Social Justice

Potable Water accessibility

Context: Recently WHO said that piped potable water across India will avert 4,00,000 diarrhoea deaths.

Status of Water Accessibility in India

As per UNICEF two-thirds of India’s 718 districts are affected by extreme water depletion.
One of the challenges is the fast rate of groundwater depletion in India, which is known as the world’s highest user of this source due to the proliferation of drilling over the past few decades.
Groundwater from over 30 million access points supplies 85 per cent of drinking water in rural areas and 48 per cent of water requirements in urban areas.
Close to 54 per cent of rural women – as well as some adolescent girls - spend an estimated 35 minutes getting water every day, equivalent to the loss of 27 days’ wages over a year.
Less than 49 per cent of the rural population is using safely managed drinking water (improved water supply located on-premises, available when needed and free of contamination)

Impacts of Potable Water Accessibility

It will help in reducing the number of deaths associated with water accessibility like diarrhoea etc.
This would avoid 14 million DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) from diarrhoea, save close to $101 billion and 66.6 million hours every day of time that would otherwise have been spent — predominantly by women — collecting water.
A DALY represents the loss of the equivalent of one year of full health and is a way to account for the years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and the years lived with a disability (YLDs), due to prevalent cases of a disease or a health condition, in a population.
It is estimated that waterborne diseases have an economic burden of approximately USD 600 million a year in India.
School attendance in India decreases when children are required to spend hours collecting water. A 22 per cent increase in school dropout rates has been reported in drought-affected states.

Steps Taken for Potable Water Accessibility

In 2019, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) was restructured and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (meaning “power of water”), was bifurcated into two key departments – the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
In August 2019, the union Government launched the Jal Jeevan (Water for Life) Mission.
The Centre says it will achieve 100% coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024;
So far five States, including Gujarat, Telangana, Haryana and Punjab, have reported full coverage.
Grassroots-level support is being prioritized, and communities play a pivotal role in the planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of their schemes.
Around 11,000 Implement Support Agencies (ISAs, mainly NGOs) are being trained to support the implementation of the JJM, covering aspects such as

community empowerment and engagement,
water quality testing and surveillance,
utility operation, water safety and security planning,
source sustainability measures,
such as recharge and reuse through grey water management,
water conservation and rainwater harvesting.

National Exit Test

Context: Recently Union Health Ministry announced that the National Exit Test (NExT) will be held in 2024.

About National Exit Test

NExt will replace the final-year MBBS examination and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-PG), acting as the test for registration for doctors and admission to medical postgraduate courses.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, was likely to conduct the exam, which will test the clinical and practical learning of the students.

Medical education in India

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 to regulate medical education in India.

The objective of NMC includes to:

Improve access to quality and affordable medical education,
Ensure the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country;
Promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals access to all the citizens;
Encourages medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research;
Objectively assess medical institutions periodically in a transparent manner;
Maintain a medical register for India;
Enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services;
Have an effective grievance redressal mechanism.

The functions of NMC include to:

lay down policies for maintaining high quality and high standards in medical education and make necessary regulations on this behalf;
lay down policies for regulating medical institutions, medical researchers and medical professionals and make necessary regulations on this behalf;
assess the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure and develop a road map for meeting such requirements;
promote, co-ordinate and frame guidelines and lay down policies by making necessary regulations for the proper functioning of the Commission, the Autonomous Boards and the State Medical Councils;
ensure coordination among the Autonomous Boards;
take such measures, as may be necessary, to ensure compliance by the State Medical Councils of the guidelines framed and regulations made under this Act for their effective functioning under this Act;
exercise appellate jurisdiction with respect to the decisions of the Autonomous Boards;
lay down policies and codes to ensure observance of professional ethics in the medical profession and to promote ethical conduct during the provision of care by medical practitioners;
frame guidelines for the determination of fees and all other charges in respect of fifty per cent. of seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities that are governed under the provisions of this Act;
exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be prescribed.

Members of NMC

The Commission shall consist of the following persons to be appointed by the Central Government, namely:—

a Chairperson;
ten ex officio Members; and
twenty-two part-time Members.

Structure of NMC

Each Board referred to in the sub-section shall be an autonomous body that shall carry out its functions under this Act subject to the regulations made by the Commission.
Each Autonomous Board shall consist of a President, two whole-time Members, and two part-time Members.

National Examination

There shall be a uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate super-speciality medical education in all medical institutions which are governed by the provisions of the NMC Act 2019.
The Commission shall specify by regulations the manner of conducting common counselling by the designated authority for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate super-speciality seats in all the medical institutions.
A typical final year undergraduate medical examination, known as the National Exit Test shall be held for granting a licence to practice medicine as a medical practitioner and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register.
Any person with a foreign medical qualification shall have to qualify National Exit Test for the purpose of obtaining a licence to practice medicine as a medical practitioner and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register.
The National Exit Test shall be the basis for admission to the postgraduate broad-speciality medical education in medical institutions.

Amrit Generation campaign

Context: Recently Meta and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), launched the Amrit Generation campaign.

About the Amrit Generation campaign

It is an initiative to empower and engage the youth of India by encouraging them to express their aspirations and dreams for the future.
The Amrit Generation campaign invites young people from across the country to showcase their creativity and share their aspirations by creating Reels on Instagram and Facebook, Participants are encouraged to explore their ambitions and what they aspire to become when they grow up, fostering a sense of community and inspiring others in the process.
To participate in the Amrit Generation campaign, the participants simply need to create a reel on Instagram or Facebook showcasing their aspirations using the hashtag (#) Amrit Generation (duration of the reel needs to be specified).
The campaign begins on 8th June 2023, Further details, including eligibility criteria and submission guidelines, can be found on the Facebook GPA Page and social media handles of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.
Fifty entries from the campaign will be selected and invited to New Delhi for a unique opportunity to interact with senior policymakers and industry leaders, providing valuable insights into their respective fields and offering guidance on how to achieve their dreams.
The selected young Indians will also get an opportunity to visit the Meta office in Gurugram and learn from industry leaders and creators on leveraging the potential of a creator economy.

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses.
When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect.
Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world.
Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

508 districts in the country are free of manual scavenging

Context: Recently Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has reported that 508 districts in the country are free of manual scavenging.

What is manual scavenging?

Manual scavenging is the practice of removing human excreta by hand from sewers or septic tanks.
In 2013, the definition of manual scavengers was also broadened to include people employed to clean septic tanks, ditches, or railway tracks.

Why is manual scavenging still prevalent in India?

The lack of enforcement of the Act
The exploitation of unskilled labourers.
Caste-based occupation and discrimination.

Consequences of Manual Scavenging

Many people lose their lives while cleaning septic tanks every year for example, On May 11, 2019, three men in their 20s were killed after they inhaled toxic fumes while cleaning a septic tank at a housing society in Thane.
People engaged in manual scavenging are illiterate and they lose the chance to get any other meaningful skill.
When young people died, their families become more vulnerable to economic and social discrimination.
Family of manual scavengers get trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and social discrimination.

Steps were taken to eliminate manual scavenging

India banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta till its disposal.
The Act recognizes manual scavenging as a “dehumanizing practice,” and cites a need to “correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers.”
A campaign has been launched by Ministry to machine sewers and septic tanks in 243 cities.
A helpline was created under the same campaign to register complaints if manual scavenging is reported.

Concerns over implementation

The biggest issue is, the government has not yet identified the people involved in manual scavenging.
There is no mechanism to decide who will receive the machines, who will monitor them and who will be held accountable for the implementation.
Lack of adequate mechanics of rehabilitation of manual scavengers.
Caste-based discrimination prevents them from entering other occupations.
Due to p[oerverty and illiteracy they are not in a position to get skill training.

Way forward

Improve literacy rate and quality of education at grass root level in government schools because the lower caste people don’t have the resources to afford private education.
Provide meaningful employment at the local level so that their bargaining power can be improved.
Strict action should be taken against those who violate the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
The mechanisation of cleaning of sewer and septic tanks in mission mode.

National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF)

Context: The 2024 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) results were announced recently by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This annual ranking, based on a comprehensive evaluation of various educational institutions across India, highlights the best performers in multiple categories. The rankings are crucial as they influence the perception of institutions, guide students in making informed decisions, and drive institutional improvements.

Key Facts from article- As per National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings-2024.

iit madras- National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF)

Top Institutes in Engineering

1. IIT Madras

2. IIT Delhi

3. IIT Bombay

Universities Rankings

Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru) ranked as the best university in the country followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia.

Top Overall Institutes

1. IIT Madras

2. IISc Bengaluru

3. IIT Bombay

Top Management

1. IIM Ahmedabad

2. IIM Bangalore

3. IIM Kozhikode

Top Medical College- AIIMS Delhi leads in the medical category.

Top Colleges- Delhi University's Hindu College ranked as the best college in the country followed by Miranda House College and St. Stephen's College.

State Universities Ranking

1. Anna University, Chennai

2. Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Law Institutes

1. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru

2. National Law University, Delhi

Architecture and Planning

1. IIT Roorkee

2. IIT Kharagpur

Open universities

1. IGNOU

2. Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata

Innovation category

1. IIT Bombay

2. IIT Madras

Agriculture and allied sectors

1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi

2. ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal

Top research institutes

1. IISc, Bengaluru

2. IIT Madras

Top dental college

1. Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Chennai

Best skill university

1. Symbiosis Skill and Professional University, Pune

Top-ranked institution for pharmacy

1. Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi

New Categories

The 2024 rankings, introduced three new categories: open universities, skill universities, and State public universities, bringing the total to 16 categories. The Ministry of Education is considering adding "sustainability" as a ranking criterion in the future and is exploring the inclusion of institutions from neighboring countries to make the rankings more comprehensive

Increased Participation and Future Directions

The 2024 NIRF rankings saw participation from 6,517 institutions, a significant increase in engagement.

About NIRF

This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country since 2016.
The methodology draws from the overall recommendations and broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by Ministry of Education (MoE), to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions.
The parameters broadly cover

Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)

Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS)
Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty (FSR)
The combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience (FQE)
Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU)Research and Professional Practices

Research and Professional Practice (RP)

The combined metric for Publications (PU)
The combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP)
IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR)
The Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP)

Graduation Outcomes (GO)

Metric for University Examinations (GUE)
Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD)

Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)

Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries (Region Diversity RD)
Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD)
Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS)
Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS)
Perception (PR) Ranking

Peer Perception

Academic Peers and Employers (PR)

NIRF ranks different educational institutes in the following 16 categories

Engineering
Management
Pharmacy
Law
Medical
Dental
Architecture and planning
Agriculture and allied sectors
Collages
University
Research
Innovation
Overall
open universities
skill universities
State public universities

New guidelines for deemed universities

Context: Recently, the UGC has released new guidelines for deemed universities.

Eligibility Criteria for an Institution to be Declared as Institution Deemed to Be University

A multi-disciplinary Institution (minimum five Departments either UG/PG/Integrated/Research or a combination of these) OR a Cluster of Institutions offering five (UG/PG/Integrated/Research or a combination of these) programmes located in the same city/town.
The Institution(s) shall have valid accreditation by NAAC grade with at least 3.01 CGPA for three consecutive cycles provided that the application for accreditation/re-accreditation was submitted by the Institution within the time frame from the previous cycle.

In the case of the technical institution(s), two-thirds of eligible technical programmes were accredited by the NBA for three consecutive cycles provided that the Institution submitted the application for accreditation/re-accreditation within the time frame from the previous cycle.

Should figure among the top 50 (fifty) ranking of NIRF in any specific category for consecutive three years.

Among the top 100 (hundred) of the overall NIRF ranking for three consecutive years.
Shall possess such academic and physical infrastructure as may be prescribed by the Commission and/or the relevant statutory body.
Approval of the relevant statutory body for the professional courses which are currently being run.
The teacher-student ratio of 1:20 with a minimum combined faculty strength of not less than 100 (one hundred) teachers and a minimum combined student strength of 2000 (two thousand) on rolls under the regular classroom mode, of which not less than one-third being PG/research students OR as per the norms of the relevant statutory body.
Shall have an administrative area, library, lecture halls, labs, hostels, health care, common facilities and recreational facilities.

Corpus Fund: In the case of Institutions not funded by the Government, a Corpus Fund of Rs. 25 Crore or as decided by the Commission from time to time.

Off-Campus Centre(s): Institutions Deemed to be Universities with minimum ‘A’ grade & above or ranked from 1-100 in the "Universities" category of the current NIRF ranking are eligible to set up new Off-Campus Centre

Institutions declared as Deemed to be Universities under ‘Distinct Category’ can apply for off-campus (es) within 5 years of their declaration. After five years, they have to fulfil the criteria stipulated earlier.

Monitoring: The Commission shall monitor the performance and academic outcomes of Deemed to be Universities having valid accreditation by NAAC with less than an ‘A’ grade or ranked more than 100 in the current NIRF ranking (Universities category) not later than every five years, on the basis of a report submitted annually by the Deemed to be Universities

Governance structure: The highest governing body of the Institution Deemed to be a University shall be the Executive Council to be headed by the Vice Chancellor, consisting of not less than 9 and not more than 15 members.

Tenure of the members of the Executive Council: All the members of the Executive Council, other than the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, shall hold office for a term of three years. In the case of Deans, the term will be for three years or until they hold the office of Dean, whichever is earlier.

Virtual autism

What is virtual autism?

Virtual autism is a phrase formulated in 2018 by Marius Teodor Zamfir, a Romanian psychologist. He found that children, 0-3 years, who stared at screens for over 4 hours a day, had “sensory-motor and socio-affective deprivation”.

These activated “behaviours and elements are similar to those found in children diagnosed with ASD [autism spectrum disorder]”.
Autism is a pervasive development disorder, meaning it affects all areas of early childhood development, including speech, sociability, play, and skill development.
The nervous system is not ready for screens at an early stage of life.
A parent or sibling blowing bubbles and a child reaching out to touch them is not the same as the simulated video game on a tablet.
Children at this age learn a variety of skills as they discover their bodies, simple objects, and the voices of family members.
By using screens as a substitute for self-soothing or as a distraction, we are destroying five levels of learning, These include
- Interoception (awareness of body cues),
- Sensory learning that is not restricted to the visual,
- Muscle memory to enables a lower-level skill to progress into a higher-level skill,
- Emotional learning, and other forms of learning (including school work, regulation, and problem-solving).
For a child who has been spending long hours in front of screens and is showing signs of uneven development, there is a combination of ways of reversing the prognosis.

How to treat virtual autism

Treatment of virtual autism is to be structured by professionals (child psychologists and occupational therapists), but not restricted to the therapist’s office.
It is about changing the home environment to be more stimulating — letting babies be idle and not having to engage them all the time it can be treated through using various therapies like-
- Play therapy
- Psychomotor stimulation therapy to language stimulation
- Cognitive behaviour therapies.

Prevalence of Malnutrition in India

According to the Joint Malnutrition Estimates released by the UNICEF, the WHO and the World Bank, India has shown a significant improvement in various indices of Nutrition.

Stunting among children under five years in India dropped from a prevalence rate of 41.6% in 2012 to 31.7% in 2022. This was accompanied by India’s share of the global burden of stunting declining from 30% to 25% in the past decade.
The overall prevalence of wasting in 2022 was 18.7% in India, with a share of 49% in the global burden.
The prevalence of obesity marginally increased in a decade from 2.2% in 2012 to 2.8% in 2022.

The decline in stunting in India is commensurate with National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-2021) data which estimated its prevalence at 35.5% as against 38% in NFHS-4 (2016) and 48% in NFHS-3 (2006).

Despite improvement in the stunting and wasting, significant number of children are still reeling under the problem of Malnutrition.

Reasons for prevalence of widespread Hunger in India:

Inappropriate child feeding practices: The WHO and UNICEF recommend that breastfeeding should be initiated within the first hour of birth and infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. NFHS-5 says that only 42% of infants are breastfed within one hour of birth and only 64% of infants are exclusively breastfed for first 6 months.
Low Female literacy: Nutrition levels are majorly affected by the education level of women. It increases awareness about nutrient-rich diet, personal hygiene, good feeding practices etc. Educating women also help in containing the family size in poor, malnourished families. But female literacy in India is only 65% and the rate is much lower for the states like Bihar and Rajasthan that recorded high levels of malnutrition in children.
Poor Sanitation: Repeated infection with diarrhoeal diseases due to poor sanitation contributes to chronic malnutrition by inhibiting intestinal absorption of nutrients and is strongly correlated with stunting. The proportion of people with access to improved sanitation facilities in India is only 49% as per NHFS-4.
Micro nutrient deficiency: According to studies, more than 80 per cent of the Indian population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, contributing to compromised immunity. This is mainly due to lack of dietary diversification, changed dietary habits, food processing resulting in plant micronutrient loss, crop homogenisation.
Food inflation: With rising food inflation families become less able to buy and eat nutritious food. According to a report of ADB, 1 per cent increase in food inflation leads to an increase of 0.3 per cent in both infant and child mortalities, and 0.5 per cent in undernourishment.

Limitations of existing schemes:

The ICDS program, while successful in many ways, has not made a significant dent in child malnutrition. This is mostly due to the priority that the program has placed on food supplementation, targeting mostly children after the age of three when malnutrition has already set in.
Stringent conditions to avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana has led to the exclusion of teenage mothers and poor women who birth more than one child, thereby abetting the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition.
Exclusion errors, non-inclusion of nutritious items such as pulses and edible oil in the PDS basket failed to improve the nutritional status of poor households.

Impact on national growth

It is estimated that malnutrition can decrease the economic growth of a nation by approximately 8% due to loss in productivity caused by reduced schooling and cognitive impairments. Research suggests that $1 spent on nutritional interventions in India could generate $34.1 to $38.6 in public economic returns, three times more than the global average. As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India requires a strong and healthy workforce to sustain its growth levels.

Measures taken by the Government:

POSHAN Abhiyaan is an overarching umbrella scheme to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers by holistically addressing the multiple determinants of malnutrition. It involves convergence of multiple programs and schemes: ICDS, PMMVY, NHM (with its sub components such as JSY, MCP card, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, RBSK, IDCF, HBNC, HBYC, Take Home Rations), Swachh Bharat Mission, National Drinking water Mission, NRLM etc.
Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) for providing one hot cooked meal in Government and Government – aided Schools.
Food fortification:
- Fortification of wheat is being implemented in 12 states on pilot basis.
- Fortification of edible oil, too, was made compulsory across the country by FSSAI in 2018.
- Fortification of milk was started in 2017 under which the National Dairy Development Board of India (NDDB) is pushing companies to add vitamin D.
- States have been scaling up the use of double-fortified salt in an effort to combat iron and iodine deficiencies.
Price stabilisation fund to regulate the price volatility of important agri-horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses.

Self Help Group

Context: A women’s self-help group (SHG) model in Rajasthan’s Dholpur district has helped about 12,500 women in the western African countries of Mali and Senegal earn livelihoods, conserve environment and establish cooperative federations to take up farming, biogas production, poultry farming and goat rearing.

Women's Self-Help Group (SHG) Model in Rajasthan's Dholpur District

Origin and Scope:
- SHG model initiated by Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika) in Dholpur district, Rajasthan.
- Aims to empower rural women through economic activities and sustainable practices.
Expansion to Africa:
- Impact in Mali and Senegal: Supported 12,500 women in Mali and Senegal.
- Women engaged in farming, biogas production, poultry farming, and goat rearing.
- Formation of cooperative federations for collective economic growth.
Mutual Exchange:
- Training Programs: Women leaders from Mali and Senegal visited Rajasthan for training in new vocations.
- Dholpur SHG members previously visited Mali and Senegal to share expertise.
Core Principles:
- Rajeevika's Five Principles: Weekly meetings, savings, internal borrowing, loan repayment, and record maintenance.
- Facilitated financial stability and growth of SHGs and federations.
Market Penetration:
- Pancharatna Mission: Enhanced market reach for SHG products.
- Rural women's exposure to agricultural technology pivotal for SHG model success.
Financial Empowerment:
- Financial Practices: Savings up to ₹17 crore annually by African women.
- Funds utilized for inter-loaning and emergencies, promoting self-sufficiency.
Capacity Building:
- Skill Transfer: Training in SHG formation and cooperative federation establishment.
- Emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices suitable for local climates.
Future Collaboration:
- Continued Cooperation: Plans for ongoing collaboration between Rajasthan and African counterparts.
- Focus on socio-economic development and self-governance in rural communities.
Testimonials:
- Leadership Impact: African representatives impressed by Rajasthan's leadership election processes.
- Commitment to implementing Rajeevika's principles and promoting entrepreneurship.
Technological Adoption:
- Water Harvesting Techniques: Adoption in African countries inspired by Rajasthan's practices.
- Aim to enhance agricultural productivity through innovative irrigation methods.

This SHG model exemplifies international cooperation in empowering women through sustainable livelihoods and community development initiatives.

What is SHG?

SHGs, or Self-Help Groups, are small voluntary associations of individuals, predominantly women, who come together for a common purpose. In India, SHGs have gained significant importance as a grassroots-level institution for poverty alleviation, women's empowerment, and community development. Here are some key characteristics and features of SHGs in India:

Composition: SHGs typically consist of 10 to 20 individuals who belong to a common socio-economic background and reside in the same geographical area. While women are the primary members, some SHGs also include men or are exclusively composed of men.
Voluntary Association: Participation in SHGs is based on voluntary membership, where individuals join the group willingly to address their socio-economic needs and challenges collectively.
Savings and Credit Activities: One of the primary functions of SHGs is to encourage members to save small amounts regularly. These savings are pooled together and used to provide internal loans to group members. SHGs also facilitate access to formal financial services and credit linkages from banks and microfinance institutions.
Social and Emotional Support: SHGs provide a platform for members to share experiences, seek advice, and provide social and emotional support to each other. They act as forums for discussing and addressing issues related to health, education, gender equality, and other social concerns.
Capacity Building: SHGs offer training and capacity-building programs to members, focusing on various aspects such as financial literacy, bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, skill development, and leadership. These initiatives aim to enhance members' knowledge and skills, enabling them to effectively manage their group activities and pursue livelihood opportunities.
Collective Decision Making: SHGs operate democratically, with members actively participating in decision-making processes. They engage in discussions, develop internal rules and regulations, and make collective decisions related to savings, loans, and other group activities.
Income-Generating Activities: SHGs encourage members to engage in income-generating activities to improve their livelihoods. This may include activities like handicrafts, agriculture, animal husbandry, small-scale enterprises, and entrepreneurship. SHGs often provide support in terms of skill development, market linkages, and access to credit for such activities.
Federations and Linkages: SHGs often form federations or larger networks at the village, district, or state levels to amplify their collective voice, negotiate better deals, and access additional resources and opportunities. These federations enable SHGs to undertake larger-scale initiatives and represent their collective interests.

Benefits of SHGs

Mobilizes women from rural areas: According to the estimates, about 46 million rural poor women are mobilized through SHGs architecture. These organizations have been an effective vehicle, especially in providing financial intermediation solutions for unbanked rural women.
Socio-economic benefits: It includes economic self-independence, participation in village affairs and awareness about education.
Special Focus: Under National Rural Livelihood Mission, special attention has been given to women living below poverty line (BPL). The scheme has also focused on capacity building and institutionalization of SHGs. It has also helped in social mobilization, institution building, communization and creation of human resource.
Improves the status of women in family and society: Regular process of group meetings helps women build social capital which raises their status in the family and the society. It also leads to economic empowerment which helps them take decision making role in the family. Thus help them break shackles of patriarchy.
Improves health and standard of living: A research has also shown that Women practicing ‘participatory learning and action’ showed 49 % reduction in maternal mortality and 33 % reduction in neonatal mortality.

General Issues related to SHGs

Agricultural Activities: Most of the SHGs work at local level and engaged in agricultural activities. SHGs in rural areas should be introduced to non-agricultural businesses too and should be provided with state-of-the art machinery.
Lack of Technology: Most of the SHGs work with rudimentary or no technology.
Access of market: Also the goods produced by SHGs do not have access to larger market place.
Poor Infrastructure: Most of these SHGs are situated in rural and far reach areas that lack connectivity via road or railways. Access to electricity remains an issue.
Lack of training and capacity building: Most of the SHGs work on their own without outreach from the state for skill development and capacity building.
Credit Mobilization: A study has shown that about 48% of the members had to borrow from local money lenders, relatives and neighbours because they were getting inadequate loan from groups. Also issues like hoarding of money was witnessed.
System of monitoring: The general reports on the progress of SHGs show statistics of growth and spread of SHGs without questioning the process and internal health of the SHGs.

The government, through various initiatives and programs, has recognized the potential of SHGs in promoting socio-economic development, women's empowerment, and poverty reduction. As a result, SHGs have become an integral part of many government schemes and interventions aimed at inclusive growth and sustainable development in India.

The Indian government has implemented several steps to support and assist SHGs across the country. Here are some of the key measures taken:

National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM): The NRLM, launched in 2011, aims to promote and strengthen SHGs in rural areas. It provides financial assistance, capacity-building training, and livelihood support to SHGs. The program also focuses on promoting federations of SHGs to enhance their collective strength.
Financial Inclusion and Microfinance: The government has encouraged financial inclusion by facilitating access to formal financial services for SHGs. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) scheme promotes opening bank accounts for every household and facilitates access to credit and insurance services. SHGs also receive microfinance support through schemes like the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
Interest Subsidy and Credit Linkage: SHGs are linked with various credit schemes to provide financial support for income-generating activities. The government provides interest rate subsidies to reduce the burden on SHG members and enhance their repayment capacity. The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) offers capitalization support and interest subvention to SHGs.
Capacity Building and Skill Development: The government focuses on capacity building and skill development of SHG members. They are provided with training programs on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, market linkages, and management skills. The programs are designed to enhance their overall capacity to manage and sustain their enterprises.
Market Linkages and Promoting Enterprises: Efforts are made to connect SHGs with markets and value chains. The government supports market linkages for SHG products through initiatives like the Rural Haat Bazaars, Marketing Assistance Scheme, and procurement programs by government agencies. SHGs are encouraged to engage in various income-generating activities such as handicrafts, agriculture, dairy, and small-scale industries.
Legal and Policy Support: The government has implemented policies and legal provisions to facilitate the functioning and empowerment of SHGs. The Companies Act, 2013, allows SHGs to register as Producer Companies, enabling them to access markets directly. The National Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (NRLPS) provides policy and technical support to promote SHGs.
Government Schemes: SHGs are actively involved in the implementation of various government schemes at the grassroots level. They play a significant role in initiatives such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and National Rural Drinking Water Program, among others.

These steps taken by the government are aimed at strengthening SHGs, providing them with financial support, enhancing their skills, and promoting their overall development and empowerment.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana Lead Annual Health Index Rankings in Covid Year, While Delhi Ranks as Worst UT

About Annual health index

It was launched by the NITI Aayog in 2017.
The Aayog brings out the index in collaboration with the Union Health Ministry and World Bank.
It measures the performance of states and UTs on a “weighted composite score incorporating 24 health performance indicators.
- The ‘health outcomes’ include indicators like neonatal mortality rate, total fertility rate, sex ratio at birth, immunisation coverage, proportion of institutional deliveries, total case notification rate of tuberculosis, and proportion of people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy.
- The ‘key inputs/ processes’ is a measure of health infrastructure available, including proportion of functional 24X7 primary healthcare centres, districts with functional cardiac care units, and vacancies in healthcare provider positions.
- The ‘governance and information’ domain includes indicators like proportion of institutional deliveries, average occupancy (in months) of three key posts at state level, average occupancy (in months) of the chief medical officer, and days taken for fund transfer.
The health index assesses states and UTs on two parameters – incremental performance (year-on-year progress) and overall performance.
The states and UTs — categorised separately as ‘larger states’, ‘smaller states’ and UTs — are then ranked based on their scores.

Annual ‘health index’ for the Covid year of 2020-21

While the 2020-21 (fifth) health index report was supposed to be released by December 2022, it has not been made public yet. The NITI Aayog is learnt to have shared the report – Healthy States Progressive India Report on the Ranks of States and Union Territories – with the Health Ministry.

Key Facts

Among the 19 ‘larger states’, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have emerged as the top three performers, occupying first, second and third place respectively, in terms of overall performance.
Bihar (19th), Uttar Pradesh (18th) and Madhya Pradesh (17th) are at the bottom of the list.
In terms of incremental performance, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Odisha emerged as the top three performers in 2020-21, as compared to their performance in 2019-20.
Among the eight smaller states, Tripura has recorded the best overall performance, followed by Sikkim and Goa; Arunachal Pradesh (6th), Nagaland (7th) and Manipur (8th) are at the bottom.

And among the eight UTs,Lakshadweep has been ranked as the top performer in terms of overall performance, while Delhi ranked at the bottom.

Maternal Health

Context: In May, a United Nations report showed that India was among the 10 countries that together accounted for 60% of global maternal deaths, stillbirths and new born deaths. India accounted for over 17% of such deaths in 2020.

Reasons for Poor Maternal Health:

Malnutrition: Undernourished girls have a greater likelihood of becoming undernourished mothers who in turn have a greater chance of giving birth to low-birth-weight babies, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of undernourishment.
Low literacy: According to 2011 census, around 35% of female is illiterate in India. Lack of adequate literacy deprives women awareness about nutrient-rich diet, good feeding practices and personal hygiene which ultimately impacts their maternal health.
Child Marriages: According to NFHS-5, about 25% of women aged 18-29 got married before reaching the minimum legal age of marriage. Increasing incidences of teenage pregnancies due to child marriages and inadequate access to contraceptives impacts their maternal health and one of the leading causes for Maternal mortality in India.
Climate change:

Studies shows that soaring temperatures due to heatwaves severely impact the maternal health of pregnant women. Women suffer more from yeast infections and UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) in hot summers. Dietary habits that keep changing according to temperatures also impact Menstrual cycle.
Rapid climate changes globally have given rise to climate-driven food insecurities which disproportionately impacts the nutritional health of women in a patriarchal society.

A special bulletin was released by Registrar general of India on Maternal mortality ratio. Key findings of the report are:

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of India has declined by 10 points. It has declined from 113 in 2016-18 to 103 in 2017-19, an 8.8% decline.
The country has been witnessing a progressive reduction in the MMR from 130 in 2014-16, 122 in 2015-17 and 113 in 2016-18 to 103 in 2017-19.
With this persistent decline, India is on the verge of achieving the National Health Policy (NHP) target of 100 per lakh live births by 2020 and certainly on the track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 per lakh live births by 2030.

This improvement has been possible due to continued efforts of government of India like

Janani suraksha yojana:

Implemented by Ministry of Health and family welfare
It is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Health Mission. It is being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
Cash incentives are given to beneficiaries for undergoing institutional deliveries.
The scheme focuses on poor pregnant woman with a special dispensation for states that have low institutional delivery rates, namely, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Rajasthan, Orissa, and Jammu and Kashmir. While these states have been named Low Performing States (LPS), the remaining states have been named High Performing states (HPS).

Janani shishu suraksha karyakram:

A scheme under MoH&FW
It is an initiative to provide completely free and cashless services to pregnant women including normal deliveries and caesarean operations.
Free entitlements to pregnant women under this scheme are

Free and cashless delivery
Free c-section
Free drugs and consumables
Free diagnostics
Free diet during stay in the health institutions
Free transport from home to health institutions

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA):

launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Under PMSMA, all pregnant women in the country are provided fixed day, free of cost assured and quality Antenatal Care.
As part of the campaign, a minimum package of antenatal care services (including investigations and drugs) is being provided to the beneficiaries on the 9th day of every month.
The Abhiyan also involves Private sector’s health care providers as volunteers to provide specialist care in Government facilities.

LaQshya:

Labour Room & Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya) program will benefit every pregnant woman and newborn delivering in public health institutions. Program will improve quality of care for pregnant women in labour room, maternity Operation Theatre and Obstetrics Intensive Care Units (ICUs) & High Dependency Units (HDUs).

National food security act:

Special provisions have been made for pregnant women and lactating mothers by entitling them to receive nutritious meal through a wide network of ICDS centres.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers are further entitled to receive cash maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6000 to partly complement the wage loss during the period of pregnancy and also to supplement nutrition.

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme:

Under Ministry of women and child development
The scheme provides Supplementary nutrition, immunizations and regular health check-ups of pregnant and lactating mothers.

PM Matru Vandana yojana:

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a Maternity Benefit Programme that is implemented in all the districts of the country in accordance with the provision of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
All eligible Pregnant & Lactating Mothers would receive a Cash incentive of Rs 5000 in three instalments for first childbirth. Conditions attached to these instalments are

Early registration of pregnancy at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC)
Receiving at least one ante-natal check-up (ANC)
Registration of childbirth and vaccination of first cycle vaccines (BCG, OPV, DPT and Hepatitis-B).

Maternity Benefit Amendment Act:

Duration of the maternity leave increased to 26 weeks from 12 weeks.
Maternity leaves were extended to adopting and commissioning mothers. A commissioning mother is defined as a biological mother who uses her egg to create an embryo implanted in another woman.
The act provided that the employer may permit a nursing woman (after 26 weeks of maternity leave) to work from home if the nature of work permits.
All organizations with 50 or more employees are required to provide a Creche facility and during working hours, the concerned female employee must be allowed four visits to the crèche.

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights and Population control:

The right to reproductive choice means that women have a right to choose whether or not to reproduce, including the right to decide whether to carry or terminate an unwanted pregnancy and the right to choose their preferred method of family planning and contraception.

Women need some means to enforce these Reproductive rights:

Education: Education creates awareness among women and encourages them to adopt health family planning methods.
Financial Independence: Financial independence among women guarantees women the agency over reproduction.
Access to Contraceptives reduces unwanted pregnancies
Legal machinery: Strong laws to address the issues like Child marriages and vesting agency over their reproductive choices.
- E.g., Prohibition of child marriages Act (2006), Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.

The above-mentioned means not only ensures women enforcing their Reproductive rights but also reduces Total fertility rates and hence arrests population growth. Thus, guaranteeing reproductive rights to women is essential to control population growth.

Reproductive rights and Gender justice:

India placed 130 out of 155 nations in the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2020 released by the UNDP. One of the index's measurement pillars is "Reproductive Health “. This implies that reproductive rights are important for ensuring overall gender equality.

Maternal Health: Access to antenatal and postpartum care that is safe and of high quality will lower MMR.
Agency over reproduction: "Unwanted daughters" emerged in India as a result of women's lack of agency about reproductive choices and son-meta preference. This illustrates how crucial reproductive rights are to achieving gender equality.
Maternity leave: Providing maternity leave entitlements would ensure that young mothers’ ability to participate in the workforce is not hindered because of childbearing and child-rearing responsibilities.
Access to Contraceptives: High fertility is both a cause and symptom of poverty. Thus, the core causes of poverty would be addressed by making contraceptives and safe & legal abortion options accessible.
Menstrual leave: Menstrual leave and access to basic sanitation facilities for working women improve health outcomes and remove the stigma associated with the menstrual cycle in society.