Garib Kalyan Sammelan – A war against poverty

The war is not only on the borders. The vast majority of country has been fighting against poverty. A population impoverished by brutal foreign rule and resultant widespread scarcity of resources has been living in a situation seeming like un-winnable battle for a long long time. The onset of Covid pandemic would have meant bengal-famine like starvation situation if not handled properly. From very beginning PM Modi’s focus has been on the inclusive development of the all sections of the society especially that of the poor and needy. Earlier today, PM Modi who was in Shimla, marking completion of eight years of the government, interacted with beneficiaries of different government schemes. He heard them appreciating government’s schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission, PM Aawas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi among others, which have proved to be huge successes with the smooth process giving no reason to face any hiccup in availing the benefits.

Putting asides the discrepancies and difficulties paved on its path, India successfully ventured out with a victorious flag in poverty alleviation and food security to the needy. Only recently, the World Bank hugely appreciated the efforts being made by the Government of India in reducing absolute poverty and robust economic growth that has led more than 90 million people escape extreme poverty with improved living standards, further highlighting PM Modi’s most fulfilling 8 years journey in “Desh Seva”.

Amid a grand welcome and thunderous applause upon reaching Shimla, Prime minister interacted with a host of beneficiaries of different government schemes. During the event, he also released the 11th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, which provides a new lease of life to the farmers badly hit by Covid and other occasional natural calamities. Terming himself as the Pradhan Sevak of 130 crore people, PM Modi at the ‘Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ released Rs 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmers.

During the interactions, farmers shared their experiences about the PM-Kishan Scheme also, which is a central sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India. Having become operational from 1.12.2018, the scheme gives an income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal installments to all land holding farmer families. Definition of the family for the scheme is husband, wife and minor children. State government and UT administration identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines and funds are directly transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

Shimla Accord of July 1972 was an attempt of lasting peace with a hostile neighbor which unfortunately did not yield desired results. But, today it seems the hill city Shimla has seen redemption of its reputation that the war against poverty has been given a shot in the arm.

Educational system during and Post-COVID world

The National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021- the first exercise of the sort after Covid-19 pandemic struck India, has confirmed how badly school education has been hit by the Covid pandemic. For the first time, a study has quantified the impacts and extents, showing a sharp decline in the performance of majority of the students. Under NAS, about 34 lakh students from more than one lakh schools in 720 districts of the country, have been covered, showing a decline in national average percentage in a range of subjects. The average performance of schools in rural areas was significantly below than their counterparts in the urban areas. Around a quarter of students said they didn’t have an access to digital devices, so couldn’t take any advantage of the online education. Students from poor and rural background faced greater problems also because of the non-availability of parental support. Suspension of physical classes has led to germination of negativity in children.

School closure in India affected 320 million children enrolled from pre-primary to tertiary levels of education. It has been estimated that of these, about 158 million are female students. A parliamentary committee has observed that in the post-pandemic scenario, the probability of more adolescent girls dropping out of school permanently to help with household tasks and childcare due to the economic hardships of their families is very high. The daughters of the country know though how to fight back. They have been able to secure the top three ranks in the UPSC Civil Services 2021 Examination, results of which were declared today.

However, given the inevitable COVID circumstances, several steps and initiatives have helped in aiding the cause. India’s Public Broadcaster also filled the big vacuum by helping students across the country with their studies amidst lockdown. In collaboration with various State Government institutions, Doordarshan and All India Radio broadcasted virtual classes and other educational content through their regional channels across the country on TV and Radio. Prasar Bharati News Services & Digital Platform (PBNS) ensured digital availability of these classes via YouTube channels and NewsOnAIR.com APP and website. These virtual classes helped Lakhs of students, especially the 10th and 12th standard students in preparation for their board and competitive examinations.

Further, Union Budget this year made another special announcement for the Indian education sector and that is the well-thought plan of the Centre to establish a Digital University in the country. While making this announcement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “A digital University will be established to provide access to the students across the country for world-class quality universal education with a personalised learning experience at their doorsteps.” This university will be a solution to many a problems like shortage of seats in university system, lack of quality education and teachers, etc. which force scores of students to end up with little or insignificant choices. This initiative will also ensure inclusivity as the students belonging to lower strata of the society; normally find it hard to make it to the top institutions because of the lack of access. Measures like e-Vidya, One Class One Channel, digital labs, digital universities will create an educational infrastructure, which will provide better education solutions to the students living in villages and small towns, and belonging to poor socio-economic and educational set up.

India passed National Education Policy 2020 at the right time too. Under NEP, a well designed framework is all set to bring deep educational reforms which focus on development of both technical and soft-skills among scholars. It lays emphasis on inquiry-based, discovery-based, and analysis-based ways to help children learn. Employability is also in fact one of the parts of the policy. Indian students have for so long failed to get decent and appropriate employment opportunities on the basis of their earned professional degrees. The NEP fixes this as it envisions to empower students through encouragement of a set of vocational, employable & entrepreneurial skills provided to them at different stages of training & education.

Mass movements for Clean India, Hydrated India

“Brothers and sisters, you must be getting shocked to hear the Prime Minister speaking of cleanliness and the need to build toilets from the ramparts of the Red Fort… I want to make a beginning today itself and that is – all schools in the country should have toilets with separate toilets for girls…” these were the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he delivered his first-ever I-Day speech in 2014. The ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ (SBM), which seemed like a far-fetched dream has actually turned out to be such a massive reality, a national movement, an unprecedented success.

It was through this mission that all the villages declared themselves open defecation free as on 2nd October, 2019. This time frame of five years was enough to invoke a national conscience. The fundamental messaging has been so strong during SBM 1.0, that the mission which started with a physical undertaking of building toilets could also rightly foster the subtle sense of maintaining cleanliness with a selfless intent and ‘seva bhav’. Thus SBM 2.0 started with an unprecedented vehemence in India. From paying from their own pockets to fix hygiene related issues, to waste management, to cleanliness drives, to cleaning water bodies and beaches, various communities and individuals from across the country began taking up social, political, financial and all other kind of challenges to do wider good by providing for and helping society, thus adding to the growing success of the mission.

PM Modi often narrates such Swachhata stories in his monthly radio programme. Today’s edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ too highlighted instances of cleanliness efforts. PM Modi mentioned about efforts of devotees who are worshipping in the Dham of Baba Kedar these days. He said that the devotees are also performing the ‘sadhna’ of cleanliness as some are cleaning areas near the place of stay, while others engage in cleaning garbage along the travel route. PM also mentioned about Rudra Prayag’s Shriman Manoj Bainjwal who, for the last 25 years, has been running cleanliness campaigns and been engaging in making holy places plastic free. PM Modi also urged listeners to make constant efforts for cleanliness and tree plantation and inspire others to do the same.

Many other sub-initiatives under the mission have also resulted in mass awareness. A nationwide “Plogging” drive, which is a combination of both Fit India Movement and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, was launched around 2018-19. A special plog run was organised in 2019 to mark the 5th anniversary celebration of SBM which was held in over 50 cities across India. Earlier in 2018, Bengaluru Plog Run got registered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the participants’ effort had led to 33.4 tons of plastic waste collection in under 12 hours. Another effort is the ‘Swachh Survekshan’ ranking exercise which is taken up by the Government of India every year to assess and laud rural and urban areas for their levels of cleanliness and active implementation. Another addition in this row is the ‘Swachhata Start-Up Challenge’, a game-changer move launched by MoHUA-AFD to provide an impetus to innovative start-ups to come forward and drive catalytic transformation in the sanitation and waste management sector. Awareness campaigns for causes like ‘Waste Management’, single-use plastic, sanitation coverage in rural areas, etc. are being run aggressively across the nation.

Further, India recently witnessed the inauguration of its first “Amrit Sarovar” at Patwai, Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. This has kick-started India’s journey to coin a historic transformation as it targets to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district, a massive drive which would lead to fresh creation of 50,000 water bodies in the country. Such a burgeoning zeal for cleanliness is not newfound but a result of years of pursuance through showcasing good will, good work and a sure vision.

Worrying trend of mental health among adolescent

Texas shooting in the USA, killing 19 children among 21 in a primary school attack by an 18 year boy, has again raised the rising concerns of mental health among adolescents. Experts from across the globe say- it would be oversimplification to say that such shootings happen because of the lax gun laws, which allow even an 18-year-old to buy a long automatic gun, but rather it is a worsening psychological condition forcing adolescents to go for a shooting spree.

Corroborating the popular concerns, WHO says, globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for around 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. However, the majority of them do not seek help or receive care, rather they remain unrecognized and untreated. Depression, anxiety, behavioural disorders and suicidal tendencies are fast rising among adolescents.

The consequences of such adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead a fulfilling life as adults, besides creating upheavals in society. According to the WHO, if we do not act immediately, by 2030 depression will be the leading illness worldwide.

Multiple factors affect mental health. Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. During this formative time, rapid physical, emotional and social changes take place. Children and adolescents acquire cognitive and social-emotional skills that shape their future mental health and are important for assuming adult roles in society. However, exposure to poverty, abuse, violence, educational difficulties, bullying, harsh parenting, mental illness of parents, violence in the family, substance use, heavy episodic drinking, use of tobacco and cannabis, severe and socioeconomic problems and apathy of the system, family and society can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems.

Moreover, some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support system and services. The solutions, besides approaching expert medical practioners/clinical psychologists, include parents or guardians listening to their children and taking their feelings seriously, staying away from passing negative feelings and continuous acrimony, talking through the problem in order to work out the best way to tackle it, generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses.

India is also not immune to this crisis of enormous magnitude. According to India’s latest National Mental Health Survey, an estimated 150 million people across the country are in need of mental health care interventions. In India, lack of awareness, stigma related to mental disorders, delayed treatment-seeking behavior, lack of low-cost diagnostic tests and limited access and availability to easily available treatment further aggravate the problem.

However, the Government of India is implementing the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under NMHP in 704 districts of the country. To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses, information, education and communication (IEC) activities are an integral part of the NMHP.

Drone Revolution: Sky is the Limit

As the country celebrated Bharat Drone Mahotsav in the national Capital, a foundation has been laid for an emerging ecosystem of the drone market in India.

The post-Covid Indian scenario had gotten a hang of online delivery mechanism so well that two years down the line, getting things to the doorstep has become a part of businesses. As this idea settles down to mix well with the current logistical landscape across the country, many startups and tech-firms have already begun thinking of ways to use technology and evolve it to take delivery and mapping to another level. This is where Drones become tools of interest and future-shaping. India has acknowledged this well as recent years have seen many reforms inclined towards popularising drones – from liberalising the drone policy, to issuing SOP for using drones to spray pesticides in agricultural, forest lands and non-cropped areas, to permitting FPO’s to receive a grant of up to 75% of the cost of an agriculture drone, to introducing drone-powered solutions and government initiatives like the Svamitva scheme (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas).

Union Finance Minister had announced during the Budget 2022 that the Centre will promote ‘Kisan Drones’ to help farmers assess crops, digitise land records as well as spray insecticides and nutrients. She had also affirmed that drone development is one of the four priorities of the government moving forward. Earlier in February when Prime Minister Modi flagged off 100 Kisan drones in different parts of the country, he celebrated the occasion with a remark that ‘this is the best example of how far the country can fly if policies are drafted with the right spirit.’ The agriculture sector of India especially is rapidly moving towards modernisation with the incubation of Kisan Drones. Drones for agriculture is a concept that talks about a new edge revolution intended to boost the income of farmers, ensure capacity building in the areas of production, supply and more.

The Kisan Drone Suvidha could add a new chapter in the direction of modern agricultural facilities of the 21st century. With Subsidies, farmers’ drone demonstrations, drone pilot courses, and agricultural institutions, the government needs to cultivate a drone ecosystem for the ease of farmers. Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), Rural entrepreneurs, and Agri startups are going to occupy the central stage to establish a flourishing Kisan Drone set up for farmers. By banning the imports of drones, the government is securing a way for Indian manufacturers to fill the gap of demand and supply of Drones that may arise in the near future. Subsequently, startups like ‘Garuda’ ‘Aerspace’ are leading the space with target of manufacturing 1 lakh Made-in-India drones in the next 2 years. In addition to doubling farmers’ income, and improving the Agri sector, the motive behind Kisan Drones is to promote chemical-free national farming. Sustainable farming practices are the future of Climate Action-packed initiatives of the governments around the world. Kisan Drones will help farmers avoid wastage of water and also assisting them with collecting, recording and monitoring environmental data, paving the way for smart farming practices.

However, it is not enough to just project, implementation is also very important. There are various challenges associated with implementing Kisan Drones in the rural areas, educating framers for the same is most important of all. The reality is that drone handling could be complex and reading data from the same even more so; flight time and range, battery life, land-holding, physical obstruction, connectivity interruptions, certified usage of chemicals and nutrients, etc need to be researched well to provide specialised training.

As India celebrates ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the ‘Made in India’ Kisan drones will leverage country’s goal of “Aatama Nirbhar Krishi” that will not only benefit farms but also encourage Entrepreneurship.

From Roti, Kapda, Makaan to AtmaNirbhar Bharat

On this day, exactly eight years ago, Modi Government had assumed power after having registered a thumping victory in the 2014 General Assembly elections. In 2019, PM Modi took over as the Prime Minister yet again with an even bigger mandate. The NDA government spent these eight years making some unprecedented decisions as both its tenures have witnessed changes that have become unfading chapters in Indian History. Back in 2016, the first such decision shook the entire World as India army conducted Surgical Strike against terrorists in Pakistan. This was followed by the historic GST initiative that has resulted in uniform tax collection system, transparency and greater revenue collection. Other changes and initiatives that have brought paradigm shift in the Indian economic, social and political landscape are Abrogation of Article 370, resolution of issues like Triple Talaq and Ayodhya dispute, Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Digital India, NEP 2020, introduction of PLI Scheme, Vaccine Maitri initiative and Free Corona Vaccine, etc. Many other initiatives with an intent of ‘Jan Seva’ have been launched in the country which have improved the standard of living and aid. These include, Ujjwala Scheme, Ujala Yojana, Swachha Bharat Abhiyan which made the country open defecation free, PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, Ayushmaan Bharat and many more.

These unparalleled attainments were accompanied with the present government’s achievements at global level where India has been able to up its International Standing like never before. The foundation of such an elevated stature lies in the numerous efforts India has put in these 8 years. Some of the steps include giving due importance to potential regions through change in International policies like shifting from ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’ policy, ‘Neighbourhood First’, fresh stand on signing of FTAs with various countries, formation of global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) etc.

As for post-pandemic world order, India has surely leapt into the front-row seat due to its large scale implementation capabilities demonstrated in handling the pandemic while considering welfare of all at home with ‘Sabka Saath’ and abroad with ‘Vaccine Maitri’. Achieving this in a democratic setup is indeed wonderful news for all poor and needy across the globe. Further, India’s fight against COVID-19 opened gates for an ecosystem that supported indigenous manufacturing and innovation. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair Bill Gates lauded India’s work on design, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines that helped save a massive number of lives. He also called it “a testament to innovation.” And why not, from CoWin platform, affordable COVID testing kits to innovative PPE kits for doctors, the country has developed devices that ensure innovations meet necessities. Right communication regarding vaccines at the grassroots level was pivotal. For this, a five-point strategic action framework was utilized to draw up the guidelines – Advocacy; Capacity Building; Media Engagement and social media; Social Mobilization and Community Engagement; and Crisis Communication using AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunization).

All this has not been accidental when one looks at the Ethos of Atmanirbhar Bharat, a mass movement, which is deeply rooted in the values of this young nation. Framers of the Indian Constitution have set forth an enormous and unique challenge of simultaneously completing India’s triple transition across social, political and economic fields. India is one rare country of this size and complexity which has taken on this challenge of getting on to the three transitions together. Focus on rural development seems to be one of the key steps under the initiative. Knowing fully well that rural sector demand traditionally remains robust, yet as the effect of pandemic is visible, increasing demand has been one focus area. Pandemic has also caused supply constraints due to supply-chain disruptions, hence attending to this aspect too has been vital for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

And now this initiative is developing into a mass movement as well as the anchor for policy framework. Back in November 2021 itself, a Finance Ministry report had said that, “India is on its way to becoming the fastest-growing major economy in the world … Armed with the necessary macro and micro growth drivers, the stage is set to kickstart India’s investment cycle and catalyze its recovery towards becoming the fastest growing economy in the world”. The survey had said that growth will be supported by a supply-side push from reforms and easing of regulations, emphasis on infrastructural investment, boost to manufacturing sector through PLI schemes, recovery in demand, rise in discretionary consumption after the rollout of vaccines and pick-up in the credit given adequate liquidity and low-interest rates. All these are resulting in less demand-supply mismatch and more job opportunities. PLI schemes are proving to be a very strong pillar of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, clearly breaking the deadlock of jobless growth as was forecasted by experts. Now, not only India is expected to grow faster, it is more inclusive as job creation is at core of these positive developments.