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North East Venture Fund

Why in News The Ministry of Development of North-East Region has recently given an update on the scheme North East Venture Fund. Key...

19 Jan 2021 Inclusive Growth
Death Penalty For Sexual Offences

This article is based on “The wrong answer” which was published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks about the issues related...

08 Jan 2021 Inclusive Growth
Last Mile Challenges To Financial Inclusion

This article is based on “Not by digital alone” which was published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks about the last mile...

07 Jan 2021 Inclusive Growth
Payment Infrastructure Development Fund Scheme

Why in News Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the operationalisation of the Payment Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF)...

07 Jan 2021 Inclusive Growth
Good Governance Day

Why in News Good governance day is celebrated annually on 25th December to mark the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari...

26 Dec 2020 Inclusive Growth
North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project

Why in News The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of Rs. 6,700 crore for the North Eastern Region...

18 Dec 2020 Inclusive Growth
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme

Why in News A review meeting regarding the progress of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme (UBA) was held via videoconferencing. Key Points Highlights...

02 Dec 2020 Inclusive Growth
Covid-19 and Children: UNICEF

Why in News Recently, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has released the report “Averting a lost Covid generation”,...

21 Nov 2020 Inclusive Growth
Technical Recession in India

Why in News According to the Reserve Bank of India's, “nowcasting”, India’s economy will contract by 8.6% in the second...

13 Nov 2020 Inclusive Growth
World Food Programme (WFP)

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies...

06 Nov 2020 Inclusive Growth
Provisions For Platform Workers

Why in News The Code on Social Security, 2020, for the first time in Indian law, attempted to define ‘platform work’ outside of the...

02 Nov 2020 Inclusive Growth
Antitrust Case Against Google: USA

Why in News Recently, the US Justice Department has sued Google, accusing the company of illegally abusing its dominance in internet search in ways...

21 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2020

Why in News Every year 17th October is observed as International Day for the eradication of Poverty. Its observance started in 1992 with the...

19 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
India in BRICS Ministers’ Meeting

Why in News Recently, the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Virtual Meeting was held under the Russian Presidency. It aimed to discuss...

13 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report: World Bank

Why in News The World Bank in its biennial Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report mentions that Covid-19 can add around 27-40 million new poor in...

08 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
The Big Picture: The Labour Code Bills

Why In News? Parliament has passed 3 labour code bills aimed at labour welfare reforms covering more than 50 crores organized and unorganized...

07 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
World Habitat Day 2020

Why in News The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day (5th October 2020). Key Points About...

06 Oct 2020 Inclusive Growth
Right Code For Labour

This article is based on Rajya Sabha approves three codes subsuming 25 central labour laws which was published in The LiveMint on 23/09/2020. It...

24 Sep 2020 Inclusive Growth
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

Why in News Recently, the Union Minister of Rural Development provided information on implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana...

19 Sep 2020 Inclusive Growth
Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks

Why in News Recently, the Union Minister of Textiles provided information on implementation of Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP), in Rajya...

18 Sep 2020 Inclusive Growth

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		'title' => 'North East Venture Fund',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The Ministry of Development of North-East Region has recently <strong>given an update on the scheme North East Venture Fund.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Set up by<strong> North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited</strong> (NEDFi) in association with the <strong>Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region</strong> (M-DoNER), the <strong>North East Venture Fund</strong> scheme was launched in September 2017.</li>
<li>It is the<strong> first dedicated venture capital fund</strong> for the North Eastern Region (NER).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Venture capital is a form of <strong>private equity</strong> and a type of<strong> financing</strong> that<strong> investors provide to startup companies</strong> and small businesses that are believed to have <strong>long-term growth potential.</strong> Venture capital generally comes from<strong> well-off investors, investment banks and any other financial institutions. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Corpus Amount:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Capital commitment of<strong> Rs 100 crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To contribute to the<strong> entrepreneurship development of the NER</strong> and achieve <strong>attractive risk-adjusted returns through long term capital appreciation</strong> by way of investments in privately negotiated equity/ equity related investments.</li>
<li>The fund targets to invest in Start-Ups and unique business opportunities to provide resources for new entrepreneurships in Food Processing, Healthcare, Tourism, segregation of services, IT, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Range of funds:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The investment under this scheme ranges from<strong> Rs. 25 lakh to Rs.10 crore per venture,</strong> which is long term in nature with an investment horizon of <strong>4-5 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Other Initiatives for the Development of North-Eastern Region</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>North East Rural Livelihood Project (NELRP):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched in 2012, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/north-east-rural-livelihood-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NERLP</strong></a> is a <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong> </a>aided, multi-state project under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).</li>
<li>The project has been implemented in<strong> 11 districts of Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim</strong> with an aim to <strong>improve rural livelihoods especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged,</strong> in the four North Eastern States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document</strong> provides an overarching framework for the development of the North Eastern Region.</li>
<li><strong>Science &amp; Technology Interventions in the North East Region</strong> (STINER): <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>STINER aims to bring <strong>relevant technologies developed by the academic, scientific and research institutions to the artisans and farmers especially women. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project</strong> (NERPSIP):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/north-eastern-region-power-system-improvement-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Scheme</strong></a> was initially approved in December 2014 as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong> </a>of the Ministry of Power.</li>
<li>It aims to create a reliable<strong> power grid</strong> and improve NER States' connectivity to the upcoming load centers, and thus extend the benefits of the <strong>grid connected power to all categories of consumers of beneficiaries in the North Eastern Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Destination North East festival:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The different facets of Northeast including the entrepreneurship avenues are replicated at <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-infrastructure-and-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>different locations across the country</strong></a>. During these events also, an exclusive arrangement is made for offering counselling and assistance to potential entrepreneurs and business Start-Ups.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1687668" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7411,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Death Penalty For Sexual Offences',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/maharashtra-shakti-bill-rape-offence-disha-bill-maharashtra-cabinet-7135848/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The wrong answer&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks about the issues related to the award of the death penalty for sexual offences.</p>
</div>
<p>Sexual offences against women and children are one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. Given this, the public has a real and legitimate interest in addressing such concerns, leading to the death penalty&rsquo;s demand to deter sexual offences purportedly.</p>
<p>In this context, on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-human-rights-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Human Rights Day 2020</strong></a>, the Maharashtra cabinet approved the Shakti Bill, enlarging the scope of harsher and mandatory sentences &mdash; including the death penalty &mdash; for non-homicidal rape (excluding <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/marital-rape-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marital Rape</strong></a>).</p>
<p>The Shakti Bill comes amid the recent legislative trend to invoke the death penalty for sexual offences. For instance, the Andhra Pradesh government passed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/disha-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Disha Bill in 2020</strong></a> (pending presidential assent), that provides the death penalty for the rape of adult women.</p>
<p>However, introducing the death penalty diverts attention from deep-rooted issues &amp; long-term solutions. It suggests that the reason for such crimes is that the punishment is not severe enough.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With Death Penalty Against Sexual Offences</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>May Do More Harm To Victim:</strong> Women&rsquo;s right groups have argued that the death penalty is a knee-jerk and populist solution to counter sexual offences. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, Child-right activists insist that introducing capital punishment for non-homicidal rape may lead rapists to kill their victims to erase testimonial evidence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Death Penalty Won&rsquo;t Remove Prejudice:</strong> Introducing harsher penalties does not remove systemic prejudices from the minds of judges and the police.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Generally, police might refuse to register complaints or acquit offenders in cases they do not consider &ldquo;serious&rdquo; enough to warrant a mandatory minimum.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lower Rate of Conviction:</strong> According to crime data from the <a href="/printpdf/crime-in-india-2019-report-ncrb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Crime Records Bureau</strong></a>, in 93.6% of sexual offences, the perpetrators were known to the victims. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, introducing capital punishment would deter complainants from registering complaints.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delay in Closure of Justice:</strong> The execution of a death sentence comes at the end of multiple stages of appeals and avenues of seeking clemency. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This time extended to the defendant to exhaust all legal remedies will delay the judicial process&rsquo;s finality and closure&mdash;militating against the competing interest of ensuring speedy justice.</li>
<li>It might also see an increase in instances of instant retribution, such as the extrajudicial killing of gang-rape and murder suspects in Hyderabad late in 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regressive Step:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/j-s-verma-committee-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Justice Verma Committee Report</strong></a> that made several recommendations on the laws on sexual offences (after Nirbhya rape case 2012), held that the death penalty&rsquo;s deterrent effect is &ldquo;a myth&rdquo;. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The report stated that it would be a regressive step to introduce the death sentence in non-homicidal cases.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Issues Related to Shakti Bill</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The other anti-women assertion in the bill moves away from the standard of affirmative consent in cases involving adult victims and offenders.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Significant advocacy from the women&rsquo;s movement led to introducing an affirmative standard of consent, rooted in unequivocal voluntary agreement by women through words, gestures or any form of verbal or non-verbal communication.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In a sharp departure, the bill stipulates that valid consent can be presumed from the &ldquo;conduct of the parties&rdquo; and the &ldquo;circumstances surrounding it&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Rape trials continue to be guided by misogynistic notions, expecting survivors to necessarily resist the act, suffer injuries and appear visibly distressed.</li>
<li>Therefore, the bill&rsquo;s vaguely worded explanation holds dangerous possibilities of expecting survivors to respond only in a particular manner, thus creating the stereotype of an &ldquo;ideal&rdquo; victim.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Plugging Gaps in Justice Delivery:</strong> The most severe gaps in the justice delivery system are reporting a police complaint. Therefore, the focus of the criminal justice system needs to shift from sentencing and punishment to the stages of reporting, investigation, and victim-support mechanisms. In this context, the following measures must be ensured: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The victim reports a case without any fear.</li>
<li>Police to conduct a sound investigation.</li>
<li>Victim protection throughout the trial.</li>
<li>Making testification as easy and as quick as possible.</li>
<li>Allocation of resources and more robust implementation of the law than is currently evident.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sensitisation At a Broader Level:</strong> Despite the ever-increasing ambit of the death sentence, there has been little effort to address prejudices in society.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Addressing the prejudices in the society against sexual offences requires sensitisation of functionaries of the justice system &amp; more importantly society.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Instead of merely enhancing punishment, tackling crimes against women and children requires broader social reforms, sustained governance efforts and strengthening investigative and reporting mechanisms.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f5fff5;">
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Punitive responses to sexual violence need serious rethinking, given the multitude of perverse consequences and their minor role in addressing the actual needs of rape survivors. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ytfp3NErDB0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/editorials/where-india-and-us-diverge-ht-editorial/story-fPy0uthKnZr3iRrt6O8CLL.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Where India and US diverge&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindustan Times on January 7<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7403,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Last Mile Challenges To Financial Inclusion',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/how-over-reliance-on-tech-worsens-financial-exclusion-in-rural-india-7134424/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Not by digital alone&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 06/01/2021. It talks about the last mile challenges to financial inclusion in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Being a welfare state, one of the prime objectives of government policy in India has been to enable financial inclusion and to reduce abject poverty through interventionist public policies. One such approach is the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rbi-advisory-on-direct-benefit-transfer" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) initiative.</strong></a></p>
<p>Various government programmes such as maternity entitlements, student scholarships, and wages for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MGNREGA</strong></a> workers fall under the DBT initiative where the money is transferred to the respective beneficiaries&rsquo; bank accounts.</p>
<p>However, the beneficiaries face many hurdles in accessing their money. For example, in rural areas, beneficiaries have to travel miles and wait for several hours to make one banking transaction.</p>
<p>These hurdles are broadly referred to as <strong>&ldquo;last mile challenges''</strong>. These challenges have widened the distance between the rights holder and their entitlements, which must be urgently resolved.</p>
<h3>Last Mile Challenges &amp; Their Impact</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Digital Exclusions:</strong> A recently published KPMG report found that India&rsquo;s Internet usage is the lowest of the BRICS nations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Similarly, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/digital-quality-of-life-index-2020-surfshark" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index 2020</strong></a> reflects the dismal performance of India in digital parameters.</li>
<li>Moreover, digital illiteracy, innumeracy, and unfamiliarity with technology hinder the digital product&rsquo;s full uptake.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unfamiliarity With DBT:</strong> Beneficiaries of DBT do not know what to do when their payments get rejected, often due to technical reasons such as incorrect account numbers and incorrect Aadhaar mapping with bank accounts. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More importantly, the workers/beneficiaries have rarely been consulted regarding their preferred mode of transacting.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Breeding of Corruption:</strong> The digital exclusion and unfamiliarity of beneficiaries with DBT, has created new forms of corruption.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This was evidenced in the massive scholarship scam in Jharkhand, where many poor students were deprived of their scholarships owing to a nexus of intermediaries, government officials, banking correspondents and others.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Inadequate Rural Banking:</strong> There are just 14.6 bank branches per 1 lakh adults in India. It is sparser in rural India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, rural banks are short-staffed and tend to get overcrowded.</li>
<li>Accessing banks in rural areas leads to loss of one wage day for the worker. Also, people have to spend money on transportation to access the bank to withdraw their payments/subsidies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unsuccessful Banking Correspondent Model:</strong> More than a decade after the first regulations on the Business Correspondent (BC) Model were issued in 2006, banks and other financial service providers are struggling to establish a viable and sustainable business case for branchless banking.</li>
<li><strong>Accountability Issue:</strong> The lack of accountability and absence of grievance redressal continue to impact all DBT programmes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Expanding Scope of Social Justice:</strong> Understanding social justice should be broadened by including the right to access own money in a timely and transparent manner. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, these rights should be protected through strengthening grievance redressal processes and setting accountability norms for all payment intermediaries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Providing More Choices:</strong> Universalization of Aadhar Enabled Payment System will enable Aadhar Enabled Bank Account holders to carry out seamless financial transactions.</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Code of Conduct for BC Model:</strong> Banks should develop standard rules and formulate a code of conduct to develop effective monitoring and supervision of banking correspondents.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Geotagging and GPS mapping of agent locations to search agent points will also enable better monitoring and supervision.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uber Model:</strong> There is a need to explore the possibility to adopt the &ldquo;Uber&rdquo; model to handle cash-in/cash-out (CICO), by enabling customers to act as CICO points. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will reduce dependence on agents and allow them to go beyond CICO.</li>
<li>On the other hand, customers would be able to transact beyond a stationary and limited agent network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Promoting Digital Literacy:</strong> Digital literacy is the lynchpin of triggering a revolution in India&rsquo;s financial inclusion and doorstep delivery models.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, <a href="/pdf/1607550498-conference-on-digital-cashless-economy.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)</strong></a> is a step in the right direction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>There is a clear need for a fresh perspective by re-imagining some key aspects of DBT initiative. It requires that all stakeholders, including the government, regulators, service providers, industry bodies, and others, need to catalyse radical changes in the way the &lsquo;last mile&rsquo; functions at present.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #f51d1d; background-color: #fff9cf;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In rural India, over-reliance on digital technology has worsened financial exclusion. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m5eqIEUgN64" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/editorials/india-at-the-horse-shoe-table/story-KZexjyZVCTyCJKnoDIuqCN.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;India at the horseshoe table&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindustan Times on January 6th, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7396,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Payment Infrastructure Development Fund Scheme',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a> (RBI) has announced the operationalisation of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/payments-infrastructure-development-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Payment Infrastructure Development Fund</strong></a> <strong>(PIDF) scheme</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Develop <strong>payment acceptance infrastructure in tier-3 to tier-6 cities</strong> (centres), with a special focus on the <strong>north-eastern states</strong> of <strong>the country</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Time Period:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The fund will be operational for <strong>three years</strong> effective from <strong>1<sup>st</sup> January, 2021</strong> and may be extended for <strong>two more years</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Management:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An <strong>Advisory Council</strong> (AC) under the chairmanship of RBI <strong>deputy governor BP Kanungo</strong> has been constituted for managing the PIDF.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fund Allocated:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The PIDF presently has a corpus of <strong>Rs. 345 crore</strong>, with <strong>Rs. 250 crore</strong> contributed by the RBI and <strong>Rs. 95 crore</strong> by the major <strong>authorised card networks in the country.</strong> The <strong>authorised card networks</strong> shall contribute in all <strong>Rs. 100 crore</strong>.</li>
<li>Besides the initial corpus, PIDF shall also receive annual contributions from <strong>card networks and card issuing banks</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, Card networks will have to chip in <strong>0.01 paisa per rupee of transaction</strong>.</li>
<li>The role of a <strong>card network</strong> is to facilitate transactions between merchants and card issuers. E.g. Mastercard, Visa.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The focus shall be to target those merchants who are yet to be <strong>terminalised (merchants who do not have any payment acceptance device).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Merchants engaged in services such as <strong>transport and hospitality, government payments, fuel pumps, public distribution system (PDS) shops, healthcare and kirana shops</strong> may be included, especially in the targeted geographies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The fund will be used to <strong>subsidize banks and non-banks for deploying payment infrastructure</strong>, which will be contingent upon specific targets being achieved.</li>
<li>The <strong>Advisory Council will devise a transparent mechanism for allocation of targets</strong> to acquiring banks and non-banks in different segments and locations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>implementation of targets shall be monitored by the RBI</strong> with assistance from card networks, the Indian Banks&rsquo; Association (IBA) and the Payments Council of India (PCI).</li>
<li><strong>Acquiring banks</strong> (also <strong>acquirers or merchant banks</strong>) are financial institutions processing debit and credit card transactions on behalf of a merchant or business.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Tentatively, <strong>tier-3 and tier-4 centres</strong> will be allocated <strong>30%</strong> of the acceptance devices, <strong>tier-5 and tier-6 centres</strong> will get <strong>60%</strong> and the <strong>north eastern states will be given 10%.</strong></li>
<li>Multiple payment acceptance devices and infrastructure supporting underlying card payments, such as <strong>physical Point of Sale, mobile Point of Sale, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) , Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and QR code-based payments</strong> will be funded under the scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Breakup of Subsidy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A subsidy of <strong>30% to 50% of cost of physical PoS and 50% to 75% subsidy for Digital PoS</strong> shall be offered.</li>
<li>The subsidy shall be granted on a <strong>half-yearly basis</strong>, after ensuring that performance parameters are achieved, including conditions for <strong>&lsquo;active&rsquo;</strong> status of the acceptance device and <strong>&lsquo;minimum usage&rsquo;</strong> criteria, as defined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fixing Accountability:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Acquirers of the subsidy shall submit <strong>quarterly reports</strong> on the <strong>achievement of targets to the RBI.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Steps:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The setting of PIDF is in line with the measures proposed by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/payment-and-settlement-systems-in-india-vision-2019-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vision document on payment and settlement systems in India 2019-2021.</strong></a></li>
<li>Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constructed a composite <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/digital-payments-index-rbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital Payments Index</strong></a> (DPI) to capture the extent of digitisation of payments across the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/rbi-operationalises-payment-infra-development-fund/2165068/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source:FE</a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7309,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Good Governance Day',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/good-governance-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Good governance</strong></a> day is <strong>celebrated annually on 25<sup>th</sup> December</strong> to mark the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister <strong>Atal Bihari Vajpayee.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The aim is to<strong> create awareness of accountability in government</strong> among the citizens of India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Governance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>process of decision-making</strong> and the <strong>process by which decisions are implemented</strong> (or not implemented).</li>
<li>Governance <strong>can be used in several contexts</strong> such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eight Characteristics of Good Governance (as identified by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations</a>):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Participation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>People should have <strong>a voice in decision-making,</strong> either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions that represent their interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rule of law:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Legal frameworks should be fair</strong> and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on human rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transparency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Transparency is built on the free<strong> flow of information.</strong> Processes, institutions and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them, and enough information is provided to understand and monitor them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Responsiveness:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Institutions and processes <strong>try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consensus orientation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Good governance requires <strong>mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus</strong> in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Equity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All groups, particularly the most vulnerable, have <strong>opportunities to improve or maintain their well being.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Effectiveness and efficiency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Processes and institutions produce results that <strong>meet needs while making the best use of resources.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Accountability:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Decision-makers in government, the private sector and civil society organisations are<strong> accountable to the public, as well as to institutional stakeholders.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608974947_image7.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608974947_image7.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Challenges to Good Governance in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Women Empowerment:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Women are not adequately represented in government institutions, and other allied sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Corruption:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The high level of corruption in India has been widely perceived as a major obstacle in improving the quality of governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Delay in Justice:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A citizen has the right to avail timely justice, but there are several factors, because of which a common man doesn&rsquo;t get timely justice. One such factor is lack of personnel and logistics under disposal of court.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Centralisation of Administrative System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Governments at lower levels can only function efficiently if they are empowered to do so. This is particularly relevant for the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/panchayati-raj-institution-pri#:~:text=74th%20Amendment%20provides%20for%20a,and%20Municipalities%20(Article%20243ZD).&amp;text=The%20Eleventh%20Scheduled%20of%20the,of%20the%20Panchayati%20Raj%20bodies." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)</strong></a>, which currently suffer from inadequate devolution of funds as well as functionaries to carry out the functions constitutionally assigned to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criminalisation of Politics:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The criminalisation of the political process and the unholy nexus between politicians, civil servants, and business houses are having a baneful influence on public policy formulation and governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Environmental security,</strong> sustainable development.</li>
<li>Challenges of <strong>globalization, liberalisation and market economy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives Taken:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/good-governance-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good Governance Index</a>:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>GGI has been launched by the <strong>Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances &amp; Pensions</strong> to determine the status of governance in the country.</li>
<li>It assesses the impact of various interventions taken up by the State Government and UTs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/e-governance-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National e-Governance Plan:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has the vision to &ldquo;make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency, transparency &amp; reliability of such services at affordable costs to realize the basic needs of the common man.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper4/right-to-information-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Right to Information Act, 2005:</strong> </a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It plays an effective role in ensuring transparency in governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives:</strong> Setting up of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India</strong></a> programme, <a href="/pdf/lokpal-lokayukta-ombudsman-upsc-governance-transparency.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lokpal</strong></a>, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Atal Bihari Vajpayee<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608975277_image6.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1608975277_image6.jpg" style="float: right;" width="300" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on 25<sup>th</sup> December, 1924 in the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior (now a part of Madhya Pradesh).</li>
<li>He entered in national politics during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/77th-anniversary-of-quit-india-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quit India Movement of 1942</strong></a> which hastened the end of British colonial rule.</li>
<li>In 1947, Vajpayee <strong>started working as a journalist for newspapers of Deendayal Upadhyaya &mdash;</strong> Rashtradharma (a Hindi monthly), Panchjanya (a Hindi weekly) and the dailies Swadesh and Veer Arjun. Later, influenced by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Vajpayee<strong> joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951.</strong></li>
<li>He was the <strong>former Prime Minister of India</strong> and was <strong>elected to the position twice in 1996 and 1999.</strong></li>
<li>As a parliamentarian, Vajpayee was awarded with the<strong> Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian in 1994,</strong> which defines him as "a role model par excellence for all legislators."</li>
<li>He was <strong>conferred</strong> with the country's highest civilian honour, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-28th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bharat Ratna</a> in 2015</strong> and second-highest civilian honour, the <strong><a href="/printpdf/padma-awards-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Padma Vibhushan</a> in 1994.</strong></li>
</ul>
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		'article_id' => (int) 7237,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/printpdf/cabinet-committees-formed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cabinet Committee</strong></a> <strong>on Economic Affairs</strong> has approved the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of <strong>Rs. 6,700 crore</strong> for the<strong> North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This is a major step towards <strong>economic development of the North Eastern Region</strong> through strengthening of Intra - State Transmission and Distribution systems.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Scheme was initially approved in <strong>December 2014</strong> as a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/reforming-centrally-sponsored-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong></a> of the Ministry of Power.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Funded By:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> assistance of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank</a></strong> fund and by the Government of India through the Budget support of the Ministry of Power on<strong> 50:50</strong> basis except for the <strong>capacity building component for Rs. 89 crore, which will be entirely funded by the Government of India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implemented By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The scheme is being implemented through <strong>Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID)</strong> in association with six beneficiary North Eastern States namely, <strong>Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura</strong> and is targeted to be commissioned by December 2021.</li>
<li><strong>POWERGRID</strong> is a <strong>'Maharatna'</strong> Company operating under Ministry of Power, it is engaged in power transmission business with the responsibility for <strong>planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maintenance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>After commissioning, the project will be owned and maintained by the respective <strong>North Eastern State Utilities.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Government&rsquo;s<strong> commitment for the total economic development</strong> of the North Eastern Region and to <strong>strengthen the Intra-State Transmission &amp; Distribution Infrastructure</strong> in the North East Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Implementation of this scheme will <strong>create a reliable power grid and improve NER States' connectivity to the upcoming load centers,</strong> and thus <strong>extend the benefits</strong> of the grid connected power to all categories of consumers of beneficiaries in the North Eastern Region.</li>
<li>The scheme shall also<strong> increase the per capita power consumption</strong> of these States, and shall <strong>contribute to the total economic development</strong> of the North-Eastern Region.</li>
<li>Hiring local manpower is<strong> generating a lot of employment for skilled and unskilled manpower</strong> of North-Eastern Region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives for North Eastern States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-infrastructure-and-north-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS):</strong> </a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In order to promote employment in the North East States, the Government is incentivizing primarily the MSME Sector through this scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International Tourism Mart (ITM):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is organized annually with the <strong>objective of showcasing the largely untapped tourism potential of the North East region</strong> in the domestic and international markets.</li>
<li>10% of the plan allocation of the Ministry of Tourism is marked for the NorthEast region.</li>
<li>There are also plans to hold an NER Tourism Mart where tour operators from all over the country can meet and the regional tourism can be showcased.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/launch-of-bamboo-clusters#:~:text=National%20Bamboo%20Mission%3A,(industry)%20and%20spoke%20model." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Bamboo Mission:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Mission envisages promoting holistic growth of the bamboo sector by adopting the area-based, regionally differentiated strategy. It aims to increase the area under bamboo cultivation and marketing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1681053" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7115,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>A review meeting regarding the progress of<strong> Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme</strong> (UBA) was held via videoconferencing.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Meeting:</strong> The <strong>Union Education Minister emphasised</strong> on the following:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Identify <strong>three to five core issues common amongst all the villages</strong> and few issues based on <strong>local conditions</strong> and work on these.</li>
<li>Efforts should be made to maximise the number of <strong>Higher Educational Institutions</strong> under the scheme in order to benefit more villages.</li>
<li>UBA should be used in <strong>sensitizing the school teachers regarding <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-education-policy-2020#:~:text=Recently%2C%20the%20Union%20Cabinet%20has,India%20a%20global%20knowledge%20superpower%E2%80%9D." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Education Policy, 2020.</a></strong></li>
<li><strong>Need for a portal</strong> was highlighted which will serve as an interactive platform for different institutions wherein they can share success stories and motivate each other.</li>
<li>Carry out a<strong> state-wise study </strong>and <strong>set targets regarding the parameters under UBA</strong> such as improvement in literacy, healthcare etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unnat Bharat Abhiyan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a flagship program of the<strong> Ministry of Education.</strong> It was <strong>launched in 2014.</strong></li>
<li>It aims to <strong>link the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with a set of at least (5) villages,</strong> so that these institutions can contribute to the economic and social betterment of these village communities using their knowledge base.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It <strong>covers two major domains</strong> for holistic development of villages &ndash;<strong> human development and material (economic) development</strong> - in an integrated way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> Indian Institute of Technology Delhi</strong> (IIT, Delhi) has been designated as the <strong>National Coordinating Institute</strong> (NCI) for the UBA scheme.</li>
<li><strong>Main Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To <strong>engage the faculty and students of HEIs in identifying development issues in rural areas</strong> and finding sustainable solutions for the same.</li>
<li>Identify &amp; select existing innovative technologies, enable customisation of technologies, or devise implementation methods for innovative solutions,<strong> as required by the people.</strong></li>
<li>To allow HEIs to contribute to devising systems for smooth <strong>implementation of various Government programmes.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is the upgraded version of<strong> UBA 1.0.</strong> It was<strong> launched in 2018.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UBA 1.0</strong> or UBA Phase-1 was the <strong>Invitation Mode</strong> in which Participating Institutions were invited to be a part of UBA.</li>
<li>Whereas <strong>UBA 2.0 is the Challenge Mode</strong> of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan programme where all HEIs are required to willingly adopt at least 5 villages. Currently, UBA 2.0 Mode is going on.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1606904480_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1606904480_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="535" height="469" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1674507" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7043,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Covid-19 and Children: UNICEF',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unicef-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Children&rsquo;s Fund</strong> </a>(UNICEF) has released the report <strong>&ldquo;Averting a lost Covid generation&rdquo;,</strong> which highlights significant and growing consequences of <strong>Covid-19</strong> on children.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report came ahead of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-children-s-day#:~:text=World%20Children's%20Day%20is%20celebrated,of%20the%20Child%20in%201959." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Children&rsquo;s Day</strong></a> (20<sup>th</sup> November).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>first UNICEF report to comprehensively outline</strong> the dire and growing <strong>consequences for children as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a> goes on.</strong></li>
<li>It shows that while symptoms among infected children remain mild, <strong>infections are rising</strong> and the longer-term<strong> impact on the education, nutrition and well-being of an entire generation</strong> of children and young people can be life-altering.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Children and adolescents account for <strong>1 in 9 reported Covid-19 infections.</strong></li>
<li>As of the <strong>beginning of November 2020,</strong> children and adolescents accounted for <strong>11% of the 25.7 million infections</strong> reported across 87 countries.</li>
<li>It estimated that <strong>a third of the countries</strong> analysed, <strong>witnessed a drop of at least 10% in coverage of health services</strong> and there was a<strong> 40% decline in the coverage of nutrition services</strong> for women and children across 135 countries.</li>
<li>As of <strong>October 2020, 265 million children were still missing out on school meals</strong> globally.</li>
<li><strong>65 countries</strong> reported a <strong>decrease in-home visits by social workers</strong> in September 2020, compared to 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These numbers <strong>bust the myth that children are barely affected</strong> by the disease, which has been prevalent throughout the pandemic.</li>
<li><strong>Disruptions to key services </strong>and <strong>soaring poverty rates</strong> pose the biggest threat to children and the longer the crisis persists, the deeper its impact on children&rsquo;s education, health, nutrition and well-being.</li>
<li><strong>Vulnerabilities of women and children have increased,</strong> as <strong>health services continue to be disrupted and schools shut, denying children free <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mid-day-meal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mid-day meals</a></strong> offered at schools for underprivileged children.</li>
<li>While children could <strong>transmit the virus to each other and to older age groups,</strong> there was strong evidence that, with <strong>basic safety measures in place,</strong> the net benefits of keeping schools open outweighed the costs of closing them.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Schools are not the main driver of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-to-test-for-community-transmission-of-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">community transmission</a></strong>, and children are more likely to get the virus outside of school settings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India Specific Highlights:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infections in Under 20:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As per data from the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icmr-recommends-use-of-hydroxy-chloroquine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Council of Medical Research</strong></a> (ICMR) on the dashboard of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-centre-for-disease-control-ncdc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Centre for Disease Control</strong></a>, 11.89% of Covid-19 cases in India are in under 20.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Education:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>1.5 million school closures have impacted 247 million</strong> children enrolled in elementary and secondary education and <strong>28 million</strong> children who were attending pre-school education <strong>in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anganwadi-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anganwadi</a> Centres.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Nutrition:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An estimated <strong>20 million children under 5</strong> years of age are suffering from <strong>wasting</strong> (low weight for height), over<strong> 40 million</strong> children are <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/malnutrition-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>chronically malnourished</strong> </a>and more than half of the Indian <strong>women aged 15-49</strong> years are <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anaemia-in-women#:~:text=Iron%20deficiency%20is%20the%20most,%2C%20weakness%2C%20dizziness%20and%20drowsiness." target="_blank" rel="noopener">anaemic.</a></strong></li>
<li>The pandemic has <strong>further exposed the fragility</strong> of children, less by the virus itself but much more by the indirect and long-term fallout.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Newborn Mortality:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Covid-19 poses a grave threat to the gains made by India in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-tackling-infant-mortality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Neonatal Mortality Rate</strong></a> (NMR) and <strong>Infant Mortality Rate</strong> (IMR) which saw improvements in recent years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>NMR</strong> is defined as the &lsquo;number of deaths during the first 28 completed days of life per 1,000 live births in a given year or period&rsquo;.</li>
<li><strong>IMR</strong> is defined as the &lsquo;number of deaths of children under the age of 1 year per 1000 live births for a given year.&rsquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sanitation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/woes-of-migrants-amid-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>socio-economic stress and migration</strong> </a>resulting due to the Covid-19 put <strong>access to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-toilet-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toilets</a> and the practice of using them at risk.</strong></li>
<li>The schools which offered <strong>improved access to and quality of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are closed</strong> and the facilities are not accessed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recommendations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ensure all children<strong> learn,</strong> including by closing the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-statistical-organisation-survey-on-digital-education-divide" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>digital divide.</strong></a></li>
<li>Guarantee access to <strong>nutrition</strong> and <strong>health services</strong> and make<strong> vaccines</strong> affordable and available to every child.</li>
<li>Support and protect the <strong>mental health</strong> of children and young people and bring an end to abuse, gender-based violence and neglect in childhood.</li>
<li>Increase access to<strong> safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene</strong> and address <strong>environmental degradation</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change.</strong></a></li>
<li>Reverse the rise in <strong>child poverty</strong> and ensure an inclusive recovery for all.</li>
<li>Redouble efforts to protect and support children and their families living through <strong>conflict, disaster and displacement.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>World Children&rsquo;s Day</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is celebrated on <strong>20<sup>th</sup> November each year to promote international togetherness and awareness</strong> among children worldwide, and <strong>improve children's welfare.</strong></li>
<li>The date of 20<sup>th</sup> November is an important date because, on this date, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations General Assembly</strong></a> adopted the<strong> Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 </strong>and the <strong>Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Convention on the Rights of the Child <strong>recognises every human being under 18 years old as a child</strong> and is the<strong> world&rsquo;s most widely ratified human rights treaty.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India ratified it in 1992.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/1-in-9-children-infected-by-covid-19-unicef/article33141124.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6990,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Technical Recession in India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India's</strong></a>, <strong>&ldquo;nowcasting&rdquo;,</strong> India&rsquo;s economy will contract by 8.6% in the <strong>second consecutive quarter (July, August, September)</strong> of the current financial year which means the economy is in a <strong>&lsquo;technical recession&rsquo;.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In simpler words, a technical recession is two quarters in a row of economic contraction.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nowcast:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Nowcast</strong> in economics means the prediction of the present or the very near future of the state of the economy.</li>
<li>Nowcast began with the first issue of the Bulletin in January 1947, but interrupted during the period 1995 to date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the second quarter the pace of contraction is<strong> 8.6%.</strong></li>
<li>This is considerably slower than the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-contracted-by-23-9-in-first-quarter" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>23.9% decline in the real GDP</strong></a> during the first quarter (April, May, June).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implication:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The contraction implies that India has entered a <strong>technical recession</strong> in the first half of 2020-21 for the first time in its history.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605260492_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1605260492_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Economic Words</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-decreases-to-11-year-low#:~:text=Growth%20in%20Fiscal%20Year%202019,6.1%25%20in%202018%2D19." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</strong></a> is the<strong> final value of the goods and services</strong> produced <strong>within the geographic boundaries</strong> of a country during a specified period of time, normally a year.</li>
<li><strong>Expansionary Phase:</strong> When the overall output of goods and services typically measured by the <strong>GDP increases</strong> from one quarter (or month) to another.</li>
<li><strong>Recessionary Phase:</strong> When the overall output of goods and services typically measured by the <strong>GDP decreases</strong> from one quarter (or month) to another.</li>
<li><strong>Business Cycle:</strong> It is composed of concerted <strong>cyclical upswings and downswings</strong> in the broad measures of economic activity which are output,<strong> employment, income, and sales</strong> in other words it is a cycle created by the expansionary and recessionary phases clubbed together.</li>
<li><strong>Recession:</strong> It is a <strong>macroeconomic</strong> term that refers to a<strong> slowdown or a massive contraction</strong> in economic activities for a <strong>long enough period,</strong> or it can be said that when a recessionary phase sustains for long enough, it is called a <strong>recession.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Depression:</strong> It is a <strong>deep and long-lasting period of negative economic growth,</strong> with output falling for at least 12 months and GDP falling by over 10% or it can be referred to as a severe and prolonged recession.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-a-technical-recession-indian-economy-coronavirus-7049758/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6936,
		'category_id' => (int) 60,
		'title' => 'World Food Programme (WFP)',
		'description' => '<p>The <strong>World Food Programme (WFP)</strong> is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was founded in 1961 by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-22nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)</strong></a> and <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)</strong></a> with its headquarters in Rome, Italy.</li>
<li>It is also a member of the<strong> United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG)</strong>, a coalition of UN agencies and organizations aimed at fulfilling the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The WFP assists 88 countries, and has assisted 97 million people (in 2019) which is the largest number since 2012.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>WFP focuses on emergency assistance as well as rehabilitation and development aid.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Two-thirds of its work is in conflict-affected countries, where people are three times more likely to be undernourished than elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It works closely with the other two Rome-based UN agencies: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),</strong> which helps countries draw up policy and change legislation to support sustainable agriculture</li>
<li>The <strong>International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),</strong> which finances projects in poor rural areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>To end hunger by protecting access to food.</li>
<li>Improving nutrition and achieving food security.</li>
<li>Supporting the SDG implementation and partnering for its results.</li>
</ul>
<h3>WFP&rsquo;s Strategic Plan for 2017-2021</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was adopted just over a year after the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It aligns the organization&rsquo;s work to the 2030 Agenda&rsquo;s global call to action, which <strong>prioritizes efforts</strong> to <strong>end poverty, hunger</strong> and <strong>inequality,</strong> encompassing humanitarian as well as development efforts.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Strategic Plan is guided by the SDGs set forth in the 2030 Agenda, in particular SDG 2 on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/achieving-zero-hunger-by-2030-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ending hunger</strong></a> and SDG 17 on revitalizing global partnerships for implementation of the SDGs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It ushers in a<strong> new planning and operational structure,</strong> including the implementation of results-based country portfolios that will maximize WFP&rsquo;s contribution to governments&rsquo; efforts towards achieving the SDGs.</li>
<li><strong>Responding to emergencies</strong> and saving lives and livelihoods &ndash; either through direct assistance, or by strengthening country capacities &ndash; remains at the heart of WFP&rsquo;s operations, especially as humanitarian needs become increasingly complex and protracted.</li>
<li>WFP will support countries in ensuring no one is left behind by continuing to<strong> build resilience for food security and nutrition</strong> and addressing the growing challenges posed by climate change and rising inequality.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Funding</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The WFP has <strong>no independent source of funds,</strong> it is funded entirely by voluntary donations. Its principal donors are governments, but the organization also receives donations from the private sector and individuals. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Governments:</strong> governments are the principal source of funding for WFP; the organization receives no dues or portions of the UN assessed contributions. On average, over 60 governments underwrite the humanitarian and development projects of WFP</li>
<li><strong>Corporates:</strong> Through corporate-giving programmes, individual companies make vital contributions to fighting hunger.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Donations from private and not-for-profit entities have included frontline support to several emergency operations; expertise to enhance WFP's logistics and fundraising capacities; and critical cash for school feeding.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Individuals:</strong> Individual contributions can make a difference in the lives of the hungry. A personal donation can provide:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Emergency food rations during a crisis</li>
<li>Special food for hungry children in schools.</li>
<li>Food incentives to encourage poor families to send their girls to school.</li>
<li>Food as payment for people to rebuild schools, roads and other infrastructure in the wake of conflicts and natural disasters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Share the Meal</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>ShareTheMeal is an initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).</li>
<li>Donations from the ShareTheMeal app support various WFP operations ranging from resilience building and school feeding programmes to providing food assistance in emergencies.</li>
<li>The app was launched in 2015 and since then, it has helped provide aid to some of the largest food crises in the world including Yemen, Syria and Nigeria.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>WFP and India</h3>
<p>WFP has been working in India since 1963, with work transitioning from food distribution to technical assistance since the country achieved self-sufficiency in cereal production. The areas in which WFP mainly assists in India are:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Transforming the targeted public distribution system</strong>: WFP is working to improve the efficiency, accountability and transparency of India&rsquo;s own subsidized food distribution system, which brings supplies of wheat, rice, sugar and kerosene oil to around 800 million poor people across the country.</li>
<li><strong>Fortification of government distributed food:</strong> To boost the nutritional value of the Government&rsquo;s Midday Meal school feeding programme, WFP is pioneering the multi-micronutrient fortification of school meals. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The pilot project saw rice fortified with iron, which was distributed in a single district, resulting in a 20 percent drop in anaemia.</li>
<li>It has also helped tackle malnutrition by fortifying food given to babies and young children in Kerala State.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mapping and monitoring of food insecurity:</strong> WFP has used Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping softwares to identify India&rsquo;s most food insecure areas, which allows policy and relief work to be targeted appropriately. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>WFP is also supporting the government&rsquo;s Poverty and Human Development Monitoring Agency in establishing a State-level Food Security Analysis Unit, working towards the goal of achieving Zero Hunger.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Report Released by WFP</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/food-crisis-amid-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Report on Food Crisis</strong></a>- The Global Report on Food Crises describes the scale of acute hunger in the world. It provides an analysis of the drivers that are contributing to food crises across the globe. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The report is produced by the Global Network against Food Crises, an international alliance working to address the root causes of extreme hunger.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Award Won</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The WFP has been awarded with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prize-in-literature-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nobel Prize for Peace 2020</strong></a> for its efforts to combat hunger, bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and preventing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.</li>
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		'article_id' => (int) 6903,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Provisions For Platform Workers',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-code-for-labour#:~:text=The%20social%20security%20code%20replaces,Standing%20Orders)%20Act%2C%201946." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Social Security, 2020,</strong></a> for the first time in Indian law, attempted to define &lsquo;platform work&rsquo; outside of the traditional employment category.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Labour falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Recently, the Parliament passed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>three labour codes</strong></a> &mdash; on <strong>industrial relations; occupational safety, health and working conditions;</strong> and<strong> social security &mdash;</strong> proposing to simplify the country&rsquo;s archaic labour laws and give impetus to economic activity without compromising with the workers&rsquo; benefits.</li>
<li>These labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour relations in India. Along with the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1#:~:text=Code%20on%20Wages%20Act%202019,-The%20new%20wage&amp;text=It%20seeks%20to%20universalizes%20the,legislative%20protection%20of%20minimum%20wage." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Code on Wages Act- 2019&rsquo;</strong></a>, these can significantly ease the conduct of business by amalgamating a plethora of Central and State laws on labour.</li>
<li><strong>Code on Social Security , 2020 has the following provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will <strong>replace nine social security laws,</strong> including Maternity Benefit Act, Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, Employees&rsquo; Pension Scheme, Employees&rsquo; Compensation Act, among others.</li>
<li>The code <strong>universalizes social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Aggregators,</strong> meaning &ldquo;digital intermediaries or a market place for a buyer or users of a service to connect with the seller or the service provider&rdquo;, are specifically required to contribute to the <strong>social security fund.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>For the first time, provisions of social security will also be <strong>extended to agricultural workers also.</strong></li>
<li>The code also <strong>reduces the time limit for receiving gratuity payment</strong> from the continuous service of five years to one year for all kinds of employees, including fixed-term employees, contract labour, daily and monthly wage workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Platform Work</strong> (as defined by the Code): Platform work means <strong>a work arrangement outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship</strong> in which organisations or individuals use an online platform to access other organisations or individuals to solve specific problems or to provide specific services or any such other activities which may be notified by the Central Government, in exchange for payment.</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Platform Work:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Platform work <strong>promises workers flexibility and ownership</strong> over delivery of work.</li>
<li><strong>Important for delivery of essential services</strong> as seen during <strong>pandemic.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Employment Intensive</strong> Sector.</li>
<li><strong>Potential Sector for growth</strong> due to fast pace of Urbanisation.</li>
<li><strong>Development of rural areas</strong> due to remittances sent by platform workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues in the sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Though platform work promises workers flexibility and ownership over delivery of work, they are<strong> still largely dictated by mechanisms of control</strong> wired by the algorithm. This affects pricing per unit of work, allocation of work, and hours.</li>
<li><strong>Entry</strong> into on-such platform work like ride sharing and food delivery requires vehicular assets which an average Indian worker lacks. Thus, to enter the platform economy, workers <strong>rely on intensive loan schemes,</strong> often facilitated by platform aggregator companies. This results in dependence on platform companies, driven by financial obligations, thus rendering flexibility and ownership.</li>
<li>Leads to<strong> contractualisation of the workforce</strong> and promotes the <strong>Gig economy.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Gig Economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations hire independent workers for short-term commitments. The term <strong>"gig"</strong> is a slang word for a job that lasts a specified period of time.</li>
<li>A company engaging in greater contractualisation often has a <strong>higher turnover rate of personnel,</strong> creating a disruptive operational environment and leading to higher costs of training and higher incidence in costs of errors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Adopting International best practices- Ontario and California have shown a move towards granting employee status to platform workers, thus guaranteeing minimum wage and welfare benefits.</li>
<li>Further, the government needs to ensure easy availability of credit to platform workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-secure-future-for-platform-workers/article32998179.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6800,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Antitrust Case Against Google: USA',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>US Justice Department has sued Google,</strong> accusing the company of illegally<strong> abusing its dominance in internet search</strong> in ways that harm competitors and consumers.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The lawsuit (or <strong>antitrust action</strong> against the company) comes after a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/report-on-big-tech-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>report by the US House of Representatives panel</strong></a> that found <strong>Google</strong> and three other tech giants -- <strong>Facebook</strong> Inc, <strong>Apple</strong> Inc and <strong>Amazon.com</strong> Inc &mdash; all <strong>abused their power as gatekeepers</strong> in the digital economy to thwart competitive threats.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>US Government&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Google is <strong>illegally protecting its dominant position in the market for search and search advertising with the deals</strong> it has struck with companies like Apple.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Google pays Apple billions of dollars a year to have its search engine set as the default option on iPhones and other devices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges contracts</strong> that Google has with smartphone makers that use Google&rsquo;s Android operating system, requiring them to install its search engine as the default.</li>
<li>All this <strong>stifles competition and innovation from smaller upstart rivals</strong> to Google and<strong> harms consumers</strong> by reducing the quality of search and limiting privacy protections and alternative search options.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Many countries have broad laws that protect consumers and regulate how companies operate their businesses. The goal of these laws is to<strong> provide an equal playing field for similar businesses</strong> that operate in a specific industry <strong>while preventing them from gaining too much power over their competition.</strong> These are called <strong>antitrust laws.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investigated Google&rsquo;s behavior and acquisitions in the overall market for digital advertising,</strong> which includes search, web display and video ads. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Online advertising was the source of virtually all of Alphabet&rsquo;s USD 34 billion in profit last year. Alphabet Inc. is Google&rsquo;s parent company.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Most of Google&rsquo;s services are offered for free in exchange for personal information</strong> that helps it sell its ads.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Goods that are free to consumers <strong>are not exempt from antitrust oversight.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>landmark Microsoft case of the late 1990s,</strong> the software giant bundled its web browser for free into its dominant Windows operating system.</li>
<li><strong>Microsoft lost</strong> because, using restrictive contracts, it bullied personal computer makers and others to try to prevent them from offering competing web browser software &mdash; competition that could have undermined the Windows monopoly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Google&rsquo;s Defense:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>deals</strong> that the Justice Department is citing are <strong>entirely legal.</strong> Such company-to-company deals violate antitrust law only if they can be shown to exclude competition. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Users can freely switch to other search engines, like Microsoft&rsquo;s Bing or Yahoo Search, anytime they want. Google&rsquo;s search service is the runaway market leader because people prefer it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Further, its services have <strong>helped hold down the prices of smartphones. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Report by the US House of Representatives panel:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Big Tech Companies</strong> like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple <strong>act as a &ldquo;gatekeeper&rdquo;,</strong> i.e. can control access to information.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Gatekeepers can also decide whether a message will be spread to a wider audience.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>These companies <strong>not only wield tremendous power, but also abuse it</strong> by charging exorbitant fees, imposing oppressive contract terms, and <strong>extracting valuable data from the people</strong> and businesses that rely on them.</li>
<li>Companies ran the marketplace for their respective domains, while also competing in it and to ensure they retain the number one position, the companies have <strong>restored to</strong> &ldquo;self-preferencing, predatory pricing, or exclusionary conduct&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Self-preferencing</strong> involves actions by an undertaking which are designed to favour its own products or services over those of its competitors.</li>
<li><strong>Predatory pricing</strong> is an act of setting prices low in an attempt to eliminate the competition.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusionary conduct</strong> is a conduct that creates or maintains monopoly power by disadvantaging and harming competitors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The step is a<strong> response</strong> to the policy question of what measures, if any, should be taken to curb today&rsquo;s tech giants, which hold the power to shape markets, communication and even public opinion.</li>
<li>The US Justice Department has come up with the <strong>possibility of structurally breaking up Google,</strong> and not just imposing conditions on its behavior as has happened in Europe.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Critics contend that multibillion-dollar fines and mandated changes in Google&rsquo;s practices imposed by European regulators in recent years weren&rsquo;t severe enough and that structural changes are needed for Google to change its conduct.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Scenario in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antitrust-case-against-google" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Various antitrust probes</strong></a> are going on<strong> against Google in India.</strong> Google has had run-ins with regulators, especially the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/competition-commission-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Competition Commission of India (CCI).</strong></a></li>
<li>In the last two years, the <strong>CCI has raised issues with Google&rsquo;s commercial flight search option,</strong> its<strong> dominant position in the search marketplace,</strong> the <strong>abuse of its dominant position</strong> in the Android phone and smart television market, and others.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2019, for example, <strong>CCI had held Google guilty of misuse of its dominant position in the mobile Android market</strong> and said the company had imposed &ldquo;unfair conditions&rdquo; on device manufacturers to prevent them from using other operating systems.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, Google has also been<strong> accused of following a high and unfair commission mechanism for apps listed on its Play Store.</strong></li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Antitrust Laws</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Antitrust laws are <strong>regulations that monitor the distribution of economic power</strong> in business, making sure that<strong> healthy competition is allowed</strong> to flourish and economies can grow.</li>
<li>Antitrust laws<strong> apply to nearly all industries and sectors,</strong> touching every level of business, including manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and marketing.</li>
<li>These <strong>prohibit a number of business practices that restrain trade. Examples</strong> of illegal practices are <strong>price-fixing conspiracies, corporate mergers</strong> that are likely to cut back the competitive fervor of certain markets, and <strong>predatory acts</strong> designed to gain or hold on to <strong>monopoly power.</strong></li>
<li>In India,<strong> competition policy</strong> has been implemented via the <strong>Competition Act, 2002</strong> which alongwith its amendment, establishes a <strong>Competition Commission of India</strong> to prevent anti-competitive practices, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of the consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets in India.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With this lawsuit, the big tech companies are likely to come under more scrutiny from regulators including the CCI in India.</li>
<li>In coming years, as India plans to regulate the use of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>personal</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/non-personal-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>non-personal data</strong></a>, these tech companies could face scrutiny over how they manage and use the data they collect from users in India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-files-landmark-antitrust-case-against-google/article32904830.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6781,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2020',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Every year <strong>17<sup>th</sup> October</strong> is observed as International Day for the eradication of Poverty.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Its observance started in <strong>1992</strong> with the adoption of <strong>UN resolution.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> theme</strong> for the year 2020 is<strong> "Acting Together to Achieve Social and Environmental Justice for All"</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Poverty Trends:</strong> More than 90% countries have reported a <strong>dip in per capita income</strong> because of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> and the ensuing economic disruptions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>More than 115 million new poor</strong> have been added to the world, and their spread is universal, from the rich Europe to the already poor Asia and from rural to urban areas.</li>
<li>According to the latest <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/poverty-and-shared-prosperity-report-world-bank#:~:text=The%20World%20Bank%20measures%20poverty,%25%20to%209.2%25%20in%202020." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>"Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report"</strong></a> by the world bank, the Covid-19 pandemic is estimated to push an additional 88 million to <strong>115 million</strong> people into extreme poverty this year, with the total rising to as many as <strong>150 million by 2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Beyond Income Poverty: India and Nigeria</strong> are two countries that host the world&rsquo;s largest number of poor. Here, the poor live in <strong>very ecologically fragile areas.</strong> This makes poverty<strong> not alone an income related aspect as economists and politicians consider. </strong></li>
<li><strong>The Ecology of Poverty:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>In India,</strong> the <strong>poorest regions</strong> are invariably the <strong>forested areas</strong> of the country in states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some<strong> 275 million people</strong> in India depend on forest for subsistence. In the country&rsquo;s poorest regions, forests provide up to <strong>30% of their total income.</strong> This is more than agriculture and other sources of income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At the global level, just <strong>five countries&mdash;India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo&mdash;&nbsp;</strong>account for<strong> half of the extreme poor</strong> in the world. Paradoxically, the above five countries, barring Congo, are also witnessing rapid economic growth.</li>
<li>Various estimates say<strong> the natural capital accounts for 9% of wealth globally,</strong> but it accounts for<strong> 47% of the wealth in low income countries.</strong> This shows the <strong>dependence of people on natural resources</strong> in developing and poor countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Poverty and Forest Dependence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)</strong> study shows that more than a billion people are forest-dependent, and most of them are below the poverty line. Most of them are in <strong>Africa and Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Geography of Poverty:</strong> The more the reliance on ecology/nature for survival, higher is the probability to be poor due to modern urban development.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Regional Shift:</strong> In<strong> 1990,</strong> half of the world&rsquo;s poor lived in<strong> East Asia and the Pacific.</strong> At present, <strong>sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia</strong> host over <strong>85%</strong> of the poor in the world. Further, <strong>26 of the world&rsquo;s 27 poorest</strong> countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In these regions, three-fourths of the total poor live in <strong>rural areas.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These places have a<strong> highly degraded ecology</strong> (due to increasing exploitation of natural resources for development). Most of the poor depend on natural resources like land, forests and livestock for survival. So, for them, the economy is all about ecology. Degradation of the ecology, thus, <strong>leads to poverty.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ecology and Entitlement:</strong> According to the <strong>International Union of Forest Research Organizations,</strong> forestry contributes at least <strong>$539 billion</strong> directly to the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Development</strong> has come with a heavy cost to the ecology. For instance, the latest <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-report-on-species-extinction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES</a>) global assessment</strong> reported a decline in nature&rsquo;s contributions to people <strong>since 1970.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It clearly said that &ldquo;extraction of provisioning services has increased, while provision of regulating and maintenance services has declined&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to a study by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-environment-outlook" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)</strong></a> (covering 140 countries), the globally produced capital per head doubled and human capital per head increased by about 13%, but the <strong>value of the stock of natural capital per head declined by nearly 40%</strong> in 1992-2014.</li>
<li>It means those who depend on the environment witnessed <strong>a decline in their assets thus triggering poverty.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The importance of ecology to overall world development including poverty eradication can be gauged from the fact that <strong>86 out of 169 <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sustainable Development Goals</a></strong> <strong>targets directly or indirectly seek to reduce environmental damage</strong> or emphasize the critical role of <strong>natural resources and ecosystem services.</strong></li>
<li>The deadline of &ldquo;eradicating poverty&rdquo; in all forms is just 10 years away (as per the SDG 2030 target). To achieve this goal itself makes &ldquo;social and environmental&rdquo; justice as the key to our poverty eradication plans and programmes.</li>
<li>There are various reasons for environmental degradation that ultimately trigger poverty among the nature-dependent people. Climate change is the latest major factor.</li>
<li>We need to focus on the ecological dimension of poverty also. When income comes from ecology, access to it becomes the sole way to eradicate poverty. Both access and entitlement for nature dependent people remains a key focus for poverty eradication.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/economy/poverty-is-ecological-we-must-accept-income-poverty-is-the-wrong-yardstick-73841" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6715,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India in BRICS Ministers’ Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5th-brics-culture-ministers-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a> <strong>Labour and Employment Ministers&rsquo; Virtual Meeting</strong> was held under the <strong>Russian Presidency.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It aimed to discuss various <strong>issues including approaches to creating a safe work culture in BRICS countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Emphasis on Health of Workers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was highlighted that<strong> health, welfare and improved working conditions</strong> are essential for the well-being of the workers. A healthy workforce in the country would be more productive and contribute to economic growth.</li>
<li>The <strong>aspects of occupational safety and health measures</strong> to mitigate the impact of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> have also acquired significance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>called for suitable global action</strong> especially by BRICS towards effecting a <strong>balance between labour and employer</strong> which will generate growth and create more jobs and greater labour welfare.</li>
<li>India also<strong> highlighted the importance of digitisation and technological advancements</strong> like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>artificial intelligence</strong> </a>(AI) and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-robotics-and-automation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>robotics</strong></a> in reshaping lives and work, with a direct or indirect effect on the labour market.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Digitisation also <strong>offers the opportunity</strong> for governments, individuals and businesses<strong> to cope with the changing scenarios after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-whohttps://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India underscored that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/how-to-regulate-the-digital-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>digital economy</strong></a> is changing the world of work, hence <strong>regular studies by the BRICS Network Research Institutes</strong> will facilitate a <strong>better understanding</strong> of the aspects of future of work and supplement policymaking.</li>
<li>India is committed to <strong>eradicate <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/poverty-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poverty</a></strong> and <strong>promote prosperity</strong> in a changing world and hence adopted a multi-dimensional strategy to eliminate poverty by covering most of the basic services and fulfil the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goals</strong></a> of <strong>No Poverty</strong> (SDG-1).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Initiatives Highlighted by India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-code-for-labour" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides a dynamic and effective framework of occupational safety and health at the workplace and covers legal provisions of all sectors.</li>
<li>Envisages safety standards for different sectors, focusing on the health and working condition of workers, hours of work, leaves, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-the-labour-code-bills" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Social Security Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Universalises social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.</li>
<li><strong>Recognises emerging forms of work</strong> by defining terms like an aggregator, gig worker and platform worker, and extends social protection to such workers through a <strong>separate Social Security Fund</strong> wherein the contribution from aggregators would be deposited.</li>
<li>Provisions of social security will also be<strong> extended to agricultural workers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1#:~:text=Social%20Security%20Code%20Bill%2C%202020,gig%20workers%20and%20platform%20workers." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sets up <strong>Grievance Redressal Committees</strong> for resolution of disputes arising out of employees&rsquo; grievances.</li>
<li>Also sets up a reskilling fund to help skill retrenched workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kisan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Provides direct income support to farmers for easing their liquidity needs to facilitate timely access to inputs.</li>
<li>Aiding modernisation and makes farmers competitive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan:</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Protects the economy from the<strong> adverse impact of the Covid-19 crisis.</strong></li>
<li>Measures include opening a credit line for micro, small and medium enterprises to meet their operational expenses, subsidising the social security contributions of workers, extending unemployment benefit to workers, financial assistance to construction workers, collateral-free working capital loan to approximately 5 million street vendors, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Schemes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-rural-economic-transformation-project-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Livelihood Mission.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>All countries need to work together in finding feasible and sustainable solutions to the issues and challenges faced by the future of the labour force in the digital economy so that everyone can get the flexible employment opportunities without compromising the fundamental rights.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1663547" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6681,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report: World Bank',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>World Bank</strong> in its <strong>biennial Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report</strong> mentions that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> can add around 27-40 million <strong>new poor</strong> in <strong>Sub-Saharan Africa</strong> and around 49-57 million in<strong> South Asia</strong> region.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The &ldquo;new poor&rdquo;</strong> will:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Be more urban poor.</li>
<li>Be more engaged in informal services and manufacturing and less in agriculture.</li>
<li>Live in congested urban settings and work in the sectors most affected by lockdowns and mobility restrictions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Extreme Poverty Projection:</strong> The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to push an additional<strong> 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year,</strong> with the total rising to as many as <strong>150 million by 2021,</strong> depending on the severity of the economic contraction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Percentage of Population:</strong> The <strong>pandemic and global recession</strong> may cause over <strong>1.4% of the world&rsquo;s population</strong> to fall into extreme poverty.</li>
<li><strong>Extreme poverty:</strong> It is defined as<strong> living on less than $1.90 a day.</strong> The World Bank measures poverty lines of $3.20 and $5.50, and also a multidimensional spectrum that includes access to <strong>education and basic infrastructure.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Increase in Rate of Poverty:</strong> Global extreme poverty rate is projected to rise by around <strong>1.3%</strong> to <strong>9.2%</strong> in 2020. If the pandemic would not have been there, the poverty rate was expected to drop to <strong>7.9%</strong> in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regions of Incidence</strong>: Many of the newly poor individuals will be<strong> from countries that already have high poverty rates (Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Around <strong>82%</strong> of the total poor will be in middle income countries (MICs).</li>
<li><strong>Flood Prone Areas:</strong> About<strong> 132 million</strong> of the global poor live in high flood risk regions. The focus on flooding in this report primarily reflects the fact that <strong>floods are one of the most common</strong> and severe hazards, especially in lower-income countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reverse of Progress Made:</strong> Current increasing poverty is reversal of the achievements made in two-and-a-half decades (1990-2015).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Extreme poverty rate<strong> declined by 26%.</strong> It dropped to 10% from nearly 36%.</li>
<li>During 2012-2017, the growth was inclusive and the incomes of the poorest 40% of the population grew.</li>
<li>The<strong> average global shared prosperity</strong> was 2.3% during the period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diminished Shared Prosperity:</strong> Average global shared prosperity is estimated to stagnate or even contract over 2019-2021 due to the reduced growth in average incomes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Shared prosperity is defined as the <strong>growth in the income of the poorest 40% of a country&rsquo;s population.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason: Global extreme poverty</strong> is expected to rise for the <strong>first time in 20 years</strong> because of the<strong> disruption</strong> caused by<strong> Covid-19.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is exacerbating the impact of conflict and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/special-report-on-climate-change-ipcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, which were already slowing down poverty reduction.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Proposed Strategy</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The World Bank recommends for a complementary two-track approach which involves short as well as long term strategy:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Short-run:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Without policy actions, the Covid-19 crisis may lead to an increase in income inequality, resulting in a world that is less inclusive.</li>
<li>Countries need to prepare for a different economy post-Covid, by allowing capital, labour, skills, and innovation to move into new businesses and sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Long-run:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Continuing to focus on foundational development problems, including conflict and climate change as the key areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Poverty in India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Poverty estimation</strong> in India is carried out by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a>&rsquo;s task force through the calculation of poverty line based on the data captured by the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Poverty line estimation in India is based on the <strong>consumption expenditure</strong> and not on the income levels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2020:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India lifted as many as 270 million people out of multidimensional poverty between 2005-06 and 2015-16.</li>
<li><strong>Impact of Covid-19:</strong> Covid-19 is having a profound impact on the development landscape.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The study finds that on average, poverty levels will be set back 3 to 10 years due to Covid-19.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sustainable Development Goals:</strong> The index emphasises on measuring and monitoring progress under the goals to reach <strong>&lsquo;zero poverty by 2030-Goal 1&rsquo;</strong> of the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SDGs.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Measures Taken:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The government enhanced its social safety programs including <strong>direct benefit transfers such as cash transfers</strong> under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kisan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM Kisan scheme</strong></a>, more liberal financing under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/mgnrega-and-migrant-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005</strong> </a>like advance disbursement, direct cash grants to construction workers and release of free and subsidized food grains under <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-03-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana</strong></a> to about 800 million people to ensure food for all.</li>
<li>The Government announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore (equivalent to 10% of India&rsquo;s GDP) under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme</strong></a> with the aim of making the country independent against the tough competition in the global supply chain and to help in empowering the poor, labourers, migrants who have been adversely affected by Covid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The challenge of poverty is enormous especially in the background of Covid-19. The need is to collaborate at both Global and Regional levels. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Collaboration in the form of sharing information on disease and cure.</li>
<li>Developmental and poverty eradication aid by the international financial organizations is of real meaning here.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>At national level, respective governments must ensure both short and long-run strategies proposed by the World Bank apart from existing efforts of national governments.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: DTE</a></strong></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6666,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: The Labour Code Bills',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bBdQLloDm5Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why In News?</h3>
<p>Parliament has passed 3 labour code bills aimed at labour welfare reforms covering more than 50 crores organized and unorganized workers in the country. This opens up the doors for social security to those in the self-employment sector. These three Bills are</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Social Security Code, 2020.</li>
<li>Code on Occupational Safety, Health &amp; Working Conditions Code, 2020</li>
<li>Industrial Relations Code, 2020</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The bills are believed to be the watershed movement for labour law energy as for the first time, the migrant workers, gig workers are included and doors for social security to those in the self-employment sector are also opened.</li>
<li>The reforms cover more than 50 crore organised and unorganised workers in the country</li>
<li>The two new provisions are:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The company will provide the retrenched worker with 15 days of wages last drawn by him to reskill himself.</li>
<li>Any worker who has served even less than a term of 5 years to a company will get proportionate gratuity.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Gratuity</strong> is given by the employer to his/her employee for the services rendered by him/her during the period of employment. It is usually paid at the time of retirement but can be paid earlier, provided certain conditions are met.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The fourth code, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Code on Wages</strong></a> was also included, but it had already been passed.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Code on Wages</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>wage code</strong> removes the multiplicity of wage definitions, which can significantly reduce litigation as well as compliance cost for employers.</li>
<li>The act links minimum wage across the country to the <strong>skills of the employee and the place of employment.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to universalize the provisions of minimum wages and timely payment of wages to all employees irrespective of the sector and wage ceiling.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It seeks to <strong>ensure "Right to Sustenance" for every worker</strong> and intends to increase the legislative protection of minimum wage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A <strong>National Floor Level Minimum Wage</strong> will be set by the Centre and will be revised every <strong>five years,</strong> while states will fix minimum wages for their regions, which cannot be lower than the floor wage.</li>
<li>It subsumes the following four labour laws:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Payment of Wages Act, 1936</li>
<li>The Minimum Wages Act, 1948</li>
<li>The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965</li>
<li>The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Salient Features of the Three Codes</h3>
<p><strong>A. Social Security Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision has been made to formulate various schemes for providing comprehensive social security to workers in the unorganised sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A &ldquo;Social Security Fund&rdquo; will be created on the financial side in order to implement these schemes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Work to bring newer forms of employment created with the changing technology like <strong>&ldquo;platform worker or gig worker&rdquo;</strong> into the ambit of social security has been done in the Social Security Code</li>
<li>With the aim of making a <strong>national database</strong> for <strong>unorganised sector</strong> workers, registration of all these workers would be done on an online portal and this registration would be done on the basis of Self Certification through a simple procedure. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It would facilitate the extension of benefits of various social security schemes to beneficiaries in the unorganised sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>B. Occupational Safety, Health &amp; Working Conditions Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Free health checkup once a year by the employer for workers which are more than a certain age.</li>
<li>Legal right for getting an Appointment Letter given to workers for the first time.</li>
<li>Cine Workers have been designated as Audio Visual Worker, so that more and more workers get covered under the OSH code (The Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981). Earlier, this security was being given to artists working in films only.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>C. Industrial Relations Code, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Provision for accumulation of one day leave for every 20 days worked, when work has been done for 180 days instead of 240 days.</li>
<li>In the event of death of a worker or injury to a worker due to an accident at his workplace, at least 50 % share of the penalty would be given. This amount would be in addition to Employees Compensation.</li>
<li>Inspector to be now made as Inspector &ndash; cum- Facilitator and introduction of Random, Web Based Inspection System to remove to Inspector Raj.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits of Labour Codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consolidation and simplification of the Complex laws:</strong> The three Codes simplify labour laws by subsuming 25 central labour laws that have been on the table for at least 17 years.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide a big boost to industry &amp; employment and will reduce multiplicity of definition and multiplicity of authority for businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Single Licensing Mechanism:</strong> The codes provide for a single licensing mechanism. It will give fillip to industries by ushering in substantive reform in the licensing mechanism. Currently, industries have to apply for their licence under different laws.</li>
<li><strong>Easier Dispute resolution:</strong> The codes also simplify archaic laws dealing with industrial disputes and revamp the adjudication process, which will pave the way for early resolution of disputes.</li>
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong> According to the industry and some economists such reform shall boost investment and improve ease of doing business. It drastically reduces complexity and internal contradictions, increases flexibility &amp; modernizes regulations on safety/working conditions</li>
<li><strong>Other benefits for Labour:</strong> The three codes will promote fixed term employment, reduce influence of trade unions and expand the social security net for informal sector workers.</li>
<li><strong>Gender parity:</strong> Women have to be permitted to work in every sector at night, but it has to be ensured that provision for their security is made by the employer and consent of women is taken before they work at night.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The maternity leave is increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. women were allowed to work in mines under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY).</strong></a></li>
<li>Pay parity to women workers as compared to their male counterparts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A very robust, reliable and fairly decent social security package needs to be created for workers of unorganised sectors as well.</li>
<li>The proposal of increasing the compensation amount of the retrenched employee should be taken into account; increased from 15 days of a salary to 45 days of salary.</li>
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		'article_id' => (int) 6664,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'World Habitat Day 2020',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> United Nations</strong> has designated the<strong> first Monday of October every year</strong> as <strong>World Habitat Day</strong> (5<sup>th</sup> October 2020).</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Day:</strong> It focuses on the<strong> state of human settlements and people&rsquo;s right to sufficient shelter.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future generations.</li>
<li>The Global Observance of World Habitat Day 2020, is being co-hosted by <strong>UN-Habitat and the Government of Indonesia.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UN-Habitat</strong> is a <strong>United Nations agency</strong> for Urban development that promotes sustainable human settlements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>World Habitat Day was <strong>first celebrated in 1986</strong> with the theme<strong> &ldquo;Shelter is My Right&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Nairobi</strong> (Kenya) was the host city for the observance that year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Theme: &ldquo;Housing for All-A better Urban Future&rdquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> focus</strong> is to promote<strong> sustainable housing management</strong> to achieve <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-indias-sustainable-development-goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sustainable Development Goal 11.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sustainable Development Goal 11 aims to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Urban Population:</strong> Currently, around 55% of the world population is living in cities, and the number is growing every day.</li>
<li><strong>Slum Dwellers:</strong> Around 1.8 billion people are still living in the slums.</li>
<li><strong>Sanitation:</strong> Around 3 billion lack basic hand washing and sanitation facilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Scenario:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong> In a country of India&rsquo;s size, diversity, and population, it is a staggering challenge to implement an ambitious urban agenda.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Lack of Basic Amenities:</strong> Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Housing Condition, there is a shortage in slum areas especially.</li>
<li><strong>Public Health Infrastructure:</strong> Despite the huge growth in urban population density during the last two decades, there has been no commensurate improvement in the healthcare infrastructure.</li>
<li><strong>High Level of Pollution:</strong> The growing rate of air pollution due to vehicular traffic and huge construction and demolitions waste increase morbidity amongst the people living the cities.</li>
<li>The <strong>large-scale migration from urban areas to the rural areas</strong> in the time of Covid-19 pandemic was a major challenge.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Measures:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Major flagship Missions such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/swachh-bharat-mission-urban" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban</strong></a>, <a href="/printpdf/pradhan-mantri-awas-yojana-grameen-behind-target" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban</strong></a>, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres#:~:text=Smart%20City%20Mission,create%20smart%20outcomes%20for%20citizens." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Smart Cities Mission</strong></a>, the <a href="/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-december-2018#:~:text=Atal%20Mission%20for%20Rejuvenation%20and%20Urban%20Transformation%20(AMRUT)&amp;text=AMRUT%20is%20aimed%20at%20transforming,budgetary%20support%20from%20the%20Centre." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AMRUT Mission</strong></a> were in implementation mode in India well before the SDGs were adopted by the other Member States.</li>
<li><strong>Housing:</strong> There is a huge focus on the use of new and environmentally safe construction technologies and techniques. Through a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-2nd-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global housing technology challenge</a> (GHTC)</strong>, the very best of national and international technologies are sought to be brought in.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>GHTC aims to fast-track the construction of affordable housing and meet the target of constructing 1.2 crore houses by 2022.</li>
<li>GHTC focuses on identifying and mainstreaming proven demonstrable technologies for lighthouse projects and spotting potential future technologies for incubation and acceleration support through ASHA (Affordable Sustainable Housing Accelerators).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Urban Poor:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pm-svanidhi-micro-credit-scheme-for-street-vendors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM SVANidhi scheme</strong></a> targeting the<strong> street vendors</strong> who were affected by the lockdown that was imposed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>collateral free working capital of Rs.10,000</strong> is made available to the street vendors immediately by the participating banks.</li>
<li>Simultaneously, they are being brought on to the formal economy and the formal, digital banking ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National urban policy framework 2018</strong> seeks to rebuild Indian cities around clusters of human capital, instead of considering them simply as an agglomeration of land use.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Creation of a Database of Migrant Workers:</strong> Recognition and identification of migrants is the first step towards a more enhanced framework to provide basic amenities.</li>
<li><strong>Addressing Challenges:</strong> The central and state governments need to continue their efforts to address the informality of the Indian economy, the rural-urban divide, the uneven growth within states and between regions in the country, and the social and economic inequalities associated with the poorest and vulnerable.</li>
<li><strong>Unorganised Worker Index Number Cards</strong> by the Labour Ministry would also help in formalisation of the workforce.</li>
<li><strong>Focusing on Public Health Infrastructure:</strong> Smart cities project does well by focusing on creation of hard infrastructure for urban renewal.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1661704" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6578,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Right Code For Labour',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/rajya-sabha-approves-three-labour-codes-merging-25-central-labour-laws-11600849923026.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rajya Sabha approves three codes subsuming 25 central labour laws</strong></a> which was published in The LiveMint on 23/09/2020. It evaluates the three labour codes recently passed by the parliament.</p>
</div>
<p>Labour falls under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. Recently, the Parliament passed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/labour-reforms-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>three labour codes</strong> </a>&mdash; on<strong> industrial relations; occupational safety, health and working conditions; </strong>and<strong> social security &mdash;</strong> proposing to simplify the country&rsquo;s archaic labour laws and give impetus to economic activity without compromising with the workers&rsquo; benefits.</p>
<p>These labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour relations in India. Along with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/code-on-wages-1#:~:text=Code%20on%20Wages%20Act%202019,-The%20new%20wage&amp;text=It%20seeks%20to%20universalizes%20the,legislative%20protection%20of%20minimum%20wage." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Code on Wages Act- 2019&rsquo;,</strong> </a>these can significantly ease the conduct of business by amalgamating a plethora of Central and State laws on labour.</p>
<p>The labour codes were adopted on the recommendations of the <strong>Second National Commission on Labour (2002),</strong> which suggested consolidating 100 State laws and 40 Central laws across industries, occupations and regions.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #1b264a;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>Existing Labour Codes Subsumed</strong></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; background-color: #ebffde;">
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The social security code replaces nine laws on social security, including the Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, 1952, and the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.</li>
<li>Industrial Relations Code subsumes the Industrial Disputes Act, 1974, the Trade Unions Act, 1926; and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.</li>
<li>The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code replaces 13 labour laws.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Key Proposals in the Three Labour Codes</strong></p>
<p><strong>Industrial Relations Code Bill 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The code, among its important provisions, makes it easier for companies to<strong> hire and fire workers.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Companies employing upto 300 workers will not be required to frame rules of conduct for workmen employed in industrial establishments. Presently, it is compulsory for firms employing upto 100 workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It proposes that workers in factories will have to give a notice <strong>at least 14 days in advance</strong> to employers if they want to go on strike. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Presently, only workers in public utility services are required to give notices to hold strikes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Besides, every industrial establishment <strong>employing 20 or more workers</strong> will have one or more<strong> Grievance Redressal Committees</strong> for resolution of disputes arising out of employees&rsquo; grievances.</li>
<li>The code also proposes setting up of a <strong>reskilling fund</strong> to help skill retrenched workers.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It spells out duties of employers and employees, and <strong>envisages safety standards</strong> for different sectors, focusing on the health and working condition of workers, hours of work, leaves, etc.</li>
<li>The code also recognises the<strong> right of contractual workers.</strong></li>
<li>The code provides employers the flexibility to employ workers on a fixed-term basis, on the basis of requirement and without restriction in any sector. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>More importantly, it also provides for <strong>statutory benefits</strong> like social security and wages to fixed-term employees at par with their permanent counterparts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also mandates that no worker will be allowed to work in any establishment for<strong> more than 8 hours a day</strong> or more than<strong> 6 days in a week.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In case of an overtime, an employee should be <strong>paid twice the rate of his/her wage.</strong> It will be applicable to even<strong> small establishments,</strong> which have upto 10 workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The code also brings in <strong>gender equality</strong> and empowers the women workforce. Women will be entitled to be employed in all establishments for all types of work and, with <strong>consent can work before 6 am and beyond 7 pm</strong> subject to such conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For the first time, the labour code also<strong> recognises the rights of transgenders.</strong> It makes it mandatory for industrial establishments to provide washrooms, bathing places and locker rooms for male, female and transgender employees.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Code on Social Security Bill, 2020</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This will <strong>replace nine social security laws,</strong> including Maternity Benefit Act, Employees&rsquo; Provident Fund Act, Employees&rsquo; Pension Scheme, Employees&rsquo; Compensation Act, among others.</li>
<li>The code <strong>universalizes social security coverage</strong> to those working in the unorganised sector, such as migrant workers, gig workers and platform workers.</li>
<li>For the first time, provisions of social security will also be<strong> extended to agricultural workers also.</strong></li>
<li>The code also <strong>reduces the time limit for receiving gratuity payment</strong> from the continuous service of five years to one year for all kinds of employees, including fixed-term employees, contract labour, daily and monthly wage workers.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Benefits of Labour Codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Consolidation and simplification of the Complex laws:</strong> The three Codes simplify labour laws by<strong> subsuming 25 central labour laws</strong> that have been on the table for at least 17 years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will provide a big boost to industry &amp; employment and will reduce multiplicity of definition and multiplicity of authority for businesses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Single Licensing Mechanism:</strong> The codes provide for a single licensing mechanism. It will give fillip to industries by ushering in substantive reform in the licensing mechanism. Currently, industries have to apply for their licence under different laws.</li>
<li><strong>Easier Dispute resolution:</strong> The codes also simplify archaic laws dealing with industrial disputes and revamp the adjudication process, which will pave the way for early resolution of disputes.</li>
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong> According to the industry and some economists such reform shall boost investment and <strong>improve ease of doing business.</strong> It drastically reduces complexity and internal contradictions, increases flexibility &amp; modernizes regulations on safety/working conditions</li>
<li><strong>Other benefits for Labour:</strong> The three codes will promote fixed term employment, reduce influence of trade unions and expand the social security net for informal sector workers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Concerns with the Labour codes</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Against the Interests of Employees:</strong> The codes provide the liberty to industrial establishments to <strong>hire and fire their employees at will.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This move might enable companies to introduce arbitrary service conditions for workers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Free Hand to States:</strong> The central government has also attracted criticism that states have been given a <strong>free hand to exempt laws in violation of labour rights.</strong> However, the Union Labour Minister has said the labour issue is in the <strong>Concurrent list</strong> of the Constitution and therefore states have been given the flexibility to make changes as they wish.</li>
<li><strong>Affect Industrial Peace:</strong> Industrial Relation Code proposes that workers in factories will have to give a <strong>notice at least 14 days</strong> in advance to employers if they want to go on strike.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, earlier the <strong>Standing Committee on Labour</strong> had recommended against the expansion of the required notice period for strike beyond the <strong>public utility</strong> services like water, electricity, natural gas, telephone and other essential services.</li>
<li>Further, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has also opposed the Code, describing it as a clear attempt to diminish the role of trade unions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/periodic-labour-force-survey-2018-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Periodic Labour Force Survey</strong> </a>observes that 71% of regular wage/salaried workers in the non-agriculture sector did not have a written contract, and 50% were without social security cover. The new laws, by simplifying compliance, should create an incentive for workforce formalisation.</p>
<p>The new labour codes will help in increasing the pace of generating good quality jobs to cater to the growing workforce, their rising aspirations and to absorb out-migration of labour from agriculture. This way India can fully be able to capitalize on its inherent labour and skill cost and help a fast economic recovery especially post <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19.</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600948077_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1600948077_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="539" height="519" /></strong></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #ebefff;">
<p><span style="color: #800000;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss how recently passed labour codes can have a transformative impact on labour empowerment in India. Also, discuss the challenges associated with the codes.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dLjM-UM8n1I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/what-labour-needs-6606712/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;What labour needs&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on September 23<sup>rd</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6529,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the<strong> Union Minister of Rural Development</strong> provided information on implementation of the<strong> Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY),</strong> in Rajya Sabha.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Launched on:</strong> 25<sup>th</sup> December, 2000.</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> To provide connectivity, by way of an all-weather road to unconnected habitations.</li>
<li><strong>Eligibility:</strong> Unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Deserts and Tribal Areas as per 2001 census) in the core network for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural population.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An <strong>Unconnected Habitation</strong> is one with a population of designated size located at a distance of at least 500 metres or more (1.5 km of path distance in case of Hills) from an All-weather road or a connected Habitation.</li>
<li><strong>Core Network:</strong> It is that minimal Network of roads (routes) that is essential to provide Basic access to essential social and economic services to all eligible habitations in the selected areas through at least single all-weather road connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Latest Funding Pattern:</strong> The fund allocation to states has been made in subsequent years commensurate with the value of projects sanctioned to states.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> Union Government bears 90% of the project cost</strong> in respect of projects sanctioned under the scheme in <strong>North-Eastern and Himalayan States,</strong> whereas <strong>for other states</strong> the Union Government bears <strong>60% of the cost.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Construction of Rural Roads:</strong> The Rural Roads constructed under the PMGSY will be in accordance with the provision of the <strong>Indian Roads Congress (IRC).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IRC is the <strong>Apex Body of Highway Engineers</strong> in the country.</li>
<li>The IRC was set up in <strong>1934.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>PMGSY - Phase I</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>PMGSY - Phase I was launched in December, 2000 as a 100 % <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>centrally sponsored scheme.</strong></a></li>
<li>Under the scheme, 1,35,436 habitations were targeted for providing road connectivity and 3.68 lakh km. for upgradation of existing rural roads in order to ensure full farm to market connectivity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>PMGSY - Phase II</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India subsequently launched <strong>PMGSY-II in 2013</strong> for <strong>upgradation of 50,000 Kms of existing rural road network</strong> to improve its overall efficiency.</li>
<li>While the ongoing PMGSY - I continued, under PMGSY phase II, the <strong>roads already built for village connectivity was to be upgraded</strong> to enhance rural infrastructure.</li>
<li>The cost was <strong>shared between the centre and the states/UTs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>PMGSY - Phase III</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Phase III was approved by the Cabinet during July <strong>2019.</strong></li>
<li>It gives priorities to facilities like:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs)</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>GrAMs are retail agricultural markets in close proximity to the farm gate, that promote and service a more efficient transaction of the farmers&rsquo; produce.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Higher Secondary Schools and</strong></li>
<li><strong>Hospitals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate <strong>1,25,000 Km</strong> road length in the States. The duration of the scheme is <strong>2019-20 to 2024-25.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Lack of dedicated <strong>funds.</strong></li>
<li>Limited involvement of the <strong>Panchayati Raj Institutions.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Inadequate execution</strong> and contracting capacity.</li>
<li>Less working season and<strong> difficult terrain</strong> particularly in Hill States.</li>
<li><strong>Scarcity</strong> of the <strong>construction materials.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Security concerns</strong> particularly in <strong>Left Wing Extremism (LWE)</strong> areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rural Road Connectivity is a key component of Rural Development as it promotes access to economic and social services.</li>
<li>Further, it helps in generating increased agricultural incomes and productive employment opportunities in India.</li>
<li>In this regard, the government can consider engagement with international financial institutions to construct basic rural infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1656170" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6516,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Union Minister of Textiles</strong> provided information on implementation of <strong>Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP),</strong> in Rajya Sabha.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>SITP was launched in <strong>2005.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong> To provide the industry with world-class state of the art infrastructure facilities for setting up their textile units. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To attract foreign investors to the domestic textile sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Key features:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the SITP, infrastructure facilities for setting up of textile units are developed in a <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Government of India <strong>grants upto 40%</strong> of the project cost.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, it grants <strong>upto 90% of the project cost</strong> for the first <strong>two projects</strong> (each) in the North Eastern States, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Union Territory of Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government's support is limited to<strong> Rs. 40 crores</strong> for each textile park.</li>
<li>Each <strong>Integrated Textile Park</strong> (ITP) under the scheme would normally have<strong> 50 units.</strong> The number of entrepreneurs and the resultant investments in each ITP could vary from project to project.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A total of 59 textile parks have been sanctioned under SITP by the textiles ministry out of which 22 textile parks have been completed.</li>
<li>Further, the proposal to set up<strong> Mega Textile Parks</strong> by the Ministry of Textiles is at the advanced stage of discussion.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The government is considering a plan to set up 1,000-acre mega textile parks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>slow progress of SITP</strong> is attributed to:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Delay in obtaining land.</li>
<li>Other statutory clearances from state governments.</li>
<li>Slow fund mobilisation by the textile parks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Significance of Textile Sector</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The sector accounts for 7% of India&rsquo;s manufacturing output, 2% of GDP, 12% of exports and employs directly and indirectly about 10 crore people.</li>
<li>Owing to the abundant supply of raw material and labour, India is-<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> largest producer of cotton,</strong> accounting for 25% of the global output.</li>
<li>The <strong>world&rsquo;s second-largest producer of textiles and garments</strong> after China.</li>
<li>The<strong> second-largest producer of man-made fibres &mdash;</strong> polyester and viscose.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As per India Brand Equity Foundation, the sector has demonstrated encouraging growth trends in India with a <strong>compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8%</strong> for the last few years wherein it has reached a size of $13 billion.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highly fragmentation and domination by the unorganized sector.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> introduction of new tax structure</strong> under <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GST</strong></a> (Goods and Service Tax) makes the garments expensive.</li>
<li>Increasing <strong>interest rates</strong> and <strong>labor wages and workers&rsquo; salaries.</strong></li>
<li>Faces a<strong> lack of access to the latest technology</strong> and fails to meet the global standards in the highly competitive export market.</li>
<li>The <strong>fierce competition</strong> from China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the low price garment market.</li>
<li>The <strong>environmental and social issues</strong> like child labor and personal safety.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Major Government Initiatives</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Comprehensive Scheme for Development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector:</strong> The Government has launched a separate scheme for development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector to boost production in the knitting and knitwear cluster at <strong>Ludhiana, Kolkata and Tirupur.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme is launched under Power-Tex India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)</strong> for promoting textiles industry in the NER by providing infrastructure, capacity building and marketing support to all segments of textile industry.</li>
<li>A skill development scheme titled <strong>SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector)</strong> covers the entire value chain of the textile sector, excluding Spinning and Weaving in the organized sector, on pan India basis.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-fact-for-prelims-1st-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Power-Tex India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/silk-samagra#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20India%20has,of%20sericulture%20in%20the%20country.&amp;text=It%20focuses%20on%20improving%20the,country's%20dependence%20on%20imported%20silk." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Silk Samagra Scheme</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/20-06-2020#:~:text=Amended%20Technology%20Upgradation%20Fund%20Scheme,cost%20for%20the%20textile%20industry." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-handloom-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Handloom Day</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/packaging-in-jute-bags-made-mandatory#:~:text=Jute%2DICARE%20(Jute%3A%20Improved,retting%20technologies%20under%20water%20limiting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jute ICARE</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-technical-textiles-mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Technical Textile Mission</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Toward an organised sector:</strong> India can make the sector organised by setting up mega apparel parks and common infrastructure for the textile industry.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will increase the scale of production and help Indian players to produce faster and at a lower cost with maximum efficiency in operation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Facilitate modernisation of the industry:</strong> Focus should be on the modernisation of the obsolete machinery and technology. This can help increase the production and productivity of the textile industry and thereby increase the export also.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1655530#:~:text=It%20is%20expected%20to%20attract,the%20textile%20sector%20by%202022." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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