Prelims Nuggets

Cabinet approves targeted subsidy to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Consumers

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a subsidy of Rs.200 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year to be provided to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The subsidy is credited directly to the bank accounts of the eligible beneficiaries. 

How many beneficiaries are there in PMUY?

As on 1st March 2023, there are 9.59 crore PMUY beneficiaries.

Is it a new initiative?

No, because many Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies Namely Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) have already been providing this subsidy since 22nd May 2022.

Who is eligible for the targeted subsidy to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

 All PMUY beneficiaries are eligible for this targeted subsidy. 

What is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana?

To make Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), a clean cooking fuel, available to rural and deprived poor households, Government launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana in May 2016, to provide deposit-free LPG connections to adult women of poor households.

What is Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

It is a scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to the BPL category. 

What is the type of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana?

This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government. 

What is the funding source of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana?

The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund". 

Who will implement Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana?

The Scheme will be implemented through the sole implementing agency - Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 

Who is eligible under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana?

  • Under the scheme, physical aid will be provided only to the senior citizens of the nation. This implies those who are aged above 60 years will get free assisted living aids and physical devices which are required for their sustainability. 
  • The main criteria for the senior citizens to get full benefits of the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) scheme is that they must belong to a BPL family and should hold a valid BPL card issued by the concerned authority.

Where Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana will be implemented?

Also, the govt. has selected the list of cities where the scheme will be implemented. 

What is AIDP (ASSISTANCE TO DISABLED PERSONS FOR PURCHASE/FITTING OF AIDS/APPLIANCES)

ADIP Scheme is one of the major initiatives of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India. 

What is the purpose of AIDP?

  • This scheme is implemented to assist the needy disabled person in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances to promote physical, social, and psychological rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities by reducing the effects of disabilities and at the same time enhancing their economic potential. 
  • Assistive devices are given to PwDs to improve their independent functioning and to arrest the extent of disability and occurrence of secondary disability. The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme must have due certification. 

Who is eligible for the benefits of the scheme? 

A person with disabilities fulfilling the following conditions would be eligible for assistance under ADIP Scheme: 

  • An Indian citizen of any age. 
  • Holds a 40% Disability Certificate. 
  • Has monthly income from all sources not exceeding Rs. 20,000/- per month. 
  • In the case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month. 
  • Who has not received assistance during the last 3 years for the same purpose from any source? 

However, for children below 12 years of age, this limit would be one year. 

Note: - Income certificates of beneficiaries staying in orphanages and halfway homes etc. will be accepted on certification of the District Collector or Head of the organization concerned.

Samajik Adhikarita Shivir

What is Samajik Adhikarita Shivir

This shiver is held to the Distribution of Aids and Assistive Devices to Divyangjan and Senior Citizens in Kannauj District, U.P. by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Sushri Pratima Bhoumik. 

Under Which scheme the shivir is held?

The shivir is held under the ADIP (SCHEME OF ASSISTANCE TO DISABLED PERSONS FOR PURCHASE/FITTING OF AIDS/APPLIANCES) and Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana scheme respectively of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. 

Who organised the shivir

The camp was organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in association with 

  • ALIMCO (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation) and 
  • District Administration

Why Tipu Sultan must be killed, again

Context: As elections in Karnataka approach, the 18th-century king Tipu Sultan is once more at the centre of a debate. By supporting claims that Tipu Sultan was assassinated by two Vokkaliga leaders rather than the British and Maratha army, an effort is being made to appeal to the politically influential Vokkaliga population.

About Mysore Kingdom

  • An Independent state that was created as a result of the Mughal Empire's fall. The destabilisation of the Mughal power over the provinces was a major factor in the emergence of these states.
  • A significant state that emerged in the eighteenth century was Mysore. The Wodeyars were in charge of this region, which was situated near the meeting point of the Eastern and Western Ghats
  • The region became a never-ending battleground as a result of several powers' interest in this land. In the end, Haider Ali gained control over the state.

Haider Ali

Haider Ali
  • Nanjaraj (the sarvadhikari) and Devaraj (the Dulwai), had reduced Chikka Krishnaraja Wodeyar to the status of a puppet in the early eighteenth century. Under the leadership of the ministers Nanjaraj and Devaraj, Haidar Ali began his career in the Mysore army.
  • In addition to introducing Western training techniques for his army, Haidar Ali enlisted the assistance of the French to establish a weapons factory in Dindigul (now in Tamil Nadu).
  • Due to his involvement in the First and Second Carnatic Wars in South India, Haider Ali witnessed the military superiority of European troops. Mysore sided with the French in the Carnatic Wars.
  • The Nizam of Hyderabad, the Marathas, and the English formed an alliance against Haider Ali, the king of Mysore, in the first Anglo-Mysore war (1767–69). In the end the English had to sign the humiliating Treaty of Madras in 1769.
  • The Treaty of Mangalore, which was signed in 1784, brought an end to the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784). Tipu Sultan succeeded his father Haider Ali after his death.

Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan
  • Tipu Sultan was the last Muslim ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, before the taking over by Wodeyar Dynasty. 
  • Navy: Defeat in Third Anglo-Mysore War convinced Tipu to take measures to build a navy. He issued a Hukmnanah (ordinance) in 1796 for a strong naval force with 40 ships to be built at speed. The navy was put under command of 11 Mir Yam (Lords of Admiralty), with headquarters at Seringapatam. The naval divisions or Kachehris at Jamalabad (Mangalore), Wajidabad and Majidabad. Timber for ships was to be procured from state forests. 
  • Ammunitions: Established munitions industry in Nagar, which were regarded as equal in quality to those produced in Europe.
  • Rocket technology: Pioneer of rocket technology and expanded iron cased Mysorean rockets and commissioned a military manual Fathul Mujahidin
  • Economy:  Attempted to revive commerce and forged commercial linkages with other parts of India and West Asia and build a public sector company with state finance. Introduced sericulture and an was a member of the Jacobin club. He also planted a liberty tree at Seringapatam.
  • Agriculture and Revenue Settlement: 
    • Tipu modified land revenue management. 
    • Rules were laid down for distribution of arable land among old and new ryots, preference was given to hereditary ownership of land and rent was fixed. 
    • Tipu’s measures were the basis for Ryotwari Settlement introduced by East India Company in South India. 
    • Captain Alexander Read first introduced Ryotwari Settlement in Baramahal district surrendered by Tipu after his defeat in 1792.
    • Calendar: Introduced a new calendar in 1784. This calendar was known as Mauludi Era and had 354 days. It counted its first year from the year of birth of Prophet Muhammad. The calendar’s name was derived from Arabic phrase ‘Maulud-i-Muhammad’, Birth of Muhammad.
    • Introduced several administrative innovations such as a new coinage system.
  • Deployed rockets against advances of British forces and their allies during Anglo-Mysore Wars, including the Battle of Pollilur and Siege of Srirangapatnam.
  • Third Anglo Mysore war (1790-92): Tipu Sultan was defeated by EIC and the Treaty of Seringapatam was concluded. Under this treaty, Tipu lost half of Mysore’s territory.
  • Fourth Anglo-Mysore war (1799): This conclusive war led to falling of Seringapatam. English chose a Hindu boy from the earlier ruling royal family i.e., Wodeyars, as the Maharaja and imposed subsidiary alliance on him.

Project Himshakti

Context: Ministry of Defence has inked a Rs 3,000 crore contract for the procurement of two Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems under Project Himshakti for the Army in mountainous terrain. 

Major Highlights:

  • The contract signed with defence PSU Bharat Electronics (BEL) is under the “Buy Indian-IDMM (indigenously designed, developed and manufactured)” category comprising contemporary and niche technologies. 

Significance:

  • Project Himshakti will generate employment of approximately three lakh man-days over a period of two years. 
  • The project is a significant leap forward in developing indigenous capabilities making the country ‘self-reliant’ in defence manufacturing. 

Interventions under ARTH GANGA project

Context: Recently, a number of initiatives have been taken by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Arth-Ganga concept, in co-ordination with many Ministries/ Departments of Central and state governments and even NGOs. 

What is Arth Ganga project?

  • Arth Ganga is a sustainable viable economic model conceptualized under "Namami-Gange" program to integrate people in the basin with Ganga Rejuvenation. 
  • It focuses on the sustainable development of the Ganga and its surrounding areas, by focusing on economic activities related to the river.
  • At its core, the Arth Ganga model seeks to use economics to bridge people with the river.
  • Prime Minister of India first introduced the concept during the first National Ganga Council meeting in 2019, where he urged for a shift from Namami Gange, the Union Government’s flagship project to clean the Ganga, to the model of Arth Ganga.

There are six key verticals of intervention in the model, namely

  1. Promotion of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), which includes promotion of Natural Farming in Ganga Basin.
  2. Monetization and reuse of treated wastewater and sludge. It refers to reuse of treated wastewater by ULBs for generation of revenue and conversion of sludge into usable products such as manure, pavers and bricks for revenue generation as well as safe disposal of sludge.
  3. Development of Livelihood generation opportunities through activities like ‘Ghat Main Haat’ for sale of local products of Ganga cities/towns along riverbanks; self-sustaining of Ghats and capacity building trainings of Ganga Praharis etc. Jalaj units for income generation activities for Ganga Praharis have been set up in many locations.
  4. Encouragement of Public Participation through organizing regular events such as Ganga Aartis, cleanliness drives, Ganga Guide Trainings, Yoga on Ghat, Ghat Pe Haat etc. in coordination with District Ganga Committees.
  5. Promotion of Cultural heritage and tourism by development of small local tourism and cultural circuits; introduction of boat tourism through community jetties; promotion of yoga and wellness, medical tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, enhancement of cultural connection with the river through aartis & Ganga trails;
  6. Institution Building through setting up of decentralized monitoring and governance units like District Ganga Committees (DGCs); enhancement of the capacities of DGCs and other local administration institutions for better water governance and sustenance of the projects, post asset handover.

Namami Gange Programme

It is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in 2014, to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.

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National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

  • It was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
  • It acted as implementation arm of National Ganga River Basin Authority(NGRBA) which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA),1986. 
  • The Act envisages five tier structure at national, state and district level to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga.
  • National Ganga Council under chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Aims and objectives of NMCG

  • To ensure effective abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach to promote inter-sectoral co-ordination for comprehensive planning and management.
  • To maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable development.

River Ganga

  • It rises in the Gangotri glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the Bhagirathi.
  • At Devprayag, the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda; hereafter, it is known as the Ganga. 
  • The Alaknanda has its source in the Satopanth glacier above Badrinath.
  • The river has a length of 2,525 km. 
  • It is shared by Uttarakhand (110 km) and Uttar Pradesh (1,450 km), Bihar (445 km) and West Bengal (520 km). 
  • The Ganga river system is the largest in India having a number of perennial and non-perennial rivers originating in the Himalayas in the north and the Peninsula in the south, respectively. 
  • Right bank tributaries: Son , Yamuna, Tamsa (also called Tons), Karamnasa, Punpun, Ajoy, Damodar, Rupnarayan.
  • Left bank tributaries: Ramganga, Gomati, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi and Mahananda. 
  • The river finally discharges itself into the Bay of Bengal near the Sagar Island.

No cause for alarm

Context: More than three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, newer variants have emerged with an uptick in cases, hospitalisations, and even deaths. 

Major Highlights:

  • After Kappa, Delta, BA.2.75, and BA.2.76, the latest variant (first detected in India) is the Omicron recombinant XBB.1.16. This variant accounts for over 30% of all sequenced genomes in March 2023, and its proportion has been increasing.
  • However, there is no need for alarm as there has been no concomitant increase in hospitalisations, even among vulnerable groups, which suggests that clinical severity in infected people might not be a concern.
    • India is fully relying on hybrid immunity arising from vaccination and natural infection for extended protection.
    • Fortunately, the estimated 95% of India’s population above 12 years possessing hybrid immunity has been shielding people from serious COVID-19 disease even when a few Omicron variants caused a spike in 2022.

Way Forward:

  • People, especially from vulnerable groups, carry a higher risk of infection from COVID, so they need to follow basic precautions such as wearing a mask in closed space settings when newer variants emerge.
  • There is a need to increase whole genome sequencing to help track the new variants that might emerge and gear the country for any major outbreak. 
Hybrid immunity will save India GFX

Hybrid immunity:

  • Hybrid immunity refers to the protection against a disease that results from a combination of natural immunity gained through infection and vaccination-induced immunity. E.g., A person who had previously contracted COVID-19 and then received a COVID-19 vaccine would have hybrid immunity to the virus. 
  • Research suggests that hybrid immunity may provide better protection against certain diseases than either natural or vaccine-induced immunity alone. However, the extent of protection and the duration of hybrid immunity is an area of active research and varies depending on the specific disease and the individual's immune response.

AFSPA removed from 3 police station limits in Nagaland

Context: According to a notification, The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has further removed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the jurisdiction of three police stations in Wokha and Zunheboto districts of Nagaland, while one more police station in Arunachal Pradesh has been declared as a “disturbed area” under the Act. 

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958

Powers to declare areas to be disturbed areas (Section 3) – If, in relation to any state or Union Territory to which this act extends, the Governor of that State or the administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, in either case, if of the opinion that the whole or any part of such State of Union territory, as the case may be, is in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary, the Governor of that State or the Administrator of that Union Territory or the Central Government, as the case may be, may by notification in the Official Gazette, declare the whole or such part of such State or Union territory to be a disturbed area.

Application of AFSPA

  • The ASPA was first applied to the Seven Sister States of North East India, including Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland, on 1 September, 1958, to stop the North Eastern States seceding from the Indian Union. 
  • Later Punjab and Chandigarh also came within the purview of this act, which was later withdrawn in 1997. 
  • AFSPA was then applied to the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1990 and has been in force since then.   

Special powers of the armed forces 

Any commissioned officer, warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or any other person of equivalent rank in the armed forces may, in a disturbed area:

  • For the maintenance of public order, after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary, fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order.     
  • They can prohibit assembly of five or more persons or the carrying of weapons or of things capable of being used as weapons or of fire-arms, ammunition or explosive substances in the disturbed area. 
  • They can destroy any arms dump, prepared or fortified position or shelter or any structure used as a training camp for armed volunteers or utilised as a hide-out by armed gangs or absconders wanted for any offence.
  • Enter and search any premises without warrant and make any arrest or recover any person who are believed to be wrongfully restrained. 
  • No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government, against any person regarding anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred under the Act. 

Arguments in favour of AFSPA

  • Needed to maintain morale of the force.
  • Insurgents will gain upper hand in absence of it.
  • Troops need such powers because the army is only deployed when national security is at serious risk from armed combatants.
  • Provides legal backing for the Armed Forces to act in domestic civilian areas. Currently, the armed forces act enables them to only act against enemies.

Arguments against AFSPA

  • Provision for immunity of security forces urges them to act more brutally.
  • Seen as a reason for increasing radicalization in insurgency ridden areas because of the little accountability for the excesses committed in discharge of power given by the act.
  • Instances of abuse and extra-judicial killings in Manipur have been upheld by even Supreme court in 2016. The Supreme Court in this case ruled that the armed forces cannot escape investigation for excesses during the discharge of their duty even in “disturbed areas.”
  • Though there are many violent insurrections in India which must be handled militarily but in the short run. Even after so many years, if the situation in these states has not changed, this points to some flaws in the law itself.

Checks and balances to stop misuse of AFSPA

  1. SC in 1998 on constitutionality of AFSPA: Upheld constitutional Validity of AFSPA. However, it suggested some measures that should be followed.
    • A Suo-motto declaration can be made by the Central Government; however, it is desirable that the state government should be consulted by the Central Government before making the declaration.
    • AFSPA does not confer arbitrary powers to declare an area as a 'disturbed area.
    • Declaration must be for a limited duration and there should be a periodic review of the declaration 6 months have expired.
    • While exercising the powers conferred upon him by AFSPA, the authorized officer should use minimal force necessary for effective action.
  2. Santosh hedge commission on Manipur encounter
    • FSPA was an impediment to achieving peace in regions such as J&K and the Northeast.
    • The law needs to be reviewed every six months to see whether its implementation is necessary in states where it is being enforced.
    • AFSPA does not provide blanket Immunity to the officers. Suggested fixing a period of three months for the central government to decide whether to prosecute security personnel engaged in extrajudicial killings or unruly behaviour in insurgency-hit regions.
    • Action can be taken but with prior sanction of the Central Government.
  3. BP Jeevan Reddy Commission in 2004
    • AFSPA should be repealed, and appropriate provisions should be inserted in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
    • Unlawful Activities (UAPA) Act should be modified to clearly specify the powers of the armed forces and paramilitary forces.
    • Grievance redressal cells should be set up in each district where the armed forces are deployed.
  4. Second Administrative Reforms Commission
    • Recommended to repeal of AFSPA, 1958. Its scrapping would remove sentiments of discrimination and alienation among the people of the Northeast India.
    • Amend the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 inserting a new chapter to deploy the armed forces of the Union in the North-eastern States.
    • Supported a new doctrine of policing & criminal justice inherent in an inclusive approach to governance.

Way Forward

Army must be completely transparent in investigating allegations of violations of human rights and bringing the violators to speedy justice. Exemplary punishment must be meted out where the charges are proved.   

Government will attempt to open corridor to Sharda Peeth in PoK for devotees: Shah

Context: In line with the Kartarpur Corridor, the government intends to establish a corridor to Sharda Peeth in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK).

About Sharda Peeth

  • Location: Mount Harmukh, Neelum Valley in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara District.
  • As a centre of education
    • It was one of the most prestigious temple-educational institutions on the India-n subcontinent between the sixth and the twelfth century CE.  
    • Scholars travelled great distances for the texts since it was well renowned for its library.
    • It was crucial to the growth of the Sharada script in North India.
  • As a pilgrimage site
    • It is one of the Maha Shakti Peethas. 
    • Together with the Martand Sun Temple and the Amarnath Temple, it is one of the three holiest locations for Hindu pilgrims. 
    • It is also known for rise of Shaktism. 
  • Lalitaditya Muktapida (724 CE–760 CE) of the Karkota dynasty most likely commissioned it.
  • Historical traces of the temple
    • Al-Biruni first described the location as a venerated shrine with a wooden picture of Sharda, but this description is based only on hearsay as he had never visited Kashmir. 
    • Both the intellectual and spiritual components of Sharada Peeth are described by the Kashmiri poet Bilhana, who lived in the 11th century. He says that Sharada Peeth is the place that gave Kashmir its status as a centre of education.
    • Sharada Peeth is also mentioned in Kalhana's epic Rajatarangini (12th century).
    • Abu'l-Fazl has also described Sharada Peeth as a stone temple in the 16th century.
  • Architecture
    • The red sandstone temple was constructed in the Kashmiri architectural style. The compound is perched on a hill and is accessed from the west by a grand stone stairway. The temple is erected upon a plinth.
    • The temple is covered with a low single roof, even though Kashmiri architecture is most often characterised by a pyramidal stone roof.
    • Two Ancient Linga could be observed in a tiny opening on the north side of the wall.

Sharda Script

  • Almost 1200 years ago, it developed from the Western branch of Brahmi.
  • Between the 8th and 12th centuries, the script was widely used to write Kashmiri and Sanskrit in Kashmir and the surrounding territories of the Indian Subcontinent.
  • Its name comes from the goddess Sarada or Saraswati, the patron goddess of learning. It is a native script of Kashmir.
  • An early version of the Sharada script is used in the Bakhshali manuscript.
  • Regional variations in the Sharada script emerged in 10th century in Kashmir, the Hill States (which included parts of Himachal Pradesh), and Punjab.

No slander please, they are our freedom fighters first

Context: Writer has called for the due respect that should be given to all the unsung freedom fighters of modern Indian History.

Here is the list of four important freedom fighters that were mentioned in the editorial. 

1. V D SAVARKAR

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  • Born in 1883 at Nashik in Maharashtra.
  • Founded Abhinav Bharat Society (initially as Mitra Mela, 1899) along with brother G D Damodar in 1904. It was a secret society which also had connections with London.  
  • He was involved with India House (founded by Shyamji Krishna Varma in London to promote nationalist ideas among youth).
  • Savarkar went to London in 1906. He soon founded the Free India Society, along with Madam Bhikaji Cama based on the thoughts of the Italian nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini 
  • Functioned as president of Hindu Mahasabha from 1937 to 1943. He called against Quit India Movement.
  • Savarkar was convicted and sentenced to 50-years imprisonment also known as Kala Pani and transported in 1911 to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Released in 1924.
  • He later joined Tilak’s Swaraj Party.
  • He advocated for the use of Hindi as a national language. He also fought against untouchability and caste-based discrimination.

Literary works of Savarkar

  • The History of the War of Indian Independence (on revolt of 1857)
  • ‘Hindutva: who is Hindu?’

2. Dr. Chembakaraman Pillai

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  • Born in Thiruvananthapuram in 15 September 1891. 
  • He started his struggle for freedom by protesting the Partition of Bengal in 1905. 
  • He joined with Bala Gangadhara Tilak in his resistance against the Partition of Bengal. When the British police tried to arrest him because of his revolutionary speeches against the Travancore State government, he escaped to Germany in 1908 with the help of his friend Sir Walter Williams Strickland.
  • At Berlin University, he formed International Pro-Indian Committee to gather the support of the German people for India’s freedom struggle.
  • He came in touch with many revolutionary Indian leaders in Germany like Hardayal, Raja Mahendra Pratap, Dr. Prabhakar, and A. C. Nambiar. 
  • He started a newspaper called Pro-India to spread the message of the Indian freedom movement. 
  • He participated in the First World War on the German side to defeat the British.
  • Armed with an engineering degree he joined the German navy as an officer in the cruiser Emden which attacked British ships and shelled several places in India.
  • Madras was shelled on 22 September 1914 after a fierce sea battle with British ships.
  • He met Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa. He was the Foreign Minister when a temporary Free Government of India was established in Afghanistan on 1 December 1915.
  • He met Subhash Chandra Bose in Vienna in 1919. Though he joined in the German army, he criticized even Adolf Hitler, when he humiliated India in his speech. 
  • Dr. Chidambaram Pillai died on 26 May 1934 in Germany under mysterious circumstances.

3. Vanchinathan Iyer

  • Vanchinatha Iyer or Vanchinathan was born in Shenkottai. Vanchinathan alias Sankara Iyer was the son of Shri Raghupathy Iyer. 
  • He had studied upto primary standard and joined the Forest Department thereafter. 
  • He participated in revolutionary activities against the Britsh.
  • On 17 June 1911, Vanchi who was 25, assassinated Robert Ashe, the district collector of Tirunelveli, who was also known as Collector Dorai.
  • He shot Ashe at point-blank range when Ashe's train had stopped at the Maniyachi Station, enroute to Madras. He committed suicide thereafter. The railway station has since been renamed Vanchi Maniyachi.
  • The mastermind behind the assassination was Nilakanta Brahmachari who went around the Madras presidency in 1910 recruiting cadres and hatching plots against the British. In this venture, he was accompanied by Shankar Krishna Iyer, Vanchinathan's brother-in-law, who introduced the men to each other. 
  • Along with a few other men, Nilakanta Bramhachari, Vaanchinathan, and Shankar Krishna Aiyar found an organisation called Bharatha Matha Sangam which plots the assassination of influential British men.

4. Thillaiaadi Valliammai

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  • She was a South African Tamil girl who worked with Mahatma Gandhi in her early years when she developed her nonviolent methods in South Africa fighting its apartheid regime.
  • She joined her mother in the march by women from Transvaal to Natal – which was not legally permitted without passes.
  • They were protesting against the judgement given by Justice Searle which made all marriages invalid if not registered under the registrar office or not performed according to the Christian rituals. 
  • She was imprisoned for the protest against the South African government. She was imprisoned for three months, but due to severe illness she died at the age of 16 soon after the release. 

The Rehabilitation Council of India

What is The Rehabilitation Council of India? 

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) was set up as a registered society in 1986.

Statutory status of RCI

On September 1992 the RCI Act was enacted by Parliament and it became a Statutory Body on 22 June 1993. The Act was amended by Parliament in 2000 to make it more broad-based. 

What is the Mandate of RCI?

  • The mandate given to RCI is to regulate and monitor services given to persons with disability, 
  • to standardise syllabi and to maintain a Central Rehabilitation Register of all qualified professionals and personnel working in the field of Rehabilitation and 
  • Special Education.
  • The Act also prescribes punitive action against unqualified persons delivering services to persons with disability.

Other Policies for Rehabilitation in India?

Directive Principles of State Policy remarks that the State should deliver every possible help in case of:

  • Old age
  • Sickness
  • Disablement
  • Unemployment

Laws in India to deal with disabilities

To empower people with disabilities, the Government of India has enacted the following legislation over the years:

What are the statutory rights of the people who need medical rehabilitation?

  • Service by a qualified and trained rehab professional who has been registered by the Council.
  • Maintenance of a certain standard of professional conduct by the rehabilitation providers. If not met, then the professionals face disciplinary action and even removal from RCI.
  • Guarantee that all rehabilitation professionals are under the regulation of a statutory council, which comes under the preview of the central government.

Issues associated with rehabilitation in India

  • Non-compliance with standards. 
  • Limited access to assistive devices. For example, hearing aid distributors found that the current production level of hearing aids only meets 10% of the worldwide need. In developing countries, that number is reduced to 3%! Of all the people who require hearing aid in countries like India and Africa, only 3% get them. Limited access to assistive devices leads to:
  • Deterioration in health
  • Restricted activity
  • Constraint with Participation
  • Increased dependency
  • Reduced quality of life
  • Rehab centres are limited to urban areas like Chennai. This centralisation and concentration of medical rehabilitation have left tier 2 and 3 cities with inadequate access to services.
  • Another issue in India is the insufficient rehabilitation personnel with appropriate training and experience. The lack of proper physiatrists is a significant hurdle physical medicine and rehabilitation have to overcome.

What is the Way forward?

  • More investment and financing are required so that every person in the nation can get easy access to rehab facilities.
  • The supply and capacity of personnel need to be amplified. For this, education and training are a must; followed by recruitment and retention.
  • The delivery of rehabilitation services must be integrated with the current healthcare system. For example, by coordinating with a hospital in Chennai, we are able to deliver crucial help to dozens of patients each year. It ensures early intervention which leads to more recovered patients.
  • The last but not least step required to make the lives of those who live with disability better is assistive technology. More local manufacturing, reduction in taxes and good follow-up can make a world of difference.