Centre opens 14 disability early intervention centres
Context: The Union Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE) Ministry launched 14 cross disability early intervention centres across the country to provide support to infants and young children at risk of or with disabilities. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Welfare Schemes, Government Initiatives and Policies) Dimensions of the Article: Understanding what is “Disability” Disability in India Numbers […]
PRABANDH portal to track out-of-school children
Context: The Ministry of Education launched an online module to compile data on out-of-school children. To track down such children, the ministry has developed an online module for compiling the data of out-of-school children identified by each state/UT and their mapping with special training centres (STC) on the PRABANDH portal. Relevance: Prelims, GS-II: Social Justice […]
SC on food for migrant labourers without ration cards
Context: The Supreme Court asked the Centre how it intended to take food to crores of migrant labourers who have no ration cards. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Welfare Schemes, Government Policies and Initiatives) Dimensions of the Article: About Ration Cards in India Advent of Aadhaar National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 What is the one […]
ESI coverage for contractual municipal employees
Context: Union Labour and Employment Minister said that casual and contractual employees of municipal corporations in the country would be covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948. Municipal bodies tend to employ a “large number of casual and contractual workers”, who are left out of the social security net as they are not […]
‘Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum Abhiyaan’
Context: Recently, NITI Aayog and Piramal Foundation launched ‘Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum Abhiyan’ in 112 aspirational districts to assist the administration in providing home care support to Covid-19 patients, who are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Issues related to Health, Government Policies & Interventions) Dimensions of the Article: About Aspirational […]
Towards a stronger mental health strategy
Context: Mental health issues are emerging as a major health challenge in the world, especially due to the havoc wrecked by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Health related issues, Government Interventions and Policies, Issues arising out of the design and implementation of Government Policies) Mains Questions: More needs to […]
H10N3 bird flu
Context: China has confirmed the first instance of human infection from H10N3, a rare strain of a virus that normally infects poultry. Relevance: Prelims, GS-II: Social Justice (Health Related Issues), GS-III: Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: About H10N3 About Bird Flu About H10N3 H10N3 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus which […]
Education Ministry’s Performance Grading Index (PGI)
Context: Education Ministry’s Performance Grading Index for 2019-20 was released recently showing that Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have all scored quite well. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Education and related Issues, Government Policies & Interventions) Dimensions of the Article: About Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2019-20 Highlights of Education Ministry’s PGI for 2019-20 Steps taken to […]
SDG India Index 2020-21: Significant progress
Context: India saw significant improvement in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to clean energy, urban development and health in 2020, according to the NITI Aayog’s 2020 SDG Index. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Government Policies & Interventions, Inclusive Growth & Development, Important Institutions and their reports, Co-operative Federalism, Issues Relating to Development) Dimensions of the […]
Split wage payments under MGNREGA scheme
Context: The Centre has asked the States to split wage payments under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme into separate categories for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and others from this financial year 2021. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Health and Poverty related issues, Government Interventions and Policies, Issues arising out of the […]