“Swavlamban” - The Mantra for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

The Department of Disability Affairs was created in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on May 12,2012 to ensure greater  focus on policy matters to effectively address disability issues and to act as a nodal Department for  greater coordination among stakeholders, organizations, State Governments and related Central Ministries.  According to the Notification dated December9, 2014 the Department has been renamed as Department of  Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

The Department envisions an inclusive society where equal opportunities are provided for the  growth and development of persons with disabilities to lead a productive, safe and dignified life.  To this end the Department strives to create an accessible barrier free environment for PwDs and also for their empowerment through legislation, policies, programmes and schemes.  Financial assistance for creating a barrier free environment under SIPDA Scheme; Financial assistance for purchase of aids and appliances for PwDs under ADIP Scheme; Physical rehabilitation: Services like early detection and intervention, counseling and medical rehabilitation, Research and Development for technological advancement; Educational empowerment; Social empowerment; Development of rehabilitation professionals/personnel; Advocacy and  awareness generation are steps taken in this direction.

Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India during his address on the occasion of International Day for the Disabled Persons on 3^rd December, 2014 had said that education was one of the key instruments for empowering Persons with Disabilities. The President further added that children with disabilities should have access to educational opportunities that will enable them to equally compete for gainful employment and lead a life of dignity.

Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, in his message has saluted the indomitable spirit of those with disability and had urged the people to work together to create a better world for them.  “Let us all work together to create a world where Persons with Disabilities can scale new heights of success without any obstacles,” the Prime Minister tweeted from his personal account.  On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, he saluted persons with disabilities and hailed them as “heroes”.  Today is a day to pledge our commitment towards our unwavering support to Persons with Disabilities and ensuring equal opportunities for them.

The Secretary-General of United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has called for efforts to ensure that the technology of the 21^st century is accessible to Persons with Disabilities so that critical information can reach them.  

Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment has been steering the Department with immense vigour under the overall leadership of the Prime Minister to realize the goal of inclusion of PwDs in the mainstream development process under the “Sabke Saath Sabka Vikas” mission of the Government.

It is estimated that  there are one billion people with disabilities worldwide who face many barriers in order to participate in  all aspects of society and the population of PwDs in India as per Census 2011  is  around 2.68 crore (2.2% of total population).  The result is that People with Disabilities do not enjoy access to society on an equal basis with others, including transportation, employment, education, justice and political participation.  The right to participate in public life is essential to create democracies and citizenship.  Yet, this fundamental right is very often denied to Persons with Disabilities.  The United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities requires all states parties to promote and protect the political rights of all Persons with Disabilities.

Realizing the need for empowerment, both social and economic, of PwDs, the Department has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to take forward and step up the Rehabilitation and Development related   issues for PwDs. 

Education of PwDs is one of the recent initiatives undertaken - Literacy and higher education level of PwDs is very low. Several schemes have been approved for enabling Students with Disabilities to acquire education and further their employability potential.

New schemes

“Pre-Matric Scholarship and Post-Matric Scholarship for Students with  Disabilities (SwD)” was launched. Under the Pre-Matric Scholarship, 46,000 students studying in class IX and X will be awarded scholarship every year (@ Rs.10000/- per SwD p.a.). Under the Post-Matric Scholarship 16,650 disabled students studying in class XI, XII onwards will be provided scholarship annually (@Rs.15000/- per SwD p.a.).

National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for SwDs at a total outlay of Rs.10.00   crores benefitting 60 students per annum @ Rs.13.00 lakh per annum to enable SwD to pursue higher education at the level of Masters Degree or Ph.D abroad has been implemented from the current financial year 2014-15. Applications have been invited.

Under the “Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for Students with disabilities”, applications have been invited for the year 2014-15. Selection is being done by University Grants Commission. UGC is in the process of selecting 300 candidates for the fellowship.

Flagship scheme of the Department

 Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) and ADIP, the Department has introduced a centralized on-line application system developed by NIC on the website www.ngograntsje.gov.in in the month of July 2014.

The revised ADIP Scheme has been operationalised. The salient features of the schemes are- Enhancement of cost ceiling; revised from Rs.6000/- to Rs.10000/- for single disability and from Rs.8000/- to Rs.12000/- for SwDs; Enhancement of income eligibility ceiling for 100% concession from Rs.6500/- per month to Rs, 15000/- per month and for a 50% concession from Rs.15000/- to Rs.20000/- per month.

Under the Scheme of Assistance to Disabled persons for purchase / fitting of aids & appliances (ADIP), the Department has introduced a centralized on-line application system developed by NIC on the website www.ngograntsje.gov.in in the month of July 2014.  Revised ADIP Scheme contains a provision to provide Cochlear Implant to 500 children per year, with a ceiling of  Rs. 6.00 lakh per unit to be borne by the  Government. The Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment has announced the commencement of First Cochlear Implant by AYJNIHH, Mumbai on International Day for the Persons with Disability on 3rd December 2014.

The Department in collaboration with TIFAC, an autonomous body of the Dept of Science & Technology, has launched a dedicated web portal for meeting the accessible needs relating to aids & appliances for persons with disabilities. The web portal was launched by the President of India on International Day for the Persons with Disability on 3^rd December 2014.   Swavlamban Composite camps – 200 Composite 'ABILITY- SWAWLAMBAN'.  Camps are being organized all over the Country.

The first batch of "motorized tricycles" has been distributed to 20 beneficiaries on 25.09.2014 at Shajapur, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

The Prime Minister of India and the Union Minister of SJ&E felicitated the  winners of Blind Cricket World Cup and   announced a cash Award of Rs. two Lakhs to  each player of the winning Team  representing India.

The Ministry is establishing Centres for Disabilities Sports to develop and encourage disabled sports persons.

A new “Scheme on Awareness Generations and Publicity” has been launched in the current financial year 2014-15 for creating enabling environment for social inclusion of the  PwDs in all fields of life by promoting awareness, encouraging volunteer action, financially supporting national/international events and accomplishments, etc. for the realization of the aspirations of PwDs.

Future Plans and New Initiatives on Good Governance:

"Accessible India campaign (Sugamya  Bharat Abhiyan)" is proposed to be  launched for the empowerment of persons  with disabilities through universal  accessibility for creating an enabling  environment for the PwDs to live an  independent life with dignity and equal  opportunity.

In order to facilitate PwDs, process of   equipping them with Universal ID has been  initiated and the detailed project report  (DPR) has been prepared. These will be smart cards containing information  regarding the disabilities etc. and will be  valid across the country.

A “Job portal for the PwDs” for facilitating employment of PwDs is being developed for the sector through National  Handicapped Finance Development  Corporation (NHFDC). This will aggregate  various jobs availability for PwDs in  Government/PSUs and private sector and  facilitate placement and employment of unemployed, skilled and semi-skilled PwDs. 

A toll-free “Help Desk/Help Centre” is  being developed by the Department  through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) for dissemination of information  relating to PwDs, tracking and handling of grievances, facilitating the aspirations and needs of PwDs such as skilling/  employment, etc.

The Department in collaboration with  Ministry of Skill and Entrepreneurship Development and National Skill  Development Council (NSDC) is preparing a comprehensive Strategy and Action Plan  for upscaling the skilling needs of the PwDs and their placement/employment with active involvement of various stakeholders  and different Departments mandated with skilling and employment generation.

An exclusive “National Level Mega Fair” for exhibition and sale of various products/goods being manufactured by PwDs and their organizations from all over the country will be organized in Delhi to provide enhanced exposure and market linkage/access for their products.

The Department is formulating  a scheme of “Scholarship for Top Class Education for Students with Disabilities” for Post Graduate Degree/Diploma in specified premier Institutions of Excellence in India

Scheme for “Free Coaching for Students  with Disabilities” for competitive  Examinations in Government Jobs or for Admission in Professional and Technical Courses” is also being formulated.

First ever National Para –games are  scheduled to be organized in New Delhi in  association with the Paralympic Committee  of India, in the month of March 2015.

Skill development for 15000 PwDs has  been targeted under vocational training to  be conducted by NHFDC and National Institutes.

A new interactive, informative and  disability friendly dedicated website of the Department is being developed and will be launched in the current financial year

End the Mental Illness Called Female Foeticide- Prime Minister of India

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme to Resurrect Women Pride Educate a man, you educate one person; educate a woman, you educate a complete family”- is one of the saner concepts we have come across in our life time. But why only family, she can educate and empower the entire country and humanity, feels the Government. No wonder it has translated into one of the flagship programs of union Government under the name, ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ which if implemented as envisaged can really make India a modern democracy.

Save Girl Child

But before we think of educating girl child we need to address a critical issue in this country. That is the decline in Child Sex Ratio (CSR).As per the Census, 2011 the child sex ratio (0-6 years) has shown a decline from 927 females per thousand males in 2001 to 919 females per thousand males in 2011. Even developed states like Maharashtra , Punjab, Haryana, NCT Delhi, Gujarat are far behind the national average compared to NER states and under developed states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, though the overall trend is quite concerning.

            Some of the reasons for neglect of girl child and low child sex ratio are son preference and the belief that it is only the son who can perform the last rites, that lineage and inheritance runs through the male line, sons will look after parents in old age, men are the bread winners etc. Exorbitant dowry demand is another reason for female foeticide/infanticide.  Small family norm coupled with easy availability of sex determination tests adds to the declining child sex ratio, further facilitated by easy availability of Pre-conception sex selection facilities inspite of strict rules against such tests.

Female Foeticide 

The practice of aborting female foetus has become more rampant with the availability of modern diagnostic tools for sex determination of the unborn. With the social biases favouring the male child on the presumptions of economic advantages and labelling the girl child as more of a liability, the sex ratio in the country has been skewed. The process of elimination continues even after birth in various forms of discrimination in matters of health, nutritional and educational needs of the girl child. This shows that women’s disempowerment begins even before birth. On the contrary, empowerment of women leads to all-round progress and emancipation from absurd beliefs and unscientific practices in the society.

The Lancet’, a medical journal published a report pertaining to the prevalence of sex selective abortions in rich and educated Indian families in 2011. According to the report which is based on review of data of three rounds of the nationally representative surveys (National Family Health Survey – 1, 2&3) carried out during the years 1990 to 2005, it was found that the conditional sex ratio for second-order births when the firstborn was a girl child, fell from 906 per 1000 boys in 1990 to 836 in 2005. But there was no significant decline in the sex ratio for second-order births if the firstborn was a boy child, or for firstborns.

Government Initiatives

The Government is implementing a comprehensive legislation; the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 for prohibition of sex selection before or after conception, regulation of Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques and prevention of their misuse for sex determination leading to female foeticide. 

Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy devising schemes, programmes and awareness generation/advocacy measures to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation.

The measures include the following:-

·                     Intensified effective implementation of the said Act and amended various provisions of the Rules relating to sealing, seizure and confiscation of unregistered machines and punishment against unregistered clinics. Regulation of use of portable ultrasound equipment only within the registered premises has been notified. Restriction on medical practitioners to conduct ultrasonography at maximum of two ultrasound facilities within a district has been placed. Registration fees have been enhanced. Rules have been amended to provide for advance intimation in change of employees, place, address or equipment. 

·                      The Prime Minister has urged the Chief Ministers of all States to provide personal leadership to reverse the declining trend in Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and address the neglect of the girl child through focus on education and empowerment.

·                     The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has been requested to block sex selection advertisements on websites.

·                     The Government is extending financial support to the States and UTs for operationalization of PNDT Cells, capacity building, orientation & sensitization workshops, Information, Education and Communication campaigns and for strengthening structures for the implementation of the Act under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

·                     States have been advised to focus on Districts/Blocks/Villages with low Child Sex Ratio to ascertain the causes, plan appropriate behaviour change communication campaigns and effectively implement provisions of the PC & PNDT Act.

·                     Religious leaders, women achievers etc. are also being involved in the campaign against skewed child sex ratio and discrimination of the girl child.

Girls Education

Offering girls basic education is one sure way of giving them much greater power of enabling them to make genuine choices over the kinds of lives they wish to lead. This is not a luxury. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women establish it as a basic human right. The fact that women might have the chance of a healthier and happier life should be reason enough for promoting girls' education.                                                                                                            Moreover, there are also important benefits for society as a whole. An educated woman has the skills, information and self-confidence that she needs to be a better parent, worker and citizen. An educated woman is, for example, likely to marry at a later age and have fewer children. Cross-country studies show that an extra year of schooling for girls reduces fertility rates by 5 to 10 per cent. And the children of an educated mother are more likely to survive. In India, for example, the infant mortality rate of babies whose mothers have received primary education is half that of children whose mothers are illiterate. An educated woman will also be more productive at work -- and better paid. Indeed, the dividend for educational investment is often higher for women than men. Studies from a number of countries suggest that an extra year of schooling will increase a woman's future earnings by about 15 per cent, compared with 11 per cent for a man.

But how to improve girls' access to education? Experiences in a number of countries show the importance of:

·           Parental and community involvement -- Families and communities must be important partners with schools in developing curriculum and managing children's education.

·           Low-cost and flexible timetables -- Basic education should be free or cost very little.

·           Schools close to home, with women teachers -- Many parents worry about girls travelling long distances on their own. Many parents also prefer to have daughters taught by women.

·           Relevant curricula -- Learning materials should be relevant to the girl's background and be in the local language. They should also avoid reproducing gender stereotypes.

Girl Child in India

Even though discrimination towards girls is rampant across caste and class, girls belonging to socially and economically lower categories as well as girls with disabilities face multiple discrimination on terms of identity. The Right to Education Act, 2009 has improved enrolment of children aged 6-14 in elementary schools across the country. The retention rate of girls at primary level has shown a slight improvement 75.94% in 2011-12 and the transition rate of girls at upper primary level has improved from 74.15% in 2003-04 to 87.32% in 2010-11, but there are 35 districts that continue to show a high gender gap. Thus, despite overall encouraging trends, inequities continue in educational provision of girls in the country.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme 

Realizing the urgent need to put these problems on high priority and focus, the present Government has introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme for survival, protection & education of the girl child. It aims to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) through a mass campaign across the country targeted at changing societal mindsets & creating awareness about the criticality of the issue. The scheme aims at making girls independent both socially as also financially through education. This approach of the Government can facilitate in generating awareness and improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for the women. The Scheme will have focused intervention & multi-sectored action in 100 districts with low Child Sex Ratio. Of these 87 districts in 23 States/UTs has Child Sex Ratio below the National average of 918.

The objectives of this initiative are:

·         Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination

·         Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child

·         Ensuring education and participation of the girl child

It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (H & FW) and Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD). The sectoral interventions under the programme include the following:

Ø    Ministry of WCD: Promote registration of pregnancies in first trimester in Anganwadi Centres (AWCs); Undertake Training of stakeholders; Community Mobilization & Sensitization; Involvement of Gender Champions; Reward & recognition of institutions & frontline workers.

Ø    Ministry of H & FW: Monitor implementation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCP&DT)Act, 1994; Increased institutional deliveries; Registration of births; Strengthening PNDT Cells; Setting up Monitoring Committees.

Ø     Ministry of HRD: Universal enrolment of girls; Decreased drop-out rate; Girl Child friendly standards in schools; Strict implementation of Right to Education (RTE); Construction of Functional Toilets for girls.

BBBP highlights the need for gender equality enshrined in the Constitution of India and brings out how neglect of girls and discrimination throughout her life cycle leads to an unequal status for the girls. It also aims to break myths about roles of men and women in society so that negative attitudes and behaviors steeped in patriarchy are changed. It can be a boon not just for the girl children but also for the whole society.

 Moreover, ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padao’ yojana comes at a time when the nation is confronted with problems associated with women’s safety like rape and other forms of assault. The Government also proposes to spend Rs 150 crore through the Ministry of Home Affairs on a scheme to extend the security of women in large cities. The Union budget has also allocated to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Rs 50 crore for pilot schemes to safeguard the safety of women on public road transport. The Prime Minister also launched the ‘Sukanya Samriddhi Account’ for the benefit of the girl child.

Significance of this Government initiative is very clear when the Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi urged all countrymen in his now famous MAN KI BAAT, on the need to draw inspiration from families and persons like US President Barack Obama who have only girl children, to bring up their daughters with pride and give them due respect. “To save the girl child, to educate the girl child, this is our social duty, cultural duty, and humanitarian responsibility; we should honour it”, has said the Prime Minister. Describing the desire to indulge in female foeticide as a "mental illness" Shri Modi has also warned that if this discrimination does not end it could cause a "terrible crisis" soon because of lack of women in the country. Prime Minister also reminded the medical fraternity that medical profession is for the purpose of saving lives, and not for killing daughters.

To conclude, gender respect should be taught at the school level more so from the home level by the parents. Also we need to address the associated problems in bringing up the girl child, her marriage expenses and discrimination in the society. If these are addressed properly there is no issue which will discriminate the girl from the boy in the society. We need not campaign door to door about the girl child and her safety. After all we live in a country where a state like Kerala extends the best of status to its girls.

Education has unrivalled power to reduce extreme poverty and boost wider development goals. Investing in education, especially for girls, alleviates extreme poverty through securing substantial benefits for health and productivity, as well as democratic participation and women's empowerment. Not only is investing in girls' education a moral obligation, but it is also essential if the country wants to break free of its high child and maternal mortality rates and find true prosperity in the future."

HADR Exercise by Indian Navy

A large scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise involving more than 20 ships from the Western and Eastern Fleet and various aircraft of the Indian Navy was conducted yesterday (09 Feb 15) in the Lakshadweep Islands (Karavati, Aggatti, Kalpeni and Androth).             The Exercise simulated a major cyclone striking the Lakshdweep Islands and disrupting essential services, causing widespread destruction of property, loss of life and dislocation of personnel, and was designed to validate the Indian Navy’s capability to provide immediate succor and relief to the affected populace. The Exercise involved setting up medical camps, provision of food, shelter from the elements, restoration of basic facilities and limited restoration work till the situation stabilised.                         The Indian Navy has the inherent capacity and capability to reach outlying islands and coastal areas, with relief and rehabilitation material and continuously prepares for this task. In the recent past, it may be recalled that, in the wake of the ”fresh water crisis” at Male in Dec 14, the Indian Navy had deployed two warships, which supplied more than 2000 tones of fresh water to the city of Male over a period of 10 days. The Indian Navy was also at the forefront of relief operations in the wake of the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, evacuation operations from Lebanon in 2006 and Libya in 2011, assistance to Bangladesh during Cyclone Sidr in 2007 and Myanmar during Cyclone Nargis in 2008. The Indian Navy had also participated in the search efforts for search of Malaysian airliner MH 370. This Exercise will further underscore the nation’s capabilities in being the ‘first responder’ in the region during times of humanitarian crises.

India looking forward to embarking upon a larger role in Asia-Pacific

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee yesterday (February 9, 2015) received His Excellency Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam, President of Republic of Singapore and Mrs. Mary Tan at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He also hosted a banquet in their honour. Welcoming Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam, the President said his visit comes at a historic moment in bilateral relations when India and Singapore are celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. India and Singapore enjoy excellent relations which are multifaceted and cover every aspect of life. Singapore is a valued friend of India. It is a major pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ Policy. India appreciates Singapore’s contribution to its engagement with ASEAN. India is looking forward to embark upon a larger role in the Asia-Pacific. The President said India and Singapore share historic links since the times of the Cholas. An important chapter of India’s freedom struggle was enacted in Singapore. The large community of overseas Indians in Singapore is a bridge between the two countries. The President said Singapore accounts for one of the largest sources of FDI inflows into India as well as FDI from India. India invites Singapore companies to join in connectivity and infrastructure projects and participate in ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’ and ‘Clean India’. India would like to work with Singapore to set up Smart Cities and in urban rejuvenation. Singapore’s experience in skill development can also be invaluable for India. Responding to President Mukherjee, Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam said India was one of the first countries to recognize Singapore when it became independent. India-Singapore relations are trouble free and extend over many areas. Economic relations have grown strongly but there is lot of potential for further growth. The strength of the relations goes beyond economic or diplomatic. It reflects a deep understanding between the people and governments of the two countries. Building on the foundation of last fifty years, there is much more that can be done. In his banquet speech, the President Pranab Mukherjee said India sees Singapore as its gateway to ASEAN. India shares a vision for a partnership based on shared beliefs in democracy, multicultural societies, rule of law, free enterprise, regional role and common links through growing people-to-people contacts. We are partners across the seas and an integral part of the regional architecture in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, both the countries are at an interesting cusp in history, witnessing major transformations. It shall be endeavour of India and Singapore to work together towards maintaining peace and stability in the region and bringing development to the peoples of two countries.

Conference on ‘Strengthening Economy Through Judicial Reforms,’

Says Need to Develop an Appropriate Institutional Framework to Resolve That More and More Disputes Using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms

Union Law & Justice Minister Shri  D.V. Sadananda Gowda today inaugurated the ASSOCHAM”s National Conference on “Strengthening Economy through Judicial Reforms” here in  New Delhi. He said If we desire to be recognized as a destination of choice for trade and commerce, it is imperative for us to focus on building an effective judicial system as an integral part of the economic reform agenda.  Accelerated justice will free up billions of dollars blocked in litigation against projects in several parts of the country and enable it to be put to productive use. The Minister said         Improving judicial productivity through systemic changes is very important.  It is said that nearly 70 per cent of civil cases in Australia, US and Canada are settled even before the trial begins.  This is because both parties to the litigation are aware of the probable time period - 'outcome date certainty'.          Some of the measures being undertaken on priority basis for ensuring the timely and effective enforcement of commercial contracts involve exploring the possibility of setting up of specialized fast track courts/tribunals at the subordinate level and specialized commercial divisions at the High Court level to deal with the commercial cases and encouraging arbitration to resolve contractual disputes. This is in addition to the proposals that are being pursued for the adoption of information technology solutions and court and case management systems for handling such cases.  The Law Commission of India has recently submitted its 253rd Report on Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Courts Bill, 2015 containing their recommendations on speedy disposal of high value commercial suits.  The report contains several valuable suggestions that are being examined by the Government. Some of the areas of concern that need to be taken up urgently are : · Inadequacy of judicial manpower. · Non-implementation of existing provisions aimed at expeditious disposal of cases. · Indiscriminate use of writ jurisdiction. · Need for Bar reforms. · National and State Litigation Policies. The Minister said there is a need to develop an appropriate institutional framework so that more and more disputes may be resolved using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms.  This involves setting up of adequate number of ADR centers, providing training to mediators and arbitrators and creating awareness about ADR processes.  This will help in reducing the burden of courts while at the same time providing parties with recourse to timely settlement of disputes.  The Government will shortly bring out necessary amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.   He informed that a proposal to amend the Negotiable Instruments Act to introduce measures to resolve cases arising under Section 138 through ADR mechanisms is currently under consideration.  Similarly the draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014 prepared by the Ministry of Road Transport will introduce provisions for reduction in traffic challan cases and resolution of traffic cases without resorting to litigation as well as expeditious disposal of motor accident cases. Shri Sadananda Gowda said though many laws that have been outdated and are no longer relevant continue to remain in the statute book. He said Government has started the process of repeal of 36 original Acts, 750 Amending Acts and about 900 Appropriation Bills to clean up the statute book. The Minister opined that the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) in the administration of justice is another important area.  This will help pave the way for revamping court processes, adopting court and case management systems and overall process re-engineering of the judicial system.  All of this is sought to be achieved through the e-Courts Mission Mode Project that is being implemented by the Department of Justice in association with the Supreme Court e-Committee and the National Informatics Centre. The objective of the e-Courts Project is to provide designated services to the citizens as well courts by ICT enablement of all district and subordinate courts. Phase I of this project focused on the computerization of subordinate courts, which will be followed by the setting up of centralized filing centres, digitization of documents, adoption of document management systems, creation of e-filing and e-payment gateways in Phase II of the project that was approved by the e-Committee of the Supreme Court in January 2014. Another area that needs urgent attention is the lack of comprehensive and accurate data relating to court cases.  Positive steps in this direction have been initiated through the launch of the e-Courts portal, which aims at creating the National Judicial Data Grid, providing citizens with online information about case filings, case status and electronic copies of orders and judgments from courts that have already been computerized.  However, we are still few steps away from providing real-time access to Judicial Data Grid.  Ensuring the availability of such real-time judicial statistics at the earliest possible will go a long way in enhancing transparency and accountability in our legal system. It will also encourage more insightful research and studies on various issues relating to judicial administration , the minister added. The successful completion of these initiatives for judicial reforms is a priority of the Government. He thanked the organisers  for inviting and sent suggestions and inputs related with his ministry will be welcome, said the minister. He also released a souvenir on the theme of conference ‘Strengthening economy through judicial reforms’

UKPCS-2012 PRE CUTOFF,UKPSC,SAMVEG IAS

GEN-189.25

http://ukpscappl.gov.in/resultapp/list_of_cutoff_marks_pcs.pdf

A new menu

ONE of the late R.K. Laxman’s best cartoons from the mid-1960’s portrays a smiling food minister looking out of a window at a heavy monsoon downpour saying, “This year we can tell the Americans to go to hell.” Fifty years ago, a good monsoon meant that that year, India was not dependent on food aid and wouldn’t have to go hat in hand to the Americans for food under the PL-480 programme. What a different world we are in today. Our agriculture is not as vulnerable to the monsoon and we have mountains of grain —  we maintain costly buffer stocks of more than twice our needs.

But while the world has changed, our food policy is stuck in a 50-year-old mindset. Back in the day, we set up the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to procure grain from farmers at prices set by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices in order to encourage production, subsidised agricultural inputs such as fertiliser, pesticide, water and electricity, and provided cheap food to consumers through fair price shops. This helped India get rid of its dependence on food aid, made it self-sufficient in grain production and brought about a Green Revolution. But today, our needs are different and the world has moved on.

Yet we continue with that same policy, in an extremely inefficient manner and at a very high cost. This was brought home by the report of a special panel on the FCI, headed by former Food Minister Shanta Kumar. The report recommends sensible, practical, partial reforms and should be adopted. The proposed reforms would make our food policy more consistent with the rest of the world and 

After the Bali meeting, India had three options: continue with the current system but try to reduce leakages through e-monitoring, undertake comprehensive reforms by shifting entirely to direct benefit transfers (DBTs) and shrink the FCI into a tiny buffer stock-holding agency, or effect partial reforms by introducing DBTs in major urban areas and allowing private traders to purchase and supply grain to the FCI for the remaining requirements. The panel has opted for partial reform but has gone further by suggesting revisions to the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The report makes five sensible and practical suggestions. First, get the FCI out of the business of procurement in grain-surplus states like Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, and shift its focus to eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and West Bengal. The FCI can purchase grain above its NFSA needs from surplus states, but the actual purchasing should be handled by the states themselves. Getting the FCI out of direct procurement is a good idea and it’s not clear why pushing it into procurement in the eastern states is desirable. It would be better to build procurement capacity ineastern states and help fuel another green revolution.

Second, the report pushes for a national warehousing system under a PPP model to reduce wasteful storage and transport costs. Farmers can deposit their produce at these warehouses and receive up to 80 per cent of the MSP value of this produce from banks — and then sell it later at market prices. This will be a major improvement as it would reduce storage costs and wastage.

Third, the panel suggests that state bonuses be the responsibility of the states and levies be made uniform at 3 per cent. This would help avoid the costs of huge bonuses paid by the states and financed by the levies they charge the FCI to procure from their farmers.

Fourth, the panel moots shifting to cash payments for inputs like fertilisers and rationalising the price of urea so that the NPK mix, which has been distorted by urea pricing, is reversed. Smuggling to neighbouring countries and other distortions caused by urea pricing would also be removed. Huge productive investments in the fertiliser sector are needed but have been held back by the absurd pricing system, which has made India even more dependent on fertiliser imports.

Fifth, the panel suggests amending the NFSA and reducing the subsidised population to 40 per cent instead of the current 67 per cent. It also suggests BPL consumers get more subsidised grain — 7 kg vs 5 kg — but that the issue price be linked to MSPs, except for the very poor. Further, in cities that have a population of more than one million, fair price shops should be replaced by DBTs.

If implemented, these recommendations would provide more food for the poorest population, reduce FCI costs, bring private trade back into the system and give poor urban consumers greater choice in their food basket. It will hurt labour unions that are gaming the FCI system and states that use bonuses as a political handout, which they get the Centre to pay for through levies. This would hugely reduce the massive leakages and corruption in the food chain.
If India can implement these reforms in the coming years, it would also avoid unnecessary battles at the WTO. It’s time to begin reforming a system that may have served us well 50 years ago but is now benefiting a few at a huge cost.