL youth will be identified and

trained for self-employment.
3. Establishment of linkages between assetcreation and asset-management through

a slew of reforms for long-term project
sustainability;
The trainings offered will be demand driven.

Area in which training will be provided to
the trainee will be decided after assessment
the candidate's aptitude.
4. Ensuring adequate funds to meet the deficiencies in urban infrastructural services;
Hand holding support will be provided for

assured credit linkage with banks.
5. Planned development of identified cities

including peri-urban areas, outgrowths
and urban corridors leading to dispersed
urbanisation;
Escort services will be provided for at least

for two years soas to ensure sustainability
of micro enterprise trainees.
1. The objectives of the JNNURM are to ensure that the following are achieved in
the urban sector;
Significant points about RSETIs:
The Government has approved 215 RSETIs

out of which funds have been released to
149. During 2009-10, approximately 77,000
rural youth (including 54,000 BPL youth)
were trained in 99 RSETIs functioning in
the country.
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6. Scale-up delivery of civic amenities and

provision of utilities with emphasis on
universal access to the urban poor;
and Accelerated Urban Water Supply

Programme (AUWSP) which are already in
existence and which aim at planned urban
infrastructural improvement in towns and
cities under its purview.
7. Special focus on urban renewal

programme for the old city areas to reduce congestion; and
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2. The Sub-Mission for Integrated Housing and

Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) administered by Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) was envisaged and brought into effect in 1993-94
in accordance with providing the entire
population with safe and adequate water
supply facilities. Program mainly implemented in towns having population less than
20,000 as per 1991 Census.
8. Provision of basic services to the urban

poor including security of tenure at affordable prices, improved housing, water
supply and sanitation, and ensuring delivery of other existing universal services
of the government for education, health
and social security.
The Mission shall comprise two Sub-Missions, namely:
1. Sub-Mission for Urban Infrastructure

and Governance: This will be administered by the Ministry of Urban Development through the Sub- Mission Directorate for Urban Infrastructure and Governance. The main thrust of the Sub-Mission will be on infrastructure projects relating to water supply and sanitation, sewerage, solid waste management, road network, urban transport and redevelopment
of old city areas with a view to upgrading infrastructure therein, shifting industrial and commercial establishments to
conforming areas, etc.
The objectives of the Mission shall be met

through the adoption of the following
strategy:
1. Preparing City Development Plan: Every city will be expected to formulate a
City Development Plan (CDP) indicating
policies, programmes and strategies, and
financing plans.
In addition to this, it also has two further components:
2. Preparing Projects: The CDP would facilitate identification of projects. The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) / parastatal
agencies will be required to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for undertaking projects in the identified spheres.
It is essential that projects are planned in
a manner that optimises the life-cycle cost
of projects. The life-cycle cost of a project
would cover the capital outlays and the
attendant O&M costs to ensure that assets are in good working condition. A revolving fund would be created to meet
the O&M requirements of assets created,
over the planning horizon. In order to
seek JNNURM assistance, projects would
need to be developed in a manner that
would
ensure
and
demonstrate
optimisation of the life-cycle costs over
the planning horizon of the project.
1. The Sub-Mission for Urban Infrastructure

Development of Small & Medium Towns
(UIDSSMT) administered by the Ministry
of Urban Development, with a focus on subsuming the schemes of Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT)
3. Release and Leveraging of Funds: It is

expected that the JNNURM assistance
would serve to catalyse the flow of investment into the urban infrastructure
sector across the country. Funds from the
Central and State Government will flow
2. Sub-Mission for Basic Services to the

Urban Poor: This will be administered by
the Ministry of Urban Employment and
Poverty Alleviation through the Sub-Mission Directorate for Basic Services to the
Urban Poor. The main thrust of the SubMission will be on integrated development
of slums through projects for providing
shelter, basic services and other related
civic amenities with a view to providing
utilities to the urban poor.
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4. Incorporating Private Sector Efficiencies: In order to optimise the life-cycle

costs over the planning horizon, private
sector efficiencies can be inducted in development, management, implementation
and financing of projects, through Public
Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.
The Scheme of Affordable Housing in Partnership aims at operationalising the strategy envisaged in the National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy (NUHHP) 2007, of
promoting various types of public-private
partnerships - of the government sector
with the private sector, the cooperative sector, the financial services sector, the state
parastatals, urban local bodies, etc. - for
realizing the goal of affordable housing for
all. It intends to provide a major stimulus
to economic activities through affordable
housing for the creation of employment, especially for the construction workers and
other urban poor who are likely to be
amongst the most vulnerable groups in
recession.
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directly to the nodal agency designated

by the State, as grants-in-aid. The funds
for identified projects across cities would
be disbursed to the ULB/Parastatal
agency through the designated State Level
Nodal Agency (SLNA) as soft loan or
grant-cum-loan or grant. The SLNA /
ULBs in turn would leverage additional
resources from other sources.
The duration of the Mission would be seven

years beginning from the year 2005-06.
Evaluation of the experience of implementation of the Mission would be undertaken
before the commencement of Eleventh Five
Year Plan and if necessary, the program calibrated suitably.
It also targets the creation of demand for a

large variety of industrial goods through the
multiplier effect of housing on other economic acitivites.
This Scheme is a part of the Jawaharlal

Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM) and takes into account the experience of implementing Basic Services to
the Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated
Housing & Slum Development Programme
(IHSDP) for three years, and the assessment
that shortfall in response from BSUP towns
is a factor of the lack of urban land availability for expansion of cities, and after
consultation with States/UTs who have
agreed that the responsibility of making
urban land available at affordable rates must
rest with them in order to reduce the acute
shortages of housing in urban areas.
The basic aim of the Scheme is to provide

stimulus to economic activities through affordable housing programmes in partnership. Its immediate objective is employment
generation to the urban poor, especially construction workers, where adverse impact of
current economic downturn is being
experienced.
The scheme will apply mainly to the 65

BSUP cities, where shortages of land for
housing are driving unplanned growth and
raising home prices and rentals to unsustainable levels.
Expected Outcomes of the JNNURM
1. Modern and transparent budgeting, accounting, financial management systems,

designed and adopted for all urban service and governance functions
2. City-wide framework for planning and

governance will be established and become operational
3. All urban residents will be able to obtain

access to a basic level of urban services
4. Financially self-sustaining agencies for urban governance and service delivery will
be established, through reforms to major
revenue instruments
5. Local services and governance will be conducted in a manner that is transparent
and accountable to citizens
6. E-governance applications will be introduced in core functions of ULBs/
Parastatal resulting in reduced cost and
time of service delivery processes.
12. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PARTNERSHIP

(AHIP)
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13. RAJIV AWAS YOJANA (RAY)
14. BHARAT NIRMAN
With an aim of creating a slum-free India,

government has launched phase-1 of Rajiv
Awas Yojana (RAY) to facilitate affordable
housing for slum dwellers.
The Centre would provide financial assistance to States willing to assign property
rights to slum dwellers for provision of shelter and basic civic and social services for
slum re-development and for creation of
affordable housing stock under the
RAY scheme.
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Bharat Nirman, a programme to build rural

infrastructure, was launched by the Government of India in 2005 to be implemented
in a period of four years from 2005-06 to
2008-09. It is an important initiative for reducing the gap between rural and urban
areas and improving the quality of life of
people in rural areas.
The scheme will cover about 250 cities,

mostly with population of more than one
lakh across the country by the end of 12th
Plan (2017). The scheme will progress at
the pace set by the States.
The Centre will bear 50 per cent of the cost

of slum re-development. To encourage creation of affordable housing stock, the existing schemes of Affordable Housing in Partnership and Interest Subsidy Scheme for
Housing the Urban Poor have been dovetailed into RAY.
Credit enablement of the urban poor and

the flow of institutional finance for affordable housing is an important component of
the scheme. The government has agreed to
establish a mortgage risk guarantee fund to
facilitate lending the urban poor for housing purposes with an initial corpus of Rs.
1000 crore.
The scheme has been designed on the basis

of experience of the Jawaharlal National
Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) submission of Basic Services to the Urban Poor
(BSUP) and the Integrated Housing and
Urban Development Programme (HSDP).
This programme has six components,

namely rural housing, irrigation potential,
drinking water, rural roads, electrification,
and rural telephony. The targets for these
components are as follows:
2. Housing: Provide additional 1.2 crore

houses at the rate of 24 lakh houses each
year to be built by funds allocated to the
homeless through Panchayats.
3. Telecommunication and Information
Technology: Increase rural tele-density to
40% and provide broadband connectivity
and Bharat Nirman Seva Kendras to all
2.5 lakh Panchayats. Under the Bharat
Nirman Programme, Rural teledensity of
at least 40% by 2014, and Broadband
coverage of all 2,50,000 village panchayats
& Setting up of Bharat Nirman Common
Service Centers at Panchayat level by
2012 is to be achieved.
4. Roads: Provide road connections to remaining 23,000 villages approximately
with population of 1000 or 500 in case of
hilly or tribal areas.
5. Electrification: Provide electricity to remaining 40,000 villages approximately

and connections to about 1.75 crore poor
households. The revised Bharat Nirman
target for RGGVY is to electrify 1 lakh
villages and to provide free electricity
connections to 175 lakh BPL households
by March 2012. The Bharat Nirman
Under these schemes, government had

sought to take action for inclusive urban
growth by enabling re-development of slums
with basic amenities and decent housing
with security of tenure.
Phase I of the programme was implemented

in the period 2005-06 to 2008-09. Phase II is
being implemented from 2009-10 to
2011-12.
1. Water Supply: Cover approximately 55

thousand uncovered habitations and provide safe drinking water to approximately
2.16 lakh villages affected by poor water
quality.
In order to encourage private sector participation in slum re-development, Central assistance can be used by the States and cities
towards viability gap funding.
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targets for RGGVY have been achieved

by 31st December, 2011 well before
March, 2012.
1. Inclusion of the Poorest
6. Irrigation: 6.5 million hectares brought

under assured irrigation till 2009. Remaining 3.5 million hectares to be completed
by 2012.
2. Transparency
3. Accountability
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15. NATIONAL RURAL

MISSION (NRLM)
The core values which will guide all the

activities under NRLM are as follows:
4. Equity - to the disadvantaged, esp.

women and vulnerable groups
LIVELIHOOD
5. Partnerships; and
The National Rural Livelihood Mission

(NRLM) was established in June 2010 by
the Government of India, to be implemented
in all States of the country to establish efficient and sustainable institutions of the rural poor that enable them to increase household income through livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial and
selected public services.
6. Ownership and key role of the poor in

all stages - planning, implementation
and monitoring
1. Sensitive Support Structure of National

Rural Livelihood Mission:
Mission Statement: "To reduce poverty

through building strong grassroots institutions of the poor. These institutions enable
the poor households to access gainful selfemployment and skilled wage employment
opportunities, resulting in appreciable increase in their incomes, on a sustainable
basis".
2. Universal Social Mobilization
3. Promotion of Institutions of the Poor

4. Demand Driven
5. Training and Capacity building
6. Revolving Fund and Capital Subsidy
Guiding Principles of NRLM
7. Universal Financial Inclusion
1. Poor have a strong desire to come out of

poverty, and, have innate capabilities
8. Provision of Interest Subsidy
9. Infrastructure Creation and Marketing

support
2. Social mobilization and building strong

institutions of the poor is critical for unleashing their capabilities
10. Skills and Placement Projects
3. An external dedicated and sensitive support structure is required to induce social

mobilization
Key Features of NRLM
11. Linkages with PRIs
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RURAL DEVELOPMENT
1. INDIRA AWAS YOJNA
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) was launched

during 1985-86 as a sub-scheme of Rural
Landless Employment Guarantee
Programme (RLEGP) and continued as a
sub-scheme of Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)
since its launching from April, 1989. It has
been delinked from the JRY and has been
made an independent scheme with effect
from January 1, 1996.
The objective of IAY is primarily to provide

grant for construction of houses to members of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes,
freed bonded labourers and also to nonSC/ST rural poor below the poverty line.
The target group for houses under IAY will

be people below poverty line living in rural
areas belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and
non-SC/ST subject to the condition that the
benefits to non-SC/ST should not exceed
40% of total IAY allocation during a financial year.
From 1995-96, the IAY benefits have been

extended to ex-servicemen, widows or nextof kin of defence personnel and paramilitary forces killed in action irrespective of
the income criteria subject to the condition
that (i) they reside in rural areas; (ii) they
have not been covered under any other
scheme of shelter rehabilitation; and (iii) they
are houseless or in need of shelter or shelter
upgradation. Priority will be given to other
ex-servicemen and retired members of the
paramilitary forces as long as they fulfill
the normal eligibility conditions of the Indira
Awas Yojana and have not been covered
under any other shelter rehabilitation
scheme.
3% of the funds have been earmarked for

the benefit of disabled persons below poverty line. This reservation of 3% under IAY
for disabled persons below the poverty line
would be horizontal reservation i.e., disabled
persons belonging to sections like SCs, STs
and Others would fall in their respective
categories.
District Rural Development Agencies

(DRDA) / Zilla Parishads will decide the
number of houses to be constructed
panchayat-wise under IAY during a particular financial year. The same shall be intimated to the Gram Panchayat. Thereafter,
the Gram Sabha will select the beneficiaries
from the list of eligible households as per
the IAY guidelines and as per priorities
fixed, restricting this number to the target
allotted. No approval of the Panchayat
Samiti is required. The Panchayat Samiti
should however, be sent a list of selected
beneficiaries for their information.
The order of priority for selection of beneficiaries amongst target group below poverty
line is as follows:
1. Freed bonded labourers
2. SC/ST households who are victims of

atrocities
3. SC/ST households, headed by widows
and unmarried women.
4. SC/ST households affected by flood, fire,
earthquake, cyclone and similar natural
calamities.
5. Other SC/ST households.
6. Non- SC/ST households.
7. Physically handicapped.
The priority in the matter of allotment of

houses to the ex-servicemen and paramilitary forces and their dependents will be out
of 40% of the houses set apart for allotment
among the non-SC/ST categories of
beneficiaries.
8. Families/widows of personnel of defence

services / paramilitary forces, killed in
action.
9. Displaced persons on account of developmental projects, nomadic, semi-nomadic
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and de-notified tribals, families with disabled members and internal refugees, subject to the households being below
poverty line.
Allotment of houses should be in the name
of female member of the beneficiary household. Alternatively, it can be allotted in the
name of both husband and wife.
2. NATIONAL SOCIAL
PROGRAMME (NSAP)
4. The ceiling on the total number of old

age pension for purpose of claiming Central assistance is specified by Govt. of
India.
5. Village, Panchayat and relevant authorities shall report for every case of death of
pensioners immediately after its occurrence to the appropriate sanctioning authority.
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criteria and suggest appropriate revised

criteria.
ASSISTANCE
Article 41 of the Constitution of India directs the State to provide public assistance
to its citizens in case of unemployment, old
age, sickness and disablement and in other
cases of undeserved want within the limits
of its economic capacity and development.
In accordance with the Directive Principles
of State Policy, Govt. of India launched
NSAP as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
w.e.f 15th August 1995 towards fulfillment
of these principles.
1. The primary breadwinner will be the

member of household male or female
whose earning contribute the largest proportion to the total household income.
2. The death of such a primary breadwinner should have occurred whilst he or she
is in the age group of 18 to 64 years i.e.,
more than 18 years of age and less than
65 years of age.
The National Social Assistance Programme

(NSAP) then comprised of National Old Age
Pension Scheme (NOAPS), National Family
Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).
3. The bereaved household qualifies as one

under the poverty line according to the
criterion prescribed by the Govt. of India.
4. Rs. 5,000/- in the case of death due to
natural causes and Rs. 10,000/- in the
case of death due to accident causes will
be the ceilings for purposes of claiming
Central assistance. In 1998, the amount
of benefit under NFBS was raised to Rs
10,000 in case of death due to natural
causes as well as accidental causes.
These programmes were meant for providing social assistance benefit to the aged, the
BPL households in the case of death of the
primary breadwinner and for maternity.
These programmes were aimed to ensure
minimum national standards in addition to
the benefits that the States were then providing or would provide in future.
5. The family benefit will be paid to such

surviving member of the household of deceased who, after due local enquiry is
determined to be the head of the household. For the purpose of the scheme, the
term "household" would include spouse,
minor children, unmarried daughters and
dependent parents.
National Old Age Pension Scheme
1. The age of the applicant (male or female)

shall be 65 years or higher.
2. The amount of the old age pension will
be Rs. 75/- per month for purpose of
claiming Central assistance.
3. The applicant must be a destitute in the

sense of having little or no regular means
of subsistence from his/her own sources
of income or through financial support
from family members or other sources. In
order to determine destitution, the criteria, if any currently in force in the state/
UT govt. may also be followed. The Govt.
of India reserves the right to review these
National Family Benefit Scheme
National Maternity Benefit Scheme
1. The maternity benefit will be restricted

to pregnant women for up to the first
two live births provided they are of 19
years of age and above. As proof of the
age of the applicant , Birth Certificate
issued by Municipality/Sub-Divisional
Office
or an affidavit shown before a
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First Class Magistrate by the applicant or

a certificate from the Head of the Institution where the applicant studied has to
be given.
per criteria prescribed by the Government of India.

ii) The pension amount is Rs. 200 per
month per beneficiary and the concerned state government is also urged
to provide the equal amount to the
person.
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2. The beneficiary should belong to a household below the poverty line according to
the criteria prescribed by the Government
of India.
iii) The pension is to be credited into a

post office or public sector bank account of the beneficiary.
3. The ceiling on the amount of the benefit

for purposes of claiming Central assistance will be Rs. 500/-.
iv) The pension will be discontinued if

there is the case of remarriage or once
the widow moves above the
poverty line.
4. The benefit is disbursed several weeks

prior to the delivery. In case of delay, the
benefit may be given even after the birth
of the child.
2. Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): In February

2009, GOI has also approved pension
under Indira Gandhi National Disability
Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) for BPL persons with severe or multiple disabilities
between the age group of 18-64 years @
Rs. 200 p.m. per beneficiary.
5. The Scheme was transferred from the

Ministry of Rural Development to Department of Family Welfare w.e.f. 1st April,
2001. It became part and parcel of the
Population Stabilization Programme.
Annapurna Scheme
1. On 1st April, 2000 a new Scheme known

as Annapurna Scheme was launched.
This Scheme aimed at providing food
security to meet the requirement of those
senior citizens who, though eligible, have
remained uncovered under the NOAPS.
3. PRADHAN MANTRI GRAM SADAK

YOJANA
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

(PMGSY) was launched on 25th December
2000 as a fully funded Centrally Sponsored
Scheme to provide all-weather road connectivity in rural areas of the country. The
programme envisages connecting all habitations with a population of 500 persons
and above in the plain areas and 250 persons and above in hill States, the tribal and
the desert areas.
50% of the cess on High Speed Diesel (HSD)

is earmarked for this Programme.
The primary objective of the PMGSY is to

provide connectivity, by way of an allweather road (with necessary culverts and
cross-drainage structures, which is operable
throughout the year), to the eligible unconnected habitations in the rural areas, in such
a way that all unconnected habitations with
a population of 1000 persons and above are
covered in three years (2000-2003) and all
unconnected habitations with a population
of 500 persons by the year 2007 (end of
Tenth Plan Period).
2. From 2002-03, it has been transferred to

State Plan along with the National Social
Assistance Programme. The implementation of the Scheme at the State level rests
with the respective States/UTs.
3. Under the Annapurna Scheme, 10 kg of
food grains per month are provided free
of cost to the beneficiary.
4. The number of persons to be benefited

from the Scheme is, in the first instance,
20% of the persons eligible to receive
pension under NOAPS in States/UTs.
Introduction of two new Pension Schemes

in 2009
1. Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension

Scheme (IGNWPS): In February 2009,
GOI has approved pension to BPL widows in the age group of 40-64 years.
i) The applicant should belong to a
household below the Poverty Line as
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The primary focus of the programme will be

on construction of new roads. However, upgradation (to prescribed standards) of existing roads will be permitted to be taken
up under the programme so as to achieve
connectivity through good all-weather
roads.
5. SWAJALDHARA
The Programme shall cover only 'Other District Roads' (ODRs) and 'Village
Roads' (VRs).
The Council for Advancement of People's

Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) is
an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Rural Development. It was set up in
September 1986 by the amalgamation of the
People's Action for Development India
(PADI) and Council for Advancement of
Rural Technology (CART).
2. Panchayats / communities to plan, implement, operate, maintain and manage all

drinking water schemes,
3. Partial capital cost sharing by the communities upfront in cash,
4. Full ownership of drinking water assets
with Gram Panchayats and
The objects for which the Society is set

up are:
5. Full Operation and Maintenance by the

users/ Panchayats.
1. to encourage, promote and assist voluntary action in the implementation of

projects for the enhancement of rural
prosperity;
The role of PRIs in implementation of this

scheme are :
1. Gram Panchayat shall convene a Gram

Sabha Meeting where the Drinking Water Supply Scheme of People's choice including design and cost etc. must be finalized. Gram Panchayats are to undertake procurement of materials/services
for execution of schemes and supervise
the scheme execution.
2. to strength and promote voluntary efforts

in rural development with focus on injecting new technological inputs in this
behalf;
3. to act as the national nodal point for coordination of all efforts at generation and
dissemination of technologies relevant to
rural development in its wider sense;
2. Gram Panchayat will decide whether the

Panchayat wants to execute the Scheme
on its own or wants the State Government Agency to undertake the execution.
4. to act as a catalyst for development of

technology appropriate for the rural areas, by identifying and funding research
and development efforts and pilot projects
by different agencies and institutions particularly voluntary organizations;
3. After completion of such schemes, the

Gram Panchayat will take over the Schemes
for Operation & Maintenance (O&M).
4. Panchayat must decide on the user
charges from the community so that adequate funds are available with
Panchayat to undertake O&M.
5. to act as a conduit for transfer of appropriate technology to Government Departments, public sector undertaking, cooperative societies, voluntary agencies and
members of public to encourage adoption of modern techniques and appropriate technology in rural development;
6. MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL

RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE
ACT
6. to assist and promote programmes aimed

at conservation of the environment and
natural resources;
The key elements of this programme are:
1. Demand-driven and community participation approach,
4. CAPART
A new initiative "Swajaldhara" was

launched on December, 2002, to open up
the reform initiatives in the safe rural drinking water supply throughout the country.
This programme aims at providing Community-based Rural Drinking Water
Supply.
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NREGA has been renamed as Mahatma

Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MNREGA) on Oct 2, 2009.
Centre notifies a wage rate which will

not be less than Rs. 60/ per day.
The objective of the Act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing
at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do
unskilled manual work.
8. Wages are to be paid according to piece

rate or daily rate. Disbursement of
wages has to be done on weekly basis
and not beyond a fortnight in any case.
The Act was notified in 200 districts in the

first phase with effect from February 2, 2006
and then extended to additional 130 districts in the financial year 2007-2008 (113
districts were notified with effect from April
1st 2007, and 17 districts in UP were notified with effect from May 15th 2007). The
remaining districts have been notified under the MGREGA with effect from April 1,
2008. Thus MNREGA covers the entire
country with the exception of districts that
have a hundred per cent urban population.
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7. Equal wages will be provided to both

men and women.
9. At least one-third beneficiaries shall be

women who have registered and requested work under the scheme.
10. Work site facilities such as crche, drinking water, shade have to be provided.
11. The shelf of projects for a village will be
recommended by the Gram Sabha and
approved by the Zila Panchayat.
Salient features of the Act
12. A 60:40 wage and material ratio has to

be maintained. No contractors and
machinery is allowed.
1. Adult members of a rural household,

willing to do unskilled manual work,
may apply for registration in writing
or orally to the local Gram Panchayat,
13. The Central Government bears the 100

per cent wage cost of unskilled manual
labour and 75 per cent of the material
cost including the wages of skilled and
semi skilled workers.
2. The Gram Panchayat after due verification will issue a Job Card. The Job
Card will bear the photograph of all
adult members of the household willing to work under MNREGA and is free
of cost. The Job Card should be issued
within 15 days of application.
14. Social Audit has to be done by the Gram

Sabha.
15. All accounts and records relating to the
Scheme should be available for public
scrutiny.
3. A Job Card holder may submit a written application for employment to the
Gram Panchayat, stating the time and
duration for which work is sought. The
minimum days of employment have to
be at least fourteen.
7. NIRMAL GRAM PURASKAR
4. Employment will be given within 15

days of application for work, if it is not
given, then daily unemployment allowance as per the Act has to be paid, liability of payment of unemployment allowance is of the States.
5. Work should ordinarily be provided
within 5 km radius of the village. In
case work is provided beyond 5 km,
extra wages of 10% are payable to meet
additional transportation and living
expenses.
6. Wages are to be paid according to the

Minimum Wages Act, 1948 for agricultural labourers in the State, unless the
56
To give a fillip to the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), Government of India launched
the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) in October 2003 and gave away the first awards in
2005.
NGP seeks to recognise the efforts made by

PRIs and institutions who have contributed
significantly towards ensuring full sanitation coverage in their areas of operation.
TSC lays strong emphasis on Information,
Education and Communication (IEC), capacity building and hygiene education for
effective behaviour change with the involvement of PRIs, CBOs, NGOs, etc. NGP is
aimed at augmenting the efforts made under this IEC campaign.
The main objectives of Nirmal Gram

Puraskar (NGP) are:
1. To bring the topic of sanitation to the

forefront of social and political development discourse in rural India.
C
IA H
S RO
AC N
I
AD CL
EME
Y
2. To develop open defecation-free and

clean villages which will act as models
for others to emulate.
A "Nirmal Gram" is an "Open Defecation

Free" village where all houses, Schools and
Anganwadis having sanitary toilets and
awareness amongst community on the importance of maintaining personal and community hygiene and clean environment. The
award is given to those PRIs which attain
100% open defecation free environment.
The concept of Nirmal Gram Puraskar has

been acclaimed internationally as a unique
tool of social engineering and community
mobilization and has helped a difficult
programme like rural sanitation to pick up.
Each Gram Panchayat getting the NGP has
a ripple effect in the surrounding villages.
It has been the prime mover behind the
amazing progress achieved in rural sanitation coverage since 2005.
Sikkim has become first Nirmal State of the

country.
3. To give incentive to PRIs to sustain the

initiatives taken by them to eliminate the
practice of open defecation from their respective geographical area by way of full
sanitation coverage.
4. To increase social mobilization in TSC
implementation, by recognizing the catalytic role played by organizations in attaining universal sanitation coverage
57

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CHRONICLE

Old Rajendra Nagar : 18/4, IInd Floor, Opp. Aggarwal

: 2520, Hudson Lane, Vijay Nagar

: A-26, Sector-2 (Near Sector-15

22yrs of Guiding Success

Recognizing the challenge of climate change to

Strengthening of current agricultural and

Creation of web-enabled, regional language

Development of GIS and remote-sensing

Mapping vulnerable eco-regions and pest

Dryland Agriculture: Out of the net cultivated

Development of regional databases of soil,

Monitoring of glacier and ice-mass, impacts

Providing information on off-season crops,

Climate Change Risks at Three Levels

Crop (Livestock) Level: Productivity and Quality of Produce

Development of drought- and pest-resistant

Improving methods to conserve soil and

Financial support to enable farmers to invest in and adopt relevant technologies to

Programmes & Policies

Chronicle IAS Academy

Collation and dissemination of block-level

To strategise long-term interventions for

To realise the enormous potential of growth

USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: Biotechnology

Use of genetic engineering to convert C-3

2. THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY

Development of crops with better water and

Development of nutritional strategies for

Launched in Rabi 2007-08 with a view to

The Mission aims to increase production

The NFSM is presently being implemented

To devise strategic plans at the agro-climatic

To enhance agricultural productivity

To facilitate access to information and

To promote "laboratory to land" research

Chronicle IAS Academy

i) Merging of the pulse component of the

Another programme, namely Bringing

The Oil Palm Development Programme

The Rice Development and Organizing

Its Maize Development Programme is under implementation in 15 States.

Launched in 2007-08 with an outlay of Rs.

The scheme is being implemented in 37 districts in the country

(i) Extending the Green Revolution to the

(ii) Special initiatives for pulses and oilseeds

(iii) Implementation of the National Mission

Its convergence with other schemes like the

The Centrally sponsored National Mission

The scheme provides assistance at 60 per

7. NATIONAL BAMBOO MISSION (NBM)

The ISOPOM is being implemented in 14

Programmes & Policies

With a view to harnessing the potential of

The Mission aims to promote holistic growth

4. THE INTEGRATED SCHEME OF

operational in seven states - Uttar Pradesh,

Chronicle IAS Academy

Two new components have been added

The scheme, which was introduced in 100

Permissible ceiling for new initiatives has

At least 33 per cent of the funds have to be

9. REVISED MACRO MANAGEMENT OF

Active participation of the Panchayati Raj