Panchayat raj- evaluation

                     73^rd and 74^th amendment were landmark events in Indian polity.It led to institutionalisation of third tier of governance in form of        panchayats and municipalities.This has led to significant changes in political land scape of India.

In last 2 decades, elections have been held on regular basis for local bodies in most of the places.30% reservation for women has led to empowerment of women in political domain. Some States like Bihar,M.P have further extended womens reservation to 50%.

Several flagship schemes like NREGA,JNNURM are being implemented through local bodies. Local bodies are being empowered to undertake social audit.

In scheduled areas gram sabhas have been given greater powers to regulate money lending, permit land acquisition and other sensitive issues.

Many of leaders from panchayat level have been able to progress to state and national level  politics.Local bodies are serving as nurseries for producing future leaders.

Thus in past 2 decades ,significant strides have been made in deepening democracy.This is reflected in fact that India has  over 30 lakh elected representatives at local, state and national level.

However there are several impediments that have made local bodies ineffective. Constitution envisaged local bodies  as institutes of self government.However state governments reluctance to empower them has  led   to their becoming agents of state government.They lack adequate funds,functions and functionaries. They are forced to depend on state governments.

The rotation of reservation of constituencies led to lack of interest of elected representatives  to invest political capital in developing their constituencies. Though women have been elected to local bodies, in many cases they only serve as proxy for their male relatives.

Deeply entrenched caste system has led to capture of local bodies by upper caste members , thus perpetuating discrimination of local castes.

Therefore real empowerment is lacking. There is growing disconnect between people and elected representatives at state and national level. It is in the interest of everyone to devolve powers to local bodies and make them into effective institutions of self government.This would transform India from a representative democracy to a more inclusive, participative and responsive democracy.

Green policies of India

• • National Clean Energy Fund
  • Compensatory Afforestation Fund.
  • National Environmental Policy, 2006
  • articulates that only such development is sustainable which respects ecological constraints and the imperatives of social justice
  • National Agricultural Policy
  •  focuses on sustainable development of agriculture by promoting technically sound and economically viable, environmentally non-degrading, and socially acceptable uses of the country’s natural resources
  • National Electricity Policy
  •  underscores the use of renewable sources of energy
  • National Action Plan on Climate Change
  • provides a clear strategy for addressing the challenges posed by climate change
  • voluntary domestic commitment to reduce, by the year 2020, the emissions intensity of our GDP by 20-25 percent as compared to 2005 levels
  • Emissions Trading Schemes
  • to reduce the level of ambient air pollution near major industrial clusters
  • “greening” rural development
  • regenerate and conserve the natural resource base
  • use clean materials, technologies and processes to create environment friendly products
  • strengthen the climate resilience of the rural poor
  
  

National Cyber security policy

Topic: Basics of cyber security[Paper III]
National cyber security policy
  secure cyber ecosystem in india and thereby enhance IT adoption in various sectors
  enhance global cooperation on cyber security issues
  protect stored information
  strengthen regulatory framework
  enhance intelligence gathering capabilities with regard to threats to ICT infrastructure
  enhance protection of critical information infrastructure
  develop indigenous security technologies
  create workforce of 5 lakh professionals in cyber security in 5 years
  encourage private businesses to adopt standard security practices
  appropriate legislative intervention to tackle cyber crime

Animal Husbandry

Topic: Economics of animal rearing [GS 3]

India and Central asian republics

source- IDSA

Land Bill- special provisions for SC and ST

Schemes by Ministry of women and child development

Syllabus Topic:Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

Women and child welfare

• paradigm shift in its approach to social sector issues which were earlier welfare oriented but now look at holistic empowerment

Significant Legislations

• Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place
• covers all women irrespective of their age and employment status at the private and public working spaces including domestic workers and those in the unorganised and informal sectors of work

Clients and customers are covered through this Act

• Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act,
• protection to children from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography through stringent punishment.

mandates special courts for speedy trial, child friendly procedures in courts and punishment for not reporting the offence to police or appropriate authority

• Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012 has been introduced

Schemes for Women

• Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls
• all-round development of adolescent girls of 11-18 years by making them self-reliant

by improving their health and nutrition status and facilitating access to learning and public services through various interventions

such as health, education, vocational training and counselling and guidance at the AnganwadiCenters

• ‘Ujjawala’
• o prevent trafficking on the one hand and also provides rescue and rehabilitation of victims
• five specific components-
• Prevention, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Repatriation of victims of trafficking
• conditional cash transfer scheme, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)
• included in the DBT scheme of the government.

implemented on pilot basis in 53 selected districts using the platform of ICDS

providing cash to Pregnant & Lactating (P&L) women during pregnancy and lactation in response to individual fulfilling specific conditions

addresses short term income support objectives with long term objective of behavioural and attitudinal changes

• ‘Swadhar’ scheme
• home-based holistic and integrated approach.

women in difficult circumstances

provides shelter, food, clothing, counselling, training, clinical and legal aid and aims to rehabilitate the women in difficult circumstances.

train and upgrade skills of women and to provide project based employment under identified sectors

• Support to Training & Employment Programme
• One Stop Crisis Centre for Women
• addresses the need for positive steps to be taken for women in crisis to provide immediate relief for the victims
• Poorna Shakti Kendra
• one stop centre for services to women were opened in 150 Gram Panchayats

act as motivators for the women in the Gram Panchayat and are also responsible for providing training on various issues.

Schemes for Children

• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme
• restructured and strengthened ICDS will be rolled out in three phases covering 200 high burden districts

early childhood care and development

Anganwadi will now be the first village outpost for health, nutrition and early learning for children and mothers

• Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
• provides a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances, as well as other vulnerable children, through Government-Civil Society partnership

o    Childline’ service, which is an emergency outreach service for children in need of care and protection through a 24-hour phone helpline (1098), has been expanded to 274 cities/districts

o    drafting a national Plan of Action to combat the declining child sex ratio