welfare scheme for vulnerable section Flashcards

Question

Major Forest Produce and Minor Forest Products?

Answer 1

Major Forest Products comprise Pulpwood, Sandalwood, Social Forestry that incudes Fuel and Timber Minor Forest Products include the items such as tamarind, curry leaf, Tendu Patta, gallnut, Cane, Soapnut, tree moss and now Bamboo also Bamboo was recognized as a Minor Forest Produce way back in 2006 Forest Rights Act, now its selling rights have been given to villages many states such as Gujarat, Maharastra, and Rajasthan have given liberty to the tribals for collection of the minor forest products. In states like Tamil Nadu, collection of Minor Forest Produce is leased out to scheduled caste and scheduled tribes Cooperatives societies such as LAMPS at a concessional rate of 10% GoI has assigned the ownership of minor forest produce to the people living in and around forests for the purpose of collection, processing, trade and marketing through national level legislation named as the Scheduled tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest rights) Act, 2006

Answer 2

* A K Sharma Committee fr collaboration betn Min of PRI and MoTA * T Haque Committee:recommended for fixation of MSP for 14 MFPs in its final report.

Answer 3

MoTA on recommendation of TRIFED and the states concerned

Answer 4

1. T 2. F; MoTA

Answer 5

1. Community forest resource: customary common forest land within traditional boundaries of village. includes reserved forests, protected forests and protected areas such as WLS, NPs to which community had traditional access 2. critical wildlife habitat: areas of NP/WLS reqd to be kept inviolate for Wl conservation 3. Forest dwelling ST: members or community of STs including ST pastoralist communities 4. Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs): any member who has for at least three generations prior to Dec 13th 2005, primarily resided in and who depend on fores for livelihood needs

Answer 6

act identify four types of rights: 1. Title rights * It gives FDST and OTFD the right to ownership to land farmed by tribals or forest dwellers subject to a maximum of 4 hectares. * Ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family and no new lands will be granted. 2. Use rights: 1. Right to hold and live in forest land under individual or common occupation for livelihood or habitation 2. *Nistar rights*: The rights of the dwellers extend to extracting Minor Forest Produce, collect firewood, grazing areas, to pastoralist routes, etc. 3. community forest rights of nomadic or pastoralist communities to use of fish and other products of water bodies, grazing 3. Relief and development rights: To rehabilitation in case of illegal eviction or forced displacement and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection 4. Forest management rights: It includes the right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use. Also right of access to BD and community rights to IPR and traditional knowledge related to BD.

Answer 7

1. This Act will not give a single square inch of land to anyone. The Act only requires the government to give legal recognition to lands that people have already been farming 2. if I am a tribal cultivating half an acre of forest land as on December 13, 2005, I will receive title to exactly that half acre – no more. 3. If I am cultivating 10 hectares, I receive title to four of those; and 4. if I am cultivating nothing, I receive title to nothing. 5. oreover, the titles recognised under this Act cannot be sold or transferred to anyone

Answer 8

1. What are called “forests” in Indian law often have nothing to do with actual forests. 2. Under the Indian Forest Act, areas were often declared to be “government forests” without recording who lived in these areas, what land they were using, what uses they made of the forest / land – and often without surveying whether it was forest at all. 3. 82% of Madhya Pradesh’s forest blocks, 20% of AP’s government forests and 40% of Orissa’s reserved forests have never been surveyed. 4. Similarly 60% of India’s national parks have till today (sometimes after 25 years, as in Sariska) not completed their process of enquiry and settlement of rights. 5. As a result millions of people are subject to harassment, evictions, etc, on the pretext of being encroachers in their own homes. In the latest national eviction drive from 2002 onwards, more than 3,00,000 families were driven into destitution and starvation

Answer 9

1. Gram Sabha (full village assembly) makes a recommendation i.e who has been cultivating land for how long, which minor forest produce is collected, etc. 2. Forest Rights Committee (FRC) constituted at village level to assist Gram sabha in discharge of its functions. FRC is democratically elected from amongst the members of Gram sabha. 3. gram sabha’s recommendation goes through two stages of screening committees at the taluka and district levels. The district level committee makes the final decision 4. The Committees have six members : three government officers and three elected persons. 5. At both the taluka and the district levels, any person who believes a claim is false can appeal to the Committees, and if they prove their case the right is denied 6. land recognised under this Act cannot be sold or transferred.

Answer 10

1. Members or community of the Scheduled Tribes who primarily reside in and who depend on the forests or forest lands for bona fide livelihood needs. 2. It can also be claimed by any member or community who has for at least three generations (75 years) prior to the 13th day of December, 2005 primarily resided in forests land for bona fide livelihood needs. 3. The Gram Sabha is the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of Individual Forest Rights (IFR) or Community Forest Rights (CFR) or both that may be given to FDST and OTFD.

Answer 11

Joint committee report 2010 (MoEFCC + MoTA) 1. implementation has been poor 2. FRA doesn't provide any timeframe for completion of process. implementation process by SGs has been slow in general 3. serious flaws in constitution of Forest Rights Committee in many states. 4. FRA stipulates that OTFDs are not to be evicted or removed until their process of recognition and verification of their rights is complete. However, this has been violated in many cases 5. cases of relocaation of tribals from PAs including TRs without having completed procedures under FRA 6. most states have concentrated almost entirely on implementing provisions for individual forest rights with little regards to giving ownership over community forest rights. 2019: SC in feb 2019, had ordered for eviction of millions of forest dwellers from forests ass their claims had been rejected by states. Forest rights have been recognised over only 5.28 million ha of land till date, two-third of which are community rights where communities can’t change the land use and are mandated to protect forests.

Answer 12

main idea behind UBI is to prevent or reduce poverty and increase equality among citizens. essential principle behind UBI is the idea that all citizens are entitled to a livable income, irrespective of the circumstances they’re born in. Imp Characterestics: * universality (all citizens included) * unconditionality (no prior condition) * Periodic (Payments at periodic regular intervals) * Payments in cash (not food vouchers or service coupons)

Answer 13

1. Economic Survey of India 2016-17 has advocated the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as an alternative to the various social welfare schemes in an effort to reduce poverty. 2. Other Supporters of the UBI programme include Economics Nobel Laureates Peter Diamond and Christopher Pissarides, and tech leaders Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. 3. UNHRC recommended implementation of a universal basic income in the wake of COVID lockdowns

Answer 14

1. Michel Foucault, in Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, wrote "There remains, therefore, a trace of ‘torture’ in the modern mechanisms of criminal justice." 2. As of 2020 1.6 crore criminal cases were pending judgment for more than a year across all district and taluka courts in India 3. An estimated 70 per cent of prison inmates are undertrials. NCRB data shows that \>1800 prisoners died in 2018. A large no. of them must have been undertrials 4. At the end of 2019, more than one lakh people were lodged in Indian prisons as undertrials for more than a year. The share of undertrials lodged in prisons for more than a year has increased over time (~25% by 2019) as the percentage of cases pending judgment in courts has also increased sharply. 5. At the end of 2019, more than 90% of undertrials were not graduates and about 28% were illiterate. 6. INdia's prisons are coping with issues like overcrowding, delayed medical attention, unhygienic conditions and archaic prison laws (eg. most prison laws do not criminalise conduct of prison authority and grants them immunity and presumes their act in good faith even in acts of extreme neglect) 7.

Answer 15

Key provisions; 1. Act seeks to regulate the employment of inter-State migrants and their conditions of service. 2. envisages a system of registration of such establishments. 3. The principal employer is prohibited from employing inter-State workmen without a certificate of registration from the relevant authority. 4. law also lays down that every contractor who recruits workmen from one State for deployment in another State should obtain a licence to do so. 5. Contractors are bound by certain conditions. These include committing them to providing terms and conditions of the agreement or any other arrangement on the basis of which they recruit workers. **_Applicability_** applicable to every establishment that employs five or more migrant workmen from other States (even in addition to others employed in the establishment); or if it had employed five or more such workmen on any day in the preceding 12 months. It is also applicable to contractors who employed a similar number of inter-State workmen. **_Beneficial provisions for inter-State migrants_**: The wage rates, holidays, hours of work and other conditions of service of an inter-State migrant workman shall be the same as those extended to other workmen in the same establishment, if the nature of their work is similar. Plus, registration creates a system of accountability and acts as the first layer of formalising the utilisation of their labour **The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (passed) merged 13 labour laws into a single piece of legislation. The Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act, 1979, is one of them.**

Answer 16

* The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 * The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 * The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 All the above are now combined in the Code on Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020 * 2008 Unorganised Sector Social Security Act: Now subsumed in Social security code 2020

Answer 17

1. Act empowers the Central Government to provide Social Security benefits to unorganised sector workers by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to 1. Life and disability cover, 2. Health and maternity benefits, 3. Old age protection and 4. Any other benefit as may be determined by the Central Government. 2. The State Governments are also empowered to formulate suitable welfare schemes on the matters regarding housing, provident funds, educational schemes, skill upgradation, old age homes etc. 3. This act is now subsumed in the Code on Social Security, 2020.

Answer 18

mobile app by RBI, fr visually challenged to identify currency notes works offline too audio o/p in english and Hindi

Answer 19

In October 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 340 of the Constitution, appointed a commission to examine the issue of sub-categorisation of OBCs, chaired by retired Justice G. Rohini, to ensure social justice in an efficient manner by prioritising the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs).

Answer 20

1. OBCs comprise 52 per cent of India’s population 2. It is a heterogeneous category that includes peasant, artisan, service castes, among others, as well as several nomadic tribes. 3. The Mandal Commission report recognised “caste as the main factor” in the backwardness of the OBCs. 4. As per the National Sample Survey of 2015, the proportion of OBCs in higher education is 35 per cent. By comparison, the percentage of students from the upper castes is 41 per cent and the proportion of SCs in higher education is 24 per cent. 5. A study conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in 2009 demonstrates that the all-India proportion of OBCs in medical education is 21 per cent, whereas that of SC/STs is 15 per cent. 6. There are no OBC faculty members at the professor and associate professor levels in any of the 40 central universities.

Answer 21

1. Many deaths occurred during the peak of the pandemic’s second wave, when sanitation workers handled dead bodies in semi-urban and rural areas and on the banks of the Ganga in cities like Buxar, Ballia, Kannauj, Allahabad, Unnao. 2. In the last five years, more than 9,730 people have died from multiple chronic conditions emanating from their employment in the dehumanising practice of manual scavenging and cleaning insanitary latrines. 3. In the same period, Over 600 have died in the hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks, with around 18-20 per cent unreported cases in both these categories. 4. Until now, the government has merely reached 5 per cent of the total population of manual scavengers and only 20 per cent of the total area of India in its identification-related surveys. Need to expand the categories of manual scavengers — from dry latrine workers, drain sweepers, septic tank cleaners and railway sanitation workers to sanitary toilet cleaners, open faecal sludge handlers, hospital sanitation workers, sanitation-waste intersection workers, bone scavengers etc 5. **_lapses in the implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act and government interventions:_** * Clauses like “power to remove difficulties and power to exempt” again fracture the very core of this Act. * appointed “inspectors” have failed in exhibiting appropriate lists of their examination of sanitation infrastructures. * While there exists loopholes in the Manual csavenging Act 2013, like “that when a person is employed to clean excreta with the help of such devices using protective gears then the person will not be deemed as a manual scavenger”, these devices, promised under the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge last year, are yet to be delivered to a large section of the target community. * In 2021, the government has no accurate record of the number of sanitation workers, let alone manual scavengers and their approximate death count.

Answer 22

According to ILO, ‘Child labour’ is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that is: * Mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children. * Interferes with their schooling by depriving them of the opportunity to attend school, obliging them to leave school prematurely or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work. The worst forms of child labour comprise all forms of slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage, and forced labour, use of children in armed conflict, pornography or other illicit or hazardous work that compromises children’s health, morals, or psychological wellbeing of children. Intro: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvN\_8sA-Zf0djgzWoI509P9LFjlx?e=nTiwxu

Answer 23

As per the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016 ("CLPR Act"), a "Child" is defined as any person below the age of 14, and the CLPR Act prohibits employment of a Child in any employment including as a domestic help. It is a cognizable criminal offence to employ a Child for any work. Children between age of 14 and 18 are defined as "Adolescent" and the law allows Adolescent to be employed except in the listed hazardous occupation and processes which include mining, inflammable substance and explosives related work and any other hazardous process as per the Factories Act, 1948 In addition to the constitutional prohibition of hazardous child labour, various laws in India, such as the Juvenile Justice (care and protection) of Children Act-2000, and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Abolition) Act-1986 provide a basis in law to identify, prosecute and stop child labour in India Constitution of India prohibits child labour in hazardous industries (but not in non-hazardous industries) as a Fundamental Right under Article 24

Answer 24

1. Global * According to official data, there are around 160 million children worldwide (1 in every 10 children) working as child labourers, out of which India accounts for close to 7.3 per cent of that number. Half of these 160 mn are employed i hazardous works * Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence and largest number of children in child labour. * UN had planned to terminate child labour of all forms by 2025 * ILO estimates that agriculture, at 60 percent, is the largest employer of child labour in the world * Global progress against child labour has stagnated since 2016. * 72% of all child labour occurs within families, primarily on family farms or in family microenterprises * Globally, 9 million additional children are at risk of being pushed into child labour by the end of 2022 because of COVID 19 pandemic. 2. India: * There are 33 million child labourers between the ages of 5 - 18 years in INDIA as per census 2011 data and 10.13 million between the ages of 5- 14 years. The latter figure has reduced from 1.26 cr in the census 2001 * Rural India has the highest percentage of child lavbour, accounting to 80% of the total burden in India. * According to Census 2011, the highest number of child labourers work in Uttar Pradesh. * some prominent indiustries in india (non-agri) that employs child labour * Diamond industry: in 90s * fireworks: notorious eg. SIvasaki town in TN * silk mfg * carpet weaving * mining * domestic labour

Answer 25

1. Demand Side 1. INformal Economy 2. cost cutting 3. specific demands of some works like bidis. rat mining 4. General public's apathy 5. Laws and Regulations: lackkusture implementation 2. Supply side 1. poverty and inquitable growth 2. lack of social protection- eg. orphans; family emergencies eg. COVID 3. bonded labor 4. lack of education and awareness 5. armed conflict areas

Answer 26

1. Art 21(A) and Art 45: free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 yrs 2. Art 23 criminalises human trafficking and forced labour 3. Art 24 prohibits employment of children below 14 yrs in factories, mines and hazardous employment 4. Art 39(e): health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength

Answer 27

* Impact on health * Physical abuse * malnutrition * lost childhood * illiteracy * forced maturity * mental health issues * against decent work prospects in adulthood as well * child trafficking Diag: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvN\_8sA-Zf0djg0ZX83aCE2avQ6E?e=pEJGbE

Answer 28

* Even before the outbreak, India was struggling to keep children in school. A 2018 study estimated that more than 56 million children were out of school in India * Global child labor had been gradually declining in the past two decades, but the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to reverse that trend, according to the ILO * As many as 60 million people are expected to fall into poverty this year alone, and that inevitably drives families to send children out to work. A joint report by the ILO and United Nations Children’s Fund estimates that a 1 percentage point rise in poverty leads to at least a 0.7 percentage point increase in child labor. * A total of 591 children were rescued from forced work and bonded labor from different parts of India during the lockdown by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, a civil society group on children’s rights, founded by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi. * Children may be seen as a stop-gap measure to fill jobs left vacant by migrant laborers who fled cities for their rural homes during the lockdown. * Education: The closure of 1.5 million schools because of the pandemic in India has impacted 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools leading to child labour and unsafe migration. the digital divide and loss of learning continuity have further increased these gaps and decreased confidence in children. In a [study](https://theprint.in/india/64-kids-in-rural-india-fear-they-have-to-drop-out-if-not-given-additional-support-survey/625146/) by ChildFund India, 64% of the children expressed that they may drop out if not provided additional educational support.

Answer 29

1. Gurupadswamy Committee, 1979: It was formed to study the issue of child labour and recommended a multiple policy approach in dealing with the problems of working children. 2. India ratified ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour and Convention 138 on the Minimum Age of Employment. 3. Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016: It prohibits the ‘engagement of children in all occupations and of adolescents in hazardous occupations and processes’, wherein ‘adolescents’ refers to those under 18 years and children to those under 14 years. 4. National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme: Under the scheme Special Schools/Rehabilitation Centres for the rehabilitation of child labourers are opened. These Centers provide non-formal education, vocational training, supplementary nutrition and stipend to children withdrawn from employment. 5. PENCiL (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) Portal: It has become a pivotal tool in rescuing and rehabilitating victims of child labour. 6. Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement) has helped liberate more than 85,000 children in India from exploitation through education and rehabilitation.

Answer 30

1. 80% of labour force employed in informal sector 2. Of the 384 million employed in the informal sector, half work in agriculture, living mostly in rural India, and the other half are in non-agricultural sectors. It is this informal workforce employed in non-agricultural sector that is most vulnerable especially in wake of the pandemic and lockdown 3. One half of this group lives in rural India. They are somewhat supported by MNREGA 4. The other half lives in urban India and is employed across the trade, hotels, transport, manufacturing and construction sectors.

Answer 31

1. 102nd CAA, 2018 2. SC May 2021 Verdict 3. 127th CAA, 2021

Answer 32

The amendment inserted Articles 338B and 342A into the Indian Constitution. The amendment also brings about changes in Article 366. 1. Art 338B 1. provides for the establishment of a commission for the socially and educationally backward classes to be known as the NCBC, thereby giving it a constitutional status after this amendment was passed. The Commission was originally set up in 1993. As per the article, the commission shall consist of the following members who would be appointed by the President: Chairperson, Vice-chairperson and Three other members The article also gives the Commission all the powers of a civil court while enquiring into specific complaints regarding the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the socially & educationally backward classes. Art 342A empowers the President to specify the socially and educationally backward classes with respect to a state or union territory. The article makes it mandatory to get parliamentary approval for adding to or deleting a community from the Backward List of communities. Thus, Article 342(A) introduces greater transparency. * **Apart from list-inclusion and reservation, it requires comprehensive and holistic development and advancement of each community towards equality in all parameters of development and welfare**. Thus, The new act has recognized that BCs also need development in addition to reservations. There are provision in the act for development of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEdBCs) and the new NCBC’s role in the development process.

Answer 33

* A Supreme Court Constitution Bench by a 3:2 verdict ruled that the 102nd Amendment did take away the power of the states to identify socially and educationally backward classes under their territory for providing reservations in admissions and employment. According to the judgement, only the President has the power to notify a particular caste as SEBC. * The states can only make suggestions to the President or the NCBC for removing, adding or modifying the list of backward classes. * But the power of the states to make reservations in favour of the communities, decide the quantum and kind of reservations, and the nature of benefits, (that is, other than identifying the communities/castes) remains intact. * The judgement also held the 102nd Amendment to be valid and that it did not affect the federal nature of Indian polity and also did not adversely affect the basic structure of the Constitution.

Answer 34

restored the power of State governments to identify OBCs that are socially and educationally backward

Answer 35

1. denotes relatively forward, better-educated and socially advanced members of OBCs 2. The term was introduced by Sattanathan Commission in 1971, which recommended that 'creamy layer' should be excluded from quota benefits 3. INdira sawhney judgement (1992), SC directed that 'creamy layer' among OBCs be excluded from quota benefits. Court also asked the Central government to fix the norms for income, property and status for identifying the creamy layer. In 1993, the creamy layer ceiling was fixed at ₹1 lakh. It was subsequently increased to ₹2.5 lakh (2004), ₹4.5 lakh (2008), ₹6 lakh (2013), and at ₹8 lakh since 2017. 4. APplicability to SCs/STs: * In Nagaraj case (2006) verdict, SC reversed its earlier stance in Mandal case, in which it had excluded the creamy layer concept on SCs/STs. Court in this case laid down three conditions for promotion of SCs and STs in public employment: 1) Government cannot introduce quota unless it proves that the particular community is backward, 2) Inadequately represented (based on quantifiable data), and 3) Providing reservation in promotion would not affect the overall efficiency of public administration. * This was contrary to Mandal case pronouncement that held that SCs/STs are the most backward among backward classes and that once a grp is added in the Presidential List (amendable only by Parliament)under Art 341 and 342, there is no question of proving their backwardness. * In the Jarnail Singh case 2018 verdict, SC invalidated the requirement of collecting quantifiable data by states on the backwardness of SCs and STs for granting reservations in promotions, but upheld need to show with data the inadequate representation. However, on the creamy layer principle, SC reiterated *that socially, educationally, and economically advanced cream of SC/STs communities must be excluded from the benefits of reservation in government services in order to transfer quota benefits to the weakest of the weaker individuals and not be snatched away by members of the same class who were in the “top creamy layer”*. 5. Few categories defined under Creamy Layer for OBCs: 1. Income beyond 8 lakh: For those not in government services, the current threshold is an income of Rs 8 lakh per year. 2. Parents’ rank: For children of government employees, the threshold is based on their parents’ rank and not income. 6. Recently SC struck down two Haryana govt's notifications that sub classified backward classes solely on economic basis for fixing criteria for creamy layer. SC held that Apart from the economic criterion, social, educational and other factors must also be taken into account before defining a “creamy layer” among the backward classes.

Answer 36

During the period May - November 2021, more than 81.35 crore people will be provided 5 kg free wheat/rice per person / month along with 1 kg free whole chana to each family per month. This is over and above the regular monthly entitlements under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). Eligibility: * BPL-AAY HHs (identified by SGs as per CG criterias) and Priority HHs categories (identified by SGs as per their own criterias) * HHs headed by widows or terminally ill persons or disable dpersons or persons aged 60+ with no assured means of subsistence or societal support. * All primitive tribal households. * Landless agriculture labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans/craftsmen and persons earning their livelihood on daily basis in the informal sector like porters, coolies, rickshaw pullers etc in both rural and urban areas * All eligible Below Poverty Line families of HIV positive persons. While rice and wheat are already a part of India’s food security programme, this was the first time the government distributed pulses at such a large scale.

Answer 37

Launched in May 2021. The scheme has been **launched for support & empowerment of Covid affected children.** **Eligibility:** All children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian/adoptive parents due to Covid 19 will be supported under the scheme. Features: 1. **Fixed Deposit in the name of the child:** A corpus of Rs 10 lakh for each child when he or she reaches 23 years of age. 2. Monthly stipend once they turn 18 3. **School Education: For children under 10 years:** Admission will be given in the nearest Kendriya Vidyalaya or in a private school as a day scholar. 4. **School Education: for children between 11-18 years:** The child will be given admission in any Central Government residential school such as Sainik School, Navodaya Vidyalaya etc. 5. **Support for Higher Education:** The child will be assisted in obtaining an education loan for Professional courses / Higher Education in India as per the existing Education Loan norms. 6. **Health Insurance:** All children will be enrolled as a beneficiary under Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY) with a health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakhs.

Answer 38

launched by Flipkart an initiative aimed at bringing India’s artisans, weavers, and handicrafts producers onto e-commerce. Flipkart Samarth has been designed to support the e-commerce journey for artisans from onboarding until they reach familiarity with the process of selling online. The host of initiatives and benefits under Flipkart Samarth include dedicated support for onboarding, cataloguing, account management, business insights, dedicated seller support, reduced commission where eligible, and warehousing support.

Answer 39

**Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund)** to **deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation like posed by the** [**COVID-19 pandemic.**](https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19) * The Fund is a **public charitable trust** with the **Prime Minister** as its **Chairman.** Other Members include Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister. * The Fund **enables micro-donations** as a result of which a large number of people will be able to contribute with the smallest of denominations. * contributions by companies towards the PM-CARES Fund **will count towards** mandatory CSR expenditure

Answer 40

* This fund was **instituted in 1948** by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to assist displaced persons from Pakistan. * The fund is **currently used primarily to tackle natural calamities** like floods, cyclones and earthquakes. * The fund is also used **to help with medical treatment** like kidney transplantation, cancer treatment and acid attack. * The fund **consists entirely of public contributions and does not get any budgetary support.** It accepts voluntary contributions from Individuals, Organizations, Trusts, Companies and Institutions etc. * The corpus of the fund is also invested in various forms with scheduled commercial banks and other agencies. **Disbursements are made with the approval of the Prime Minister.** * The **fund is recognized as a Trust under the Income Tax Act** and the same is managed by the Prime Minister or multiple delegates for national causes. * Contributions towards PMNRF are notified for **100% deduction from taxable income under section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.**

Answer 41

* Membership: 1. Chairman of the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) is the Prime Minister of India. Other members are from Tata Trusts, representatives of FICCI, Congress President. 2. Chairman of the PM-CARES fund is the Prime Minister of India. The Prime Minister has the power to nominate members. The other members of the PM CARES Fund are the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister. * Minimum amt donatable: Rs 100 for PMNRF and Rs 10 in PM CARES * purpose: 1. PMNRF focuses on all kinds of natural disasters and calamities. The PMNRF funds are also utilised for acid attack victims, cancer treatments, kidney transplants etc. 2. PM CARES fund is exclusively used for [COVID-19](https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/wuhan-coronavirus/) purposes. * govt/PSU funding 1. accepts only voluntary donations by institutions and individuals. Contributions flowing out of the balance sheets of the PSUs or from the budgetary sources of Government are not accepted. 2. PM CARES Fund can receive contributions from Public Sector Undertakings. PM-CARES Fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals or organisations and does not get any budgetary support.

Answer 42

* Spending from both the PM CARES Fund and PMNRF does not require approval from [Parliament](https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/functions-of-the-parliament/). * Donations to both PMNRF and PM CARES Fund will be exempted from Income Tax under Section 80G. * Funds from both PM Cares and PMNRF cannot be utilised without the directions of the Prime Minister. * Both are out of purview of CAG * Both PMNRF and PM CARES do not receive budgetary support. * Both PMNRF and PM CARES are set up as trusts. * Both PM CARES and PMNRF can receive foreign contributions. They are exempted from the [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)](https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/foreign-contribution-regulation-act-fcra/). * PMNRF does not come under the Right to Information (RTI). It is not clear whether PM CARES comes under the ambit of the [Right to Information (RTI)](https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/right-to-information-rti/) Act.

Answer 43

Counter-arguments * the PM CARES Fund is not a Government of India fund and that the amount collected by it does not go to the Consolidated Fund of India * Government has conceded it to be a public charitable trust, but still maintains that it is not a ‘public authority’. * This Trust is neither owned, controlled or substantially financed by any CG or SG or any instrumentality of the any Government. Arguments * Depsite the claims of not being associated with teh govt, it uses the designation of the Prime Minister, designated symbols of the nation, the tricolour and the official (gov.in) website of the PMO, and grant tax concessions through an ordinance * Because this Fund is not audited by CAG, the Government has to ensure that it is answerable and foreclose any possibility of corruption. * Prime Minister is the ex-officio Chairman and three cabinet Ministers (for Defence, Home and Finance) are ex-officio members. * If the PM CARES Fund is unconnected with the Government, then the Fund could become an office of profit. And that could disqualify him and the three Ministers from holding those constitutional offices. * The PMO decides how to spend the funds collected, which is the prime function. his is ‘substantial control’ which is the test to determine its character as a public authority under the RTI Act as highlighted in the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India in *Thalappalam Service Coop. Bank Ltd. vs State of Kerala*. * Section 19 of the Indian Trusts Act mandates the trustees to present full and accurate information of the amount and state of the trust property to the beneficiaries. Because of this statutory access, all information about the PM CARES Fund should be accessible as per Section 2(f) of RTI Act

Answer 44

* low catch in BoB over last few yrs * dwindling catch is attributed to marine pollution and cyclones * untreated effluents frm pharmaceutical industries flowing into the sea has affected marine life * boat owners need to invest 3L rs for every voyage. Fishing is proving to be a loss making trade for many boat owners * Rising diesesl and ice prices have increased costs

Answer 45

solution to bottomtrawling issues (covered in env conservation f/c) * The activity of catching fish that live in the deep parts of the sea/ocean is called deep-sea fishing. * The boats are designed in such a way that fishermen get access to the deeper parts of the ocean and fish species. * It is practiced worldwide, especially in the coastal areas with no ecological damage. * The depth of water should be at least 30 meters to be considered a deep sea fishing zone. * Palk Bay scheme (in Border areas f/c)

Answer 46

77th; 81st; 82nd; 85th

Answer 47

1) Clause 4A 2) states can make provisions for reservation in promotion matters for SC/ST employees, if states feel they are not adequately represented

Answer 48

1) Clause 4B 2) unfulflled Sc/ST quota, when carried forward, willbe treated separately; not clubbed with regular vacancies to find 50% limit

Answer 49

1) inserted a provision at the end of Art 335 2) enabled state to make any provision for SC/STs for relaxation in qualifying mks or lowering stds of evaluation, for promotion 3) art 335 originally talked abt: claims of SC/STs along with maintenance of efficiency of admin

Answer 50

consequential seniority for SC/ST reservtion in promotion.

Answer 51

1) Indra Sawhney case 1992 i.e. Mandal commission case 2) M Nagaraj case 2006 3) Jarnail Singh case 2018

Answer 52

SC excluded creamy layer of OBCs frmreservation benefits

Answer 53

1) 5 judge bench incl then CJI , upheld constitutionl validity of the amendments, which were challenged claiming that amendments were a circumvention of indra Sawhney judgement. 2) SC ruled that states aren't bound to, but can make such provision , but state has to collect quantifiable data showing backwardness of class and inadequacy of rep of that class in public employment and compliance to Art 335 (effciency of admin) 3) State must see to it that it doesn't breach 50% ceiling OR OBLITERATE THE CREAMY LAYER or extend the reservation indefinitely.

Answer 54

centre argued three things 1) quantifiable data: contrary to 9 judge verdict of Indra Sawhney that held that them being in the Presidential list under Art 341 and 342, is in itself proof ofbackwardness 2) creamy layer concept was not applied to SC/ ST in Indra Sawhney case and that SC misread the verdict in Nagraj case. Deciding SC/ST identity is by Pres and thereafter by Parliament and no one else. 3) wanted the court to lay down test of proportion od SC/ST to pop in India at all stages of promotion.

Answer 55

1) 5 judge consti bench incl CJI Dipak Mishra refused to refer Nagraj verdict to a larger bench 2) collecting quantifiable data showing backwardness not reqd 3) but Govt will hv to back it with data to show their inadequate representation in the cadre 4) creamy layer principle WILL APPLY as it only impacts those persons within that grp who hv come out of untouchability or backwardness by virtue of belonging to the creamy layer.

Answer 56

replaced **the Juvenile Delinquency Law and the** [**Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Act) 2000**](https://www.insightsonindia.com/2015/12/28/the-big-picture-juvenile-justice-bill/) * [**Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015**](https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/13/juvenile-justice-jj-act-2015/) * It specifies procedural safeguards in cases of children in conflict with law. * It seeks to address challenges in the existing Act such as delays in adoption processes, high pendency of cases, accountability of institutions, etc.

Answer 57

* Change in nomenclature from ‘juvenile’ to ‘child’ or ‘child in conflict with law’, across the Act to remove the negative connotation associated with the word “juvenile” * Inclusion of several new definitions such as orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children; and petty, serious and heinous offences committed by children; * **Clarity** in powers, function and responsibilities of Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC); **clear timelines** for inquiry by JJB; The Act mandates setting up JJBs and CWCs **in every district**. **Both must have at least one woman member each.** * **Special provisions for heinous offences committed by children above the age of sixteen years:** * **JJB** is given the option to transfer cases of heinous offences by such children to a Children’s Court (Court of Session) after conducting preliminary assessment. * It provide for placing children in a ‘place of safety’ both during and after the trial till they attain the age of 21 years after which an evaluation of the child shall be conducted by the Children’s Court. * After the evaluation, the child is either released on probation and if the child is not reformed then the child will be sent to a jail for remaining term. * To streamline adoption procedures for orphan, abandoned and surrendered children, the existing Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is given the status of a statutory body to enable it to perform its function more effectively. Separate chapter (VIII) on Adoption provides for detailed provisions relating to adoption. * Processes have been streamlined with timelines for both in-country and inter-country adoption * As per the provisions, a single or divorced person can also adopt, but a single male cannot adopt a girl child. * **Inclusion of new offences committed against children:** These include: sale and procurement of children for any purpose including illegal adoption, corporal punishment in child care institutions, use of child by militant groups, offences against disabled children and, kidnapping and abduction of children. Further, Penalties for cruelty against a child, offering a narcotic substance to a child, and abduction or selling a child have been prescribed. * **Mandatory registration of Child Care Institutions** - All child care institutions, whether run by State Government or by voluntary or NGOs, regardless of whether they receive grants from the Government, are to be mandatorily registered under the Act within 6 months from the date of commencement of the Act.

Answer 58

* Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is **a statutory body** of Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. * It functions as **the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.** * CARA is designated as **the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions**in accordance with the provisions of **the Hague Convention** on Inter-country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003. * CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies. * CARA is also mandated **to frame regulations on adoption-related matters from time to time as per Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.**

Answer 59

* Adoption: Under the Act, once prospective adoptive parents accept a child, an adoption agency files an application in a civil court to obtain the adoption order. The Act states that adoption cases have witnessed significant delay in courts. As of July 2018, there were 629 adoption cases pending in various courts. Thus, instead of the court, the DM (including ADM) will perform these duties and issue all such orders. * THe bill alters the def of ‘serious’ offences to also include offences for which maximum punishment is imprisonment of more than seven years, and minimum punishment is not prescribed or is less than seven years. * **Designated Court:** The Act provides that offences against children that are punishable with imprisonment of more than seven years, will be tried in the Children’s Court (equivalent to a Sessions Court). Other offences (punishable with imprisonment of less than seven years) will be tried by a Judicial Magistrate. The Bill amends this to provide that all offences under the Act will be tried in the Children’s Court. * The Act provides that an offence under the Act, which is punishable with imprisonment between three to seven years will be cognizable (where arrest is allowed without warrant) and non-bailable. The Bill provides that such offences will be non-cognizable and non-bailable. * The Bill adds certain criteria for a person to be ineligible to be a member of the CWC. These include: (i) having any record of violation of human rights or child rights, or (ii) being a part of the management of a child care institution in a district. The DM will also carry out **background checks of CWC members,** who are usually social welfare activists, including educational qualifications, as there is no such provision currently. * **The CWCs are also to report regularly to the DMs** on their activities in the districts.

Answer 60

United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1985 adopted by UNGA

Answer 61

* Component of National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) * Rs. 20000/ - will be given as a lumpsum assistance to the bereaved household in the event of death of the bread - winner. * It is clarified that any event of death (natural or otherwise) would make the family eligible for assistance. * A woman in the family, who is a home maker, is also considered as a ‘bread - winner’ for this purpose. * The death of such a bread - winner should have occurred whilst he/ she is more than 18 years of age and less than 60 years of age.

Answer 62

launched in 1995 NSAP is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line households. NSAP at its inception in 1995 had three components namely 1. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): eligible age for IGNOAPS is 60 years. The pension is Rs.200 p.m. for persons between 60 years and 79 years. For persons who are 80 years and above the pension is Rs.500/ - per month. 2. National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and 3. National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS). * The National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) was subsequently transferred on 1st April, 2001 from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. * On 1st April, 2000 a new Scheme known as Annapurna Scheme was launched. This scheme aimed at providing food security to meet the requirement of those senior citizens who, though eligible, have remained uncovered under the NOAPS. * In February 2009, two new Schemes were added: * Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): eligible age is 40 years and the pension is Rs.300 per month. After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/ - per month. * Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): eligible age for the pension er is 18 years and above and the disability level has to be 80%. The amount is Rs.300 per month and after attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs 500/ - per month

Answer 63

The Act replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. It fulfills the obligations to the United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to which India is a signatory. salient headings: * disabilities * Rights and Entitlements * Guardianship * establishment of Authorities

Answer 64

Disability has been defined based on an evolving and dynamic concept. The types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. 21 disabilities are given below:- 1. Physical Disability * Locomotor Disability * **Leprosy Cured Person** * Cerebral Palsy * **Dwarfism** * Muscular Dystrophy * **Acid Attack Victims** * Visual Impairment * Blindness * Low Vision * [Hearing Impairment](https://vikaspedia.in/health/child-health/information-on-hearing-impairment-and-rehabilitation/hearing-impairment-and-rehabilitation/hearing-impairment) * Deaf * **Hard of Hearing** * **Speech and Language Disability** 2. Intellectual Disability * **Specific Learning Disabilities** * **Autism Spectrum Disorder** 3. Mental Behaviour (Mental Illness) 4. Disability caused due to- * Chronic Neurological Conditions such as * Multiple Sclerosis * Parkinson’s Disease * Blood Disorder * **Haemophilia** * **Thalassemia** * **Sickle Cell Disease** Persons with "benchmark disabilities" are defined as those certified to have at least 40 per cent of the disabilities specified above.

Answer 65

* Responsibility has been cast upon the appropriate governments to take effective measures to ensure that the persons with disabilities enjoy their rights equally with others. * Additional benefits such as reservation in higher education (not less than 5%), government jobs (not less than 4 %), reservation in allocation of land, poverty alleviation schemes (5% allotment) etc. have been provided for persons with benchmark disabilities * Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education. * Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities. * In line with [Accessible India Campaign](https://vikaspedia.in/social-welfare/differently-abled-welfare/schemes-programmes/accessible-india-campaign), stress has been given to ensure accessibility in public buildings (both Government and private) in a prescribed time-frame.

Answer 66

* The Act provides for grant of guardianship by District Court under which there will be joint decision – making between the guardian and the persons with disabilities.

Answer 67

* Broad based Central & State Advisory Boards on Disability are to be set up to serve as apex policy making bodies at the Central and State level. * Office of Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities has been strengthened who will now be assisted by 2 Commissioners and an Advisory Committee comprising of not more than 11 members drawn from experts in various disabilities. * District level committees will be constituted by the State Governments to address local concerns of PwDs. Details of their constitution and the functions of such committees would be prescribed by the State Governments in the rules. * Creation of National and State Fund will be created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities.

Answer 68

A 2018 study conducted by the Disability Rights India Foundation (DRIF) on the implementation of the RPWD Act, across 24 States, has revealed that **more than half have not notified the State rules.** * Only ten states including Bihar, Chandigarh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have notified the rules.

Answer 69

1. SC has held that reservation are not an exception to Art 15 but rather an of the principle of equality under **Article 15(1) of the Constitution. It is a case of positive discrimination.** 2. **Justice D.Y. Chandrachud** pointed out, **“castelessness” is a privilege that only the upper caste can afford because their caste privilege has already translated into social, political and economic capital.** 3. Every Census in independent India from 1951 to 2011 has published data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but not on other castes. Before that, every Census until 1931 had data on caste. 4. **The SECC conducted in 2011** has been called “faulty” and “unreliable”. 1. government had said that the total number of castes surveyed in 1931 was 4,147, while the SECC figures show that there are more than 46 lakh different castes. 2. The entire exercise was corrupted because the enumerators had used different spellings for the same castes. In many cases the respondents, the government said, had refused to divulge their castes. 3. in 2016, **the Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India** had informed the Standing Committee on Rural Development that 98.87% of the data on individual caste and religion was “error free”. 5. Even **the Mandal Commission’s** recommendations were criticised as being based merely on the “personal knowledge” of the members of the commission and sample surveys. 6. SC observations: 1. In **the Indra Sawhney case,** the Supreme Court held that the States must conclude the “backwardness” of a particular class of people only after proper assessment and objective evaluation. 2. It held that such a conclusion must be subject to periodic review by a permanent body of experts. 7. So far, **backward classes commissions** in various States have been conducting their own counts to ascertain the population of backward castes. 8. The **National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993,** provides under Section 11 that the Central government may every 10 years revise lists with a view to exclude those classes which have ceased to be backward and include new backward classes. This exercise has not been done to date.

Answer 70

* United Nations Convention defines **‘refugee’** as “*A person who owing to well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.*” * refugees and asylum seekers were entitled to the rights in **Articles 14, 20 and 21 of the Constitution.** * While law and order is a State subject under the Indian Constitution, international relations and international borders are under the exclusive purview of the Union government. This has resulted in a variety of agencies, both of the Central as well as the State governments, having to deal with refugee matters connected with law enforcement. * Also, all policies governing refugees are laid down by the Union government though the impact of the refugee problem as such has to be borne by the State administration to a greater degree if not wholly. * Even though India has been the home for a large number and variety of refugees throughout the past, it has dealt with the issues on a bilateral basis. It has been observing a ‘**refugee regime**’ which generally conforms to the international instruments on the subject without, however, giving a formal shape to the practices adopted by it in the form of a separate statute. cases for refugee ‘status’ are considered on a case-by-case basis. * *_In 1989, when the Myanmar*_ authorities started suppressing the pro-democracy movement in that country and about 3,000 nationals of that country sought refuge in India, the GOI declared that in accordance with well-accepted international norms defining refugee status, no genuine refugee from Myanmar would be turned back and in fact; they were accepted as refugees by the GOI. Similar is the _*case of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees_* crossing the sea to enter the southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu. The Government of India followed a specific refugee policy regarding Sri Lankan refugees and permitted them entry despite the fact that the refugees did not have travel documents. * Even though India is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention on refugees and also the 1967 Protocol, it is a signatory to a number of United Nations and World Conventions on Human Rights, refugee issues and related matters. Hence its obligations in regard to refugees arise out of the latter. India has also voted affirmatively to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms rights for all persons, citizens and non- citizens a like.

Answer 71

Although no reliable study of forced and bonded labour has been completed, NGOs estimate this problem affects 20 to 65 million [Indians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_India). Men, women and children are trafficked in India for diverse reasons. U.S. State Department's [Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_to_Monitor_and_Combat_Trafficking_in_Persons) placed the country in ["Tier 2"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafficking_in_Persons_Report#Ranking_System) in 2021 Acc to NCRB 2019 report, government reported 2,088 trafficking cases under the IPC compared with 1,830 trafficking cases in 2018 and 2,854 trafficking cases reported in 2017. ~36000 cases of humna trafficking betn 2011 and 2018 acc to NCRB reports. The conviction rate in human trafficking cases has been declining over the past four years. It has dropped from 27.8% in 2016 to 10.6% in 2020. NCRB 2022 report: * **Only 16 per cent saw convictions** against cases registered under the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs). * **Data not available:** The data on convictions was not available for **11 states** and as many as **eight states** and **three Union territories** saw no convictions at all. * JH saw highest % conviction. **11 states and Union territories** reported **zero convictions** in 2021. * arring **Telangana**, all states saw a dip in cases in **2020**, the first year of the pandemic which saw lockdowns.

Answer 72

Art 23 in Indian constitution Government of India penalises trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation through the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA), with prescribed penalty of seven years' to life imprisonment. India also prohibits bonded and forced labour through the Bonded Labour Abolition Act, the Child Labour Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act. **Criminal Law (amendment) Act 2013** has come into force wherein **Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code has been substituted with Section 370 and 370A IPC** which provide for comprehensive measures to counter the menace of human trafficking. **Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTU)** are specialized investigation units with the law enforcement that were created upon the directive of the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2008, by state governments in their respective states. number of **Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTU)** in the country has increased to 696. **Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.**

Answer 73

1. **The bill proposes stringent punishments** for offenders, including hefty fines and seizing of their properties. 2. The Bill also extends beyond the protection of women and children as victims to now **include transgenders as well as any person who may be a victim of trafficking**. 3. The draft also does away with the provision that a victim necessarily needs to be transported from one place to another to be defined as a victim. 4. **Exploitation has been defined to include,** at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation including pornography, any act of physical exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or forced removal of organs etc. **Applicability-** The law will extend to: 1. All citizens inside as well as outside India. 2. Persons on any ship or aircraft registered in India wherever it may be or carrying Indian citizens wherever they may be. 3. A foreign national or a stateless person who has his or her residence in India at the time of commission of offence under this Act. 4. Every offence of trafficking in persons with cross-border implications. 5. Defence personnel and government servants, doctors and paramedical staff or anyone in a position of authority.

Answer 74

trafficking of persons

Answer 75

1. SACRED portal is an electronic employment exchange for senior citizens. 2. It connects the able senior citizens with job providers in the private and public sector enterprises. 3. It is the initiative of Min of Social Justice and Empowerment

Answer 76

by Min of Social Justice and Empowerment ● “SMILE stands for Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”. (beggars and destitutes) ● Focus of the scheme is on rehabilitation, provision of medical facilities, counseling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic linkages etc. ● It includes sub scheme - ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’. ● The scheme would be implemented with the support of State/UT Governments/Local Urban Bodies, Voluntary Organizations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) , institutions and others

Answer 77

1. According to the Census 2011 total number of beggars in India is 4,13,670 (including 2,21,673 males and 1,91,997 females) and the number has increased from the last census. 2. West Bengal tops the chart followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at number two and three respectively. Lakshadweep merely has two vagrants according to the 2011 census.

Answer 78

* There is **no central Act on beggary,** many states and Union Territories have used the Bombay Act as the basis for their own laws. * The **Act defines a “beggar”** as anyone having no visible means of subsistence, and wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner, as makes it likely that the person doing so exists by soliciting or receiving alms. * “Begging” under the Act includes soliciting or receiving alms in a public place, whether or not under any pretence of singing, dancing, fortune-telling, performing or offering any article for sale. * The **Act gives the police the power to arrest individuals without a warrant.** It gives magistrates the power to commit them to a detention centre for up to three years on the commission of the first “offence”, and up to 10 years upon the second “offence”. * Before that, it strips them of their privacy and dignity by compelling them to allow themselves to be fingerprinted. * The **Act also authorises the detention of the family of the beggar,** and the separation of children over the age of five. * **Certified institutions or detention centres have absolute power over detainees,** including the power of punishment, and the power to exact “manual work”. Disobeying the rules of the institution can land an individual in jail. * The Centre made an attempt at repealing the Act through the **Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016,** with provisions including **doing away with the Beggary Act and proposing rehabilitation centres** for the destitute in each district.

Answer 79

* The Centre made an attempt at repealing the Act through the **Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016,** with provisions including **doing away with the Beggary Act and proposing rehabilitation centres** for the destitute in each district. * Bihar government’s **Mukhyamantri Bhikshavriti Nivaran Yojana** is a scheme worth emulation. * The scheme, instead of detaining persons under the Act, provides for open homes and community outreach for destitute persons. * Now, rehabilitation centres have been set up, with facilities for treatment, family reintegration and vocational training. * Recently, the [**Ministry of Railways has also proposed to decriminalise begging**](https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposed-amendment-to-railways-act-1989) on trains or railway premises. * **Argument For Decriminalising Begging:** * **Earlier Judgment On Decriminalisation:** The[**Delhi High Court which had decriminalised begging**](https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/delhi-high-court-decriminalises-beggary) in the national capital said provisions of the **Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959,** which **treats begging as an offence cannot sustain constitutional scrutiny.** * **Criminalising Begging Against Right To Life:** The provisions of the statutes criminalising the act of begging put people in a situation to make an **unreasonable choice between committing a crime or not committing one and starving,** which goes against the very spirit of the Constitution and violates **Article 21 i.e. Right to Life.** * **Government’s Obligation To Provide Social Security:** The government is mandated to provide **social security to everyone and ensure that all had basic facilities,** as embedded in the DPSP. The presence of beggars is evidence that the state has failed to provide basic facilities to all its citizens. So instead of working on its failure and examining what made people beg, **criminalising the act of beggary is irrational and against the approach of a socialist nation** as embedded in the preamble of Indian Constitution.

Answer 80

* first All India Survey on Domestic Workers flagged off in Nov 2021. * being carried out by Labour Bureau * obj: * estimating the number of domestic workers at the national and State levels, those engaged in informal employment, * no. of migrant and non-migrant workers; * the proportion of domestic workers who stay at their employers’ homes and those who do not; * the wages of such workers; and other socio-economic factors.

Answer 81

A draft National Policy on domestic workers is under consideration of the Central Government. The policy, if finalised, will benefit 50 lakh domestic workers in the country including maids and drivers amongst others. Salient features of the policy: 1. Inclusion of Domestic Workers in the existing legislations. 2. Domestic workers will have the right to register as workers. Such registration will facilitate their access to rights & benefits accruing to them as workers. 3. Right to form their own associations, trade unions. 4. Right to have minimum wages, access to social security, protection from abuse, harassment, violence. 5. Right to enhance their professional skills. 6. Protection of Domestic Workers from abuse and exploitation. 7. Domestic Workers to have access to courts, tribunals, etc. 8. Establishment of a mechanism for regulation of concerned placement agencies.

Answer 82

● The Central Government has enacted the Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 for providing social security to all unorganized workers including domestic workers. ● Social security schemes like National Old Age Pension Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development); National Family Benefit Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development); Janani Suraksha Yojana (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), Ayushman Bharat (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare). ● Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) with Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) provide life and disability coverage to the unorganised workers for the age group of 18 to 50 years depending upon their eligibility. ● Domestic Workers Sector Skills Council has been established under the Ministry of Skills Development to enable professionalization of domestic workers and enable their career progression.

Answer 83

* enacted to provide for the social security and welfare of the unorganised workers. * Unorganised workers mean home-based workers, self-employed workers or daily-wage workers. * The Act provides for the constitution of the National Social Security Board at the Central level. * The board will recommend the formulation of social security schemes viz life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Government for unorganised workers. * As a follow-up to the implementation of the Act, the National Social Security Board was set up in 2009

Answer 84

● It is a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking. ● Launched by the Railway Protection Force. ● As part of “Operation AAHT”, special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with focus on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of traffickers.