La Ex India Year Book Gist 2021

INDIA YEAR BOOK 2021 - SUMMARY
INDEX
Sl. No. Topic Page No.

1. Land and the People 1−7
2. National Symbols 7−9
3. Polity 9 − 17
4. Agriculture 17 – 21
5. Culture and Tourism 21 – 28
6. Basic Economic Data 28 – 30
7. Commerce 30 – 35
8. Communications and Information Technology 35 – 44
9. Defence 44 – 49
10. Education 50 – 58
11. Energy 58 − 64
12. Environment 64 – 72
13. Finance 72 – 80
14. Corporate Affairs 81 – 84
15. Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs 84 – 91
16. Health and Family Welfare 91 – 101
17. Housing and Urban Affairs 101 – 104
18. India and the World 104 – 114
19. Industry 114 – 123
20. Law and Justice 123 – 128
21. Labour, Skill Development and Employment 128 – 134
22. Mass Communication 134 – 139
23. Planning 139 – 143
24. Rural Development 143 – 148
25. Scientific and Technological Developments 148 – 153
26. Transport 153 – 158
27. Water Resources 158 – 162
28. Welfare 163 – 172
29. Youth Affairs and Sports 172 – 175
30. States and Union Territories 176 – 190
31. Diary of National Events 190 – 193
32. General Information 193 – 196
India Year Book 2021 − Summary
1. Land and the People
“INDIA is the cradle of the human race, the

birthplace of human speech, the mother of
history, the grandmother of legend and the
great grandmother of tradition. Our most
valuable and most instructive materials in the
history of man are treasured up in India
only.”— Mark Twain
1.1 Geographical Background of

India
• India has a unique culture and is one of
the oldest and greatest civilizations of the
world.
• Geographical Extent – It stretches from
the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to 1.1.1 Bordering countries- refer table
sun drenched coastal villages of the south
Countries having a common border with India
and the humid tropical forests on the
are: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the north-
south-west coast, from the fertile
west; China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north;
Brahmaputra valley on its east to the Thar
desert in the west. Myanmar to the far east; and Bangladesh to
the east. Sri Lanka is separated from India by
• Latitudes 8°4’ and 37°6’ north,
longitudes 68°7’ and 97°25’ east and a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk
measures about 3,214 km from north to Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.
south between the extreme latitudes and Name of the Length of the Border
about 2,933 km from east to west between Country (in Km)
Bangladesh 4,096.7
the extreme longitudes.
China 3,488
• Area - 32,87,263 sq. km. India is the
seventh largest country in the world. Pakistan 3,323
• Coastline - The total length of the Nepal 1,751
coastline of the mainland, Lakshadweep Myanmar 1,643
Islands and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Bhutan 699
is 7,516.6 km. Afghanistan 106
Total 15,106.7
Mnemonic to remember neighbouring

Countries – BaChPaN MBA (decreasing
order of Border Length)
www.laexias.com Page 1 https://elearn.laex.in

Six Zones - The country can be divided into meridian of India Chhattisgarh, M P and UP
(5 States)
six zones mainly north, south, east, west,
central and northeast zone. States having Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh,
coast line (In Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
General political information of India decreasing order Maharashtra, Orissa,
Number of states 28 of their length) (9 West Bengal, Karnataka,
Union territories 8 States) Goa
Bordering 7 1.1.2 Physical Features
countries
• The mainland comprises four regions,
States through Gujarat, Rajasthan,
namely, the great mountain zone, plains of
which Tropic of Madhya Pradesh,
cancer passes Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, the Ganga and the Indus, the desert region
West Bengal, Tripura and and the southern peninsula.
Mizoram (8 States)
States through Andhra Pradesh (no
which standard Telangana), Orissa,
Regions Features
The great • The Himalayas comprise three almost parallel
mountain zone ranges interspersed with large plateaus and
valleys
• The mountain wall extends over a distance of
about 2,400 km with a varying depth of 240
to 320 km.
Notable Passes: Jelep La and Nathu La on the
main Indo-Tibet trade route through the
Chumbi valley, north-east of Darjeeling and
Shipki La in the Satluj valley, northeast of Kalpa
(Kinnaur)
The plains of • Plains are formed by basins of three distinct
the Ganga and river systems—the Indus, the Ganga and the
the Indus Brahmaputra.
• Plains are about 2,400 km long and 240 to
320 km broad
• They are one of the world’s greatest
stretches of flat alluvium and also one of the
most densely populated areas on the earth.
Desert Region The desert region can be divided into two parts—
1. The great desert: It extends from the edge of the Rann of Kutch beyond the
Luni river northward. The whole of the Rajasthan-Sind frontier runs through
this.
2. The little desert: It extends from the Luni between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur
up to the northern west.
Between the great and the little deserts lies a zone of absolutely sterile country,
consisting of rocky land, cut up by limestone ridges.

The southern • The Peninsular Plateau is marked off from the plains by a mass of mountain
peninsula. and hill ranges. Prominent among these are the Aravali, Vindhya, Satpura,
Maikala and Ajanta.
• The Peninsula is flanked on the one side by the Eastern Ghats and on the
other by the Western Ghats.
• Between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea lies a narrow coastal strip,
while between Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal, there is a broader
coastal area.
• The southern point of the plateau is formed by the Nilgiri Hills where the
Eastern and the Western Ghats meet.
• The Cardamom Hills lying beyond may be regarded as a continuation of the
Western Ghats.
separate the Himalayas in the north from
1.1.3 Geological Structure the Peninsula in the south.
The geological regions broadly follow the 3. The Peninsular Shield - The Peninsula is
physical features and may be grouped into a region of relative stability and occasional
three regions: seismic disturbances.
1. The Himalayas and their associated
group of mountains - The Himalayan
1.1.4 River Systems
Mountain belt to the north and the Naga- The river systems of India can be classified
Lushai Mountain in the east, are the into four groups viz., (i) Himalayan rivers, (ii)
regions of mountain-building movement. Deccan rivers, (iii) Coastal rivers and (iv)
2. The Indo-Gangetic Plain - The Indo- Rivers of the inland drainage basin.
Ganga plains are a great alluvial tract that
Rivers Features
Himalayan rivers • The Himalayan rivers are formed by melting snow and glaciers and
therefore, continuously flow throughout the year.
• During the monsoon months, Himalayas receive very heavy rainfall
and rivers swell, causing frequent floods.
Deccan rivers • The Deccan rivers on the other hand are rainfed and therefore
fluctuate in volume. Many of these are non-perennial.
• In the Deccan region, most of the major river systems flowing generally
in the east fall into Bay of Bengal.
• The major east flowing rivers are Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and
Mahanadi.
• Narmada and Tapti are major west flowing rivers.
• The Godavari in the southern Peninsula has the second largest river
basin covering 10 per cent of the area of India.
• Next to it is the Krishna basin in the region and the Mahanadi is

another large basin of the region.

Coastal rivers • The Coastal streams, especially on the west coast are short in length
and have limited catchment areas. Most of them are non-perennial.
• There are numerous coastal rivers, which are comparatively small.
• While only handful of such rivers drain into the sea near the delta of
east coast, there are as many as 600 such rivers on the west coast.
Rivers of the inland • The streams of inland drainage basin of western Rajasthan are few and
drainage basin far apart. Most of them are of an ephemeral character.
• A few rivers in Rajasthan do not drain into the sea.
• They drain into salt lakes and get lost in sand with no outlet to sea.
• Besides these, there are the desert rivers which flow for some distance
and are lost in the desert.
• These are Luni, Machhu, Rupen, Saraswati, Banas, Ghaggar and
others.
Rivers
Length
River Birth place Important Tributaries
(Km)
Indus Near Mansarovar in Tibet Sutlej (originating in Tibet), the Beas, the 2,900
Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum.
Brahmaputra rises in Tibet, where it is Lohit, Dibang, Subansiri, Jia Bhareli, 2900
known as Tsangpo Dhansiri, Puthimari, Pagladiya and the
Manas
Teesta joins Brahmaputra in Bangladesh.
Ganga Gangotri Glacier, The Yamuna, the Ramganga, the Ghaghra, 2510
Uttarakhand the Gandak, the Kosi, the Mahananda and
the Sone
Rivers Chambal and Betwa are the
important sub-tributaries, which join the
Yamuna
Godavari Tryambakeshwar, Indravati, manjira, bindusara, sarbari, 1450
Maharashtra penganga, pranhita
Narmada Maikal Hills, Amarkantak Kolar, Dudhi, Hiran, Nukhi, Tawa 1290
(MP)
Krishna Mahabaleshwar Bhima, Paleru, Malaprabha, Tungbhadra, 1290
(Maharashtra) Koyna, Musi, Dudhganga, Dindi, Warna
Mahanadi Nagri Town Seonath, Hasdeo, Jonk, Mand, Ib, Ong, Tel 890
(Chhattisgarh)
Kaveri Talakaveri (Western Amravati, Shemsha, Hemavati, Kabini, 760
Ghats, Karnataka) Arkavati, Lakshman Tirta
Godavari 1,450 Narmada 1,290 Krishna 1,290
Mahanadi 890 Kaveri 760

River Basins west monsoon brings most of the rainfall

• The entire country has been divided into during the year in the country.
20 river basins/group of river basins
comprising 12 major basins and eight 1.3 Flora and Fauna in India
composite river basins.
1.3.1 Flora
• The 12 major river basins are : (1) Indus,
• India is rich in flora. Available data place
(2) Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna, (3)
India in the tenth position in the world and
Godavari, (4) Krishna, (5) Cauvery, (6)
fourth in Asia in plant diversity.
Mahanadi, (7) Pennar, (8) Brahmani-
Baitarani, (9) Sabarmati, (10) Mahi, (11) • From about 70 per cent geographical area
Narmada and (12) Tapti. surveyed so far, over 46,000 species of
plants have been described by the
• Each of these basins has a drainage area
Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata.
exceeding 20,000 sq. km.
• The vascular flora, which forms the
• The eight composite river basins combining
conspicuous vegetation cover, comprises
suitably together all the other remaining
15,000 species.
medium (drainage area of 2,000 to 20,000
sq. km) and small river systems (drainage • The flora of the country is being studied by
area less than 2000 sq. km) for the BSI and its nine circle/field offices located
purpose of planning and management. all over the country along with certain
universities and research institutions.
1.2 Climate/Seasons • BSI brings out an inventory of endangered
The climate of India may be broadly described plants in the form of a publication titled
as tropical monsoon type. ‘Red Data Book.
The Indian Meteorological Department 1.3.2 Faunal Resources
(IMD) designates four official seasons: • India is very rich in terms of biological
1. Winter- from December to early April. diversity due to its unique biogeographical
2. Summer or pre-monsoon season- lasting from location, diversified climate conditions and
April to June (April to July in north-western enormous Eco diversity and geodiversity.
India). • According to world biogeographic
3. Monsoon or rainy season- lasting from June classification, India represents two of the
to September. The season is dominated by the major realms (the Palearctic and Indo-
humid south-west summer monsoon. Malayan) and three biomes (Tropical
4. Post-monsoon season- lasting from October to Humid Forests, Tropical Dry/ Deciduous
December. In north-western India, October and
Forests and Warm Deserts/Semi-Deserts).
November are usually cloudless. • The Wildlife Institute of India has
proposed a modified classification which
India’s climate is affected by two seasonal divides the country into ten biogeographic
winds—the north-east monsoon and the regions: Trans- Himalayan, Himalayan,
south-west monsoon. The north-east Indian Desert, Semi-Arid, Western Ghats,
monsoon commonly known as winter Deccan Peninsula, Gangetic Plain, North-
monsoon blows from land to sea. The south- East India, Islands and Coasts.

• Within only about 2 per cent of world’s understanding in any language is

total land surface, India is known to have treated as literate as per the Census of
over 7.50 per cent of the species of animals India 2011. A person, who can only
that the world holds. read but cannot write, is not literate.
o As per Census 2011, the literacy rate in
1.4 Demographic Background India stood at 73.0 per cent (80.9 per
Census 2011 - Census 2011 was the 15th cent for males and 64.6 per cent for
census of its kind since 1872. females), an increase from 64.8 per cent
in 2001.
• The population of India as on March 1,
o Kerala retained its top position with
2011 stood at 1,210.9 million (623.2
94.0 per cent (male 96.1 per cent,
million males and 587.6 million females).
female 92.1 per cent) followed by
• Population Density Lakshadweep (91.8 per cent).
o One of the important indices of o Bihar with a literacy rate of 61.8 per
population concentration is the density cent (male 71.2 per cent and female
of population. It is defined as the 51.5 per cent) was the lowest in the
number of persons per square country.
kilometre (sq. km). • Fertility and Mortality Rates
o The population density of India in 2011 o The fertility rate (or Total Fertility Rate
was 382 per sq. km with a decadal TFR) of a population is the average
growth rate of 17.7 per cent. number of children that would be born
• Bihar was the most thickly populated to a woman over her lifetime if she were
state with a population density of 1,106 subjected to the prevailing rate of age-
persons per sq. km followed byWest Bengal specific fertility in the population.
at 1,028 and Kerala at 860 in 2011. o A TFR of about 2.1 chilldren per
• Sex Ratio woman is called Replacement-level
o Sex ratio, defined as the number of fertility. From a TFR of 2.6 in 2008 to
females per thousand males, is an 2.2 in 2018, India has gradually moved
important social indicator to measure towards achieving the replacement level
the extent of prevailing equality of fertility.
between males and females in a society • Crude Birth Rate
at a given point of time. The Crude Birth Rate (CBR) is a measure of
o The sex ratio in India has always birth rates and is defined as the total number
remained unfavourable to females of live births in a year divided by the total
o The sex ratio has improved from 933
mid-year population and multiplied by 1,000
in 2001 to 943 in 2011.
to express it per 1,000 population. CBR in
o However, the child sex ratio (defined
India has reached 20.0 per 1,000 population
as the number of girls aged 0-6 years
in 2018.
per thousand boys aged 0- 6 years) has
deteriorated from 927 in 2001 to • Crude Death Rate
919 in 2011. The Crude Death Rate (CDR) is a measure of
• Literacy mortality rates and is defined as the total
o A person aged seven and above who number of deaths in a year divided by the
can both read and write with total mid-year population and multiplied by

1,000 to express it per 1,000 population. The

Crude Death Rate for India in 2018 was 6.2
per 1,000 population, gradually down from 7.4
in 2008.
• Infant Mortality Rate
The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is another
important indicator of demography and is
defined as the number of deaths in a year per
1,000 live births of children under one year of
age. India has been able to drastically reduce
the Infant Mortality Rate from 53 in 2008 to
32 in 2018.
2. National Symbols
National Symbols Features

National Flag • The National Flag shall be a tricolour panel made up of three rectangular
panels or sub-panels of equal width.
• The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (kesari) and that of the
bottom panel India green.
• The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of
Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes.
• The National Flag shall be rectangular in shape. The ratio of the length
to the height (width) of the Flag shall be 3:2.
• The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent
Assembly of India on July 22, 1947.
• Statutory provisions - Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use)
Act, 1950 and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
• The Flag Code of India, 2002 is an attempt to bring together all such

laws, conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance of all

concerned.
• The flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya.
State Emblem • The State Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka
at Sarnath.
• In the original, the Lion Capital has four lions mounted back-to-back, on
a circular abacus.
• The frieze of the abacus is adorned with sculptures in high relief of an
elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening
Dharma Chakras.
• It was adopted as the State Emblem of India on January 26, 1950.
• The motto “Satyameva Jayate”-Truth alone Triumphs—written in
Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State
Emblem of India.
• In the State Emblem lies the official seal of the Government of India. Its
use is regulated by the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper
Use) Act, 2005 and The State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules,
2007 [read with State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Amendment
Rules, 2010].
National Anthem • The song Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bangla by
Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the
Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24,
1950.
• It was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the
Indian National Congress.
• The complete song consists of five stanzas. The first stanza contains the
full version of the National Anthem
• The playing time of the full version of the National Anthem is
approximately 52 seconds.
• A short version consisting of the first and last lines of the National
Anthem (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on
certain occasions.
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
Panjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
uchchala-jaladhi-taranga
Tava subha name jage, tave
subha asisa mage,

Gahe tava jaya-gatha.

Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
National Song • The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra
Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for
freedom.
• It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana.
• The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of
the Indian National Congress
National Calendar The National Calendar based on the Saka Era, with Chaitra as its first
month and a normal year of 365 days was adopted from March 22, 1957
along with the Gregorian calendar for the following official purposes :
(i) Gazette of India,
(ii) news broadcast by All India Radio,
(iii) calendars issued by the Government of India and
(iv) Government communications addressed to the public.
Dates of the National Calendar have a permanent correspondence with dates
of the Gregorian Calendar, 1 Chaitra falling on March 22 normally and on
March 21 in leap year.
Other National Symbols

National Fruit Mango (Mangifera indica)
3. Polity
National River Ganga
National Animal Royal Bengal Tiger
(Panthera tigris tigris) 3.1 Nature of Indian Polity in brief
National Tree Indian Banyan (Ficus
bengalensis) • INDIA, a union of states, is a Sovereign
National Aquatic Ganges River Dolphin Socialist Secular Democratic Republic
Animal (Platanista gangetica) with a parliamentary system of
National Bird Indian Peacock (Pavo government.
cristatus) • The Republic is governed in terms of the
National Indian Rupee Constitution, which was adopted by
Currency Constituent Assembly on November 26,
National Reptile King Cobra 1949 and came into force on January
National Heritage Indian Elephant 26, 1950.
Animal • The Constitution which envisages
National Flower Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) parliamentary form of government is
National Pumpkin federal in structure with unitary features.
Vegetable
• The President of India is the
constitutional head of executive of the
union.

• The real executive power vests in the • Shri Girish Chandra Murmu is the first-
Council of Ministers with the Prime ever lieutenant governor (L-G) of J&K,
Minister as its head. while Shri Radha Krishna Mathur, is the
• The Council of Ministers is collectively new L-G of Ladakh.
responsible to the House of the People
3.3 Citizenship
(Lok Sabha).
• Similarly, in states, the Governor is the • The Constitution of India provides for a
head of executive, but it is the Council of single citizenship for the whole of India.
Ministers with the Chief Minister as its • The Citizenship Act, 1955, deals with
head in whom real executive power vests. matters relating to acquisition,
• The Constitution distributes legislative determination and termination of Indian
power between Parliament and State citizenship after the commencement of the
Legislatures and provides for vesting of Constitution.
residual powers in Parliament.
3.3.1 Citizenship (Amendment) Act
• The power to amend the Constitution also • The amended Act makes foreign illegal
vests in Parliament. migrants of six religious communities i.e.,
Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and
3.2 Jammu and Kashmir
Christian from Afghanistan, Bangladesh
Reorganisation Act, 2019
and Pakistan eligible for Indian
• The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation citizenship.
Act, 2019 was enacted to provide for • It is applicable to those who have taken
reorganisation of the erstwhile state of shelter in India due to persecution on
Jammu and Kashmir into the two union grounds of religion or fear of such
territories - one to be eponymously called persecution in their countries and have
Jammu and Kashmir, and the other entered into India on or before December
Ladakh. 31, 2014.
• The introduction of the bill was preceded • Citizenship by naturalisation, for these
by a presidential order under Article 370 of communities belonging to three countries
the Indian constitution that revoked has been reduced to five years instead of
Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and the previous requirement of eleven
mandating, inter alia, that all the years.
provisions of the Indian Constitution would
• The provisions of the Act, however, do not
be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.
apply to tribal areas of Assam,
• Accordingly, the “State Legislature Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as
including Legislative Council of the State” included in the Sixth Schedule to the
has been abolished and shall from now Constitution and the areas where ‘The
onwards be construed as “Legislative Inner Line Permit’ is applicable
Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu including the states of Arunachal
and Kashmir”. Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and
• All the provisions of the constitution as Manipur.
amended from time to time have become
applicable to the existing Jammu and
Kashmir with effect from August 5, 2019.
3.4 Fundamental Rights 3.7 The Union Executive

• The Constitution offers all citizens, The Union executive consists of the President,
individually and collectively, some basic the Vice-President and the Council of
freedoms. Ministers with the Prime Minister as the head
• These are guaranteed in the Constitution to aid and advise the President.
in the form of six broad categories of
Fundamental Rights which are justifiable. 3.7.1 President
• Articles 12 to 35 contained in Part III of the • The President must be a citizen of India,
Constitution deal with Fundamental not less than 35 years of age and qualified
Rights. for election as a member of the Lok Sabha.
• Few rights are applicable to non-citizens as • His term of office is five years and he is
well. eligible for re-election. His removal from
office is to be in accordance with procedure
3.5 Fundamental Duties prescribed in Article 61 of the Constitution.
• By the 42nd Amendment of the • The executive power of the Union is vested
Constitution, adopted in 1976, in the President and is exercised by him
Fundamental Duties of the citizens have either directly or through officers’
also been enumerated. subordinate to him in accordance with the
Constitution.
• Article 51 ‘A’ contained in Part IV A of the
Constitution deals with Fundamental • The President summons, prorogues,
Duties. addresses, sends messages to Parliament
and dissolves the Lok Sabha; promulgates
• Applicable only to citizens
Ordinances at any time, except when both
3.6 Directive Principles of State Houses of Parliament are in session.
Policy
3.7.2 Vice President
• The Constitution lays down certain • He must be a citizen of India, not less
Directive Principles of State Policy, which than 35 years of age and eligible for
though not justifiable, are ‘fundamental election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
in governance of the country’ and it is His term of office is five years and he is
the duty of the state to apply these eligible for re-election.
principles in making laws. • The Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman
• These have been contained in Part IV from of the Rajya Sabha and acts as President
Articles 36 to 51 of the Constitution. when the latter is unable to discharge his
• These lay down that the state shall strive functions
to promote the welfare of people by
securing and protecting as effectively as it
3.7.3 Council of Ministers
may a social order in which justice - • There is a Council of Ministers, headed by
social, economic and political - shall the Prime Minister, to aid and advise the
form the basis in all institutions of President in exercise of his functions.
national life • The Prime Minister is appointed by the
President who also appoints other
ministers on the advice of Prime Minister.

The Council is collectively responsible to directly elected from the states and 13
the Lok Sabha. from union territories.
• Following the 84th amendment to the
3.7.4 Legislature
Constitution in 2001, the total number of
• Legislature of the Union which is called
existing seats as allocated to various states
Parliament, consists of the President and
in the Lok Sabha on the basis of the 1971
two Houses, known as Council of States
census shall remain unaltered till the first
(Rajya Sabha), and House of the People
census to be taken after the year 2026.
(Lok Sabha).
• The term of the Lok Sabha, unless
• Each House has to meet within six months
dissolved earlier is five years from the date
of its previous sitting. A joint sitting of two
appointed for its first meeting.
Houses can be held in certain cases.
3.7.5 Rajya Sabha

• The Constitution provides that the Rajya
Sabha shall consist of 12 members to be
nominated by the President from
amongst persons having special
knowledge or practical experience in
respect of such matters as literature,
science, art and social service; and not
more than 238 representatives of the
states and of the union territories.
• Elections to the Rajya Sabha are indirect; 3.7.7 Qualification for Membership of
members representing states are elected Parliament
by the elected members of Legislative In order to be chosen a member of Parliament,
Assemblies of the states in accordance a person must be a citizen of India and not
with the system of proportional less than 30 years of age in the case of Rajya
representation by means of the single Sabha and not less than 25 years of age in
transferable vote. the case of Lok Sabha. Additional
• For those representing union territories qualifications may be prescribed by
are chosen in such a manner as Parliament by law
Parliament may by law prescribe.
• The Rajya Sabha is not subject to 3.7.8 Parliamentary committees
dissolution; one-third of its members retire
every second year.
• Term is 6 years.
3.7.6 Lok Sabha

• The Lok Sabha is composed of
representatives of people chosen by direct
election on the basis of adult suffrage.
• The Lok Sabha at present consists of 543
members. Of these, 530 members are
Broadly, Parliamentary Committees are of two • He is not eligible for further office under
kinds—Standing Committees and Ad Hoc the union or a state government after he
Committees. ceases to hold his office.
The former is elected or appointed every • Reports on Union Government are
year or periodically and their work goes on, submitted to President and that of states
are submitted to respective governors.
more or less, on a continuous basis. The
latter are appointed on an ad hoc basis as 3.7.13 Attorney-General
need arises and they cease to exist as soon as • The Attorney-General for India is
they complete the task assigned to them. appointed by the President of India.
Constitutional post
3.7.9 Leaders of Opposition in
• Any person qualified to be a judge of the
Parliament
Supreme Court can be appointed for the
The Leaders of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha post.
and the Lok Sabha are accorded statutory
• The duties of the Attorney-General is to
recognition. Salary and other suitable
give advice to the Government of India
facilities are extended to them through a upon such legal matters, and to perform
separate legislation such other duties referred by the
President.
3.7.10 Government Business in
Parliament • The Attorney-General shall hold office
during the pleasure of the President, and
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs is
shall receive such remuneration as the
entrusted with coordinating, planning and President may determine.
arranging government business in both
Houses of Parliament. 3.7.14 Solicitor General of India
• The Solicitor General of India is the
3.7.11 Consultative Committees government’s chief legal advisor, and its
• Functioning of Consultative Committees of primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of
Members of Parliament for various India.
ministries is one of the functions allocated
• The Solicitor General of India is the
to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
secondary law officer of the country,
• The Consultative Committee stands assists the Attorney-General, and is
dissolved upon dissolution of every Lok himself assisted by several Additional
Sabha and are re-constituted upon Solicitors General of India.
constitution of each Lok Sabha.
• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
3.7.12 Comptroller and Auditor General appoints the Solicitor General. Statutory
• CAG of India is appointed by the President. post.
It is a Constitutional post.
3.7.15 Administrative Set-Up
• The procedure and the grounds for his • The Government of India (Allocation of
removal from office are the same as for a Business) Rules, 1961 are made by the
Supreme Court judge. President of India.
• The ministries/departments of the
Government are created by the President
on the advice of the Prime Minister under the creation of National Disaster
these rules. Management Authority, under the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
3.7.16 Cabinet Secretariat
• It is headed by the Prime Minister, and
• The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly
State Disaster Management Authorities
under the Prime Minister.
(SDMAs) headed by respective Chief
• The administrative head of the Secretariat Ministers.
is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-
• NDMA, as the apex body, is mandated to
officio Chairman of the Civil Services
lay down the policies, plans and guidelines
Board.
for disaster management to ensure timely
• The business allocated to Cabinet and effective response to disasters.
Secretariat is (i) secretarial assistance to
the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees; and 3.10 Administrative Reforms and
(ii) rules of business. Public Grievances
• It assists in decision-making by ensuring • The Department of Administrative Reforms
inter-ministerial coordination, ironing and Public Grievances (DARPG) is the
out differences amongst nodal agency of the Government of India
ministries/departments for administrative reforms as well as
redressal of public grievances.
3.8 National Authority for Chemical
Weapons Convention • DARPG along with the Ministry of
Electronics and information
• The Convention on the Prohibition of the Technology, in association with one of the
Development, Production, Stockpiling and state governments, organizes the National
Use of Chemical Weapons (NACWC) is a Conference on e-Governance every year
multi-lateral international treaty which since 1997.
outlaws the production, stockpiling, and
• Government of India instituted ‘Prime
use of chemical weapons and their
Minister’s Award for Excellence in
precursors.
Public Administration’ to acknowledge,
• By March 2016, 192 states have ratified or recognize and reward the extraordinary
acceded to the treaty. and innovative work done by officers of the
• Organisation for the Prohibition of central and state governments.
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the ‘treaty • The Government of India celebrates April,
organisation’ for the CWC. 21 every year as ‘Civil Services Day’ for
• The National Authority for Chemical the civil servants to rededicate themselves
Weapons Convention (NACWC) was set up to the cause of citizens and renew their
as an office of the Cabinet Secretariat, commitment to public service and
Government of India to fulfil the excellence in work.
obligations under the CWC. • Minimum Government-Maximum
Governance periodical journal by
3.9 National Disaster Management
Department of Administrative Reforms and
Authority (NDMA)
Public Grievances
• In 2005, the government enacted the • e-Office is one of the important Mission
Disaster Management Act, which envisaged Mode Projects for implementing the Digital
India Plan. The DAR & PG is the transparency and accountability in the
administrative ministry for ensuring eoffice working of the government, combat
implementation. corruption and make the democracy work
for people in real sense.
National e-Governance Service Delivery
Assessment • The Act aims at creating an informed
• NeSDA aims at assessing the states, UTs citizenry which would be better equipped
and central ministries on the depth and to keep necessary vigil on the instruments
efficiency of eGovernance service delivery. of governance and make the government
more accountable to the governed.
• This framework is envisaged to be used to
assess and benchmark the adoption of • Non-government organizations
such services across the country. substantially financed by the central
government or a state government also
Dashboard for Covid-19 Grievances fall within the definition of public
• During preventive lockdown in the wake of authority
Covid-19 pandemic, DARPG started
• There are some categories of information
special drive to redress lock down and
which each public authority is required to
Covid-19 related grievances in shortest
publish suo moto.
possible time.
• The Central Information Commission/
• To ensure dedicated monitoring of those
State Information Commissions are
grievances a separate National Monitoring
high-powered independent bodies created
Dashboard for Covid-19 grievances was
by the Act
created.
• All central ministries and state 3.13 Official Language
governments have nominated a nodal
• Article 343 (1) of the Constitution
officer for prompt disposal of such
provides that Hindi in Devanagari script
grievances.
shall be the official language of the Union.
3.11 Commonwealth Association for • Article 343 (2) also provides for
Public Administration And continuing the use of English in official
Management (CAPAM) work of the Union for a period of 15 years
(i.e., upto January 25, 1965) from the date
• CAPAM, with its headquarters at Ottawa,
of commencement of the Constitution.
Canada, is an organization dedicated to
• Article 343 (3) empowered the Parliament
strengthening public management and
to provide by law for continued use of
consolidating democracy and good
English for official purposes even after
governance in the Commonwealth. It was
January 25, 1965.
• The Ministry of Personnel, Public
• Department of Official Language was set
Grievances and Pensions, Government of
up in 1975 as an independent department
India became an institutional member of
of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
CAPAM in 1997.
• The Kendriya Hindi Samiti was constituted
3.12 Right to Information in 1967. Chaired by Prime Minister it is the
• The Right to Information Act, 2005 apex policy making body which lays the
empowers the citizens, promotes guidelines for the propagation and

progressive use of Hindi as official 3.16 Local Government

language of the Union.
3.16.1 Municipalities
3.14 Inter-State Council • The first Municipal Corporation in India
was set-up in the former Presidency Town
• The provision for setting up an Inter-State
of Madras in 1688; and later in Bombay
Council is mentioned in Article 263 of the
and Calcutta in 1726.
Constitution. Constitutional body.
• To provide for a common framework for
• In pursuance of the recommendation made
urban local bodies, Parliament enacted the
by the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-
Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992
State Relations, the Inter-State Council
(known as Nagarpalika Act) relating to
was set up in 1990.
municipalities in 1992.
• The Prime Minister is the Chairman of
the Council. 3.16.2 Panchayats
• Article 40 of the Constitution lays down
3.14.1 Zonal Council
that the state shall take steps to organize
• Five zonal councils viz., Northern Zonal
village panchayats and endow them with
Council, Central Zonal Council, Eastern
such powers and authority as may be
Zonal Council, Western Zonal Council and
necessary to enable them to function as
Southern Zonal Council were set up vide
units of self-government.
Part-III of the States Reorganisation Act,
• A new Part IX relating to the panchayats
1956 with the objectives of bringing out
was inserted in the Constitution to provide
national integration. Statutory Body.
for Gram Sabha in a village or group of
• The Union Home Minister is the
villages and constitution of panchayats at
Chairman of all the zonal councils.
village and other level or levels.
• The Office of the Vice-Chairman is held by
the Chief Minister of the Member State 3.17 Election Commission
of the respective zonal council by annual
• The Election Commission of India (ECI)
rotation, each holding office for a period of
was constituted in 1950 with its
one year at a time.
headquarters at New Delhi.
3.15 Union Territories • It is a permanent independent
constitutional body
• Union territories are administrated by the
• It is vested with the powers and
President acting to such extent, as he
responsibility of superintendence, direction
thinks fit, through an administrator
and control of the entire process of
appointed by him.
conduct of elections to Parliament and
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi,
to legislatures of the states and the
Union Territories of Jammu and
union territories and elections to the
Kashmir and Puducherry each has a
offices of President and Vice-President
Legislative Assembly and Council of
held under the Constitution.
Ministers.
• The Election Commission decides the
election schedules for the conduct of

elections—both general elections and • It contributes 17.8 per cent to the

bye-elections. country’s Gross Value Added for the year
• It prepares, maintains and periodically 2019-20 (at current prices).
updates the electoral rolls, supervises the
Three Departments under Ministry of
nomination of candidates, registers
political parties, monitors the election Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare:
campaign, including funding and 1. The Department of Agriculture,
expenditure of candidates. Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare
• It conducts polling through EVMs (DAC&FW).
(Electronic Voting Machines) and recently,
2. Department of Animal Husbandry,
on pilot basis, introduced VVPAT (Voter
Dairying & Fisheries (DAHD&F)
Verifiable Paper Audit Trail).
3. Department of Agricultural Research and
• Commission grants recognition to
political parties as national or state Education (DARE).
parties.
4.1.1 National Policy for Farmers
• It also decides disputes relating to
Government of India approved the National
splits/mergers of recognized political
parties. Policy for Farmers (NPF) in 2007. Many of the
provisions of the NPF are being implemented
• Election Commission of India launched the
by different central government departments
India International Institute of
Democracy and Election Management and ministries.
(IIIDEM), an advanced resource centre of
4.2 Major Programmes
learning, research, training and extension
for electoral democracy and election 4.2.1 Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee
management. Yojana (PMKSY)
The scheme has been approved with an outlay
of Rs. 50,000 crore for a period of 5 years
4. Agriculture (2015-16 to 2019-20).
The major objective of PMKSY is to
“Future belongs to countries with grains, not
• Achieve convergence of investments in
guns” - M S Swaminathan
irrigation at the field level,
“If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will
• Expand cultivable area under assured
have a chance to go right” - irrigation,
M. S. Swaminathan
• Improve on-farm water use efficiency to
4.1 Introduction reduce wastage of water,
• Enhance the adoption of precision
• Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s
irrigation and other water saving
economy. 54.6 per cent of the population
technologies (per drop, more crop),
is engaged in agriculture and allied
activities (census 2011). • Promote sustainable water conservation
practices etc.

The mission is administered by Ministry of Determinants of MSP

Water Resources, River Development and • Cost of production (CoP) is one of the
Ganga Rejuvenation. important factors in the determination of
MSP of mandated crops.
4.2.2 Crop Insurance - Pradhan Mantri • Other important factors – demand and
Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) supply, price trend in the domestic and
international markets, inter-crop price
parity, terms of trade between agricultural
and non-agricultural sectors and the likely
impact of MSPs on consumers, in addition
to ensuring rational utilization of natural
resources like land and water.
• Thus, pricing policy is rooted not in ‘cost
plus’ approach, though cost is an
important determinant of MSP.
In order to protect farmers against crop failure
due to natural calamities, pests and diseases, 4.4 Indian Council of Agricultural
weather conditions, Government of India Research
introduced the National Crop Insurance • ICAR is an autonomous
Programme (NCIP), which was later organisation under the
withdrawn. Department of Agricultural
A new scheme “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Research and Education
Yojana (PMFBY) was implemented from kharif (DARE).
2016 along with restructured pilot Unified • It was established on July 16, 1929 as a
Package Insurance Scheme (UPIS) and registered society under the Societies
Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme Registration Act, 1860.
(WBCIS). • ICAR is the apex body for coordinating,
guiding, and managing research and
4.3 Commission for Agricultural Costs education in agriculture including
and Prices horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences.
CACP, set up with a view to evolve a balanced • It has played a major role in promoting
and integrated price structure, is mandated to excellence in higher education in
advice on the price policy (MSP) of 23 crops. agriculture.
23 MSP CROPS
• Seven cereal crops (paddy, wheat, jowar,
4.5 Soil and Water Productivity
bajra, maize, ragi and barley), • The National Bureau of Soil Survey and
• Five pulse crops (gram, tur, moong, urad Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) developed
and lentil), NBSS BHOOMI Geo-portal.
• Seven oilseeds (groundnut, sunflower seed, • It aims to access various thematic
soyabean, rapeseed mustard, safflower, information on major physiographic
nigerseed and sesamum), regions, sub-physiographic regions, agro-
• Copra (dried coconut), cotton, raw jute and ecological regions (1992), agro-ecological
sugarcane.

regions (2015) and agroecological sub- eggs per annum.

regions of the country. Wool • Wool production declined
Production marginally at the end of
4.6 Animal Husbandry, Dairying and
Eleventh Five Year Plan
Fisheries
(2011-12) to 44.7 million kg
• The play a significant role in generating from 45.1 million kg in the
gainful employment in the rural sector, end of Tenth Five Year Plan
particularly among the landless, small and (2006-07).
marginal farmers and women, besides • Wool production in the
providing cheap and nutritious food to beginning of Twelfth Plan
millions of people. (2012-13 was 46.05 million
• India has vast resource of livestock and kgs and increased to 48.1
poultry, which play a vital role in million kgs in 2014-15 but
improving the socio-economic conditions of declined to 43.5 million
rural masses. kgs in 2016-17.
• There are about 300 million bovines, • The production has shown
65.07 million sheep, 135.2 million goats negative growth during 2017-
and about 10.3 million pigs as per 19th 18.
livestock census in the country. Meat • The meat production
Production registered a healthy growth
4.6.1 Livestock Production
from 2.3 million tonnes at
• According to estimates of the Central
the end of Tenth Five Year
Statistics Office (CSO), the value of output
Plan (2006-07) to 5.5 million
livestock sector at current prices is about
tonnes at the end of the
28.5 per cent of the value of output from
Eleventh Five Year Plan
agricultural and allied sector.
(2011-12).
Product Production
• Meat production in the
Milk • India continues to be the beginning of Twelfth Plan
Production largest producer of milk in (2012-13) was 5.95 million
the world. tonnes which further
• The per capita availability of increased to 7.7 million
milk was around 375 grams tonnes in 2017-18.
per day in 2017-18. Fisheries • The country has vast
Egg • Poultry production has taken Production potential for fisheries in view
Production a quantum leap in the last of long coastline of about
four decades, emerging from 8,118 kms apart from the
an unscientific farming inland water resources.
practice to commercial
production system with 4.6.2 National Livestock Mission
state-of-the art technological For sustainable and continuous growth of
interventions. livestock sector by emulating the success
• The per capita availability achieved in dairy and poultry sectors, across
(2017-18) was around 74
species and regions, the National Livestock

Mission was launched in 2014-15.
Submissions
1. Sub-mission on livestock development;
2. Sub-mission on pig development in north-
eastern region;
3. Sub-mission on fodder and feed
development; and
4. Sub-mission on skill development,
technology transfer and extension.
4.6.3 Livestock Health

• For control of major livestock and poultry
diseases by way of prophylactic
vaccination, the required quantity of
vaccines are being produced in the country
at 27 veterinary vaccine production
units including 20 in public sector.
• At present, the Drugs Controller General of
India regulates the quality of veterinary
drugs and biologicals.
Prophylactic Vaccines Are Designed to Build

Immunity in a Patient. A prophylactic, or
preventative, vaccine involves introducing
antigens into a person's body.
The goal is that the individual's immune
4.6.5 Rashtriya Gokul Mission
system will create antibodies for those The Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) is being
antigens, and become immune to the implemented for the development and
associated illness. conservation of indigenous bovine breeds
since December 2014.
4.6.4 Livestock Census The scheme has been implemented with the
• The first livestock census was conducted following objectives:
during 1919-1920 and since then it is
1. to enhance productivity of bovines and
being conducted quinquennially by all
increasing milk production in a
states/UTs of the country.
sustainable manner using advance
• It is the only source, which gives
technologies;
disaggregated information on various
2. to propagate use of high genetic merit bulls
species of farm animals and poultry birds.
for breeding purposes;
• The 20th Livestock Census was
3. to enhance artificial insemination coverage
conducted in 2019 in the country in
through strengthening breeding network
participation with animal husbandry
departments of the states/UTs.
and delivery of artificial insemination • The Ministry has two attached, six
services at farmers’ doorstep; and subordinate offices and thirty five
4. to promote indigenous cattle and buffalo autonomous organisations, which are
rearing and conservation in a scientific and fully funded by the Government.
holistic manner. • There are also four missions namely
• National Mission for Manuscripts,
4.6.7 Indian Fisheries National Mission for Monument and
• Presently India is the second largest fish Antiquities, National Mission on
producing and second largest aquaculture Libraries, and Gandhi Heritage Sites
nation in the world. Mission.
• India is also a major producer of fish • The Ministry is also responsible for the
through aquaculture and ranks second in implementation of various UNESCO
the world after China. conventions in the field of culture and for
• Fish production from inland sector is entering into Cultural Exchange
nearly 4 times that of production from Agreements with partnering countries.
marine sector.
Achievements
• Freshwater aquaculture with a share of 34
• Mumbai gets World Heritage Building
per cent in inland fisheries in mid-1980s
has increased to about 80 per cent in o In a landmark achievement, India’s
recent years. nomination of the ‘Victorian and Art
Deco Ensembles of Mumbai’ has been
• Fisheries is a sunrise sector with varied
inscribed on the World Heritage list of
resources and potential, engaging over
the UNESCO.
14.50 million people at the primary level
and many more along the value chain. o With this, Mumbai becomes the second
city in the country after Ahmedabad to
• Fish Farmers Development Agencies
figure in the list.
(FFDA) was set up in various districts for
o India now has in all 37 World Heritage
delivering a package of technologies,
inscriptions with 29 cultural, 7 natural
practices, training and extension and for
and 1 mixed sites.
providing financial assistance to the
• International Kala Mela – The first ever
beneficiaries.
international Kala Mela was held in New
Delhi in February 2018; with its aim to
promote the spirit of unity in diversity and
5. Culture and Tourism the relevance of Ek Bharat Shreshtha
Bharat.
• Seva Bhoj Yojana : The scheme envisages
5.1 Ministry of Culture
to reimburse the central government share
• The mandate of the Ministry of Culture of Central Goods and Services Tax and
revolves around the functions like Integrated Goods and Services Tax so as
preservation and conservation of to lessen the financial burden of religious /
ancient cultural heritage and promotion charitable institutions who provide food
of art and culture both tangible and /prasad I langar (community kitchen) /
intangible in the country. bhandara, free of cost without any

discrimination to public/devotees. created the Guru Granth Sahib.

• Government of India commemorated the • Guru Nanak emphasised the worship of
550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak one God and insisted that caste, creed,
at national as well as international level in and gender were irrelevant to attaining
befitting manner. salvation.
• The 500th death anniversary of 15th
century poet-saint Kabir was held in June
2018 in Maghar, Sant Kabir Nagar district Kabir Sant
of Uttar Pradesh.
Guru Nanak
• Guru Nanak was born in Talwandi but he
travelled for years before he founded the
Dera Baba Nanak in Kartarpur.
• Kabir was a 15th-century Indian mystic
poet and saint, whose writings influenced
Hinduism’s Bhakti movement and his
verses are found in Sikhism’s scripture
Guru Granth Sahib.
• His early life was in a Muslim family, but
• Irrespective of their creed or caste, his he was strongly influenced by his teacher,
followers ate together in a common kitchen the Hindu bhakti leader Ramananda.
known as langar. And the sacred • Kabir is known for being critical of both
place/temple he created for worship and Hinduism and Islam, stating that the
meditation was called Dharmasal (now former was misguided by the Vedas, and
known as Gurudwara). questioning their meaningless rites of
• Before he died in 1539, he appointed a initiation such as the sacred thread and
follower called Lena (known later as Guru circumcision respectively.
Angad) as his successor. • Kabir believed in one God (Monotheist)
• Guru Angad compiled the work of Guru • Kabir’s legacy survives and continues
Nanak and added to it his own script through the Kabir Panth (“Path of
known as Gurmukhi. Kabir”), a religious community that
• The next three Gurus also wrote under recognizes him as its founder and its
Nanak's name, and their work was members are known as Kabir panthis.
compiled by Guru Arjan in 1604. • Kabir’s poetry is very famous in popular
• Works of Shaikh Farid, Sant Kabir, Bhagat culture as ‘Dohas’.
Namdev, and Guru Tegh Bahadur were
also added to these compilations.
• Finally, in 1706, Guru Gobind Singh
authenticated the compilation and

5.2 Institutes related to culture of its kind in India was set up by Sangeet
Natak Akademi in 1959.
5.2.1 Lalit Kala Akademi
• Later in 1975, it became an autonomous
• Lalit Kala Akademi, the National Academy
organization, totally financed by
of Art, was set up in 1954.
Department of Culture.
• Lalit Kala Akademi is the government’s
• The objective of the NSD is to train
apex cultural body in the field of visual
students in all aspects of theatre, including
arts in India.
theatre history, production, scene design,
• It is an autonomous body, which is fully costume design, lighting, make-up, etc.
funded by the Ministry of Culture.
• The School has a Regional Research Centre
5.2.2 Sangeet Natak Akademi at Bengaluru to cater to the theatrical
• It is India’s national academy of music, needs of the four southern states and
dance and drama, is a pioneer in the Puducherry.
creation of modern India.
5.2.4 Sahitya Akademi
• The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards • Sahitya Akademi, India’s National
conferred annually on eminent artists and Academy of Letters promotes literature in
scholars are considered the most coveted 24 languages of India recognized by it.
honours in the field of the performing arts.
• It organizes programmes, confers Awards
• The Akademi’s publication unit publishes and Fellowships on writers in Indian
literature on relevant subjects on a small languages and publishes books throughout
scale. the year and in 24 recognized languages.
• The Akademi establishes and looks after • Sahitya Akademi publishes three
institutions and projects of national journals, Indian Literature (bi-monthly in
importance in the field of the performing English), Samkaleena Bhartiya Sahitya (bi-
arts. The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur monthly in Hindi) and Sanskrit Pratibha
Dance Academy (JNMDA) in Imphal, is one (quarterly in Sanskrit).
such institute.
Awards Given by Academy for Literature
• In 1959, the Akademi established the
• Sahitya Akademi Award is awarded to the
National School of Drama and the Asian
most outstanding book(s) of literary merit
Theatre Institute; and in 1964, the Kathak
published in the 24 Indian languages
Kendra, both being based in Delhi.
recognized by the Akademi.
• The Akademi’s other projects of national
• Bhasha Samman is given to writers/
importance are in Kutiyattam theatre of
scholars / editors collectors / performers /
Kerala, commenced in 1991. Kutiyattam
translators who have made considerable
was recognized by UNESCO as a
contribution to the propagation and
masterpiece of oral and intangible
enrichment of languages that have not
heritage of humanity in 2001.
been recognized by the Akademi.
5.2.3 National School of Drama • Translation Prize is given to outstanding
• It is one of the foremost theatre translations in all the 24 languages
institutions in the world and the only one recognized by the Akademi.

• Bal Sahitya Puraskar is given to b. To promote the spirit of national

outstanding contributions to children’s integration through a deep and structured
literature in 24 languages. engagement between all states and union
• Yuva Puraskar is given to young Indian territories
writers in 24 languages. c. To showcase the rich heritage and culture,
customs and traditions of either state for
5.2.5 Indira Gandhi National Centre for
enabling people to understand and
Arts
appreciate the diversity that is India.
• IGNCA is a national level academic
research centre encompassing the study d. To create an environment which promotes
and experience of all the arts, classical and learning between states by sharing best
folk, written and oral, ancient and modern. practices and experiences.
• Located in the heart of New Delhi, IGNCA 5.4 Cultural Heritage of the
is an autonomous trust under the Himalayas
Ministry of Culture.
The aim of Buddhist Tibetan Institutions (BTI)
5.2.6 Centre for Cultural Resources and is to help preserve, promote and propagate the
Training intangible of Buddhist/Tibetan/Himalayan
• The CCRT is one of the premier cultural heritage of the country.
institutions working in the field of linking
Institutions
education with culture.
1. Development of Buddhist/ Tibetan
• CCRT was set up in 1979 as an
autonomous organization by the Organization
Government of India. 2. The Central Institute of Buddhist Studies
(CIBS), Leh Ladakh
• With headquarters in New Delhi, it has
three regional centres at Udaipur, 3. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara – Bihar.
Hyderabad and Guwahati. 4. Central University of Tibetan Studies
5. Central Institute of Himalayan Culture
• The broad objectives of CCRT are: revitalize
the education system by creating an Studies
understanding and awareness among
5.5 Archaeological Survey of India
students about the plurality of the regional
cultures of India and integrating this • The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
knowledge with education. was established in 1861. It functions as an
attached office of the Ministry of
5.3 Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Culture.
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was announced • The major activities of the Archaeological
in 2015 on the occasion of the 140th Birth Survey of India are :
Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. o Survey of archaeological remains and
excavations;
The broad objectives of the initiative are:
o Maintenance and conservation of
a. To celebrate the unity in diversity of our centrally protected monuments, sites
nation and to maintain and strengthen the and remains;
fabric of traditionally existing emotional
bonds between the people of our country;
o Chemical preservation of monuments promote and develop contemporary Indian

and antiquarian remains; Art.
o Architectural survey of monuments; • The objective of NGMA is to help people
• Under the Ancient Monuments and look at the works of modern art with
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, understanding and sensitivity.
1958, the ASI has declared 3,686
monuments/sites to be of national 5.6 National Council of Science
importance in the country. The list Museums
includes twenty-one properties that are • NCSM, an autonomous body under the
inscribed on the World Heritage List by Ministry of Culture, is the largest network
UNESCO. of science centres/museums in the world
• The Epigraphy Branch at Mysore carries functioning under a single administrative
out research work in Sanskrit and control.
Dravidian languages while the one at • NCSM is the implementing agency for the
Nagpur carries out research work in Arabic Science City Scheme for developing new
and Persian. science centres in the country of national,
regional and district level.
5.5.1 National Mission on Monuments
and Antiquities • The concept of ‘Museum on Wheels’ was
• NMMA was launched in 2007 with the introduced in India in 1965 when Mobile
objective to prepare a National database on Science Exhibition (MSE) programme
Built Heritage and Sites (BH&S) and started as Mobile Science Museum (MSM)
antiquities from different sources and Victoria Memorial Hall
museums. • The VMH, Kolkata was founded
• NMMA has been made a Division of principally through the efforts of Viceroy
Archaeological Survey of India. Lord Curzon, in 1921 as a period museum
in memory of Queen Victoria with
5.5.2 National Mission for Manuscripts particular emphasis on Indo-British
• NMM was launched in 2003 with the history.
Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts
• The VMH was declared an institution of
(IGNCA) as the nodal agency to reclaim
national importance by the Government of
India’s inheritance of knowledge contained
India Act of 1935.
in the vast treasure of manuscripts.
5.7 National Museum Institute of
5.5.3 National Museum
History of Art, Conservation
• The National Museum, functions as a
and Museology
subordinate office under the Ministry of
Culture since 1960, houses over 2.6 lakh • It is an autonomous organization, fully
art objects dating from pre-historic era funded by the Ministry of Culture,
onwards. established and declared as a Deemed
University in 1989.
5.5.4 National Gallery of Modern Art
• This is the only Museum University in
• The National Gallery of Modern Art
India and is presently functioning at the
(NGMA), New Delhi was founded in 1954 to
first floor of National Museum, New Delhi.

5.8 National Research Laboratory for 5.10 Libraries

Conservation of Cultural • The National Library, Kolkata was
Property founded in 1891. It enjoys the status of an
• NRLC was established in 1976, as a institution of national Importance.
subordinate office of the Department of • The Central Secretariat Library (CSL)
Culture and is recognized by the was established in 1891. Since 1969 the
Department of Science and Technology library has been housed at Shastri
as a scientific institution of the Bhawan, New Delhi. It is a depository of
Government of India. Indian official documents, central
• It provides conservation services and government and state government
technical advice in matters concerning documents.
conservation to museums, archives, • National Mission on Libraries has been
archaeology departments set up by Ministry of Culture, in 2012 in
pursuance of National Knowledge
5.9 The Anthropological Survey of Commission recommendations for
India (An.S.I.) sustained attention for development of
An.S.I. is an institution one of its unique kind libraries and information science sector.
anywhere the world. It has been mandated to • The Nehru Memorial and Museum and
study the bio-cultural attributes of the Indian Library comprises a Museum on the life
populations since its establishment, about 65 and times of Jawaharlal Nehru; the
years before. research and publication division; a
library that has a pre-eminent position
National Archives of India among the social science libraries in the
• The National Archives of India is the country; the oral history division; the
custodian of the non-current records of the manuscripts division; the centre for
Government of India and is holding them contemporary studies; the planetarium;
in trust for the use of the records creators and the Nehru learning centre for
and the users at large. children and youth.
• It is the biggest repository of the non-
current records in south east Asia. 5.11 Performing Arts
• Archives are the priceless documentary • Performing Arts Grants Scheme: Under
heritage of any nation and as the premier this scheme, financial assistance is
archival institution in the country provided to dramatic groups, theatre
• National Archives of India functions as an groups, music ensembles, children’s
attached office of the Ministry of theatre and for all genres of performing
Culture entrusted with the preservation of arts activities.
the documentary heritage of the nation. • Scheme for Cultural Organizations with
• It is also the nodal agency for the National Presence To promote and support
implementation of the Public Records Act, cultural organizations with national
1993. presence involved in promotion of art and
culture throughout the country
• Tagore Cultural Complexes Scheme:
Under this scheme, financial assistance is
provided for the setting up of new cultural • National Medical and Wellness Tourism
complexes of varying scales as also for Board - It has been set up to work as an
modernization, renovation and umbrella organisation to govern and
upgradation of existing Tagore auditoria promote medical tourism in India.
etc. • Task Force on Adventure Tourism - For
• Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission was development and promotion of adventure
created in 2013 to preserve for posterity tourism, a task force on Adventure
the 39 core sites as well as some important Tourism was formed in 2016 to resolve the
sites from the master list (consisting of issues related to adventure tourism which
2000 sites visited by Mahatma Gandhi). includes safety and security of tourists.
• Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti was • Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel
formed in 1984 as an autonomous body, Management
and is functioning under the financial o IITTM is an autonomous body under
support from the Ministry of Culture. the Ministry with its headquarters at
Gandhi Smriti is the place where Mahatma Gwalior.
Gandhi lived the last 144 days of his life, o IITTM is a pioneer in the field of travel
and where the epic life of Gandhiji ended and tourism education and training. It
on January 30, 1948. provides specialized training and
education for tourism and travel
5.12 Tourism
industry.
• Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency to • Indian Culinary Institute - The Ministry
formulate national policies and of Tourism has set up the Indian Culinary
programmes for the development and Institute (ICI) at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
promotion of tourism. The first of its kind in India, the Institute
• Ministry has recently launched the ‘Adopt has commenced its academic session from
A Heritage’ project. Heritage sites are August, 2016.
being offered for adoption by the public
sector, private sector and individuals to
5.13 Swadesh Darshan Scheme
become ‘Monument Mitras’ for developing • Swadesh Darshan, a Central Sector
amenities and facilities at these sites under Scheme, was launched in 2014 -15 for
this programme. integrated development of theme based
• Foreign Tourist Arivals (FTAs) during 2018 tourist circuits in the country.
were 10.56 million (prov.) with a growth of • Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism
5.2 per cent over the same period of the provides Central Financial Assistance
previous year (CFA) to State Governments/Union
• ‘Special Tourism Zones’ Territory Administrations for infrastructure
development of circuits.
o Creation of ‘Special Tourism Zones’
anchored on Special Purpose Vehicles PRASAD Scheme
(SPVs) is in partnership with the states. • It was launched in 2014-15 by Union
Ministry of Tourism has formulated the Ministry of Tourism. It aims at integrated
guidelines for implementation of the development of pilgrimage destinations in
new scheme in consultation with the planned, prioritised and sustainable
state governments and private sector

manner to provide complete religious 6.2 National Statistical Commission

tourism experience. (NSC)
• It focuses on the development and • NSC was set up in 2005 bases on the
beautification of the identified pilgrimage recommendation of the Rangarajan
destinations. Commission, which reviewed the Indian
“Swachh Paryatan Mobile App” operated by Statistical System in 2001.
the Ministry of Tourism for 25 Adarsh Smarak • It has one part-time Chairperson and four
Monuments has been also made available for part-time members, each having
Windows Phones and iPhone. specialization and experience in specified
statistical fields.
• The Chief Statistician of India is the
6. Basic Economic Data Secretary to the Commission. He is also
the Secretary to the Government of
India in the Ministry of Statistics and
6.1 Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
Programme Implementation
(MoSPI) 6.2.1 Central Statistics Office (CSO)
• CSO is an attached office of the Ministry,
• It came into existence as an independent
coordinates the statistical activities in the
ministry in 1999 after the merger of the country and evolves statistical standards.
Department of Statistics and the
• Its activities inter-alia, include compilation
Department of Programme
of national accounts, index of industrial
Implementation.
production, consumer price indices
• The Ministry has two wings, one relating to
(urban/rural/ combined), human
statistics and the other relating to
development statistics, including gender
programme implementation.
statistics in the states and union territories
1. The Statistics Wing redesignated as • The CSO, releases All India Consumer
National Statistics Office (NSO), Price Indices (CPI) separately for rural,
consists of the Central Statistical urban and combined (rural plus urban) for
Office (CSO) and the National the purpose of temporal price comparison.
Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
2. The Programme Implementation Wing 6.3 Annual Survey of Industries (ASI)
has three divisions, namely : (i) twenty • ASI is the principal source of industrial
point programme, (ii) infrastructure statistics in india.
and project monitoring, and (iii) • It provides statistical information to access
Members of Parliament Local Area and evaluate, objectively and realistically,
Development Scheme. the change in the growth, composition and
structure of the organized manufacturing
• There is one autonomous institute, viz.,
sector
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) declared
as an institute of national importance by • Defence establishments, oil storage and
an Act of Parliament. distribution depots, departmental units
such as railway workshops, government
mints, sanitary, water supply, gas storage,
etc., are excluded from the purview of the The data is being collected on a mobile app
survey. through door-to-door survey of each
household and commercial establishment
6.4 Index of Industrial Production
across the country under the provisions of
(IIP)
Collection of Statistics Act, 2008.
• IIP is released by CSO every month in the
form of Quick Estimates with a time-lag of 6.6 Price Data Collection
6 weeks as per the Special Data • Consumer Price Index (Urban): CPI for
Dissemination Standard (SDDS) norms of urban areas measure the changes over
IMF. time in general level of retail prices of
• The base year of all-India IIP was revised goods and services for the purpose of
from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and the new consumption relevant to the urban
series was launched in 2017. population of the country
• The major source of data for IIP is the • Wholesale Price Index (Outgoing): WPI is
Department of Industrial Policy and used as an important measure of inflation
Promotion that supplies data for 322 out in India. Fiscal and monetary policy
of 407 item groups with a weight of 47.54 changes are greatly influenced by changes
pcr cent in overall IIP. in WPI.
• Rural Retail Price Collection (RPC):
6.5 National Sample Survey Office o The data on rural retail prices are
• NSSO is responsible for conduct of large collected by Field Operations Divisions
scale sample surveys, in diverse fields, on (FOD) regularly for compiling the
all India basis. consumer price index (CPI) for
• Primary data is collected regularly through agricultural labourers/rural labourers.
nationwide household surveys, Annual o At present, the Labour Bureau compiles
Survey of Industries (ASI) under the and publishes the CPI for agricultural
Collection of Statistics Act and Enterprise labourers/rural labourers.
Surveys, as a follow up of the economic Statistics Day
census. • In recognition of the notable contributions
made by (Late) Professor Prasanta
• NSSO functions under overall guidance
Chandra Mahalanobis in the field of
and supervision of National Statistical
economic planning and statistical
Commission (NSC)
development, the Government of India
• The Director General (Survey) is
designated 29th June every year,
responsible for overall coordination and
coinciding with his birth anniversary, as
supervision of all activities of NSSO
the Statistics Day to be celebrated at the
6.5.1 Seventh Economic Census national level.
• The objective of this Day is to create public
The 7th Economic Census (EC) was conducted awareness, among the people specially
in 2019 under the Capacity Development the younger generation for drawing
Scheme. As on December 31, 2019, field inspirations from Prof. Mahalanobis about
work was started in 28 states/UTs and will be the role of statistics in socio-economic
launched shortly in remaining states/ UTs. planning and policy formulation.

6.7 Twenty Point Programme entitlement per MP/ constituency is 5

crore.
• The Twenty Point Programme (TPP)
initiated since 1975 was restructured in • Under it, the role of the Members of
2006 is to eradicate poverty and improve Parliament is limited to recommend
the quality of life of the poor and the works. Thereafter, it is the responsibility
underprivileged people. of the district authority to sanction,
execute and complete the works
• The Programme originally consisted of 20
recommended within the stipulated time
points and 66 items being monitored
period.
individually by central nodal ministries
concerned. • The elected Lok Sabha Members can
recommend works in their respective
• One of the 66 items viz., ‘Sampoorna
constituencies.
Grameen Rojgar Yojana (SGRY)’ has since
been subsumed into another item namely • The elected members of the Rajya Sabha
‘National Rural Employment Guarantee can recommend works anywhere in the
Act’ with effect from 2008. state from which they are elected.
• Since 2014 the data collection is done on • Nominated Members of the Parliament
quarterly basis and the monthly can recommend works for implementation,
monitoring has been changed to quarterly anywhere in the country.
monitoring. • 15 per cent of MPLADS funds are to be
utilized for areas inhabited by SC
6.8 Members of Parliament Local population and 7.5 per cent for areas
Area Development Scheme inhabited by ST population.
• MPLADS was launched in 1993. Initially, • The MP can spend a maximum of 20
Ministry of Rural Development was the lakh per year for giving assistance to
Nodal Ministry for this scheme. Differently Abled Citizens
• In October, 1994 this scheme was
transferred to the Ministry of Statistics
and Programme Implementation. 7. Commerce
• The objective of MPLAD Scheme is to
enable MPs to recommend works of
developmental nature with emphasizes on 7.1 Department of Commerce
creation of durable community assets in • Department of Commerce comes under the
the areas of national priorities based on Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
the locally felt needs. • The mandate of the Department of
Salient features of MPLADS Commerce is regulation, development and
• The Scheme is fully funded by the promotion of India’s international trade
Government of India under which funds and commerce
are released in the form of grants-in-aid • The Department formulates, implements
directly to the district authorities. and monitors the Foreign Trade Policy
• The funds released under the Scheme are (FTP)
non-lapsable. At present, the annual • Department is also entrusted with
responsibilities relating to multilateral and

bilateral commercial relations, Special per cent in FY 2015-16 to 16.5 per cent in
Economic Zones, state trading, export FY 2019-20.
promotion and trade facilitation • Top 5 import categories in terms of
share in India’s import basket in FY 2019-
7.2 Trade Performance
20 are: petroleum crude and products
• India’s global trade (sum of merchandise (27.5 per cent); gems and jewellery (11.47
and services exports and imports) reached per cent); electronics items (11.06 per
USD 1,127 billion in FY 2019-20. Imports cent); machinery (9.52 per cent); and
exceeded exports by USD 77.0 billion. chemicals and related products (9.33 per
• India’s overall exports (Merchandise and cent).
Services combined) in 2019- 20 were USD • The major import sources in 2019-20
526.3 billion, exhibiting a negative growth were China (13.8 per cent); USA (7.6 per
of (-) 2.2 per cent over the same period last cent); UAE (6.4 per cent); Saudi Arabia (5.7
year. per cent); and Iraq (5 per cent).
• Overall imports in 2019-20 were USD
7.2.3 Services Trade
603.1 billion, exhibiting a negative growth
• Services sector for India, which has been a
of (-) 5.8 per cent over the same period last
major force in driving the growth of the
year.
economy, contributed 55 per cent to Gross
7.2.1 Merchandise Exports Valued Added (GVA) and 41 per cent to
• India is the 18th largest exporter of total exports in 2019-20 (P).
merchandise goods in the world with a • Over the years, steady surplus is being
share of 1.7 per cent. maintained in services trade. Services
• In FY 2019-20, India’s total merchandise Exports in 2019-20 (P) stood at USD 213.2
exports were USD 313.4 billion. billion up from USD 208 billion recorded in
• Major product categories and their share in 2018-19 growing at the rate of 2.5 per
export basket in FY 2019-20 are: cent.
chemicals and related products (14.37 per • Services imports in 2019-20 (P) stood at
cent), Petroleum and products (13.18 per USD 128.3 billion up from USD 126.1
cent), gems and jewellery (11.46 per cent), billion recorded in 2018-19.
textiles and allied products (10.76 per Trade Balance - Taking merchandise and
cent) and machinery (9.12 per cent). services together, overall trade deficit was
• Top 5 export destinations and their share USD 77 billion in FY 2019-20 as compared to
in India’s exports are: USA (16.95 per USD 102.1 billion in FY 2018-19.
cent); UAE (9.21 per cent); China (5.3 per
cent); Hong Kong (3.5 per cent); and 7.3 Global Perspective
Singapore (2.85 per cent). • A challenging global trade environment
since 2014-15 led to a downturn in global
7.2.2 Merchandise Imports
trade mainly due to global economic
• During the FY 2019-20, India’s
slowdown, growing protectionist tendencies
merchandise imports were valued at
worldwide, and US trade war etc. However,
USD 474.7 billion. Imports as a
since January 2020, current growth is
percentage of GDP have fallen from 18.1

further under stress with the spread of sent to 24 countries, along with supplies of
Covid-19. other essential materials to about 57
• Global Economic Prospects released by countries.
World Bank in June 2020 mentioned, • These measures reinforced India’s
“Covid-19 pandemic will result in credibility as a reliable, trustworthy and
contractions across the vast majority of empathetic partner working for the
emerging market and developing common good.
economies. It will also do lasting
damage to labour productivity and 7.5 Foreign Trade Policy
potential output.” • The Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), the basic
• Despite the challenging global trade framework of policy and strategy for
environment, India’s merchandise promoting trade from India has
exports saw three years of consistent conventionally been formulated for five
growth to reach a new peak of over USD years at a time, and reviewed periodically.
330 billion in FY 2019. • The FTP for 2015-20, announced in April
• India’s total exports, inclusive of services, 2015, provided a framework for increasing
crossed half a trillion dollars for the first exports of goods and services as well as
time to reach a new high of USD 538.1 generation of employment and increasing
billion in FY 2019. This feat was repeated value addition in the country, in keeping
in FY 2020. with the “Make in India” vision of the
• Current export growth, however is affected country.
by the trade slowdown aggravated by • Because of the pandemic the FTP 2015-
Covid-19. 20, has been extended by one year, i.e., up
to March 31, 2021.
7.4 Response to Covid-19
New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26
• In response to Covid-19, government
• Meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative
worked on enhancing production
Committee of the Ministry of Commerce
capacities of essential drugs and other
and Industry was held today on the subject
materials to support the healthcare
"New Foreign Trade Policy 2021-26".
systems around the world.
• The new FTP will come into effect from 1st
• The PPE production capacity was thus
April 2021 for a period of five years and
revamped to half a million kits every day
will strive to make India a leader in the
from virtually nil earlier and India
area of international trade and channelize
unconditionally facilitated assistance
the synergies gained through merchandise
requests of many countries for exports of
and services exports for growth and
critical drugs and medicines.
employment with a goal to make India a
• As a result, India supplied around 45 tons USD 5 Trillion economy.
and 400 million tablets of
• A key driver for India to achieve the USD 5
hydroxychloroquine to around 114
Trillion mark in an expedited time frame
countries globally. Similarly, paracetamol
would be boosting exports, both
supplies of around 96 million tablets; 0.4
merchandise and services.
million of suspension IP; 0.8 million bottles
and 270 MT in various other forms, were

7.6 Major Schemes for Export • Duty free import/procurement of precious

Promotion metal (gold/ silver / platinum) from the
nominated agencies is allowed either in
7.6.1 Duty Exemption/Remission
advance or as replenishment.
Schemes
Duty neutralisation/remission schemes are
based on the principle and the commitment 4. Issuance of Authorisation under Duty
of the government that goods and services Remission Schemes:
are to be exported and not the taxes and • Authorizations are issued under the
levies. Its purpose is to allow duty-free various schemes, viz., Advance
import/ procurement of inputs or to allow
Authorisation, Duty Free Import
replenishment either for the inputs, used or
the duty component on inputs used. Brief of Authorisation (DFIA) and Replenishment
these schemes are as follows: License (Gems and Jewellery).
1. Advance Authorisation Scheme 5. Export Promotion of Capital Goods

• It allows duty-free import of inputs, (EPCG):
along with fuel, oil, catalyst, etc., required • The objective of the EPCG scheme is to
for manufacturing the export product. facilitate import of capital goods for
producing quality goods and services to
• This facility is available for physical
enhance India’s export competitiveness.
exports (also including supplies to SEZ
units and SEZ Developers) and deemed • The Scheme allows import of capital goods
exports including intermediate supplies. at zero customs duty subject to an export
obligation equivalent to 6 times of duties
• Minimum value addition prescribed is 15
and taxes.
per cent except for certain items.
7.6.2 Export from India Schemes
2. Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) • Merchandise Exports from India Scheme
• DFIA scheme operational from 2006. One (MEIS) facilitates export of notified
of the objectives of the scheme is to products through issuance of a
facilitate transfer of the authorisation or transferable duty credit scrip to the
the inputs imported as per SION, after exporter. These scrips could be used for
exports are completed. paying import duty.
• Provisions of DFIA scheme are similar to
• MEIS was introduced in the Foreign Trade
Advance Authorisation Scheme.
Policy (FTP) 2015-20 in April 2015 with
• A minimum value addition of 20 per the objective to set off infrastructural
cent is required under the scheme.
inefficiencies and associated costs
involved in exporting goods which are
3. Schemes for Gems and Jewellery Sector: either produced or manufactured in India.
• Gems and Jewellery exports constitute a
major portion of our total merchandise 7.7 Directorate General of Foreign
exports. It is an employment-oriented Trade
sector. Exports from this sector suffered
• DGFT is an attached office of the
significantly on account of the global
economic slowdown. Ministry of Commerce and Industry and

is headed by Director General of Foreign window clearance on matters relating to

Trade. central and state governments.
• Directorate, with headquarters at New
7.10 Government e- Market
Delhi, is responsible for formulating and
implementing the Foreign Trade Policy with • GeM is a one-stop National Public
the main objective of promoting India’s Procurement Portal to facilitate online
exports. procurement of common use Goods &
• In the last two years, over 50,000 Services required by various Central and
entrepreneurs have been trained under the State Government Departments /
Niryat Bandhu programme implemented Organizations /Public Sector
by DGFT. Undertakings ( PSUs).
• It was launched in 2016 to bring
7.8 Centre for Research in transparency and efficiency in the
International Trade government buying process.
• A new institution, namely, the Centre for • It operates under the Ministry of
Research in International Trade (CRIT) Commerce and Industry.
has been set up to deepen existing
research capabilities to understand the 7.11 Trade Facilitation
growing complexity of the process of • National Trade Facilitation Committee
globalization and its spill over effects on (NTFC) was set up following ratification by
domestic policymaking. India of the Trade Facilitation Agreement
• CRIT will have 5 centres namely Centre for (TFA).
Trade and Investment law, Centre for • Four working groups have been set up to
Regional Trade, Centre for Training, Centre focus on (i) infrastructure, (ii) legal issues,
for Trade Promotion and Centre for WTO (iii) outreach and (iv) time release study.
Studies. • The National Trade Facilitation Action Plan
(NTFAP) has been drawn out, identifying
7.9 Special Economic Zones
76 trade facilitation measures with
• India was one of the first in Asia to implementation timelines of which 51 are
recognise the effectiveness of the Export TFA-plus activities.
Processing Zone (EPZ) model in promoting
exports, with Asia’s first EPZ set up in 7.11.1 Quality Standards
Kandla in 1965. • Government is committed to transforming
• To overcome the shortcomings on account India into a manufacturing and exporting
of multiplicity of controls and clearances, hub. This will require focus on improving
absence of world-class infrastructure and product quality.
with a view to attract larger foreign • An endeavour would be made to upgrade
investments in India, the Special quality and infrastructure to help firms to
Economic Zones (SEZs) Policy was move to higher quality standards and also
announced in April 2000. protect Indian consumers from
• The SEZ Act, 2005, supported by SEZ substandard imports.
Rules, came into effect in 2006, providing • Setting up more globally accredited testing
simplification of procedures and single laboratories, enhancing the capacity of

Indian testing laboratories and Mutual • Promoting Quality through Standards/

Recognition Agreements (MRA) with Regulations
partner countries would be areas of focus. • Developing Districts as Export Hubs
7.11.2 Anti-Dumping • Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme

(TIES) supports development of export
• The role of Directorate General of Anti-
linked infrastructure that can be utilised
Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) under
by multiple exporters.
the Department is to provide the level
playing field to the country’s domestic
industry from the foreign exporters so that
they are able to compete effectively in the 8. Communication and
domestic market. Information Technology
• Dumping is said to occur when the goods
are exported by a country to another
country at a price lower than the price it 8.1 Introduction
normally charges in its own home • Communications and information
market. technology in the country are handled by
the Ministry of Electronics and Information
7.12 Export Promotion Initiatives
Technology and Ministry of
under Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Communications.
The key domestic and trade policy measures • The Ministry of Electronics and Technology
for increasing exports, reducing imports and promotes e-governance and sustainable
moving towards a developed and growth of the electronics, IT and ITeS
Aatmanirbhar Bharat, include: industries.
• Phasing out of the MEIS and Introducing • Ministry of Communications looks after the
Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Department of Posts and Department of
Product (RoDTEP) scheme Telecommunications.
• A new scheme Remission of Duties or
Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) has
8.2 Posts
been approved. The RoDTEP scheme would • The modern postal system, the most
refund, as stipulated, the currently un- preferred facilitator of communication, was
refunded (i) duties/taxes/levies, at the established in India by Lord Clive in
central, state and local level, borne on the 1766 and it was further developed by
exported product, including prior stage Warren Hastings in 1774.
cumulative indirect taxes on goods and • The expansion of its network was made
services used in the production of the during 1786 to 1793.
exported product. • For the first time, the post offices were
• Promoting Agriculture Exports regulated through an Act of 1837
• Champion Services Sector Initiative for • The statute presently governing the postal
Promoting and Diversifying Services Sector services in the country is the Indian Post
• Focus on Substantially Enhancing Ease of Office Act, 1898.
Doing Business

Organization Overview 8.3.4 Social Security Scheme

• The Department of Posts comes under the • Jan Surakshaa Schemes like the Pradhan
Ministry of Communications. Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
• The Postal Service Board, the apex and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima
management body of the department, Yojana (PMJJBY) were launched in 2015
comprises the Chairman and six Members. in all CBS post offices for all post office
savings account holders.
8.3 Financial Services
8.3.5 Core Banking Solution &
• Department of Posts is operating Small
installation of ATMs
Savings Schemes on behalf of Ministry
• The Core Banking Solution (CBS) is part of
of Finance, which frames and modifies
the India Post IT Modernization project
rules relating to these schemes and pays
that aims to bring in various IT
remuneration to the Department of Posts.
solutions with the required
8.3.1 Mutual Funds infrastructure to the post offices.
• The post office is playing an important role
8.3.6 Sukanya Samriddhi Account
in extending the reach of the capital
• Sukanya Samriddhi Account, a new Small
market of the country and
Savings Scheme for the welfare of girl
providing the common man easy access to
child, was launched in 2015.
market based investment options.
• Under the scheme, a legal/natural
• Presently, Mutual Fund products of UTI
guardian can open only one account in the
only are being retailed through post
name of one girl child and maximum two
offices.
accounts in the name of two different girl
8.3.2 International Money Transfer children up to 10 years from date of birth
Service of the girl child.
• International money transfer service is a
8.3.7 India Post Payments Bank
quick and easy way of transferring
• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) was set
personal remittances from abroad to
up in 2016 with a mandate to build most
beneficiaries in India.
accessible, affordable and trusted bank
8.3.3 National Pension Scheme for the common man by removing the
• National pension scheme, earlier known as barriers for the unbanked and
New Pension System (NPS), for common promote the adoption of cashless
citizens was introduced by government in transactions in a predominantly cash
2009. based economy
• India Post is a point of presence for the IPPB is offering a bouquet of payments and
national pension system. their salient features are:
• Subscribers (any Indian citizen) in the age (i) deposits-savings accounts, currents
group of 18 to 55 can join NPS and accounts;
contribute till the age of 60. (ii) money transfer simple and secure,
instant, 24 × 7;

(iii) direct benefit transfers MGNREGA, 8.3.8 Postal Life Insurance

scholarships, social welfare benefits and • Postal Life Insurance (PLI) was introduced
other government subsidies; on 1st Februray 1884, as a welfare scheme
(iv) third party products-loans, insurance, for the benefit of postal employees and
investments, post office savings scheme; later extended to the employees of
(v) bill and utility payments-mobile and DTH telegraph department in 1888.
recharge, electricity/water/gas bills,
8.3.9 Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI)
donations and insurance premium; and
(vi) enterprises and merchant payments- Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) was
postal products, digital payment of e- started in 1995. The prime objective of the
commerce delivery (CoD), small scheme is to provide insurance cover to the
merchants /kirana stores/ unorganised rural public in general and to benefit weaker
retail, offline payments, cash sections and women workers of rural areas in
management services. particular and also to spread insurance
awareness among the rural population.
Difference between Post Office Savings
Bank (POSB) and India Post Payment Bank 8.4 New and Value-Added Services
(IPPB)
Post Office 8.4.1 Mail Network Optimisation
India Post Payment
Savings Bank Project (MNOP)
Bank (IPPB)
(POSB) • MNOP was undertaken by the Department
Focuses on with the objective of consolidation and
Primarily aim at encouragingdigital optimisation of its mail network and with a
savings payments and view to improve quality of mail operations
remittance.
by streamlining core mail operations.
Offers Savings Accounts
• The project covers Speed Post,
& Current Accounts
savings schemes (CASA), Remittance International Mail, registered and
such as SB, TD, and Bill Payment unregistered mail. MNOP project has
MIS,PPF, SSY, etc Services, Merchant been implemented in the entire country
Services and Third- comprising 23 postal circles.
Party Products.
Post Office Savings 8.4.2 Postman Mobile Application (PMA)
Account (POSA) • PMA is an android-based mobile
accounts can be application which has been designed and
linked to an IPPB developed in-house by the Center for
account Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT),
POSA accounts Mysuru.
complement IPPB • Department of Posts has provided around
accounts by
50,000 smart phones in urban areas and
becoming a sweep-
out destination for more than 1 lakh smart phones to the
accounts which delivery staff in the rural areas for the
have balances deployment of PMA.
above Rs. 1 lakh at
end of the day.

8.4.3 Speed Post 8.4.7 Road Transport Network during

• Speed Post was started in 1986 for Covid-19
providing a time-bound and express • During Covid-19, with the stoppage of rail
delivery of letters and parcels weighing and air services, mail and parcel
upto 35 kg between specified stations in transmission had come to a halt for a
India. while.
• It is the flagship product of Department of • To meet the urgent national requirement at
Posts and the market leader in the a critical time, a dedicated nationwide
domestic express industry with monthly Road Transport Network (RTN) for
volumes of more than 3 crore articles shipment of essential items especially
ventilators, Covid-19 Kits, etc., was
8.4.4 Leveraging Post Office Network planned and operationalised by the
for Setting up Passport Seva Kendra Department from its existing fleet of
• The Department is associated with the vehicles supplemented by outsourced
passport services right from its inception vehicles.
as passports are being delivered through
speed post. 8.4.8 Business Posts
• In order to extend passport services on a • Department of Posts introduced ‘Business
larger scale and to ensure wider area Post’ service in 1996 to offer a
coverage, Department of Posts and comprehensive solution to corporate/
Ministry of External Affairs have government organizations/PSUs and other
mutually agreed for leveraging the network corporate houses for their pre-mailling
of post office as Passport Seva Kendras for requirements.
benefit of citizens.
8.4.9 Direct Posts
8.4.5 Electronic Clearance of Letter • Direct Post is the un-addressed component
Boxes of Direct Mail in India, and would comprise
• Department has introduced electronic un-addressed postal articles like letters,
monitoring of the clearance of letter boxes cards, brochures, questionnaires,
through the Nanyatha software app, which pamphlets, samples, promotional items
provides a mechanism for checking the like CDs/floppies and cassettes etc.,
clearance of letter boxes. coupons, posters, mailers or any other
form of printed communication that is not
8.4.6 Express and Business Parcel prohibited by the Indian Post Office Act
• The increasing e-Commerce market has 1898 or Indian Post Office Rules 1933.
given a boost to the parcel segment where
B2C parcels are on the rise. At the same 8.4.10 Gangajal through Post Offices
time there is a demand to cater to the • India Post has put in place arrangements
needs of the C2C category parcels also. for supply and distribution of ‘Gangajal’
Accordingly, Express Parcel and Business sourced from Rishikesh and Gangotri,
Parcel services were introduced by the through post offices across the country
Department in 2013. from 2016.
• ‘Gangajal’ is being made availablel through
Head Post Offices and ePost Office Portal

8.4.11 Post Shoppe other member countries. The purpose of

• The Department of Posts in its endeavour the APPU is to extend, facilitate and
to facilitate customers with pleasant improve closer postal relations among
shopping experience has evolved a concept member countries and to promote
of ‘Post Shoppe’. cooperation in the field of postal services
• The ‘Post Shoppe’ is a convenient store within the Asia-Pacific region.
format, located in the premises of Philately
important post offices, which essentially • Philately is the hobby of collecting stamps
keeps wide range of collectable philatelic as well as the study of postal history and
items such as stamps, first day covers, other related items.
frames, albums and also ‘My Stamp’ corner
• It is a mode of commemorating, celebrating
where one can get stamps with own
and promoting national heritage, culture,
photograph.
events and personalities.
• ‘Post Shoppes’ are also a prominent place
• Postage Stamps are pictorial
for items of cultural heritage and
ambassadors. They are a statement of
traditional items of local importance
sovereignty of a nation.
prepared by artisans
My Stamps
8.4.12 Sovereign Gold Bond • My Stamps are personalized sheets of
• Department is actively engaged in the postage stamps of India Post.
premier scheme—Sale of Sovereign Gold
• Personalization is achieved by printing a
Bond (SGB) introduced in 2015-16 by
thumb nail photograph image of the
Ministry of Finance, and operated through
customer and logos of institutions, or
RBI
images of artwork, heritage buildings,
8.4.13 e-Post Office famous tourist places, historical cities,
• e-Post Office is an e-commerce portal of wildlife, other animals and birds, etc.,
the Department of Posts which provides alongside the commemorative stamps.
selected postal facility through the
8.6 Celebration of 150th Birth
internet.
Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
• This portal aims at providing a
convenience to the public for availing • Twenty-five postal administrations across
select postal services from their the world released stamps to mark the
home/office using their own computer and 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma
internet. Gandhi.
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana

8.5 International Relations • A philately scholarship scheme called Deen
• India is a member of the Universal Postal Dayal SPARSH (Scholarship for Promotion
Union (UPU) since 1876. This organization of Aptitude and Research in Stamps as a
of 192 member countries aims to Hobby) Yojana was introduced in 2017-18
extend, facilitate and improve postal to promote philately among children at
relations among other countries. a young age in a sustainable manner
• India is also a member of the Asian- that can reinforce and supplement the
Pacific Postal Union (APPU) along with 31 academic curriculum in addition to

providing a hobby that can help them relax

and de-stress.
8.7 Public Grievances
8.7.1 Computerised Customer Care

Centres
• The Department has a well laid out
procedure for handling public grievances
for its services. A monitoring mechanism to
ensure the quality of services and prompt • The programme has three vision areas
redressal of public grievances is in place. namely,
• The Department has upgraded its web- 1. digital infrastructure as a utility for
based grievance handling system to every citizen,
interconnect the Customer Care Centres 2. governance and services on demand
with the objective of systematic handling 3. digital empowerment of citizens by
and quick redressal of public grievances. bridging the digital divide in the
• In 2010, the modified version of country.
Computerized Customer Care Centre
(CCCC) software was made operational. 8.8.1 Digital Identity
• Aadhaar provides 12 digit biometric and
8.7.2 Digital Life Certificate demographic based identity that is
• Jeevan Pramaan/Digital Life Certificate unique, lifelong, online and authenticable.
(DLC) is a biometric enabled digital • Under the Aadhaar Act 2016,UIDAI is
service for pensioners for submitting responsible for Aadhaar enrolment and
their Life Certificates digitally, which authentication
was introduced in 2015 as a Digital lndia
• Aadhaar has been instrumental in the
lnitiative of Government of lndia.
provision of goods and services and isl also
8.8 Information And Technology enhancing and enabling digital transaction
and digital payment.
• Ministry of Electronics and Information
• Some of major initiatives are:
Technology (MeitY) deals with policy
matters relating to information technology, • Aadhaar Enabled Payments
electronics, internet (other than licensing • Aadhaar Enabled Services
of ISPs) and cyber security.
8.8.2 e-governance initiatives:
• Digital India programme – The
• In order to transform the quality of services
overarching vision of the programme is to
and to provide integrated services the ion
transform India into a digitally empowered
of services. “eKranti” initiative aims to
society and knowledge economy.
utilize emerging technologies such as
cloud and mobile platform and focus on
integrate Sampark Database is developed
to send messages and emails to public
representatives and government
employees
• e-Taal is a web portal for dissemination of knowledge sharing and collaborative

e-transactions statistics of national and research.
state level e-governance projects including • Unified Mobile Application for New-Age
mission mode projects. Governance (UMANG) has been developed
• e-Districts is one of the Mission Mode and launched in 2017 as a single mobile
Projects (MMPs) under e-Kranti, with the platform to deliver major government
MeitY, as the nodal Ministry, to be services.
implemented by state government or their • Digital Locker is a platform for issuance
designated agencies. This MMP aims at and verification of documents and
electronic delivery of identified high volume certificates in a digital way, thus
citizen centric services, at district and sub- eliminating the use of physical documents.
district level, those are not part of any
other MMP. 8.8.3 PRAGATI
• Common Services Centre: This scheme • PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance And
aims at providing ICT enabled frontend Timely Implementation) was launched in
service delivery outlets, across rural India 2015.
covering six lakh villages. • This video conferencing facility brings
• GI Cloud: In order to utilize and harness the secretaries to government of India and
the benefits of Cloud Computing, the the chief secretaries of the states on single
government has embarked upon an platform on every fourth wednesday of
ambitious and important initiative - “GI the month, through which Prime Minister
Cloud” which has been coined as is able to discuss the issues in major
“MeghRaj”. projects and programmes directly.
• e-Way Bill Application, provides a self- 8.8.4 Promotion of Digital Transactions
service platform to tax payers and • A new educational channel ‘DigiShala’ for
transporters to generate single e-Way Bill creating awareness regarding various
for movement of goods from one place to forms of electronic payment to citizens was
another, as per GST Rules. launched in 2016.
• Jeevan Pramaan/Digital Life Certificate • The BHIM App was launched in 2016 and
(DLC) is a biometric enabled digital service within a short span BHIM downloads have
for pensioners for submitting their Life crossed 20 million with transactions worth
Certificates digitally, which was introduced around Rs. 3,000 crores.
in 2015 as a Digital lndia lnitiative of
Government of lndia. 8.8.5 e-Pramaan
• MeitY has conceptualized and is • MeitY has conceptualised and is
implementing the e-Pramaan framework implementing the e-Pramaan framework
for e-Authentication for public services. for e-Authentication for public services.
• National Knowledge Network (NKN) was • The objective is to electronically deliver the
established in 2010 to interconnect all government services to its intended
institutions of higher learning and recipients in a secure manner, as well as to
research with a high speed data build citizens’ trust in an online
communication network to facilitate environment, which is always prone to
identity thefts and other associated risks.

• MeitY has made e-Pramaan available for Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956
public usage with the help of C-DAC, (now Section 8 under Companies Act,
Mumbai. 2013) for peering of ISPs among
themselves and routing the domestic
8.8.6 Direct Benefit Transfer traffic within the country.
The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme • National Institute of Electronics and
envisages a switch from the present electronic Information Technology (NIELIT) a
transfer to bank accounts of the beneficiary to scientific society of the MeitY, is actively
transfer of benefits directly to Aadhaar seeded engaged in capacity building and skill
bank accounts of the beneficiaries. development in Information Technolog y
(IT).
8.9 Organizations • Software Technology Parks of India
• National Centre for Geo-Informatics (STPI) was set up in 1991 as an
(NCoG) provides GIS based services to autonomous society under the MeitY for
government ministries/departments. promotion of software exports from the
• National Cyber Co-ordination Centre country.
(NCCC) is being set-up with an aim to • Media Lab Asia ben has been promoted
generate cyber security situational by this Ministry as a not-for-profit
awareness to anticipate and prepare for company to bring the benefits of ICT to
cyber-attacks. the common man.
• The Unique Identification Authority of • Computer Emergency Response Team
India (UIDAI) office to the Planning (CERTIn) is a functional organisation of
Commission now an was established in the Ministry, which has been designated
2009, as an attached office of Ministry of under Section 70B of the Information
Electronics and IT with a vision to Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008 to
implement the Aadhaar scheme. serve as the national agency to perform
• In accordance with the provision functions in the area of cyber security.
contained under Section 48(1) of the IT • Society for Applied Microwave
Act 2000, the Cyber Regulations Electronics Engineering and Research
Appellate Tribunal (CRAT) was (SAMEER) was set up in 1984 as an
established in 2006. autonomous laboratory in Mumbai to
• Education and Research Network undertake R & D work in the areas of
(ERNET), India Cyber is an autonomous Microwave Engineering and
scientific society of the Ministry. ERNET Electromagnetic Engineering Technology.
has made significant contribution for • National Informatics Centre Services
the emergence of networking in the Inc. (NICSI) was set up by National
country. Informatics Centre (NIC) in 1995 as its
• National Informatics Centre (NIC) was extended arm for providing total ICT
established in 1976, and has since solutions to the central and state
emerged ase-government/e-governance government departments and
applications. organizations.
• National Internet Exchange (NIXI) is a
not for profit organization set up under

8.10 Telecommunications: • facilitate universal and equitable access to

broadband services for across the country
• Department of Telecommunication (DoT) is
and especially in rural and remote areas;
committed to provide secure, reliable,
affordable and high quality converged • significantly improve quality of services for
telecommunication services anytime, mobile and internet; develop innovative
anywhere for an accelerated inclusive implementation models for Right of Way
socio-economic development. (RoW); and
• India is currently the world’s second- • to work with states/UTs for having
largest telecommunications market consistent policies pertaining to expansion
with a subscriber base of 1.18 billion. of digital infrastructure including for RoW
approvals required for laying OFC, etc.
• India’s mobile economy is growing
rapidly and currently constitutes more 8.10.3 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
than 98 per cent of all telephone • Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL),
subscriptions.
fully owned by Government of India,
formed in October 2000, provides telecom
8.10.1 Tele-density
services across the length and breadth of
• Tele-density, which denotes the number of
the country excluding Delhi and Mumbai.
telephones per 100 populations, is
animportant indicator of telecom 8.10.4 Mahanagar Telephone Nigam
penetration. Limited
• Overall tele-density in the country was • Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited
88.81 per cent at the end of November (MTNL), set up in 1986, is a Navratna PSU
2019. The rural tele-density was 56.71 per and provides telecommunication facilities
cent while that in urban areas it was in India’s key metros – Delhi and Mumbai.
156.82 per cent.
• MTNL is the principal provider of fixed-line
• Himachal Pradesh (148.81 per cent) had telecommunication service in these two
the highest tele-density followed by Kerala metropolitan cities
8.10.2 National Broadband Mission 8.10.5 National Data Sharing and

(NBM) Accessibility Programme
NBM was launched in 2019 with a vision to • The objective of this policy is to facilitate
fast-track growth of digital communication the access to government owned shareable
infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, data and information in both human
facilitate digital empowerment and readable and machine readable forms
inclusion, and provide affordable and through a network all over the country in
a proactive updatable manner, within the
universal access of broadband for all.
framework of various related policies.
Some of the objectives of the Mission which is
structured with strong three principles of 8.10.6 e-Office
universality, affordability and quality are: The main objectives of e-Office are:
• broadband access to all villages by 2022; (a) to improve efficiency, consistency and
effectiveness of government responses;

(b) to reduce turnaround time and to meet • These two departments were later
and demands of the citizens charter; merged to form the Department of
(c) to provide for effective resource Defence Production and Supplies.
management to improve the quality of • In 2004, the name of Department of
administration; Defence Production and Supplies was
(d) to reduce processing delays; changed to Department of Defence
(e) to establish transparency and Production.
accountability; and • In 1980, the Department of Defence
(f) the system will automate movement of Research and Development was created
files within government offices, etc while the Department of Ex-Servicemen
Welfare was formed in 2004.
• The Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) is
the head of the Ministry of Defence.
9. Defence
• The post of Chief of Defence Staff was
created in 2019.
“We sleep peaceably in our beds at night only
because rough men stand ready to do violence 9.1.1 Chief of Defence Staff
on our behalf” - George Orwell. • The post of the CDS in the rank of a four-
star General with salary and perquisites at
9.1 Introduction par with a Service Chief was created in
• THE Government of India is responsible for 2019.
ensuring the defence of the country and • Another department - the Department of
every part thereof. This responsibility is Military Affairs (DMA) was also created
discharged through the Ministry of within the Ministry of Defence.
Defence (MoD). • This department is to be headed by the
• MoD was created after independence under CDS who would also be the Secretary of
a Cabinet Minister. Each Service was Department of Military Affairs (DMA)
placed under its own Commander in-
Chief. 9.1.2 Regional Security and
• In 1955, the Commanders-in-Chief were Environment
renamed as the Chief of the Army Staff, the • India has been committed to the
Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Neighborhood First policy aimed at
Air Staff. expanding friendly relations with its
immediate neighbours.
• A Department of Defence Production
was set up in 1962 to deal with research, • The regional cooperation in the area of
development and production of defence regional security has progressed
equipment. significantly under Bay of Bengal Initiative
for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic
• A Department of Defence Supplies was
Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
created in 1965 for planning and execution
of schemes for import substitution of • The 4th BIMSTEC Summit was held in
defence requirements. Kathmandu in 2018. The Kathmandu
Declaration provides vision and leaders’
directions for intensifying regional

cooperation in key areas of security and through a well articulated long term
counter terrorism, disaster management, perspective planning process.
connectivity and trade, agriculture and
poverty alleviation, S&T, culture, tourism 9.2.1 Fight Against Covid-19
and people-to-people contacts, among • The Indian Army has been at the forefront
others. in combating Covid-19 and rendering
necessary assistance to the civil
• India has been contributing to the regional
administration.
maritime security by ensuring safety and
security of maritime traffic. In this context, • The army established the first quarantine
India launched an Information Fusion facility for Indian evacuees. Thereafter,
Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in setting up of quarantine facilities and
Gurugram in 2018. Covid hospitals are the two major areas in
which the army extended its support.
• India’s security concerns are closely
linked with the neighbouring littoral • The army has reached out to the industry
nations in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to identify/map sources for procurement of
including Maldives. Bilateral exercises equipment required to combat the
between the Army(Ekuverin), Navy pandemic.
(Ekatha) and Coast Guard (Dosti) of the
9.2.2 Contribution to UN Peacekeeping
two countries take place on an annual
• Despite operational and internal security
basis
commitments, the Indian Army has been
• The 13th edition of India Nepal Joint significantly contributing to United Nations
Military Exercise ‘Surya Kiran’ was held in Peacekeeping Missions and is the second
2018. largest troops’ contributor in various UN
• The armies of India and Sri Lanka held missions.
their sixth annual ‘Mitra Shakti’ • Currently, four UN Peace Keeping
military exercise Missions’ contingents of India are
• The country’s new Indian Ocean Policy was deployed around the world.
articulated by Prime Minister in March • Since 1950, Indian Army has participated
2015. The policy, encapsulated in SAGAR in 51 UN missions out of the total of 71 UN
(meaning ocean) which stands for “Security missions, across the globe. It has
and Growth for All in the Region”, includes contributed more than 2,34,000 Indian
deepening economic and security troops in various UN missions.
cooperation with our friends in the region.
9.2.3 Operation Sadbhavna
9.2 Army • The army undertakes a unique human
• Indian Army is poised for major initiative in Jammu and Kashmir and
modernisation in the next few years. Ladakh to address the aspirations of
With its extensive range of equipment people affected by terrorism.
spanning a vast technological spread, it is • The aim of Operation Sadbhavna is also to
a key entity in facilitating the ‘Make in supplement the efforts of the government
India’ pursuit, a success. in restoring public services, rebuilding
• The Indian Army is pursuing infrastructure and creating a conducive
technological infusion into war fighting environment for development.

9.3 Navy 9.4 Air Force

The raison d’etre of navies is to safeguard the • It has always encouraged development of
nation’s use of seas for its legitimate sovereign indigenous defence production capability
purpose. and capacities.
Through the discharge of roles, the Indian • The Defence Procurement Procedure,
Navy (IN) acts as the prime enabler and 2016 assigned highest preference to ‘Make’
and Buy (Indian Indigenously Designed
guarantor of the country’s maritime
and Developed Manufacturer (IDDM))
sovereignty
categories.
9.3.1 Roles undertaken by Navy • Due to its capability of short reaction
• Military Role: to deter any military time and ability to reach the affected area,
adventurism against the country. Navy has IAF is one of the first responders to any
been designated as the agency responsible crisis/ situation.
for overall Maritime Security including
Coastal Security and Offshore Security. 9.4.1 Make in India
• One of the main focus areas of the IAF is to
• Anti-Piracy role: To protect Indian-flagged
support indigenisation and manufacturing
ships and Indian citizens employed in sea-
of defence equipment.
faring duties, Indian Navy (IN) commenced
anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden • Light Combat Aircraft, Akash Missile,
(GoA) from 2008. Advance Light Helicopters (ALH) have
already been inducted
• Free Patrol: In 2018, IN shifted from the
‘Escort Cycle’ concept, to a concept of ‘Free • Various projects under ‘Strategic Partner’
Patrol’. The ‘Free Patrol’ in the GoA model will give impetus to ‘Make in India’
provided greater flexibility to the IN ship to initiative.
respond to developing situations for anti- • This will not only generate employment,
piracy mission. enhance skill level but also assist in
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster harnessing key technologies
Relief Operations:
9.4.2 Women Empowerment
• Operation Madad: ‘Op Madad’ was • Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and
conducted to provide SAR and relief Mohana Singh created history in 2016 by
assistance in the flood affected areas of becoming the first women pilots to be
Kerala. commissioned into the fighter stream.
9.3.2 Relief during Floods, Cyclones, 9.4.3 Force Modernization
Covid-19 • The latest state-of-the-art aircrafts to join
• IN rescue teams were deployed to the flood the IAF inventory are the Rafale fighter
affected areas in Karnataka, Maharashtra, aircraft, the Apache attack helicopter and
Goa, Andhra Pradesh in 2019 to undertake the Chinook heavy lift helicopter.
relief and rescue operations.
• These potent and versatile platforms inject
• For Cyclone ‘Nisarga’, which hit tremendous operational capabilities for the
Maharashtra and its neighbouring areas, IAF.
IN Ships were deployed for relief and
rescue.
9.5 Commissioned Ranks Technical Graduates Course (TGC),

Short Service Commission (Technical)
Entry, 10+2 Technical Entry Scheme
(TES), Short Service Commission
(Women), NCC (Special Entry
Scheme)
b) Ways of Recruitment in Indian
Navy: and Judge Advocate General
Entry. 10+2 (Cadet Entry Scheme),
University Entry Scheme (UES),
Permanent Commission to SSC
Officers, Recruitment through NCC
9.6 Indian Coast Guard and Special Naval Architecture Entry
• Indian Coast Guard was constituted in Scheme
1977 c) Ways of Recruitment in Indian
• Indian Coast Guard has also been given Air Force: Recruitment through
many additional responsibilities. Service Selection, University Entry
Scheme, Recruitment of Women
The major among them are:
Officers and Recruitment through
(a) coastal security in territorial waters;
National Cadet Corps
(b) enforcement, monitoring and surveillance
of deep sea fishing; 9.8 Training Institutes
(c) search and rescue for merchant ships;
Institute Training
(d) marine oil-spill response measures;
• Centre of excellence on
(e) lead intelligence agency for coastal and
matters pertaining to
sea borders, etc.
National Security and
9.7 Recruitment National Strategic Studies.
Defence College • The officers undergo an
• Commissioned Officers in the Armed
eleven months
Forces are recruited mainly through
programme with focus
on national Security
1. UPSC which conducts the following two All • Only tri-service
India Competitive Examinations: training institution in
a) National Defence Academy (NDA) and the country which
Naval Academy (NA) imparts defence
b) Combined Defence Services College of management education
defence
Examination (CDSE) to senior officers of the
management
three services, para
2. Non UPSC military forces, officers
a) Ways of Recruitment in Army: of the Ministry of
Defence
University entry scheme (UES),

• An Armed Forces • At present, there are 26 Sainik Schools

Training Institute located in various parts of the country.
(AFTI), which conducts • The objectives of Sainik Schools include
Defence staff course for bringing quality public school education
Services Staff theselected officers of within the reach of the common man, all-
College the three services and round development of a child’s personality
also the officers from and to remove regional imbalance in the
the central civil officer’s cadre of the Armed Forces.
services.
• A premier tri-service 9.10.1 Other Schools and colleges
institution which trains • There are five Rashtriya Military Schools
cadets of all three in the country at Belgaum and Bengaluru
National services before in Karnataka, Chail in Himachal Pradesh
Defence and Ajmer and Dholpur in Rajasthan.
inducting them into
Academy These schools are CBSE affiliated fully
their respective pre-
commissioning training residential public schools which function
academies. under the aegis of Ministry of Defence.
• aims at the fullest • Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC)

development of was established in 1922 with the objective
intellectual, moral and of providing necessary preliminary training
Indian Military
physical qualities of for boys of Indian birth or domicile,
Academy
persons joining the wishing to become officers in the Armed
Army as officers Forces of India.
9.11 Defence Production

9.9 National Cadet Corps
• Department of Defence Production was set
• Established in 1948 as an Indian military
up in 1962 with the objective of developing
cadet corps.
and promoting the industrial base for
• It is a tri-services organisation open to production of weapons, equipment,
school and college students. platforms and materials required by armed
• The NCC strives to provide the youth of the forces for defence of the country.
country opportunities for all-round • The Department promulgated Defence
development with a sense of commitment, Production Policy which aims at achieving
dedication, self-discipline and moral substantive self-reliance in design,
values, so that they become responsible development and production of
citizens and can take their place in all equipment/weapon systems in a scheduled
walks of life in the service of the nation time frame.
• The motto of NCC is ‘Unity and Discipline’
9.11.1 Ordnance Factory
9.10 Sainik Schools • The Indian Ordnance Factories
• The Sainik Schools were established as a organisation - a family of 41 ordnance
joint venture of the central and state factories under the aegis of its corporate
government. headquarters Ordnance Factory Board,
Kolkata

• Indian Ordnance Factories is the oldest e) Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited

and largest industrial setup which (MDL):
functions under the Department of Defence
• a leading Defence PSU
Production.
• established as public limited company in
9.12 Defence Undertakings 1934.
a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited: • The Company was taken over by the
• established in 1940, is a premier Government of India in 1960 with the aim
aeronautical Company of Asia. of building indigenous warships.
• Navaratna DPSU
f) Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL)
• HAL is providing maintenance support to
Indian Defence Services for all the fleet • Set up originally in 1941 by Seth Walch
supplied by HAL and Herachand to promote
indigenous shipbuilding industry.
b) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL): • The shipyard was transferred to Ministry of
• A Navaratna PSU, Defence in 2010
• established in 1954. National Institute for Research and
• BEL has nine manufacturing units across Development in Defence Shipbuilding
India. • National Institute for Research and
• The company has core competency in Development in Defence Shipbuilding
areas of Defence Communications, Radars (NIRDESH) was set up at Kozhikode,
& Missile Systems, Sonars & Fire Control Kerala with the objective of achieving
Systems, Electronic Warfare and Avionics self-reliance in shipbuilding.
Systems, Network Centric Systems,
Electro-Optics, Tank Electronics, Home 9.13 Research and Development
Land Security etc. • Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) is the research and
c) Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML): development arm of the Ministry of
Defence.
• Incorporated in 1964
• created in 1958 by merging the units of
• a Mini-Ratna (Category-I) Public Sector Defence Science Organisation, which was
Undertaking, under the Ministry of set up in 1948 to advise and assist the
Defence engaged in the design, Defence Services on scientific problems
development, manufacturing and after-
• DRDO is headed by the Scientific Adviser
sales
to Raksha Mantri who is also the
Secretary, Department of Defence
d) Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL): Research and Development and Director
General RandD (DGRandD).
• A Mini Ratna Category-I Company
• Incorporated in 1970 under the Ministry
of Defence.
• A pioneer in the manufacture of Anti-Tank
Guided Missiles (ATGM)
of the educational institutions throughout

10. Education the country, including in the regions where
people do not have easy access to
education.
“Education is the most powerful weapon you • Paying special attention to
can use to change the world.” Nelson disadvantaged groups like the poor,
Mandela females and the minorities
• Provide financial help in the form of
“Learning gives creativity, creativity leads to
scholarships, loan subsidy, etc to
thinking, thinking provides knowledge and
deserving students from deprived sections
knowledge makes you great” – Dr. Abdul
of the society.
Kalam
• Encouraging international cooperation
“To educate a person in mind and not in in the field of education, including
morals is to educate a menace to the society” – working closely with the UNESCO and
Theodore Roosevelt foreign governments as well as
Universities, to enhance the educational
10.1 Introduction opportunities in the country.
The essence of human resource development
is education, which plays a significant and
10.1.1 Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education and Sarva
remedial role in balancing the socio-economic
Shiksha Abhiyan
fabric of the country.
• Article 21-A of the Constitution of India
The Ministry of Education (MoE) was created and its consequent legislation, the Right of
on September 26, 1985. Currently, the MoE Children to Free and Compulsory
works through two departments: Education (RTE) Act, 2009 became
1. Department of School Education & operative in the country in 2010.
Literacy • The RTE Act confers the right to
2. Department of Higher Education
elementary education on all children, in
While the Department of School Education & the age group of 6-14 years, on the basis of
Literacy is responsible for development of equality of opportunity in a formal school
which satisfies certain essential norms and
school education and literacy in the country,
standards
the Department of Higher Education takes
care of what is one of the largest Higher • The centrally sponsored scheme of Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) supports states
Education systems of the world, just after the
and UTs in their efforts to implement the
United States and China.
RTE Act.
The main objectives of the Ministry would • RTE Act mandates all private unaided
be: schools and special category schools to
• Formulating the National Policy on reserve a minimum of 25 per cent of seats
Education and to ensure that it is for economically weaker sections.
implemented in letter and spirit
• Planned development, including
expanding access and improving quality

10.2 National Education Policy 2020 • The new system will have 12 years of
schooling with three years of Anganwadi/
• National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP
pre-schooling. NCERT will develop a
2020) is the first policy of the 21st
National Curricular and Pedagogical
century, and has come after 34 years,
Framework for Early Childhood Care and
replacing the New Education Policy of
Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to
1986.
the age of 8 years.
• Built on the foundational pillars of access,
• Students will have increased flexibility
equity, quality, affordability and
and choice of subjects.
accountability, this policy is aligned to the
2030 Agenda for sustainable development. 10.2.2 Language
• It aims to transform India into a vibrant • The policy has emphasised mother
knowledge society and global knowledge tongue/local language/ regional
superpower by making both school and language as the medium of instruction at
college education more holistic and least till grade 5, but preferably till grade
flexible. 8 and beyond, as far as possible.
• The Policy also lays emphasis on bringing • Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of
out the unique capabilities of each school and higher education as an option
student, promoting ethical values, for students, including in the three-
encouraging critical thinking, fostering a language formula.
culture of research and encouraging • Other classical languages and literatures
rootedness and pride in India.
of India will also be available as options.
No language will be imposed on any
10.2.1 Salient Features
student.
• NEP 2020 emphasises on ensuring
universal access to school education at all • Students will participate in a fun
levels: pre-school to secondary. project/activity on ‘The Languages of
India’, sometime between grades 6 and 8,
• The target is to raise gross enrolment
such as under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha
ratio in school education to 100 per cent
Bharat’ initiative. Several foreign
by 2030.
languages will also be offered at the
• About two crore out-of-school children
secondary level.
are to be brought back into the
• Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be
mainstream under the policy.
standardised across the country, and
• NEP 2020 lays emphasis on early
national and state curriculum materials
childhood care and education, where the
will be developed for students with hearing
10+2 structure of school curriculum is to
impairment.
be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular
structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8- 10.2.3 NEP2020 and Higher Education
11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. • NEP aims to increase gross enrolment
• This will bring the hitherto uncovered ratio in higher education (including
age group of 3-6 years under school vocational education) to 50 per cent by
curriculum. 2035.

• GER is currently 26.3 per cent (2018 • To ensure the preservation, growth, and
figures). About 3.5 crore new seats will be vibrancy of all Indian languages, NEP
added to higher education institutions. recommends setting an Indian Institute
• The policy envisages broad-based, multi- of Translation and Interpretation (IITI),
disciplinary, holistic undergraduate National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali,
education system allowing creative Persian and Prakrit, strengthening of
combinations of subjects (such as Sanskrit and all language departments in
mathematics with music and history with HEIs.
painting) and integration of vocational
10.2.5 Teachers’ recruitment and
education with mainstream education.
training
• Multiple entry and exit will be allowed
• Teachers will be recruited through robust
with appropriate certification.
and transparent processes. Promotions will
• An academic bank of credit will be be merit-based, with a mechanism for
established for digitally storing academic multi-source periodic performance
credits earned from different HEIs so that appraisals
these can be transferred and counted
• A new and comprehensive National
towards final degree earned.
Curriculum Framework for Teacher
10.2.4 Institutions under NEP 2020 Education, NCFTE 2021, will be
formulated by the NCTE in consultation
• There will be a single overarching
with NCERT.
umbrella body - Higher Education
Commission of India (HECI) - for entire • A national mission for mentoring will be
higher education, excluding medical and established with a large pool of
legal education. outstanding senior/retired faculty
HECI will have four independent verticals: 10.3 Programme Interventions
1. National Higher Education Regulatory
I. Universal Access: The Sarva Shiksha
Council (NHERC) for regulation
Abhiyan (SSA) Programme is being
2. General Education Council (GEC) for
implemented since 2001 for
standard setting
universalization of elementary education.
3. Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC)
II. Bridging Gender Gaps in Elementary
for funding
Education
4. National Accreditation Council (NAC) for
accreditation. • Girls’ Education: RTE-SSA provides
a clear thrust and special focus on
• The National Research Foundation will education for girls and children
be created as an apex body for fostering a belonging to disadvantaged groups
strong research culture and building and weaker sections
research capacity across higher education. • Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
• An autonomous body, the National (KGBV): KGBV are residential upper
Educational Technology Forum (NETF), primary schools for girls from SC,
will be created to provide a platform for the ST, OBC Muslim communities and
free exchange of ideas on the use of BPL girls.
technology to enhance learning, • Removal of Gender Bias: Following
assessment, planning, administration. the National Curriculum Framework

(NCF), 2005 guidelines, states have called ShaGun. It aims to capture

consciously taken a decision to and showcase innovations and
establish gender as a critical marker progress in elementary education
of transformation through increasing sector by continuous monitoring.
visual representation of girls and
women and facilitating role reversal. V. Teacher Training
• Digital Gender Atlas for Advancing • To meet the shortage of teachers in
Girls’ Education elementary schools, 19.49 lakh
• Separate Girls’ Toilets additional posts have been
III. Inclusive Education sanctioned under SSA up to 2016-
• SCs/STs and Muslims enrolment in 17.
Educational institutes s being • To upgrade skills of teachers, SSA
encouraged provides for annual in-service
• Meaningful and quality education for training up to 20 days for all
Children with Special Needs. teachers.
• All children are provided free • Distance Education Programmes for
textbooks up to class VIII Teachers
IV. Sub-Programmes under SSA
• The Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat VI. School Management Committees and
(PBBB), a sub-programme of the Community Participation
SSA, in classes I and II is focusing on • SSA has always acknowledged the
foundational learning in early grades importance of ‘community ownership’
with an emphasis on reading, writing pertaining to effective functioning of
and comprehension and government schools.
mathematics.
• The Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan VII. Monitoring Institutes
(RAA), also under the SSA, aims to • Institutions, including university
motivate and engage children of the departments of education, social
age group 6-18 years, in science, science and institutes of national
mathematics and technology by stature have been assigned the work
observation, experimentation, of periodic monitoring of SSA
inference drawing and model implementation in states and UTs.
building, through both inside and VIII. Admissions under Section 12(1) (c) of
outside classroom activities. the RTE Act
• Vidyanjali, another sub-programme • Section 12(1) (c) mandates all private
under SSA, was launched to enhance unaided schools and special category
community and private sector schools to reserve a minimum of 25
involvement in Government run per cent of seats for economically
elementary schools across the weaker sections.
country.
10.4 Diksha
• ShaGun portal - an Initiative to
monitor the implementation of SSA: Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge
MHRD has developed a web portal Sharing (DIKSHA), launched in 2017, has
achieved several milestones in the field of English, mathematics, social science,

digital teaching and learning. science and modern Indian language.
The platform offers teachers, students and • Kala Utsav: Kala Utsav is an initiative of
parents with engaging learning material this Ministry to promote arts (music,
relevant to the prescribed school curriculum. theatre, dance, visual arts and crafts) in
education
e-pathshala, National Repository of Open
• Focus on Science and Maths: Rashtriya
Educational Resources (NROER) and similar
Avishkar Abhiyan launched in 2015
other portals hosting e-content and digitised
• National Award For Teachers using ICT For
text books have been integrated with DIKSHA.
Innovation In Education
10.5 Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha
10.5.2 Samagra Shiksha
Abhiyan
• The Department of School Education &
• RMSA was launched in 2009 with the Literacy launched an Integrated Scheme
objective to enhance access to secondary for School Education- Samagra Shiksha
education and improve its quality. from 2018-19.
• The schemes envisages to enhance the • It envisages ‘school’ as a continuun form
enrolment at secondary stage by providing pre-school, primary, upper primary,
a secondary school with a reasonable secondary to senior secondary levels.
distance of habitation, with an aim to
• Preference is to be given to Educationally
ensure GER of 100 per cent and universal
Backward Blocks (EBBs), Special Focus
retention by 2020.
Districts (SFDs), border areas and the
apirational districts identified by NITI
10.5.1 Some of the significant
Aayog
initiatives, under RMSA for improving
quality of education e-Pathshala - NCERT books are available free
Shaala Siddhi: School Standards and in digital version on e-Pathshala app.
Evaluation Framework and its web portal was 10.5.3 Pariksha Pe Charcha
launched in 2015. It is a comprehensive • Prime Minister’s Interaction Programme
instrument for school evaluation leading to with school and college students “Pariksha
school improvement. Developed by the Pe Charcha” was held in 2018.
National University of Educational Planning • It was a ‘Town Hall’ event which was
and Administration (NUEPA) unique in itself and was planned for the
• Shala Darpan: The ‘Shaala Darpan Project’ first time wherein the Prime Minister was
to cover all the 1099 Kendriya Vidyalayas interacting Live with school and college
was launched in June, 2015. The objective students through web interaction.
of this project is to provide services based
on school management systems to 10.6 Vocationalisation of Secondary
students, parents and communities. and Higher Secondary Education
• The Centrally sponsored scheme of
• National Achievement Survey for Class X:
Vocationalisation of Secondary and Higher
The Survey was undertaken for the first
Secondary Education was revised in 2014
time by MHRD. The survey investigates
with a view to align it with the National
student achievement in five subjects:

Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) into infrastructure in minority institutions. It

which the NVEQF has been assimilated. covers the entire country.
• The scheme has been subsumed Under
10.9 National Means-cum-Merit
Integrated Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha
Abhiyan.
Scholarship Scheme
• The centrally sponsored National Means-
10.7 Centrally Sponsored Scheme cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)
for Teacher Education was launched in 2008 with the objective to
award scholarships to meritorious
• Strengthening Teacher Education; The
students of economically weaker sections.
centrally sponsored scheme for Teacher
• The objective is to arrest their drop out at
Education was initiated in 1987 pursuant
class VIII and encourage them to continue
to the formulation of the National Policy of
study at secondary and higher secondary
Education, 1986.
stage up to class XII
• It aims to establish DIETs in all districts
created up to 2011, thereby increasing National Scheme of Incentive to Girls
their numbers from existing 571 to 646; • The centrally sponsored National Scheme
strengthen existing 106 to 122 Colleges of of Incentive to Girls for Secondary
Teacher Education (CTEs) Education (NSIGSE) was also launched in
• The Department of School Education and 2008.
Literacy, launched ‘India Teacher • The objective to establish an enabling
Education Portal (Prashikshak)’ in 2016. environment to reduce the drop-outs and
This portal is helpful in monitoring of to promote the enrolment of girl children
teachers education Institutions and in belonging mainly to SC/ST communities in
providing comprehensive information to secondary schools.
prospective students and teachers to select
the right institute as per choice. 10.10 Adult Education
• National Literacy Mission (NLM), launched
10.8 Scheme for Providing Quality in 1988 for the adults in the age group of
Education in Madarsas 15+.
• The objectives of the Scheme are: • The programme of National Literacy
encourage Madarsas and Maktabs to Mission was revamped in 2009 in
introduce formal subjects i.e., science, alignment with new paradigms of lifelong
mathematics, social studies, Hindi and learning as Saakshar Bharat.
English by means of providing financial • The National Literacy Mission Authority
assistance; children studying in Madarsas (NLMA) is the operating and implementing
and Maktabs attain academic proficiency organization at national level for all the
for class I-XII; activities envisaged in Adult Education and
• Children above 14 years in Madarsas/ Skill Development.
Maktabs/Dar-ul-Uloom are given
opportunities to attain vocation training. 10.11 National Award to Teachers
• The Scheme facilitates education of • Instituted in 1958, the National Award to
minorities by strengthening school Teachers (NAT) is given away by the
President of India on 5th September
(Teacher’s Day) every year to give public 10.13 National Bal Bhavan
recognition to meritorious teachers
• NBB, established in 1956, is an
working in primary, middle and secondary
autonomous institution funded by the
schools.
Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan • National Bal Bhavan aims at enhancing
• The Scheme of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS) the creative potential of children by
(Central Schools) was approved in 1962 to providing them various activities,
provide uninterrupted education to the opportunities and common platform to
wards of transferrable central government interact, experiment, create and perform
employees. according to their age, aptitude and ability
• The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan was
registered as a society under the Societies
10.14 Central Board of Secondary
Registration Act in 1965. Education
• The CBSE is a Board of Education for
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas
public and private schools, under the
• The National Policy on Education, 1986,
Union Government. It has asked all
envisaged setting up of residential
schools affiliated to follow only NCERT
Navodaya schools with an aim of providing
curriculum.
excellence coupled with equity and social
justice. 10.14.1 National Institute of Open
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti was registered Schooling
as a Society, under the Society Registration • NIOS is “Open School” to cater to the
Act, of 1860, with the objective to establish needs of a heterogeneous group of learners
Navodaya Vidyalayas up to pre-degree level.
• It was started as a project with in-built
10.12 National Council of
flexibilities by the Central Board of
Educational Research and Training
Secondary Education (CBSE) in 1979.
• NCERT provides academic and technical
supports for qualitative improvement of 10.15 Mid-Day Meal Scheme
school education. • The Mid-Day Meal Scheme covers children
• The NCERT was established in 1961 as an of classes 1 to 8th studying in government,
apex national body to lead qualitative government-aided schools, special training
changes in school education. centres (STC) and madarsas/ maqtabs
• NCERT has been playing an advisory role supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
guiding central and state governments in (SSA).
formulating policies, acts and government • It is the largest school feeding programme
programmes. in the world, covering 9.78 crore children
• It has played a crucial role in the in 11.40 lakh institutions across the
development of national policies on country.
education (1968-1986) and national • “Tithi Bhojan” is a concept designed to
curriculum frameworks. ensure greater public participation under
the Mid-Day Meal Programme being
followed in Gujarat.

10.16 Higher and Technical • UGC has introduced the Swami

Education Vivekananda Scholarship for Single Girl
Child for research in social sciences with
• There were only 20 universities and 500
an aim to compensate direct costs of
colleges at the time of independence which
higher education especially for such girls
have increased by 38 times (i.e., 760) in
who happen to be the only girl child in
the case of the universities and 77 times
their family
(i.e. 38,498) in the case of colleges.
• National e-Library - The National Digital
• National Institutional Ranking
Library of India is envisaged as a national
Framework - NIRF for educational
knowledge asset which will provide
institutions was launched to rank
ubiquitous digital knowledge source.
institutions on the basis of a set of
objective parameters and a transparent • SWAYAM – (Study Webs of Active -
process. NIRF is presently available for Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) -
engineering and management institutions. Swayam is a Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs) initiative on a national platform
• A credit framework Skills Assessment
with a comprehensive academic structure.
Matrix for Vocational Advancement of
Youth (SAMVAY) is now in place which • Global Initiative for Academic Network
allows vertical and lateral mobility within (GIAN) aims at tapping the talent pool of
vocational education system and between scientists and entrepreneurs,
the current education system. internationally to encourage their
engagement with the institutes of higher
• Yukti - Yogya Kalakriti ki Takneek – it
education in India
aims at skill development and upgradation
of design and technologies enhancing the • Growing Aptitude in Numerical
economic prospects of those engaged in Innovations and Training (GANIT) week
traditional crafts and arts as a means of in schools affiliated to CBSE was organized
livelihood. to commemorate the birth anniversary of
Srinivasa Ramanujan and to actively
• SAKSHAM - Scholarship Scheme for
promote interest of students in
differently-abled children aims at
mathematics.
providing encouragement and support to
differently-abled children to pursue 10.17 Copyright
technical education
• Acquisition of copyright is automatic and it
• Ishan Uday-for Students of North East
does not require any formality. Copyright
Region- The UGC launched a special
comes into existence as soon as a work is
scholarship scheme for students of north
created and no formality is required to be
east region, Ishan Uday from the academic
completed for acquiring it.
session 2014-15.
• The Copyright Office was established in
• Ishan Vikas - Academic Exposure for
1958. It functions under the administrative
North Eastern Students
control of the Department of Higher
• Pragati (scholarship for girl students) - is Education.
a scheme of AICTE aimed at providing
• The main function of the Copyright Office
assistance for advancement of girls
is to undertake registration of copyright.
participation in technical education.

• As provided under Section 13 of the Initiatives

Copyright Act, 1957, copyright subsists in
the following classes or works: (a) original 11.1.1 Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram
literary, software, musical, and artistic Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)
works; (b) cinematographic films; and (c) Government of India launched a new scheme
sound recording. (DDUGJY) with the following objectives
a) To separate agriculture and non-
agriculture feeders for judicious rostering
11. Energy of supply to agricultural and non-
agricultural consumers in rural areas;
b) Strengthening and augmentation of sub
11.1 Power
transmission and distribution
• Power development in India commenced at infrastructure in rural areas;
the end of the nineteenth century with the c) Metering in rural areas (feders,
commissioning of electricity supply in
distribution transformers and consumers).
Darjeeling during 1897, followed by the
commissioning of a hydropower station at The erstwhile rural electrification scheme
Sivasamudram in Karnataka during 1902. was subsumed in DDUGJY as a separate
• The Ministry of Power is primarily rural electrification component.
responsible for the development of
electrical energy in the country. 11.1.2 Saubhagya—Pradhan Mantri
Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana
• In all technical matters, the Ministry of
Power is assisted by the Central
Electricity Authority (CEA).
• The construction and operation of
generation and transmission projects in
the Central Sector are entrusted to Central
Sector Corporations, viz., the National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation
(NHPC) etc.
• Three statutory bodies, i.e., the Damodar
Valley Corporation (DVC), the Bhakra-
To achieve universal household electrification
Beas Management Board (BBMB) and
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), are in the country by March, 2019, Government
also under the administrative control of the launched Saubhagya scheme
Ministry of Power. The scope of the Scheme includes:
• Programmes of rural electrification are • Providing electricity connections to all un-
provided financial assistance by the Rural electrified households in rural areas.
Electrification Corporation (REC). • Providing solar photo voltaic (spv) based
standalone system for un-electrified

households located in remote and • The scheme is being monitored by an inter-

inaccessible villages/habitations ministerial committee and a state level
• Providing electricity connections to all committee.
remaining economically poor un-electricied
11.1.5 Development of National Grid
households in urban areas.
11.1.3 Integrated Power Development

Scheme
In order to provide impetus to strengthening of
power distribution sector in urban area,
Ministry of Power, launched Integrated
Power Development Scheme (IPDS) in 2014
with following components:
(i) Strengthening of subtransmission and
distribution network in urban areas; • National power grid in the country is being
(ii) Metering of distribution developed in a phased manner.
transformers/feeders/consumers in • All five regional grids, namely northern
urban areas; region, western region, eastern region,
(iii) IT enablement of distribution sector and
north-eastern region and southern region
strengthening of distribution network.
have been inter-connected in synchronous
11.1.4 UDAY—Ujwal DISCOM Assurance mode
Yojana
11.1.6 Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
• UDAY Scheme was launched in 2015 for a

sustainable solution to the operational and • In order to provide clean cooking fuel to
financial inefficiencies of DISCOMs across poor households especially in rural areas,
the country the Government had launched PM Ujjwala
Yojana to provide deposit free LPG
• It is done through targeted interventions in
connections to 8 crore women belonging
the form of lower interest costs, reduction
to the Below Poverty Line (BPL)
of cost of power, increased revenues and
households.
improved operational efficiencies.
• So far, more than 5.55 crore BPL families
• UDAY is voluntary scheme for participation
have been benefited by this Scheme.
and 26 states and 1 union territory have
joined the scheme. • The eligible families are identified through
Socio-Economic Caste Census list.

11.2 Pahal hub with refining capacity exceeding

demand.
• Government, as a measure of Good
Governance introduced well targeted 11.3.3 Sahaj
systems of subsidy delivery to LPG • Sahaj was a digital initiative launched by
consumers through PAHAL.
oil marketing companies for release of LPG
• This initiative was aimed at rationalizing connection with online payment and
subsidies based on approach to cut issuance of ‘e-SV’ under the Digital India
subsidy leakages, but not subsidies per se. initiative and the facility is now available
on pan India basis.
11.3 Petroleum and Natural Gas
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural 11.4 Energy Diplomacy
Gas is concerned with exploration and • India is the 3rd largest consumer of
production of oil and natural gas energy resources in the world, next only
(including import of liquefied natural gas), to USA and China. It is also the 3rd largest
refining, distribution and marketing, importer of crude oil and 4th largest
import, export and conservation of importer of LNG in the world.
petroleum products. • Dependency on imported crude oil and
• India surpassed Russia to become the 3rd natural gas are 85 per cent and 53 per
largest energy consumer in the world cent respectively for the year 2019-20.
after China and USA during 2015.
• The high dependency on imports and over-
• Oil and gas accounted for around 35 per reliance on the Middle-East and OPEC
cent share in India’s energy has significant implications on the energy
consumption. security.
• In fact, India surpassed Japan to become • Towards strengthening energy security,
3rd largest oil consumer in the world India’s energy diplomacy is focused on
after US and China during 2015. sustaining and promoting energy
engagements with countries rich in
11.3.1 Production of Crude Oil and
hydrocarbon resources and also with
Natural Gas
prominent international organisations
• The crude oil production for 2017-18
dealing with energy matters.
showed a marginal decline of 0.9% as
• Through India’s energy diplomacy, the
compared to the previous year.
energy cooperation has been strengthened
• Natural gas production during 2017-18
by elevating from mere buyer-seller to the
registered 2.35 per cent increase over
level of strategic partners.
production as compared to the previous
• Both Saudi Arabia and UAE are partners
year.
in the strategic petroleum reserve
11.3.2 Refining Capacity programme.
• Indian refinery industry has done well in
establishing itself as a major player
11.5 International Organisations
globally. • India has been persistently elevating the
• India, which is second largest refiner in engagement with prominent International
Asia after China, is emerging as a refinery organisations (OPEC, IEA, IEF) through

interaction on regular basis at ministerial 11.8 Petroleum related

levels including forums like Asian Organisations
Ministerial Energy Roundtable, G20, etc.
• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation
• India and OPEC share great Limited (HPCL) is a mega Public Sector
complementarity—for India, OPEC is the Undertaking (PSU) with ‘Navratna’ status.
largest supplier of crude oil and LPG, while It has two refineries; one in Mumbai (west
India is the world’s 3rd largest importer of coast) and the other in Visakhapatnam
oil. (east coast)
• India is working to become a gas-based • Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL),
economy by increasing the share of formerly known as Gas Authority of India
natural gas in energy mix from 6.3 per Limited was setup in 1984. GAIL has set
cent to 15 per cent by 2030. up LNG import infrastructure and will be
focusing on areas like city gas distribution,
11.6 Strategic Petroleum Reserves
petrochemicals business etc.
• Government of India, through Indian • Indian Oil Corporation (Indian Oil) is
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Ltd. (ISPRL), India’s flagship national oil company with
has set up Strategic Petroleum Reserves business interests encompassing the entire
(SPR) at three locations with a capacity of hydrocarbon value chain. The Indian Oil
5.33 MMT located at Visakhapatnam, Group of companies own and operate 10 of
Mangaluru and Padur. India’s 22 refineries.
• The crude oil stored can be used in • Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
emergency situations. These three SPRs (BPCL) is an integrated oil company, in the
can meet approximately 9.5 days of downstream sector, engaged in refining of
national demand. crude oil and marketing of petroleum
• Ministry is also exploring possibility to products. It has also diversified into
lease SPRs outside India and USA is one of production and marketing of petrochemical
the options being considered. feedstock.
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.
11.7 Pricing of Petroleum Products
(ONGC), is engaged in exploration and
• In 2006, based on the recommendations of production of crude oil, natural gas and
the Rangarajan Committee, the value-added products. It was incorporated
government changed the pricing in 1993 under Companies Act, 1956
mechanism for petrol and diesel from • ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), is engaged
import parity to trade parity (trade in exploration and production of oil and
parity being the weighted average of import gas outside India. Currently, OVL has oil
parity and export parity prices in the ratio and gas production from 10 projects in
of 80:20) eight countries.
• While the pricing of PDS kerosene and • Bharat Petro Resources Limited (BPRL),
domestic LPG continues on import parity formed in 2006, is a wholly owned
basis. subsidiary and Exploration and Production
(E&P) arm of Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Limited (BPCL). While BPCL
is engaged in the midstream and
downstream segment in India, BPRL • Over 1.2 million households are using
carries out upstream activities both in solar energy to meet their lighting energy
India and overseas. needs and almost similar numbers of the
• Oil India Limited (OIL), a Government of households meet their cooking energy
India enterprise, is engaged in the needs from biogas plants.
business of exploration, production and • The National Institute of Wind Energy
transportation of crude oil and natural gas. (NIWE), formerly known as Centre for Wind
Energy Technology, has developed the
11.9 New and Renewable Energy Wind Atlas of India.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy • NIWE also collects data from Solar
(MNRE) is the nodal Ministry at the federal Radiation Resource Assessment stations to
level for all matters relating to new and assess and quantify solar radiation
renewable energy availability and develop Solar Atlas of the
country.
11.9.1 India’s current Energy scenario
• National Institute of Solar Energy has
• At present around 69.5 per cent of
assessed the State wise solar potential by
India’s power generation capacity is
taking 3 pre cent of the wasteland area to
based on coal. In addition, there is an
be covered by Solar PV modules.
increasing dependence on imported oil,
• The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
which is leading to imports of around 33
has developed Biomass Atlas of India
per cent of India’s total energy needs.
• Almost 85 per cent of rural households 11.9.3 Initiatives related to renewable
depend on solid fuel for their cooking energy
needs and only 55 per cent of them have • The New National Biogas and Organic
access to electricity Manure Programme (NNBOMP) is being
• India has taken a voluntary commitment of implemented with the objective to provide
reducing emission intensity of its GDP by clean cooking fuel and to meet lighting,
33-35 per cent from 2005 levels by thermal and small power needs of farmers
2030. • National Solar Mission
• In the Paris Climate conference France, o Launched in January 2010, the
India committed to achieve about 40 per National Solar Mission (NSM) was the
cent cumulative electric power installed first mission to be operationalized
capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy under the National Action Plan on
resources by 2030 Climate Change (NAPCC).
o Using a three-phase approach, the
11.9.2 Renewable Energy Potential
mission’s objective is to establish India
• India has an estimated renewable energy
as a global leader in solar energy, by
potential of about 900 GW from
creating the policy conditions for solar
commercially exploitable sources viz. Wind
technology diffusion across the country
- 102 GW (at 80 metre mast height); small
as quickly as possible.
hydro - 20 GW; bioenergy - 25 GW; and
• Solar/Green Buildings Programme
750 GW solar power, assuming 3%
o The Ministry has been implementing a
wasteland is made available.
Scheme on Energy Efficient Solar Green

Buildings since 2009, which aims to 11.10.2 Lignite Reserves

promote the widespread construction of • The lignite reserves in the country have
energy efficient solar green buildings in been estimated at around 45.66 billion
the country through a combination of tonnes by the Geological Survey of India.
financial and promotional incentives. • The major deposits are located in Tamil
• Solar Cities Programme Nadu, followed by Rajasthan, Gujarat,
o The “Development of Solar Cities” Kerala, West Bengal and union territories
programme aims at minimum 10 per of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry.
cent reduction in projected demand of
conventional energy at the end of five 11.10.3 Coal Production
years, which can be achieved through a • The overall production of coal for 2019-20
combination of energy efficiency was projected at 810 MT. During this
measures while enhancing supply from period the actual production was 729.10
renewable energy sources MT compared to 728.72 MT during
corresponding period of previous year
11.10 Coal showing a growth of 0.05 per cent.
11.10.4 Coal India Limited

• Coal India Limited (CIL) is a ‘Maha Ratna’
company under the Ministry of Coal, with
headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal.
• CIL is the single largest coal producing
company in the world. CIL operates
through 82 mining areas spread over eight
provincial states of India.
• CIL is the apex body in coal industry under
the administrative control of the Ministry
of Coal.
11.10.5 Neyveli Lignite Corporation

Limited
The Ministry of Coal (MoC) has the overall • Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC)
responsibility of determining policies and was registered as a company in November
strategies in respect of exploration and 1956. The mining operations in Mine-I
were formally inaugurated in 1957.
development of coal and lignite reserves
• Neyveli Lignite Corporation has been
11.10.1 Coal Reserves conferred with ‘Navratna’ status since
• 319.020 billion tonnes of coal reserves 2011.
have been estimated by the Geological • Its registered office at Chennai and
Survey of India. corporate office at Neyveli in Tamil
• The reserves have been found mainly in Nadu are pioneers among the public sector
Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West undertakings in the energy sector.
Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and
Maharashtra.

11.10.6 Singareni Collieries Company 12.2 Environmental Institutes

Limited (SCCL)
• It is first and the oldest government owned 12.2.1 Botanical Survey of India
coal mining company in the country with • Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is the apex
registered office at Kothagudem in research organization MoEF&CC, for
Telangana. carrying out taxonomic and floristic
studies on wild plant resources of the
• The equity of the company is held by the
country.
Telangana government (51 per cent) and
the Government of India (49 per cent). • It was established in 1890 with the basic
objective to explore the plant resources of
• Coal mining operations are spread in
country and to identify the plants species
Godavari Valley Coal Field and presently
with economic virtues.
operating 47 mines (27 underground and
20 open-cast) in Telangana. 12.2.2 Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
• SCCL is contributing to around 9 per cent • ZSI, a premier research institution under
of country’s total coal production. the Ministry has completed 100 years of
services to the Nation.
• ZSI is successful in undertaking survey,
12. Environment exploration and research leading to the
advancement of our knowledge on the
exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the
12.1 THE Ministry of Environment, country since its inception in 1916.
Forest and Climate Change • Headquarters are at Kolkata and 16
(MoEF&CC) regional centres are located in different
• MoEF&CC is the nodal agency in the parts of the country.
central government for overseeing the
implementation of India’s environment and 12.2.3 Forest Survey of India (FSI)
forest policies • FSI is a national level organization under
the Ministry is engaged in the assessment
• The Ministry is also the nodal agency for
of the country’s forest resources on a
the United Nations Environment
regular interval.
Programme (UNEP), International Centre
for Integrated Mountain Development • The Forest Survey of India succeeded the
(ICIMOD) and the United Nations “Preinvestment Survey of Forest
Conference on Environment and Resources” (PISFR), a project initiated in
Development (UNCED). 1965 by Government of India
• The Ministry also coordinates with • Consequently, PISFR was reorganised into
multilateral bodies such as the FSI in June 1981.
Commission on Sustainable Development
12.3 Biodiversity Conservation
(CSD), Global Environment Facility
(GEF) etc. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
is one of the key agreements adopted during
the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in
1992.

The objective of CBD are: social sciences a basis for the rational use
(i) Conservation of biological diversity, and conservation of the resources of the
(ii) Sustainable use of its components, and biosphere
(iii) Fair and equitable sharing of benefits • The Indian National Man and Biosphere
arising out of the use of genetic (MAB) Commitee identifies and
resources. recommends potential sites for designation
• The Nagoya Protocol on access and as Biosphere Reserves, following the
benefit sharing (ABS) adopted under the UNESCO’s guidelines and criteria.
aegis of CBD in 2010, is aimed at fair and
• There are 18 biosphere reserves in India of
equitable sharing of benefits arising from
which 12 are part of the UNESCO MAB
the utilization of genetic resources.
program.
• India enacted the Biological Diversity
(BD) Act in 2002 to give effect to the 12.3.2 Biodiversity Conservation
provision of this Convention. Scheme Relating to Biosafety
• India also prepared a National Biodiversity • The scheme on Biodiversity Conservation
Action Plan (NBAP) in 2008, and an was initiated during 1991-92 during the
Addendum to NBAP in 2014 with 20 8th Plan period.
national targets on biodiversity. • The main objective is implementation of
Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety, UNEP-
12.3.1 Biosphere Reserves GEF Supported Capacity building
Project on Biosafety (Phase-II) Project and
Strengthening of Biosafety Management
System.
Cartagena Biosafety Protocol (CPB):

• It was negotiated under the aegis of the
Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) and adopted in 2000. India is a
party to the Protocol.
• The main objective of the Protocol is to
ensure safe transfer. handling and use of
living modified organisms (LMOs)
resulting from modern biotechnology that
may have adverse effect on the
conservation and sustainable use
biological diversity, taking into account
risk to human health.
• The idea of ‘Biosphere Reserves’ was

12.3.3 Wildlife Conservation
intiated by UNESCO in 1973-74 under its
Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. There is a Wildlife Division of the Ministry that
has two sub-divisions, namely, Project
• The MAB, launched in 1970 by UNESCO,
is a broad-based ecological programme Elephant Division and Wildlife Division.
aimed to develop within the natural and

In addition, there are three autonomous • The main objective of the Park is to
bodies. complement and strengthen the national
efforts in conservation of the rich
(i) Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for
biodiversity of the country, particularly the
wildlife research and training.
wild fauna.
(ii) Central Zoo Authority (CZA) - its
headquarters in New Delhi was 12.3.7 Project Elephant
established in 1992 under the provisions • Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the
of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, to Government of India in 1991-92 as a
oversee the functioning of zoos in the centrally sponsored scheme.
country with the view to enhance their • The objectives are: - to protect elephants,
role in conservation. their habitat and corridors; to address
(iii) National Tiger Conservation Authority issues of man-animal conflict; and welfare
(NTCA) - The NTCA has been constituted of domesticated elephants.
by converting the Project Tiger
12.3.8 Project Tiger
Directorate into an autonomous body
• Project Tiger was launched in 1973 for
for tiger conservation. NTCA is a
conserving the tiger. From 9 tiger reserves
statutory body under this Ministry
since its formative years, the Project Tiger
constituted under enabling provisions of coverage has increased to 50, spread out
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in 18 of tiger range states.
12.3.4 Wildlife Crime Control Bureau • These reserves are constituted on a core /
(WCCB) buffer strategy. The core areas have the
• WCCB is a statutory multi-disciplinary legal status of a national park or a
body established under the Ministry, to sanctuary, whereas the buffer or
combat organized wildlife crime in the peripheral areas are a mix of forest and
country. non-forest land, managed as a multiple
use area.
• The Bureau has its headquarters in New
Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, • International Tiger’s Day is held every
Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur. year on 29th July to raise public
It was constituted in 2007. awareness and support regarding several
issues related to tiger conservation. The
12.3.5 Central Zoo Authority idea behind such an event came up at the
• The Central Zoo Authority with its St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010.
headquarters in New Delhi was established
in 1992 under the provisions of the Wild 12.3.9 Animal Welfare Animal Welfare
Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to oversee the General - Animal Board of India
functioning of zoos in the country with the • General Animal Welfare covers the welfare
view to enhance their role in conservation. of individual animals, mainly
domesticated, as also wild animals in
12.3.6 National Zoological Park captivity, through Animal Welfare Board
• The National Zoological Park (NZP) was set of India (AWBI). AWBI is a statutory body
up in 1959 under this Ministry. established with headquarters at Chennai.

• The Board is providing free, on the spot leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel
veterinary treatment to sick and injured standards by 1st April, 2020;
animals belonging to poor people through • National Air Quality Index (AQI) was
its Mobile Animal Clinic (MAC) programme. launched in 2015 starting with 14 cities
and then extended to 34.
12.4 Environmental Impact
• A Graded Response Action Plan for control
Assessment (EIA)
of air pollution in Delhi and NCR region
• EIA is a planning tool to integrate has been notified
environmental concerns into the
• Government launched a campaign called
developmental process from the initial
‘Harit Diwali and Swasth Diwali’ in 2017
stage of planning.
involving over 200 schools in Delhi and
• It was first used in India as early as 1978 over two lakh schools in the country.
with river valley projects, and was
subsequently extended to large public 12.5.2 Noise Pollution
sector projects requiring Public Investment • In the National Environmental Policy
Board (PIB) clearance. (NEP)-2006, ambient noise has been
• These practices were formally codified for included as a regular parameter for
the first time in the EIA Notification, 1994. monitoring in specified urban areas.
• Protocol for National Ambient Noise
12.5 Control of Pollution Monitoring Network Programme has been
prepared and circulated to state pollution
12.5.1 Air Pollution and control
control boards
measures
• Air quality regulation and actions for 12.5.3 Scheme of Common Effluent
abatement of air pollution is undertaken Treatment Plants
under various provisions of Air (Prevention • The concept of the Common Effluent
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Treatment Plants (CETPs) arose in order to
Environment (Protection) Act, (EPA) 1986 make a co-operative movement for
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards pollution control.
envisaging 12 pollutants have been notified • Wastewater treatment and water
under the EPA, 1986 along with 115 conservation are the prime objectives of the
emission/effluent standards for 104 CETP.
different sectors of industries, besides 32
general standards 12.5.4 Hazardous Substance
• Government is executing a nation-wide Management
programme of ambient air quality • The Hazardous Sustances Management
monitoring known as National Air Quality Division (HSMD) is the nodal point within
Monitoring Programme (NAMP). the Ministry for management of solid
waste including hazardous substances
• With reference to vehicular pollution the
and chemical emergencies.
steps taken include introduction of
cleaner/ alternate fuels like gaseous fuel • The main objective of the Division is to
(CNG, LPG, etc.) ethanol blending, promote safe management of solid wastes,
universalization of BS-IV by 2017; management of hazardous substances and
wastes including hazardous chemicals, in
order to avoid damage to health and

environment.
12.5.5 Chemical Safety

In order to ensure chemical safety, the
Ministry notified two sets of Rules under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 viz.,
(i) The Manufacture, Storage and Import of
Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989
(MSIHC); and
(ii) The Chemical Accidents (Emergency,
Planning, Preparedness, and Response)
Rules (EPPR), 1996.
The main objectives of the MISHC rules are to:

(a) prevent major accidents arising from
industrial activities; and (b)limit the effects of
such accidents.
Styrene Gas Leak - Vishakapatnam

• Recently, a gas leak has affected five
villages in Visakhapatnam in Andhra 12.5.6 Hazardous Waste Management
Pradesh. • To address the issue of ensure
• The source of the gas leak was a styrene environmentally sound management of
plant owned by South Korean electronics hazardous waste for safety of health and
giant LG located in the area. environment during handling of such
• The possible reason for gas leak is waste Hazardous Waste (Management,
stagnation and changes in temperature Handling & Transboundary Movement)
inside the storage tank that could have Rules, 2008 were notified under
resulted in auto polymerization (chemical Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
reaction) and vapourisation of the styrene. • The Rules lay down procedure towards this
process by providing provisions for
authorization of hazardous waste
generating and units using hazardous
waste
• Hazardous and Other Wastes
(Management and Transboundary
Movement) Rules, 2016: The ambit of the
Rules has been expanded by including
‘Other-Waste’.
• The e-waste rules apply to e-waste
generated from IT and telecommunication

equipment and consumer electrical and 12.5.9 International Conventions on

electronics namely television sets pollutants
(including LCD & LED), refrigerators, • Basel Convention- The Basel Convention
washing machines and air-conditioners. on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their
12.5.7 Solid Waste Management Disposal was adopted in 1989 in Basel,
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016: Switzerland.
The segregation of waste at source has
• Rotterdam Convention- The Rotterdam
been mandated. Responsibilities of
Convention on the prior informed
generators have been fixed for segregation
consent procedure for certain Hazardous
of waste in to three streams, wet, dry and
Chemicals and Pesticides in International
domestic hazardous wastes.
Trade came into force in 2004. India
• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016: acceded to the convention a year later
The Rules provide for (i)increase in
• Stockholm Convention - The Stockholm
minimum thickness of plastic carry bags
Convention on persistent Organic
from 40 to 50 microns, and (ii)first time
Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty to
cover and stipulate minimum thickness of
protect human health and the environment
50 microns for plastic sheetsbeing used for
from POPs. The Convention covers 23
packaging and wrapping commodities to
chemicals. The Convention came into force
facilitate collection andrecycle of plastic
in 2004.
waste.
o India ratified the Convention in 2006.
• Construction & Demolition Waste
o Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Management, 2016: Under the rules every
Climate Change serves as the focal
waste generator has been made
point for GEF and Stockholm
responsible for collection, segregation of
Convention.
concrete, soil and others and storage of
• Minamata Convention on Mercury – it is
construction and demolition waste
a global treaty to protect human health
generated separately.
and the environment from the adverse
12.5.8 Fly Ash Utilization effects of mercury
• The fast-increasing demand of power • Strategic Approach to International
coupled with its dependence on coal for Chemicals Management (SAICM) -it is an
about 2/3rd of its energy requirement is international policy framework to foster
leading to generation of large volume of fly sound management of chemicals. Over
ash. 190 countries including India acceded to
• The utilization of fly ash has increased the SAICM.
from 6.64 million ton in 1996-97 to a level
12.6 National River Conservation
of 107.77 million ton in 2015-16.
Plan
• Fly ash earlier considered to be
“hazardous industrial waste” material, is • The river conservation programme was
now considered to be useful and saleable initiated with the launching of the Ganga
commodity. It is used in construction Action Plan (GAP) in 1985.
activity

• The Ganga Action Plan was expanded to • Central Wetland Regulatory Authority
cover other rivers under National River (CWRA) has been constituted under the
Conservation Plan (NRCP) in 1995. Wetlands Rules, 2010.
• The objective of NRCP is to improve the • Each year, World Wetland Day is
water quality of rivers, which are major celebrated on 2nd February for increasing
water sources in the country. awareness and spreading need for
conservation and wise use of wetlands
12.7 The National Plan for
Conservation of Aquatic 12.8 Afforestation
Eco-systems (NPCA) • In order to promote afforestation, tree
NPCA is a single conservation programme for planting, ecological restoration and eco-
both wetlands and lakes. It covers activities development activities in the country, the
such as interception, diversion and treatment National Afforestation and
of wastewater, shoreline protection, lake front EcoDevelopment Board (NAEB) was set
up in 1992.
development, in-situ cleaning, i.e., desilting
and de-weeding, storm water management, • National Afforestation Programme (NAP)
bioremediation, catchment area treatment, is a major afforestation scheme of the
NAEB in the Government of India.
lake beautification, survey and demarcation,
Launched in 2000-02, the scheme has
bio-fencing, fisheries development, weed
acquired a pan India ambit
control and biodiversity conservation along
• Eco-Development Forces (EDF) Scheme
with encouraging community participation
was established in 1980s as a scheme
and creating awareness.
being implemented through Ministry of
12.7.1 Conservation of Wetlands Defence for ecological restoration of
• To control degradation and conserve terrains, rendered difficult either due to
wetlands, the National Wetland severe degradation or remote location or
Conservation Programme (NWCP) was difficult law and order situation.
initiated in 1987 and financial assistance o It is based on twin objectives of
is being provided to the state governments. ecological regeneration in difficult
• Ramsar Convention areas, and promotion of meaningful
employment to ex-servicemen.
o As a commitment for conserving
• The National Mission for a Green India
potential wetlands, India became a
(GIM), one of the eight missions under the
signatory to the Ramsar Convention in
National Action Plan on Climate Change
1982. India now has 42 Ramsar sites
aims at protecting and enhancing India’s
o As per this convention, India is
diminishing forest cover to counter the
committed for international cooperation
perils of climate change.
and to take national action for
conservation and wise use of Wetlands. 12.8.1 Forestry Research
• To implement the objectives of the • Indian Council of Forestry Research and
convention, a regulatory mechanism was Education (ICFRE) - ICFRE, an apex body
put in place through Wetlands in the national forestry research system,
(Conservation and Management) Rules has been undertaking the holistic
in December, 2010 .
development of forestry research, disposal of cases relating to environmental

education and extension covering all protection and conservation of forests and
aspects of forestry. other natural resources
• Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy- • The Tribunal shall not be bound by the
The Academy was constituted in 1987 by procedure laid down under the Code of
upgrading and renaming the erstwhile Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided
Indian Forest College, established in 1938. by principles of natural justice.
The Academy imparts professional training • NGT has five places of sitting, i.e, the
to the Indian Forest Services (IFS) Principal Bench in Delhi and Zonal
Probationers. Benches in Pune, Kolkata, Bhopal and
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII) – it was Chennai.
established in 1986 in Dehradun as an
autonomous institute of the Ministry. The 12.11 Climate Change
Institute has emerged as a premier training • The National Action Plan on Climate
and research institution in the field of Change (NAPCC) - NAPCC is being
wildlife and protected area management in implemented through the nodal ministries
south and south east Asia. in specific sectors/ areas.
o Eight national missions in the area of
12.9 Biodiversity Conservation
solar energy, enchanced energy
efforts and Rural Livelihood
efficiency, sustainable agriculture,
• National Green Corps (NGC) were sustainable habitat, water, Himalayan
formulated in 2001-02. The phenomenal eco-system, Green India and strategic
response that NGC received has made the knowledge for climate change form the
network more than 1,00,000 Eco clubs core of NAPCC.
across the country in 15 years, making it • National Adaptation Fund for Climate
one of the largest conservation networks. Change (NAFCC) is a central sector scheme
• National Nature Camping Programme is under implementation in the 12th Five
an initiative of the Ministry in environment Year Plan with National Bank for
education which is aimed at creating Agriculture and Rural Development
greater awareness, understanding and (NABARD) as National Implementing Entity
empathy of children with and for the (NIE).
environment. • Climate Change Action Programme -
• Global Learning and Observation to Ministry is implementing a scheme titled
Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is a ‘Climate Change Action Programme’ since
hands on international environmental January, 2014, with an objective to create
science and education programme that and strengthen the scientific and analytical
brings students, teachers and scientists capacity for assessment of climate change
together to study the global environment. in the country
• Paris Agreement - India ratified the Paris
12.10 National Green Tribunal (NGT) Agreement to the UNFCCC in 2016. The
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was action plan for implementation of Paris
set up in 2010 under the NGT Act, 2010, Agreement and its components is being
for the purpose of effective and expeditious developed.

• Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the 12.12 United Nations Convention to

operating entity of the financial Combat Desertification
mechanism of the UNFCCC. It aims to
• India became a signatory to the United
deliver a 50:50 balance between mitigation
Nations Convention to Combat
and adaptation allocations in its portfolio.
Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994.
12.11.1 Ozone Layer Protection • National Water Policy 2012; National Policy
• Ozone, a tri-atomic molecule of oxygen is for Farmers, 2007; National Rainfed Area
formed from oxygen naturally in the upper Authority (NRAA)-2007 have enabling
levels of the earth’s atmosphere by high provisions for addressing problems of land
energy ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the degradation and desertification
sun.
12.13 Global Environment Facility
• About 90 per cent of ozone formed in this
way lies between 10 and 50 kilometers • India is a founding member of Global
above the earth’s surface, called the Environment Facility (GEF). Set up in
Stratosphere. 1991, GEF is the designated multilateral
funding mechanism of 183 countries to
• The ozone layer absorbs all the harmful
provide incremental finance for addressing
UV-B radiations emanating from the sun.
global environmental benefits which are
It protects plant and animal life from UV-B
also identified national priorities.
radiation.
• GEF fund following Multilateral
Vienna Convention Environmental Conventions
• The Vienna Convention for the Protection • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),
of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal United Nations Framework Convention on
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations
Ozone Layer are the international treaties Convention to Combat Desertification
specific for the protection of the (UNCCD), Stockholm Convention on PoPs
Stratospheric Ozone (Ozone layer). and Minamata Convention on Mercury.
• India is a party to the Vienna Convention
for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that 13. Finance
Deplete the Ozone Layer and its all
amendments/adjustments.
• It has been universally ratified and all the 13.1 Ministry of Finance
197 UN member countries of the world are
• The Ministry of Finance is responsible for
the parties to the Vienna Convention and
administration of finances of the
its Montreal Protocol.
government. It is concerned with all
The MoEF&CC has set up the Ozone Cell as a economic and financial matters affecting
National Ozone Unit (NOU) to render the country.
necessary services for effective and timely • Ministry consists of five departments,
implementation of the protocol and its ODs namely, (i) Economic Affairs, (ii)
phase-out programme in India. Expenditure, (iii) Revenue, (iv) Investment

and Public Asset Management; and (v) • The Contingency Fund is an imprest
Financial Services. placed at the disposal of the President to
• The Department of Economic Affairs is the incur unforeseen expenditure.
nodal agency of the government to • In Public account Government acts more
formulate and monitor country’s economic as a banker, for example, transactions
policies and programmes relating to provident funds, small savings
• A principal responsibility of this collections and other deposits, etc.
Department is the preparation and Parliamentary authorisation is not
presentation of the Union Budget required.
(including Railway Budget) to the • Government Budget, comprises (i) Revenue
Parliament. Budget; and (ii) Capital Budget.
• The Directorate of Currency formulates
13.2.1 Demands for Grants
and executes policies and programmes
• The estimates of expenditure from the
relating to designs/security feature of
Consolidated Fund included in the Annual
bank notes and coins and issue of
Financial Statement and required to be
commemorative coins.
voted by the Lok Sabha are submitted in
13.2 Annual Financial Statement the form of Demands for Grants in
pursuance of Article 113
• Under Article 112 of the Constitution, a
statement of estimated receipts and 13.2.2 Finance Bill
expenditure of the Government of India • At the time of presentation of the Annual
has to be laid before Parliament in respect Financial Statement before Parliament, a
of every financial year. Finance Bill is also presented in fulfilment
• This statement titled ‘Annual Financial of the requirement of Article 110(1)(a) of
Statement’ is the main Budget document. the Constitution, detailing the imposition,
• The Annual Financial Statement shows the abolition, remission, alteration or
receipts and payments of government regulation of taxes proposed in the
under the three parts in which government Budget.
accounts are kept: (i) Consolidated Fund, • A Finance Bill is a Money Bill as defined
(ii) Contingency Fund and (iii) Public in Article 110 of the Constitution.
Account.
13.2.3 Appropriation Bills
• All revenues received by government, loans
• After the Demands for Grants are voted by
raised by it, and also its receipts from
the Lok Sabha, Parliament’s approval to
recoveries of loans granted by it, form the
the withdrawal from the Consolidated
Consolidated Fund.
Fund of the amounts so voted and of the
• All expenditure of government is incurred amount required to meet the expenditure
from the Consolidated Fund and no charged on the Consolidated Fund is
amount can be withdrawn from the sought through the Appropriation Bill.
Fund without authorisation from
• Under Article 114(3) of the Constitution,
Parliament.
no amount can be withdrawn from the
Consolidated Fund without the enactment
of such a law by Parliament.

13.3 Sources of Revenue 13.4.1 Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

• The tax collected by Government under the It is a major reform initiative launched by
Union list is distributed between the Government of India in 2013 to provide an
centre and states as per the overarching vision and direction to enable
recommendation of the Finance direct cash transfer of benefits under various
commission. government schemes
• The main sources of Union Tax revenue
are customs duties, union excise duties, 13.4.2 Green Climate Fund (GCF)
service tax, corporate and income taxes, It is a multilateral fund created to support the
non —tax revenues largely comprise efforts of developing countries to respond to
interest receipts, dividends/profits, fines the challenge of climate change. GCF
and miscellaneous receipts launched its initial resource mobilization in
2014, and mobilized resources worth USD
13.4 Public Debt and Other
10.3 billion. India has one project.
Liabilities
The Public Debt of India is classified into three 13.4.3 Foreign Exchange Reserves
categories of Union Government liabilities into • The level of foreign exchange reserves
internal debt, external debt and other particularly foreign currency assets is
largely the outcome of Reserve Bank of
liabilities.
India’s intervention in the foreign
(i) Internal debt for Government of India
exchange market to stabilize the rupee
largely consists of fixed tenure and fixed
rate government papers (dated value.
securities and treasury bills) which are • India’s foreign exchange reserves stood at
issued through auctions. (14-day USD 461.2 billion in January 2020. The
treasury bills are issued to state current position is at a comfortable level to
governments only) cushion the exchange rate volatility from
(ii) External debt represents loans received any international macro-economic
from foreign governments and uncertainty.
multilateral institutions. The Union
Government does not borrow directly 13.4.4 External Debt
from international capital markets. • India’s external debt stock stood at USD
India’s external debt stock stood at US$ 543.02 billion at end-March 2019
543.02 billion at end-March 2019 recording an increase of USD 13.7 billion
recording an increase of US$ 13.7 over the level at end of March 2018. The
billion over the level at end-March 2018. maturity profile of India’s external debt
(iii) “Other” liabilities, not a part of public indicates dominance of long-term
debt, includes other interest bearing borrowings.
obligations of the government, such as
post office saving deposits, deposits 13.4.5 Insolvency And Bankruptcy Code
under small savings schemes, etc. • A Bankruptcy Law Reforms Committee was
set up in 2014 for providing an
The Reserve Bank manages the public debt of
entrepreneur friendly legal bankruptcy
the Central and the state governments and
framework for meeting global standards for
also acts as a banker to them

improving the ease of doing business with 13.5.4 SAARC Development Fund (SDF)
necessary judicial capacity. SDF was established in 2008 by the SAARC
countries to improve the livelihood of the
13.5 International Institutes
people and to accelerate economic growth,
13.5.1 Financial Stability and social progress and poverty alleviation in the
Development Council region.
• With a view to strengthening and
institutionalizing the mechanism for 13.5.5 International Monetary Fund
maintaining financial stability, enhancing • India is a founder member of the
inter-regulatory coordination and International Monetary Fund (IMF) which
promoting financial sector development, was established to promote a cooperative
the Financial Stability and Development and stable global monetary framework.
Council (FSDC) was set up as the apex • At present, 188 nations are members of
level forum in 2010. the IMF.
• The Board of Governors of the IMF consists
13.5.2 Financial Stability Board (FSB) of one Governor and one Alternate
• FSB was established in 2009 under the
Governor from each member country.
aegis of G20 by bringing together the
• For India, the Finance Minister is the ex-
national authorities, standard setting
officio Governor on the Board of Governors
bodies and international financial
of the IMF. Governor, Reserve Bank of
institutions.
India (RBI) is India’s Alternate Governor.
• It addresses vulnerabilities and developing
and implementing strong regulatory, 13.5.6 Asian Infrastructure Investment
supervisory and other policies in the Bank (AIIB)
interest of financial stability. • It is a Multilateral Development Bank
• India is an active member of the FSB (MDB) set up in 2016 to foster sustainable
having three seats in its Plenary. economic development, create productive
assets and improve infrastructure in Asia
13.5.3 Brics through financing of infrastructure
• The BRICS nations or Brazil, Russia, India, projects.
China and South Africa form the five key
• India is one of the founding Members and
pillars of south-south cooperation and are
the second largest shareholder.
the representative voice of Emerging
Markets and Developing Countries in the 13.5.7 International Fund for
global forums Agricultural Development (IFAD)
• The New Development Bank was IFAD was set up in 1977 as the 13th
established by these nations in 2015 specialized agency of the UN. It is dedicated to
• The framework of swap lines, conceived as eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas
a BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement of developing countries
(CRA) was operationalised.
13.6 Infrastructure Financing
• Banks continue to be major source of
financing infrastructure. RBI has been

modifying guidelines for advances to Commission and Central Pay

infrastructure including 5/25 scheme, Commission
take out financing.
13.7.3 Controller General of Accounts
• The Government has also set up India
(CGA)
Infrastructure Finance Company
• CGA in the Department of Expenditure,
Limited (IIFCL) with the specific mandate
is the Principal Accounting Adviser to
to play a catalytic role in the Infrastructure
Government of India and is responsible for
sector.
establishing and maintaining a technically
• Government of India has conceptualized
sound Management Accounting System.
Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) to
• The Office of CGA prepares monthly and
accelerate and enhance the flow of long
annual analysis of expenditure,
term debt into infrastructure projects to
revenues, borrowings and various fiscal
help in the migration of project loans for
indicators for the Union Government.
operating assets from banks to the fixed
income markets. • It further formulates policies relating to
general principles, form and procedure
• Real Estate Investment Trusts
of accounting for the central and state
(REITs)/Infrastructure Investment Trust
governments.
(InvITs) are trust-based structures that
maximize returns through efficient tax • It is responsible for maintaining the
pass-through and improved governance requisite technical standards of
structures. Accounting in the departmentalized
accounting offices
13.7 Institutes/Departments • Public Financial Management System
(PFMS) is a web-based online software
13.7.1 Currency and Coinage Security
application designed, developed, owned
Printing and Minting Corporation of
and implemented by the CGA with the
India Limited
aim to provice a sound public financial
• SPMCIL is the only PSU under the
management system by establishing a
Department of Economic Affairs. The
comprehensive payment, receipt and
Company was incorporated in 2006 under
accounting network.
the Companies Act, 1956.
• The Institute of Government Accounts &
• It is engaged in the manufacturing of
Finance (INGAF) is the training arm of
security paper, minting of coins,
the Controller General of Accounts, set
printing of currency and bank notes,
up to train personnel in specific areas of
non-judicial stamp papers, postage
accounting, administrative matters and
stamps, travel documents, etc.
financial management.
13.7.2 Department of Expenditure • The Central Pension Accounting Office
• It is the nodal Department for overseeing (CPAO) was established in 1990 for
the public financial management system Payment and Accounting of Central (Civil)
in the central government and matters Pensioners and pension to freedom fighters
connected with state finances. etc. CPAO is a subordinate office under the
• It is responsible for the implementation of Office of the CGA
the recommendations of the Finance

13.7.4 Department of Revenue department and keeping track of it until it

The Department of Revenue exercises control reaches its logical conclusion.
in respect of revenue matters relating to Direct • Aayakar Sewa Kendra (ASK) is the single
and Indirect Union taxes through two window system for implementation of
statutory boards namely, the Central Board Citizen’s Charter of the Income Tax
of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Department and a mechanism for
achieving excellence in public service
Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
delivery.
13.7.5 Goods and Services Tax • Aayakar Setu: It is a mobile app that
• The Goods and services Tax Council was would facilitate the online payment of the
constituted in 2016. GST was implemented taxes, calculation of taxes, removal of
in the country in July, 2017. grievances through login to the e-Nivaran
• It covers all goods and services, except module, information about the TPS
alcoholic liquor for human consumption, hierarchy, ASK IT module, Tax Gyaan,
for the levy of goods and services tax. TDS/TRACES and other features.
• In case of petroleum and petroleum
13.7.7 Directorate of Enforcement
products, it has been provided that these
• It was set up at New Delhi in 1956 for
goods shall not be subject to the levy till a
enforcement of the provisions of the
date notified on the recommendation of the
Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA),
GST Council.
1947. FERA, 1947 was later replaced by
• Compensation to the states for loss of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973.
revenue arising on account of
• At present, the Directorate of Enforcement
implementation of the Goods and Services
enforces two laws viz., the Foreign
Tax for a period which may extend to five
Exchange Management Act, 1999
years
(FEMA) and the Prevention of Money
13.7.6 Central Board of Direct Taxes Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA)
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT),
13.7.8 Financial Intelligence Unit-India
created by the Central Boards of Revenue
• FIU-IND was established by the
Act 1963, is the apex body entrusted with
Government of India in 2004 for
the responsibility of administering direct
coordinating and strengthening collection
tax laws in India.
and sharing of financial intelligence
• Revenue collection from direct taxes has through an effective national, regional and
been growing consistently. As a result of global network to combat money
improved tax administration and better tax laundering, related crimes and terrorist
compliance, direct tax collection has been financing.
showing a positive trend over a period of
time. 13.7.9 Narcotics
• The Narcotics Control Division administers
Government initiatives
the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
• e-Nivaran aims to fast track taxpayer’s
Substances Act,1985.
grievance redressal, ensuring early
resolution by integrating all the online and • The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN)
physical grievances received by the headed by the Narcotics Commissioner is

headquartered at Gwalior. The • The RBI plays an important part in the

administrative control of the department Development Strategy of the country. It is
lies with CBEC while its operational a member bank of the Asian Clearing
functions are monitored by the Union.
Department of Revenue. • The Payment and Settlement Systems
• The Government Opium and Alkaloid Act of 2007 (PSS Act) gives the Reserve
Factories (GOAF), under the administrative Bank oversight authority, including
control of the Department of Revenue, are regulation and supervision, for the
engaged in the processing of raw opium for payment and settlement systems in the
export purposes. country
• RBI is the sole body that is authorized to
13.7.10 Department of Financial
issue currency in India.
Services
• DFS is mainly responsible for policy issues 13.8.2 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
relating to Public Sector Banks (PSBs)
Were established under Regional Rural Banks
and Financial Institutions
Act, 1976. RRBs are jointly owned by
• The Department also administers the
Government of India, concerned state
financial inclusion programme of the
government and sponsor banks with the
government, social security schemes. It
issued capital shared in the proportion of 50
started the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan
per cent, 15 per cent and 35 per cent,
Yojana.
respectively.
13.8 Banking
13.8.3 Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme
PSBs and PSB sponsored Regional Rural
It was introduced in 1998-99, as an innovative
Banks (RRBs) have dominant market presence
credit delivery system aiming at adequate and
and constitute 78 percent of the bank network
timely credit support from the banking system
of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs). In
to the farmers
rural locations, this share is even higher at 87
per cent. 13.8.4 Rural Infrastructure
Development Fund (RIDF)
13.8.1 Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
It was set-up within NABARD during 1995-96
• RBI is India’s central banking institution,
which controls the monetary policy of the by way of deposits from Scheduled
Indian rupee. Commercial Banks operating within the
country from the shortfall in their
• It commenced its operations on April 1,
1935 in accordance with the Reserve Bank agricultural/priority sector/weaker sections
of India Act, 1934. It was nationalised in lending.
1949
13.8.5 Few observations relating to
• The RBI has four zonal offices at banking sector
Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. It • The performance of the banking sector
has 21 regional offices and 11 sub-offices (domestic operations), Public Sector Banks
throughout India. (PSBs) in particular, improved in 2018-19.

• The Gross Non-Performing Advances administered through Life Insurance

(GNPA) ratio of Scheduled Commercial Corporation of India.
Banks (SCBs) decreased from 11.5 per cent
to 10.1 per cent between March 2018 and 13.10 Social Security Schemes
December 2018, as also, their
13.10.1 Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
Restructured Standard Advances (RSA)
• APY was launched in May, 2015, to
ratio declined from 0.7 to 0.4 per cent.
address the longevity risks among the
• The Stressed Advances (SA) ratio workers in unorganised sector who are not
decreased from 12.1 to 10.5 per cent covered under any statutory social security
during the same period. GNPA ratio of scheme.
PSBs decreased from 15.5 to 13.9 per cent
• The APY is focussed on all citizens in the
between March 2018 and December 2018.
unorganised sector, who join the National
13.9 Insurance Pension System (NPS) administered by the
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
Authority (PFRDA).
was established by an Act of Parliament
called the Life Insurance Corporation of 13.10.2 Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti
India Act, 1956. BimaYojana
• The insurance sector was opened for PMJJBY is a one year life insurance scheme,
private participation with the enactment renewable from year to year, offering coverage
of the Insurance Regulatory and of two lakhs rupees for death due to any
Development Authority Act, 1999.
reason and is available to people in the age
• IRDAI has also laid down the regulatory group of 18 to 50 years (life cover up to 55
framework for registration of insurance years of age) having a bank account who give
companies, maintenance of solvency
their consent to join and enable autodebit.
margin, investments and financial
reporting requirements. 13.10.3 Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
• The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, Yojana (PMSBY)
2015 also enabled foreign reinsurers to Is a one year personal accident insurance
set up branches in India. foreign scheme, renewable from year to year, offering
investment cap has been raised to 49%
coverage for death/disability due to an
from 24%.
accident and is available to people in the age
• Government launched the Pradhan Mantri group of 18 to 70 years
Vyay Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) to protect
elderly persons aged 60 years and above 13.10.4 Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan
against a future fall in their interest Yojana
income due to the uncertain market With a view to increasing banking penetration
condition, as also to provide social security
and promoting financial inclusion and with
in old age.
the main objective of covering all households
• For the benefit of the weaker sections of with at least one bank account per household
the society, Government of India floated a
across the country, a National Mission on
highly subsidized insurance scheme, viz.,
Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) which is

financial inclusion named as (PMJDY) was 13.12.1 Disinvestment Policy

announced in 2014. The Policy on Disinvestment has evolved
considerably. The salient features of the Policy
13.11 Pension Reforms
include:
National Pension System (a) public sector undertakings are the wealth
• With a view to providing adequate of the nation and to ensure this wealth
retirement income, the National Pension rests in the hands of the people, promote
System (NPS) was introduced.
public ownership of Central Public Sector
• It has been made mandatory for all new
Enterprises (CPSEs);
recruits to the Government (except armed
(b) while pursuing disinvestment through
forces) with effect from January 1, 2004
and has also been rolled out for all citizens minority stake sale in listed CPSEs, the
with effect from May 1, 2009 on a government will retain majority
voluntary basis. shareholding, i.e., at least 51 per cent of
• The features of the NPS design are: self- the shareholding and management control
sustainability, portability and scalability. of the Public Sector Undertakings; and
Swavalamban Scheme (c) strategic disinvestment by way of sale of

substantial portion of government
To encourage the workers in the unorganized
shareholding in identified CPSEs up to 50
sector to save voluntarily for their old age, an
initiative called Swavalamban Scheme was per cent or more, alongwith transfer of
launched in 2010. management control.
13.12 Department of Investment 13.12.2 National Investment Fund

and Public Asset Management • Government constituted the National
Investment Fund (NIF) in 2005 into which
• The Department of Disinvestment has been the proceeds from disinvestment of Central
renamed as Department of investment and Public Sector Enterprises were to be
Public Asset Management (DIPAM) from channelized.
2016.
• The corpus of NIF was to be of a
• It deals with matters related to permanent nature and NIF was to be
management of Central Government professionally managed to provide
investments in equity including sustainable returns to the Government,
disinvestment of equity in Central Public without depleting the corpus.
Sector Undertakings.
• It looks after all matters related to
Independent External Monitor(s) for
disinvestment and public asset
management and financial policy in regard
to the utilisation of the proceeds of
disinvestment channelised into the
National Investment Fund.

Report (DBR) of the World Bank, India has

14. Corporate Affairs jumped 23 positions against its rank of
100 in 2017 to 63rd among 190 countries
in 2020.
14.1 Ministry of Corporate Affairs
• The Companies Act, 2013 seeks to bring
(MCA)
corporate governance and regulatory
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is practices in India at par with global best
primarily concerned with administration of practices.
the Companies Act 2013, the Companies
Act 1956, the Limited Liability Partnership 14.3 Key Features of the Companies
Act, 2008 and other allied Acts and rules. Act, 2013
• The Ministry is also responsible for I. Business Friendly Corporate
administering the Competition Act, 2002 to Regulations/Pro-Business Initiatives
prevent practices having adverse effect on • Provision of self-regulation with
competition. disclosures/transparency instead of
• Besides, it exercises supervision over the ‘Government approval based regime’.
three professional bodies, namely, Institute • Automation of corporate records/
of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), meetings
Institute of Company Secretaries of India
• National Company Law Tribunal
(ICSI) and the Institute of Cost
(NCLT) has been constituted under
Accountants of India (ICAI), which are
Section 408 in 2016.
constituted under three separate Acts of
the Parliament for proper and orderly • Concept of ‘dormant companies’
growth of the professions concerned. introduced (companies not engaged in
business for two consecutive years
• The Ministry also has the responsibility of
can be declared as dormant).
carrying out the functions of the central
government relating to administration of II. Good Corporate Governance and
Partnership Act, 1931, the Companies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
(Donations to National Funds) Act, 1951 • Concept of Independent Directors
and Societies Registration Act, 1860. (IDs) included as a statutory
requirement
14.2 Ease of Doing Business • Woman Director for prescribed class
of companies.
• The Ministry has prescribed a Simplified
• Mandatory provision for constitution
Proforma for Incorporating Companies of CSR Committee and formulation
(SPICe) along with e-MOA (Electronic- of CSR Policy, with mandatory
Memorandum of Association) and e-AoA disclosure, for prescribed class of
(Electronic-Articles of Association) which companies.
eliminates the requirement of physically
III. Enhancing Accountability of
signing the Memorandum of Association
Management
(MoA) and Articles of Association (AoA) by
• The term ‘Officer in Default’ has
the applicant.
been reviewed to make it more
• The efforts of the government have paid relevant.
dividends. According to the Doing Business

• Duties of Directors defined, • The Code has been framed with the
including to shareholders, employees, objective to consolidate and amend the
the community and environment. laws relating to reorganization and
• Cap on number of Directorships: 20 insolvency resolution of corporate persons,
companies, of which 10 can be public partnership firms and individuals in a time
companies bound manner.
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of
IV. Strengthened Enforcement
India (IBBI) was established in 2016. The
• The Central Government to have
IBBI has the mandate for regulation of
powers to order investigation, suo-
insolvency professionals, insolvency
motu, in public interest.
professional agencies and information
• Statutory recognition of Serious utilities besides exercising other powers
Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). and functions as envisaged under the
V. Audit Accountability Code.
• Recognition of accounting and
auditing standards.
14.5 National Company Law and
Appellate Tribunal
• Stricter disqualification norms for
auditors. • The constitution of National Company Law
• Auditor not to perform specified non- Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company
audit services. Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) was done
in 2016.
• National Financial Reporting
Authority (NFRA) to be constituted. • These bodies have been constituted for
faster resolution of corporate disputes
VI. Investor Protection and reducing the multiplicity of agencies
• Stringent norms for acceptance of thereby promoting ‘ease of doing
deposits from the public. business’ in the country.
• Strengthened role of Investor • With the constitution of National
Education and Protection Fund Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the
(IEPF). Company Law Board (CLB) stands
dissolved and cases pending with CLB
14.3.1 Companies (Amendment) Act,
were transferred to NCLT.
2015
• The Companies Act, 2013 was amended • NCLAT has its headquarters at New
through the Companies (Amendment) Act, Delhi. At present the NCLT has its
2015 to facilitate business and address Benches at 10 locations viz., New Delhi,
certain immediate concerns raised by Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bengaluru,
stakeholders. Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati,
Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.
14.4 Insolvency and Bankruptcy • The Competition Appellate Tribunal
Code, 2016 (IBC, 2016) under the provisions of Competition Act
• IBC, 2016 (Code) became functional from was dissolved in 2017 and merged with
May, 2016. Ministry of Corporate Affairs NCLAT.
was entrusted with the responsibility to
administer the Code.
• The appeal against the orders of • With the help of e-services, the MCA21
Competition Commission of India is System provides to the stakeholders a
now with NCLAT. convenient, easy to use and secure
access
14.5.1 Corporate Social Responsibility
• The project was started in March, 2006 on
In India, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Build, Own, Operate and Transfer
for companies has been mandated through (BOOT) Model.
legislation through Section 135 of the
Companies Act, 2013. Section 135, Schedule 14.5.4 Cost Audit
VII, of the Companies Act, 2013 • The Companies (Cost Records and Audit)
Rules were notified in 2014 specifying the
14.5.2 Limited Liability Partnership class of companies and the threshold limit,
(LLP) which require to maintain cost records and
• The Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) conduct audit thereof.
Act was enacted in 2008 and came into • The aforesaid rules cover 6 regulated
force from 2009. sectors and 33 non-regulated sectors
• LLP is a form of business entity, which which fall under the ambit of Section 148
allows individual partners to be of the Companies Act, 2013.
protected from the joint and several • The Ministry analyses the cost audit
liabilities of partners in a partnership reports and monitors compliance to the
firm. Act/Rules by the specified companies.
• The liability of partners incurred in the
normal course of business does not 14.5.5 Investor Education and
extend to the personal assets of the Protection Fund
partners. It is capable of entering into • The Companies Act provides for
contracts and holding property in its own establishment of IEPF for promoting
name. Investor Awareness and protecting their
interests.
• The corporate structure of LLP and the
statutory disclosure requirements are • The amount of dividend, matured deposits,
expected to enable higher access to credit matured debentures, application money,
in the market. etc., which remained unpaid/unclaimed
for a period of seven years from the date
14.5.3 MCA21— e-Governance Project they first become due for payment, are
• The Ministry operated an end-to-end transferred to IEPF.
e-governance project called MCA21 for • IEPF Authority was made functional from
end-to-end service delivery comprising 2016. The IEPF Authority is also entrusted
Company and Limited Liability with the responsibilities of carrying out
Partnership (LLP) registration, investor awareness activities using the
incorporation, registry and other amounts transferred to IEPF.
compliance related services.
• The project was undertaken on a Mission 14.5.6 Indian Corporate Law Service
Mode to bring about a service centric Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the cadre
approach in the delivery of public services controlling authority of the Indian Corporate
and administration of the Companies.
Law Service (ICLS). The erstwhile Indian • The provisions of the Competition
Company Law Service was rechristened in (Amendment), 2002 relating to anti-
2008 as the Indian Corporate Law Service. competitive agreements and abuse of
dominant position were brought into
14.5.7 Serious Fraud Investigation force in 2009 and those relating to
Office combinations from 2011.
• The Serious Fraud Investigation Office
(SFIO) was set up in 2003. The Companies
Act, 2013, interalia, has accorded
15. Food, Civil Supplies and
statutory status to SFIO
Consumer Affairs
• The main function of SFIO is to investigate
corporate frauds of serious and complex
nature. It takes up investigation of frauds 15.1 Introduction
characterized by complexity, and having The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and
inter-departmental and multi-
Public Distribution is a ministry with two
disciplinary ramifications, substantial
departments - the Department of Food and
involvement of public interest.
Public Distribution and the Department of
14.6 Indian Institute of Corporate Consumer Affairs.
Affairs
15.1.1 Consumer Affairs - Department
• The Ministry set up the IICA, a society of Consumer Affairs
registered under Societies Registration • The Department has been entrusted with
Act, 1860 the following work: internal trade; the
• It serves as a ‘Holistic ThinkTank’, and a Essential Commodities Act, 1955, etc.;
‘Capacity Building, Service Delivery • Prevention of Black Marketing and
Institution’ to help corporate growth, Maintenance of Supply of Essential
reforms through synergised knowledge Commodities Act, 1980; regulation of
management, partnerships and problem packaged commodities; consumer
solving in a one-stop-shop mode. cooperatives, etc
• The Institute fulfils the training needs of • The Department has been conducting a
the officers of the Indian Corporate Law countrywide multimedia awareness
Service (ICLS) campaign since 2005 on various issues
related to consumer rights and
14.7 Competition Commission of responsibilities across diverse subjects.
India (CCI) “Jago Grahak Jago” has today become a
• The CCI was established in 2003 under the household axiom.
Competition Act, 2002, with the objective • The Consumer Welfare Fund was created
of eliminating practices having an adverse in 1992 with the objective of providing
effect on competition. financial assistance to promote and protect
• It promotes sustained competition, the welfare of the consumer.
protecting the interest of consumers and • The National Test House (NTH) is a
ensuring freedom of trade in India. premier test and quality evaluation
laboratory for industrial, engineering and

consumer products under the (d) ensure that no person takes part in the
administrative control of the Government publication of any advertisement which is
of India since the year 1912 at Alipore, false or misleading.
Kolkata.
• The DCA operates a Price Monitoring Cell 15.2.2 Bureau of Indian Standards
(PMC) tasked with monitoring prices of • A new Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
select essential commodities. Act 2016 came into force from 2017. The
Act establishes the Bureau of Indian
15.2 Consumer Protection Act 1986 Standards (BIS) as the national Standards
Body of India.
• A key milestone in consumer advocacy in
the country was the enactment of • The Bureau of Indian Standards was set
Consumer Protection Act, 1986. up as a statutory organization taking
over the assets and liabilities of the Indian
• This Act provided the legislative framework
Standards Institution (ISI) that came into
to better protect the interests of the
existence in 1947.
consumer by creating a formal but quasi-
judicial dispute resolution mechanism • The Bureau has its headquarters in New
exclusively for consumers. Delhi.
• This progressive legislation established the 15.2.3 National Consumer Helpline
three tier quasi-judicial consumer
• National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is a
dispute redress machinery at the
project that operates under the Centre for
national, state and district levels aimed
Consumer Studies at Indian Institute of
at providing simple, speedy and affordable
Public Administration (IIPA). It was set
redress to consumers.
up in 2004
15.2.1 Consumer Protection Act, 2019 • Its primary objective is to attend to the
telephone calls from consumers and
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (New Act)
provide information to the callers and
became effective from August 2019. The
register their complaints in the INGRAM
salient features of the Act, include,
portal
establishment of Central Consumer Protection
Authority (CCPA) to: 15.2.4 Consumer Grievance Redress
(a) protect, promote and enforce the rights of Under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a
consumers as a class, and prevent three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism has
violation of consumers’ rights under this been set up in the country to adjudicate
Act; complaints filed before them and to provide
(b) prevent unfair trade practices and ensure speedy redress to consumers.
that no person engages in unfair trade 1. National Consumer Disputes Redressal
practices; Commission (National Commission) at the
(c) ensure that no false or misleading apex level with territorial jurisdiction over
advertisement is made of any goods or the whole country
services which contravenes the provisions 2. 35 state consumer disputes redressal
of this Act or the rules or regulations made commissions (state commissions) with
thereunder; and

territorial jurisdiction over the state/ UT 15.3.2 Procurement of Food grains

concerned
Food Corporation of India (FCI)
3. District Consumer Disputes Redressal • The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is a
For a (district forum) with territorial statutory body under the Ministry of
jurisdiction over the district Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution, formed by the enactment of
15.2.5 National Test House
Food Corporation Act 1964.
• The National Test House (NTH) is a
• FCI has been divided into 5 zones, viz.,
premier test and quality evaluation
north, south, east, west and north-east
laboratory for industrial, engineering and
with a zonal office in each zone.
consumer products under the
administrative control of the • with the help of state government agencies,
Government of India since the year 1912. procures wheat, paddy and coarse grains
in various states in order to provide price
• NTH issues test certificates in scientific
support to the farmers.
and engineering fields to certify
conformity to national/ international • Before each Rabi/Kharif crop season,
specifications or customer standard central government announces the
specifications. Minimum Support Prices (MSP)
• It is fixed based on the recommendations
15.2.6 Price Monitoring of Commission for Agricultural Costs
• The DCA operates a Price Monitoring Cell and Prices (CACP), which takes into
(PMC) tasked with monitoring prices of consideration the cost of various
select essential commodities. The agricultural inputs and the reasonable
monitoring is done in respect of both retail margin for the farmers for their
and wholesale prices on a daily basis. produce.
15.3 Food and Public Distribution FCI was set up to implement the following
objectives of the National Food Policy:
15.3.1 Department of Food and Public (i) Effective price support operations for
Distribution
safeguarding the interests of the poor
• It is responsible for management of the
farmers;
food economy of the nation.
(ii) Distribution of food grains throughout
• It undertakes various activities, such as
procurement of food items at MSP, their the country for public distribution
storage, movement and delivery to the system (PDS);
distributing agencies. (iii) Maintaining a satisfactory level of
• The primary policy objective of the operational and buffer stocks of food
Department is to ensure food security for grains to ensure national food security;
the country through timely and efficient and
procurement and distribution of food (iv) Regulate market price to provide food
grains.
grains to consumers at a reliable price.

15.3.3 Stock in Central Pool • This coverage for receiving highly

• Food grain Stocking Norms (Buffer Norms) subsidized food grains is under 2
were laid down to meet the prescribed categories—households covered under
minimum stocking norms for food security, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and the
to ensure monthly releases of food grains remaining households as priority
for the Targeted Public Distribution System households.
(TPDS), Other Welfare Schemes (OWS). • NFSA is now being implemented in all the
• Also, to meet emergency situations arising states/UTs covering about 80.55 crore
out of unexpected crop failure, natural beneficiaries, against intended coverage of
disasters, festivals, etc., and to use the 81.34 crore people.
food grain stock in the Central Pool for • Department of Food and Public
market intervention to augment supply so Distribution is implementing a Plan
as to help moderate the open market Scheme on ‘End-to-End
prices. Computerisation’ of TPDS Operations on
cost sharing basis with states/UTs.
15.3.4 Food Subsidy
• States are allocated food grains at 15.4.1 Integrated Management of PDS
subsidised rates under the National Food (IM-PDS)
Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) and other • A new central sector scheme– ‘Integrated
welfare schemes. Management of PDS’ (IM- PDS) is to be
• Difference between Economic Cost and implemented during FY 2018-19 and
Central Issue Price (CIP) at which food 2019-20 for establishing Public
grains are issued to states are reimbursed Distribution System Network (PDSN) to
to Food Corporation of India (FCI) as inter alia implement national level de-
subsidy. duplication of beneficiaries and
portability.
15.4 National Food Security
• The Scheme will strengthen better
• In order to further strengthen the targeting of food subsidy and help the
commitment to food security of the people, beneficiaries to lift food grains from the
Government of India enacted the National FPSs of their choice.
Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), which
came into force from 2013. 15.5 Other Welfare Schemes
• The Act aims to provide for food and 15.5.1 Mid-Day Meal Scheme
nutritional security in human life cycle
• The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is implemented
approach, by ensuring access to adequate
by the Ministry of Human Resource
quantity of quality food at affordable prices
Development.
to people to live with dignity.
• The Scheme covers students of primary
• The Act provides for coverage of upto 75
and upper primary classes in the
per cent of the rural population and
government schools/schools aided by
upto 50 per cent of the urban
government and the schools run by local
population for receiving subsidized food
bodies.
grains under Targeted Public Distribution
System

15.5.2 Wheat Based Nutrition 15.6 Storage of Food grains

Programme
Capacity of FCI and State Agencies
• This Scheme is implemented by the
• FCI has its own grid of covered godowns in
Ministry of Women and Child
all states to safely stock the central pool
Development.
food grains. In addition, it hires capacity
• The food grains allotted under it are from Central Warehousing Corporation
utilized by the states/UTs under Integrated (CWC) and state agencies like state
Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme warehousing corporations as well as
for providing nutritious/energy food to private parties.
children in the age group of 0-6 years and
• In order to cope with increasing production
expectant/lactating women.
and procurement of food grains, the
15.5.3 Scheme for Adolescent Girls Department is implementing private
• The Ministry of Women and Child entrepreneurs guarantee (PEG) scheme
Development administers the scheme at for augmenting the covered storage
the central level. capacity in the country.
• However, food grains for the Scheme are 15.7 Warehousing Development and
allotted by the Department of Food and Regulatory Authority
Public Distribution at BPL rates to the
Ministry of Women and Child • The government constituted the
Development. Warehousing Development and Regulatory
Authority (WDRA) in 2010 for
• The SABLA scheme was launched in 2010
implementation of the provisions of the
which aims at empowering adolescent girls
Warehousing (Development and
of 11-18 years by improvement of their
Regulation) Act, 2007.
nutritional and health status and
upgrading various skills useful to them. • The Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (NWRs)
issued against stocks of farm produces
15.5.4 Annapurna Scheme deposited by the farmers in warehouses
This Scheme is implemented by the Ministry would help the farmers in seeking loan
of Rural Development. Indigent senior citizens from banks.
of 65 years of age or above who are not getting • Warehouses need to be registered with the
pension under the National Old Age Pension WDRA for issuing NWRs.
Scheme (NOAPS), are provided 10 kgs. of food
15.8 Central Warehousing Corporation
grains per person per month free of cost under • CWC is a Public Sector Undertaking
it. (PSU) set up 1957 under this Department
to provide scientific storage facilities for
15.5.5 Open Market Sale Scheme
agricultural produces, implements and
(Domestic)
other notified commodities.
The FCI sells excess stocks of wheat and rice
• CWC also has a 100 per cent owned
from the Central Pool at predetermined prices
subsidiary company namely, Central
in the open market from time to time under Railside Warehouse Company Limited
Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) (CRWC) for development of Railside
Warehouse Complexes (RWCs).

15.9 Post-Harvest Management of

Food grains
• Quality Standard for Food grains - The
Quality Control Cells of the Ministry
monitor the quality of food grains
procured, stored and issue for distribution
by FCI and state governments and their
agencies.
• Indian Grain Storage Management and
15.9.2 Ethanol Blending Petrol
Research Institute (IGMRI), Hapur is
Programme (EBP)
engaged in the training and applied
• Ethanol is an agro-based product, mainly
Research and Development (R&D) work
produced from a by-product of the sugar
relating to grain storage management. industry, namely molasses.
• The Central Grain Analysis Laboratory • EBP seeks to achieve blending of Ethanol
(CGAL) located in New Delhi assists the with motor sprit with a view to reducing
Department in monitoring the quality of pollution and increase value addition in
food grains. the sugar industry.
• Government has also notified new National
15.9.1 Export of Sugar
Policy on Bio-Fuels, 2018 under which
• Sugar is an essential commodity. Its sales,
sugarcane juice has been allowed for
delivery from mills, and distribution were production of ethanol.
regulated under Essential Commodities
Act, 1955. 15.10 International Cooperation
• Till 1997, the exports of sugar were being • India is associated with a number of
carried out under the provisions of the international agencies working in the field
Sugar Export Promotion Act, 1958, of food related matters.
through the notified export agencies, viz., • These include World Food Programme
Indian Sugar and General Industry (WFP), SAARC Food Bank, Food and
Export Import Corporation Ltd. Agricultural Organisation (FAO),
(ISGIEIC) and State Trading Corporation International Grains Council (IGC) and
of India Ltd. (STC). International Sugar Organisation (ISO), etc
• The Sugar Development Fund Act, 1982 15.10.1 SAARC Food Bank
can be utilized by the Government of India • The Food Bank will supplement national
for making loans for facilitating the efforts to provide food security to the
rehabilitation and modernization, people of the region.
development of sugarcane, bagasse-based • As per this agreement, SAARC Food Bank
co-generation power projects etc. is to have a reserve of foodgrains to be
maintained by each member states
consisting of either wheat or rice, or a
combination of both as assessed share of
the country.
15.10.2 Food and Agricultural dedicated investors’s portal called ‘Nivesh

Organisation and Committee on World Bandhu’ was launched in 2017 to assist
Food Security potential investors in the food processing
• FAO is one of the largest specialized sector
agencies in the UN System founded in • Food processing sector has been
1945 with a mandate to raise levels of identified as one of the priority sectors
nutrition and standard of living by under ‘Make in India’.
improving agricultural productivity and
• Mega Food Parks Scheme, being
living conditions of rural population.
implemented since 2008, aims to create a
• The Committee on World Food Security modern food processing infrastructure for
(CFS) serves as a forum in the UN System the processing units based on a cluster
for review and follow-up of policies approach and on a hub and spoke model
concerning world food security, including in a demand driven manner.
food production, physical and economic
• Scheme of Operation Greens - MoFPI
access to food.
launched a new central sector scheme
• India is a member of both FAO and CFS. “Operation Greens—A scheme for
integrated development of Tomato, Onion
15.10.3 International Grains Council
and Potato”.
• India is a member of the International
• The Ministry launched a Centrally
Grains Council (IGC), an
Sponsored Scheme—National Mission on
intergovernmental forum of exporting and
Food Processing (NMFP) during 12th
importing countries for cooperation in
Plan in 2012.
wheat and coarse grain matters
• The Ministry established the National
• IGC has two types of members—importing
Institute of Food Technology,
and exporting members. India has been
Entrepreneurship and Management at
included in the category of exporting
Kundli, in Haryana in May, 2012.
member in July, 2003
• The Ministry upgraded Indian Institute of
15.11 Food Processing Industries Food Processing Technology (IIFPT),
• The Ministry of Food Processing Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu to a national level
Industries was set up in July, 1988 to give institute in 2008.
an impetus to development of food
15.11.1 Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
processing sector in the country.
Yojana
• The Ministry is concerned with formulation • All the existing schemes of food Processing
and implementation of the policies for the Industry were reviewed, critical gaps
food processing industries within the identified and were integrated under an
overall national priorities and objectives. Umbrella Scheme PMKSY. It was launched
• Food processing industry constitutes 12.38 in 2017.
per cent of employment generated in all
registered factory sector in 2017-18.
• Cent per cent FDI is permitted under the
automatic route in food processing
industries manufacturing sector. A

• Department of AIDS Control has been

merged with Department of Health &
Family Welfare in 2014 and is now known
as National AIDS Control Organisation
(NACO).
• In December 2014, Department of AYUSH
was made Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
• Directorate General of Health Services
(DGHS) is an attached office which renders
technical advice on all medical and public
health matters and is involved in the
implementation of various health services.
• PMKSY is a comprehensive package 16.2 Management of Covid-19

resulting in creation of modern
• World Health Organisation (WHO) declared
infrastructure with efficient supply chain
Covid-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020
management from farm gate to retail
and asked all countries to take urgent and
outlet.
aggressive action against this public health
• It is a big step towards doubling of farmers’
crisis.
income, creating huge employment
• The government undertook the Covid-19
opportunities especially in the rural areas
challenge up front. It took the bold
decision to announce a nation-wide
lockdown which involved the community.
16. Health and Family • A self-imposed Janata Curfew was
Welfare initiated and India collectively stood up to
manage the pandemic and successfully
blunted the aggressive progression of the
16.1 Introduction disease.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is • The period of four months of lockdown was
responsible for formulating health and utilised to create additional health
allied policies, providing guidance to infrastructure, enhance human resource
states towards implementing health and produce within India critical elements
programs, managing centrally sponsored such as PPEs (Personal Protective
health schemes and programmes, medical Equipment), N-95 masks and
education, regulation (drugs and devices) ventilators.
and health infrastructure. • Number of dedicated isolation beds
• The Ministry of Health Family Welfare increased 36.3 times and dedicated ICU
(MoHFW) earlier had two departments beds increased over 24.6 times compared
namely Department of Health & Family to what had existed in March 2020.
Welfare and Department of Health • Earlier, there was no indigenous
Research. manufacturing of PPE with the requisite
standards; however, India is now self- preventive measures and need for prompt
sufficient and, in a position, to even export treatment seeking; and
the same.
(vii) strengthening of passive Influenza Like
• Government initiated a series of actions to Illness (ILI)/ Severe Acute Respiratory
prevent entry of the disease and to contain
Illness (SARI) surveillance in containment
its spread.
and buffer zones
• Eleven Empowered Groups were
constituted on March 29, 2020 on different 16.2.1 Three-tier arrangement of health
aspects of Covid-19 management in the facilities
country to take informed decisions on (i) Covid Care Centre with isolation beds for
issue
mild or pre-symptomatic cases;
• Community surveillance was initiated for
(ii) Dedicated Covid Health Centre (DCHC)
travel-related cases and subsequently for
with oxygen supported isolation beds for
cases being reported from community by
Integrated Disease Surveillance moderate cases; and
Programme (IDSP). (iii) Dedicated Covid Hospital (DCH) with ICU
• Indian Council of Medical Research beds for severe cases.
(ICMR) is establishing a National Clinical Tertiary care hospitals under Employees’ State
Registry on Covid-19 that will provide
Insurance Corporation (ESIC), defence,
insights into clinical course of Covid-19
railways, paramilitary forces and Ministry of
disease, its spectrum and the outcome of
Steel have been leveraged for case
patients.
management.
• The Ministry of AYUSH has also
contributed for the management and 16.2.2 Telemedicine - eSanjeevani
mitigation of the pandemic by • To ensure accessibility of quality treatment
recommending guidelines of self-care as for both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 health
preventive health measures and for issues to far-flung areas, use of
boosting immunity telemedicine has been promoted in a big
• The containment plans released by the way.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare • ‘eSanjeevani’, a web-based comprehensive
envisage a strategy of breaking the chain of telemedicine solution, is being utilised (in
transmission by: 23 states) to extend the reach of
(i) defining containment and buffer zones; specialised healthcare services to masses
(ii) applying strict perimeter control; in both rural areas and isolated
communities.
(iii) intensive active house-to-house search
for cases and contacts; 16.3 National Health Policy
(iv) isolation and testing of suspect cases and
NHP was released in 2017. NHP 2017
high-risk contacts;
addresses the current and emerging
(v) quarantine of high-risk contacts;
challenges necessitated by the changing socio-
(vi) intensive risk communication to raise economic, technological and epidemiological
community awareness on simple landscape.

One of the mandates of the NHP 2017, is the • National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
use of information technology towards and National Urban Health Mission
healthcare. In line with that the IT initiatives (NUHM) became two sub-missions under
of the Ministry are listed here: the overarching NHM.
• National Health Portal (NHP) - is • The main programmatic components
functioning as citizen portal for healthcare include health system strengthening in
providing health related information to rural and urban areas, Reproductive-
citizens and stakeholders in different Maternal-Neonatal-Child and Adolescent
languages Health (RMNCH+A) interventions and
control of communicable and non-
• Mera Aspataal (My Hospital) application
communicable diseases.
is an IT based feedback system to collect
information on patients’ level of 16.4.1 Integrated Disease Surveillance
satisfaction using a multi-channel Programme (IDSP)
approach. • IDSP is a centrally sponsored scheme
• Mother and Child Tracking System under NHM implemented in all states and
(MCTS) / Reproductive Child Health UTs.
(RCH) application is an individual-based • The main objectives and strategies include
tracking system across all the states & UTs strengthening / maintaining a
to facilitate timely delivery of antenatal and decentralized laboratory-based IT-enabled
postnatal care services disease surveillance system for epidemic
• Kilkari application was launched to prone diseases to monitor disease trends.
deliver free weekly audio messages about • And also to detect and respond to
pregnancy, child birth and care. outbreaks in early rising phase through
• TB Patient Monitoring System “Nikshay” trained rapid response teams.
for tracking of individuals for treatment-
adherence has been implemented across 16.5 Mission Indradhanush
all states for monitoring of TB patients. • It was launched in 2014 to cover all those
• SUGAM by Central Drugs Standards children who have been partially
Control Organisation (CDSCO) enables vaccinated or not vaccinated during
online submission of applications, their routine immunization rounds.
tracking, processing & grant of approvals • The objective the schemes is to increase
• Drugs and Vaccine Distribution full immunization coverage to at least 90
Management System (DVDMS) per cent children by 2020.
(eAushidhi) deals with purchase, inventory
management and distribution of various 16.5.1 New Vaccines
drugs, sutures and surgical items a) Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV): In
concurrence with the World Polio End
16.4 National Health Mission Game strategy, IPV was introduced in
• The main emphasis in the health sector November 2015 in six states and expanded
has been on increasing the funding to throughout the country by June 2016.
healthcare to at least 2 per cent of the b) Rotavirus Vaccine (RVV): This vaccine
GDP. was launched in March 2016, to reduce

the burden of diarrhoea caused by Economic Caste Census (SECC)

Rotavirus. database.
c) Rubella Vaccine as Measles Rubella (MR) • With this, AB-NHPM will subsume the
Vaccine: MR vaccine is being introduced ongoing centrally sponsored schemes–
through campaign targeting around 41 Rashtriya Swasthya BimaYojana (RSBY)
crore children in the age group of 9 and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance
months to 15 years followed by two doses Scheme (SCHIS).
in routine immunisation at 9-12 months • It has a defined benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh
and 16-24 months. per family per year.
d) Adult JE Vaccine: Japanese Encephalitis • This cover will take care of almost all
vaccination in children was introduced in secondary care and most of tertiary care
2006. However, the vaccine was expanded procedures.
in adult population of districts with high • To ensure that nobody is left out
disease burden in 2015. (especially women, children and the
e) Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV): elderly) there will be no cap on family
This vaccine was launched in May 2017, to size and age.
reduce child deaths due to pneumonia • The benefit cover will also include pre and
which is a major cause of child mortality. post-hospitalisation expenses. All pre-
f) Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) existing conditions will be covered from
day one of the policy.
Vaccine: Increase in immunisation
coverage in children led to shift in age • For beneficiaries, it will be a cashless,
group of diphtheria cases to school going paper less transaction.
children and adults. Subsequently,
Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine
was recommended by National Technical
Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)
in 2016. Thereafter, Td vaccine has
replaced two doses of TT or single booster
dose of TT given to pregnant woman and
booster doses at 10 and 16 years of age.
16.6 Ayushman Bharat

• Ayushman Bharat - National Health
16.7 Important Government
Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) a new
Initiatives related to health
centrally sponsored scheme was launched
in 2018. It comes under MoHFW • Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
Elimination (MNTE) - MNTE is defined as
• The Scheme has the benefit cover of 5
less than one neonatal tetanus case per
lakh per family per year.
1,000 live birth in every district per
• The target beneficiaries are to be more
annum. India has been validated for
than 10 crore families belonging to poor
Maternal and Neonatal tetanus elimination
and vulnerable population based on Socio-
in May 2015.

• India New Born Action Plan was reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by
launched in 2014 with the goal of attaining promoting institutional delivery among
“Single Digit Neonatal Mortality Rate poor pregnant women.
(NMR) by 2030” and “Single Digit Still • Initiated in 1952, the Family Planning
Birth rate (SBR) by 2030”. programme was the first of its kind of
• “MAA-Mother’s Absolute Affection” national level programme with a focus on
which is an intensified programme was population stabilization. The National
launched in 2016 in an attempt to bring Population Policy 2000 redefined it as a
undiluted focus on promotion of medium of intervention for promoting
breastfeeding reproductive and child health.
• Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva
is a programme to combat diarrhoeal Abhiyan aims to provide assured,
mortality in children with the ultimate aim comprehensive and quality antenatal care,
of zero child deaths due to childhood free of cost, universally to all pregnant
diarrhea. women on the 9th of every month.
• To combat Soil Transmitted Helminth • Kayakalp awards were launched to
(STH) infections, the Ministry has adopted promote cleanliness, hygiene and
a single day strategy called National infection control practices in public health
Deworming Day (NDD) wherein single facilities.
dose of albendazole is administered to • National Organ Transplant Programme
children from 1-19 years of age group was launched for carrying out the activities
schools and anganwadi centres. as per Transplantation of Human Organs
• Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram was and Tissues Act, 1994. Under this, an apex
launched in 2013 entails provision for level organization, National Organ and
Child Health Screening and Early Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO)
Intervention Services through early was set-up at Safdarjung Hospital, New
detection and management of 4 Ds i.e. Delhi.
defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies, • Swachh Swasth Sarvatra is a joint
development delays. initiative of the Ministry of Health and
• The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Family Welfare and Ministry of Drinking
Karyakram (RKSK) was launched to Water and Sanitation launched in 2016.
provide information, commodities and • In 2018, Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy
services to meet the diverse needs of was launched to achieve the envisaged
adolescents. target of 3 per cent reduction in anemia
• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram prevalence every year under the POSHAN
(JSSK) scheme entitles all pregnant Abhiyan.
women delivering in public health
institutions to absolutely free and no 16.7.1 National Tuberculosis
expense delivery including caesarean Elimination Programme (NTEP)
section. NTEP (erstwhile Revised National Tuberculosis
• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe Control Programme) is an ongoing Centrally
motherhood intervention under the Sponsored Scheme implementing
National Health Mission. The objective is to Tuberculosis prevention and control activities
in a mission mode to achieve a rapid decline 16.8 Non-Communicable Diseases

in burden of TB, morbidity and mortality
16.8.1 National Programme for
towards ending TB in India by 2025.
Prevention and Control of Fluorosis
16.7.2 National Leprosy Eradication • Fluorosis, a crippling disease is caused by
Programme (NLEP) excess intake of fluoride mainly through
drinking water.
NLEP, India is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
under the umbrella of National Health Mission • Desirable limit for fluoride in drinking
water, as per BIS standards, is 1.0
(NHM). The programme provides technical and
mg/litre and the permissible limit is 1.5
financial assistance to states for all activities
mg/litre.
related to detection, diagnosis, treatment and
• Excess of fluoride in water or food results
post treatment care of persons affected by
in major health disorders like Dental
leprosy.
Fluorosis, Skeletal Fluorosis and Non-
16.7.3 National Viral Hepatitis Control skeletal Fluorosis.
Programme • To tackle the problem of Fluorosis,
Under the National Health Mission was National Programme for Prevention and
launched in July 2018. The programme aims Control of Fluorosis (NPPCF) was launched
in 2008-09
to target management of five crore people
possibly harbouring the infection. Under the 16.8.2 National Programme for
programme, free diagnostics and drugs are Prevention and Control of Cancer,
being made available to all in need, not only Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and
for treatment of Hepatitis C but also life-long Stroke
management of Hepatitis B • The objective of the programme is to
address the challenge of rising burden of
16.7.4 HIV & AIDS non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control)
• Under the programme, focus is on
Act, 2017 aims to end the epidemic by
strengthening infrastructure, human
2030.
resource development, health promotion,
• National AIDS Control Organisation early diagnosis, management and referral
(NACO) is the nodal organization for to appropriate facilities.
National AIDS response in the Ministry of
• The programme is being implemented in
Health and Family Welfare.
all the states/UTs.
• National AIDS Control Programme is a fully
funded central sector scheme. Currently, 16.8.3 Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis
National AIDS Control programme (NACP)- Programme
IV (extension) is under implementation for • Under this programme, dialysis services
the period 2017-20. are provided free-of-cost to poor patients,
for which financial support is given to all
the states/UTs under the National Health
Mission.

16.8.4 Mental Healthcare Test (NEET) has been introduced from the
• To address the challenge of mental Academic Year 2016-17.
illnesses, the government is implementing • The Centre for Integrative Medicine and
the National Mental Health Programme Research is a pioneering initiative by
(NMHP) AIIMS, New Delhi in quest for convergence
• The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which of contemporary medicine with India’s
came into force on May 29, 2018 seeks to ancient and traditional medical
provide for mental healthcare and services practices.
for persons with mental illness and to
protect, promote and fulfill the rights of 16.10 Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN)
such persons during delivery of services. • RAN was set up in 1997 to provide
financial assistance to the patients living
16.8.5 Initiatives against Drugs and
below poverty line, who are suffering from
tobacco
major life threatening diseases, to
• National Programme for Tobacco
receive medical treatment at Government
Control and Drug Addiction Treatment
hospitals.
(NPTCDAT) - With an aim to streamline
• Under the scheme central government also
the tobacco cessation facilities for
provides grant-in-aid to states/union
providing seamless services to all
territories (with legislature) to set up
substance abuse including tobacco and
State Illness Assistance Fund (SIAF) to
drugs
the extent of 50 per cent of contribution
• Electronic-cigarettes and like devices have
made by state government.
been prohibited through “The Prohibition
of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019”. 16.11 Health Research - Indian
• Drug De-Addiction Programme (DDAP) Council of Medical Research
was rolled out in 1987-88, with the
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
objectives to provide affordable, accessible
was established in 1911 as the Indian
and evidence-based treatment for
Research Fund Association (IRFA).
substance use disorders
• It is the apex and premier medical
16.9 Medical Education research organization in the country
through its commitments to research,
• The National Medical Commission Bill,
professional development, collaboration,
2019 for setting up a National Medical
and knowledge dissemination.
Commission and to repeal the Indian
• ICMR has made significant scientific
Medical Council Act, 1956 has been
contributions to understanding various
passed by the Parliament.
diseases of national importance such as
• The major step was the passage of Indian
malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2016, a
tuberculosis, AIDS, Kala-azar, Filariasis,
uniform entrance examination for
Leprosy and Poliomyelitis
admission to Under Graduate and Post
• The India TB Research Consortium:
Graduate medical courses in the country
ICMR took a lead and initiated a new
viz. National Eligibility-cumEntrance
flagship programme to establish this.

• Truenat Rif, an indigenous, cost cancer and cardiovascular diseases along

effective, rapid molecular diagnostic kit with cardiac implants.
for TB/MDR-TB has been developed in
collaboration with ICMR, DBT and the 16.14 e-Health
industry.
16.14.1 National Digital Health
• ICMR has been on the forefront in the fight Blueprint (NDHB)
against Coronavirus.
On August 15,2020, the National Digital
• ICMR escalated the testing capacity and
Health Mission (NDHM) was implemented in
capability from one lab to more than 1,600
the country. Currently, NDHM is being
labs working 24 × 7 for testing of Covid-19
implemented in six UTs for pilot
16.12 Food Regulation implementation.
• Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, The key features of the blueprint include
2006 was enacted with the objective to • a federated architecture;
consolidate the laws relating to food and • a set of architectural principles;
for laying down science-based standards • a 5-layered system of architectural
for articles of food. building blocks;
• FSS Act, 2006 is being implemented by all • Unique Health Id (UHID);
state/UT governments.
• privacy and consent management, national
• The Food Safety and Standards portability;
Authority of India (FSSAI) was
• EHR, applicable standards and
established in 2008 under the aegis of the
regulations;
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• health analytics;
• Under the Act, the Food Authority is a
single reference point for all matters • multiple access channels like call centre,
related to food safety and standards in the Digital Health India portal and MyHealth
country. App.
16.13 Drugs 16.14.2 Other e-health Initiatives

• The Centre for Health Informatics (CHI)
• SUGAM by Central Drugs Standards has undertaken multiple activities relating
Control Organisation (CDSCO) enables to e-Governance/e-Health for improving
online submission of applications, their the efficiency and effectiveness of the
tracking, processing and grant of approvals healthcare system to achieve universal
online mainly for drugs, clinical trials. health coverage in the financial year 2019-
• Drugs and Vaccine Distribution 20.
Management System (DVDMS) • eSanjeevani, the telemedicine platform of
(eAushidhi) deals with purchase, inventory MoHFW supports two types of
management and distribution of various teleconsultation services: Doctor-to-
drugs, sutures and surgical items Doctor (it is known as eSanjeevani) and
• Affordable Medicines and Reliable Patient-to-Doctor (it is called eSanjeevani
Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets OPD) teleconsultations. eSanjeevani is an
have been put in place to provide drugs for important component of the Ayushman

Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB- meanings; the first

HWCs) programme. comes from the root
‘Yujir’ or ‘Union’, the
16.15 Ayush second is derived from a
different root ‘yuja’
16.15.1 Ministry of AYUSH
which means ‘Samadhi’ -
• The Department of Indian Systems of
the highest state of mind
Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) was
and the absolute
established in the Ministry of Health &
knowledge.
Family Welfare in 1995.
Naturopathy • Naturopathy is a science
• The Department of AYUSH was granted
of health and healing and
the status of Ministry in 2014.
a drug less therapy based
• The Ministry is responsible for policy on well founded
formulation, development and philosophy.
implementation of programmes for the
• It has its own concept of
growth, development and propagation of
health and disease and
Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani,
principles of treatment.
Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
systems of Health Care. • Naturopathy is a system
of medicine that advocates
• Sowa Rigpa is the recent addition to the
harmonious living with
existing facility of AYUSH systems.
constructive principles of
Type Features nature on physical,
Ayurveda • ‘Ayurveda’ literally means mental, moral and
“Science of Life”. spiritual planes.
• The Charak Samhita and Unani • The Unani system of
Sushruta Samhita medicine originated in
developed around 2500 Greece and passed
BC are the main treaties through many countries
of Ayurveda fully available before establishing itself
today. in India during the
• According to Ayurveda, medieval period.
health is considered as a • It is based on well-
pre-requisite for achieving established knowledge
the goals of life i.e., and practices relating to
Dharma, Artha, Kama the promotion of positive
and Moksha. health and prevention of
Yoga • Yoga is essentially disease.
spiritual and it is an art Siddha • The Siddha System of
and science of healthy medicine is one of the
living which focuses on ancient systems of
bringing harmony medicine in India having
between body and mind. its close links with
• The word ‘Yoga’ has two Dravidian culture.

• The term Siddha means more than 2500 years.

achievements and • It has been in vogue and
Siddhars are those who practised in Himalayan
have achieved perfection regions throughout
in medicine. particularly in Leh and
• Eighteen Siddhars are Laddakh (J&K), Himachal
said to have contributed Pradesh, Arunachal
towards the systematic Pradesh, Sikkim,
development of this Darjeeling, etc.
system and recorded their • Sowa-Rigpa is effective in
experiences in Tamil managing chronic
language. diseases like asthma,
Homoeopathy • The physicians from the bronchitis, arthritis, etc.
time of Hippocrates • Sowa- Rigpa emphasizes
(around 400 B.C.) had the importance of the five
observed that certain cosmological physical
substances could produce elements in the formation
symptoms of a disease in of the human body, the
healthy people similar to nature of disorders and
those of people suffering the remedial measures.
from the disease.
• Dr. Christian Friedrich 16.15.2 Ayush Healthcare
Samuel Hahnemann, a Infrastructure
German physician • National AYUSH Mission (NAM) was
scientifically examined notified in 2014 which envisages better
this phenomenon and access to AYUSH services including co-
codified the location of AYUSH facilities at Primary
fundamental principles Health Centres (PHCs); Community Health
of Homoeopathy. Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals
• Homoeopathy was (DHs); upgradation of existing Government
brought into India AYUSH Hospitals; upgradation of existing
around 1810 A.D. by government/panchayat/ government aided
European missionaries AYUSH dispensaries; andsetting up of up
and received official to 50-bedded integrated AYUSH hospitals.
recognition by a
16.15.3 Medical Education in Ayush
Resolution passed by
• The Central Council of Indian Medicine
the Constituent
(CCIM) is the statutory body constituted
Assembly in 1948 and
under the Indian Medicine Central Council
then by the Parliament.
Act, 1970, which lays down the standards
Sowa-Rigpa • Sowa-Rigpa is among the of medical education in Ayurveda, Siddha
oldest surviving health and Unani through its various regulations.
traditions of the world
• Similarly, Homoeopathy medical education
with a living history of
is being regulated by Central Council of
Homoeopathy (CCH) through its various

regulations under the Homoeopathy 17. Housing and
Central Council Act, 1973. Urban Affairs
• For medical education in Yoga and
Naturopathy, no such governing body
exists. 17.1 Introduction
16.15.4 National Medicinal Plants 17.1.1 Ministry of Housing and Urban

Board (NMPB) Affairs (MoHUA)
• NMPB is an apex national body which co- • MoHUA is entrusted with the
ordinates all matters relating to medicinal responsibility of broad policy
plants sector in the country. The Board formulation and monitoring of
was established in 2000 and acts as programmes regarding urban housing and
advisory body to the concerned ministries, urban development.
departments and agencies in strategic • It is the nodal Ministry for planning and
planning of medicinal plants related coordination of urban transport matters
initiatives at the central level. Urban development is
a state subject.
16.15.5 AYUSH Pharmacopoeial • Urban development is a state subject and
Laboratories the Constitution (Seventy-Fourth)
• Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Amendment Act, 1992, enjoins upon the
Medicine (PLIM) state governments to delegate many
• Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeial Laboratory functions to urban local bodies.
(HPL) • Government of India, however, plays a
• Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian coordinating and monitoring role and
Medicines & Homeopathy (PCIM&H) also supports various urban housing
programmes, urban livelihood mission and
16.15.6 Statutory Regulatory Councils
overall urban development through
under AYUSH
Central and Centrally Sponsored
• The Central Council of Indian Medicine
Schemes.
is a statutory body constituted under the
Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970. 17.1.2 Current Scenario
• Central Council of Homoeopathy has • As per the Census of India 2011, the
been constituted by the central population of India is 1,210.50 million, of
government under the provisions of the which 377.10 million (31.2 per cent) is
Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 urban and 833.40 million (68.8 per cent)
is rural.
16.15.7 Public Sector Undertaking
• The urban population is located in 7,933
• Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical
towns, comprising 4,041 statutory
Corporation Limited (IMPCL), a
towns and 3,892 census towns.
Government of India Enterprise having
• At current rate of growth, urban
98.01 per cent shares of Government of
population is estimated to reach a
India and 1.99 per cent shares of
staggering 575 million by 2030 and 875
Uttarakhand government.
million by 2050.
17.2 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana— • The objective of the Mission is to promote
Housing for All cities that provide core infrastructure
• Mission PMAY (Urban) for ensuring housing and give a decent quality of life to its
for all in urban areas was launched in 2015 citizens, a clean and sustainable
which is to be implemented during 2015- environment and application of ‘Smart’
22. solutions.
• Some of the core infrastructure elements
in a Smart City would include adequate
water supply, assured electricity supply,
sanitation, including solid waste
management, efficient urban mobility and
public transport, affordable housing,
especially for the poor, robust IT
connectivity and digitalization,
e-governance etc.
• Under it, 100 Smart Cities have been
selected in 4 Rounds based on All India
Competition.
• The Mission provides central assistance to
17.4 Jawaharlal Nehru National
all eligible families/ beneficiaries across all
Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM)
statutory towns for houses included under
the mission. • JnNURM was launched in 2005 as the first
• States/UTs will have the flexibility to flagship scheme of this Ministry.
include the Planning Areas (to the • JnNURM implemented by MoHUPA has
exclusion of rural areas) as notified with two components:
respect to Statutory Towns • Basic Services for Urban poor (BSUP) and
To address Housing for All in urban area, the Integrated Housing and Slum Development
Mission has four verticals: Programme (IHSDP), which are aimed at
integrated development of slums through
1) In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) with
projects for providing shelter, basic
participation of private developers services and other related civic amenities
2) Affordable housing through credit-linked with a view to providing utilities to the
subsidy scheme (CLSS) urban poor.
3) Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP)
17.5 Atal Mission for Rejuvenation
with public and private sectors
and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
4) Subsidy for beneficiary-led individual
house construction/enhancements • AMRUT was launched in 2015. It is a
centrally sponsored scheme
17.3 Smart Cities Mission • Approximately 60 per cent of urban
• The Smart Cities Mission was launched in population in the country is covered under
2015. AMRUT.
• In all, 500 cities have been included in the
Mission. All Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
with a population of one lakh or more, promotion of real estate sector in an

all other capital cities of states/ UTs, all efficient manner and to protect the
Heritage Development and interest of home buyers.
Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) cities, • The Act is applicable to all the states/UTs
identified cities on the stem of the main
rivers, from hill states, islands and tourist 17.9 Street Vendors (Protection of
destinations. Livelihood and Regulation of Street
• The thrust areas of the Mission are water Vending) Act, 2014
supply, sewerage and septage • The objective of the Act is to protect the
management, storm water drainage, rights of urban street vendors and to
green spaces and park, non-motorized regulate street vending activities.
urban transport and capacity building.
• States/UTs (with legislature) are the
appropriate government for framing of
17.6 Heritage City Development
Rules and Schemes under the Act for their
• The National Heritage City Development respective states/UTs.
and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), a
central sector scheme of the Government of 17.10 Urban Transport
India was launched in 2015
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• It was started with the aim of bringing (MoHUA) is the nodal ministry for
together urban planning, economic planning and coordination of Urba
growth and heritage conservation in an
• n Transport matters at the central level.
inclusive manner with the objective of
• However, technical planning of rail
preserving the heritage character of each
transport continues to be with Ministry of
Heritage City.
Railways.
17.7 Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana • Similarly, road transport is the
responsibility of the Ministry of Road
• MoHUA has been implementing a centrally
Transport and Highways.
sponsored scheme Deendayal Antyodaya
Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods • However, the major responsibility for
Mission (DAY-NULM) since 2013 for urban transport infrastructure and service
reducing the poverty and vulnerability of delivery rests with state governments and
urban poor households. local bodies.
• The Mission covers all the statutory • National Urban Transport Policy
towns in the country, to be decided by • In order to deal with the emerging
the state as per local need and capability. problems in Urban Transport, the
Government of India formulated a National
17.8 The Real Estate (Regulation Urban Transport Policy in 2006.
and Development) Act, 2016 • The policy seeks to promote integrated
• RERA was passed by the Parliament in land use and transport planning, greater
March, 2016 heralding a new era of use of public transport and non-motorized
transformation in the real estate sector. modes of travel along with use of cleaner
• The core objective of this transformative technologies.
legislation is to ensure regulation and

• Standardization and Indigenization of • The year 2020 has been an especially

Metro Rail Systems challenging year for India, and for the
o To promote indigenization and world. The Covid-19 pandemic and the
reduction in cost, the specifications of subsequent global lockdown pushed the
various metro rail components like world to the brink of recession.
rolling stock, signalling systems, • It triggered a rethink on the spread of
electrical and electro-mechanical global supply chains, and re-focused the
components and civil engineering world’s attention towards non-traditional
structures have been standardized. security threats that have the potency to
• I-Metros (Indian Metro Rail fundamentally reshape the international
Organisations’ Society): A platform to system.
exchange ideas, pooling of knowledge and • India remained at the forefront of digital
sharing of experience, best practices, diplomacy, seeking to simultaneously
innovations etc. among the Indian metro advance and deepen relations with each
rail companies to nurture excellence in bilateral or multilateral partner.
performance, was launched in March
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also
2018.
known as the Foreign Ministry, is the
• Metro Rail Policy: The policy was government agency responsible for the
launched for ascertaining and enhancing conduct of foreign relations of the country.
the feasibility of metro rail projects from
economic, social and environmental 18.1.1 Vande Bharat Mission
perspective. • The pace of our outreach efforts with the
• Cost-effective Metro System - Standards Indian diaspora also continued, with
for Light Urban Rail Transit System named characteristic vigour and innovative
“Metrolite” was issued by the Ministry in mechanisms.
July 2019, the cost of which is likely to be • The Vande Bharat mission, launched to
lesser than that of high-capacity metro rail repatriate Indian nationals stranded
system being developed presently in the overseas in the wake of the pandemic and
country. This system is suitable for cities global lockdowns.
with lower projection of ridership. It can • It has been the largest exercise of its kind
also be used as a feeder system to metro ever undertaken by the government and
system. has demonstrated a capacity to effectively
carry out complex humanitarian
missions.
18. India and the World • India has also been able to facilitate the
return of Bhutanese and Nepalese
nationals stranded in third countries to
18.1 Introduction their homes on Vande Bharat flights.
• The principal aim of India’s engagement
with the world is to ensure regional and
18.2 Indo-Pacific Policy
global peace and stability thereby creating • India’s broadening horizons on maritime
a conducive environment for continued issues were postulated through
economic growth and development. presentation of a six-point Indo-Pacific

policy, reinforcing our concept of Security • The “informal summit” with China in
and Growth for All in the Region Chennai was an important milestone, as
(SAGAR). was the trilateral Russia-India-China
• India launched Mission SAGAR, and sent Summit in Moscow.
Indian Naval Ship Kesari to Maldives, • India and the US continued to consolidate
Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and their comprehensive global strategic
Seychelles, carrying on board two medical partnership through two landmark
assistance teams, consignments of Covid- meetings at the highest level in
19 related essential medicines and food Washington DC in September 2019 and
items. New Delhi in February 2020.
• India reaffirmed its commitment to its
18.3 Neighbourhood First
quadrilateral partnership with the US,
• India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ Japan and Australia, and its Japan-India-
continued to be accorded the highest America (JAI) trilateral relations.
priority, with a focus on creating mutually • The year 2020 saw India, France and
beneficial, peopleoriented, regional Australia hold their first trilateral meeting,
frameworks for stability and prosperity. vowing to strengthen their cooperation in
• Projects in rail, road, ports, inland the Indo-Pacific region.
waterways, shipping and energy and fuel • During the India-Australia virtual
transmission are being implemented with bilateral summit, the Mutual Logistics
Indian partners in the neighbourhood. Support Agreement was signed, in an
• Several cross-border connectivity effort to increase interoperability between
projects under Indian assistance are at the Indian and Australian forces.
varying stages of implementation,
especially with Bangladesh, Myanmar, 18.4 Act East Policy
Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. • The Act East policy received a boost with
• Rapid Response teams were also deployed the renewed global emphasis on the Indo-
comprising doctors, nurses and Pacific region.
paramedics in the Maldives and Kuwait, • India’s sustained engagement with the
and, Medical Assistance Teams to Indo-Pacific region is evident from the
Mauritius and Comoros. continued exchange of high-level visits,
• India has been using e-ITEC network to defence and security cooperation,
share expertise and has developed a including on counterterrorism and other
‘SAARC Covid19 Information Exchange transnational crimes.
Platform (COINEX)’ for use by health • India and ASEAN have stepped up
professionals of all SAARC countries. cooperation to boost maritime cooperation
and physical, digital and cultural
18.3.1 Strategic Autonomy
connectivity.
• With strategic autonomy at its core, India
continued to step up its engagement with 18.5 Think West
all the major powers of the world, taking
• India’s outreach to the Gulf and West
independent decisions in its national
Asian countries has become an
interest.
increasingly important pillar of foreign
policy. Engagement with Africa, both in

political and economic terms, has also
intensified as never before.
• The Duty Free Tariff Preference (DFTP)
Scheme announced by India has benefitted
African nations by extending duty free
access to 98.2 per cent of India’s total
tariff lines.
• Thirty-eight African countries benefit from
the DFTP Scheme.
• India has become the fifth largest
investor in Africa with cumulative
investments of USD 54 billion.
18.6 Diplomacy for Development

18.8.1 Afghanistan
• Domestic transformation has been made
• The multifaceted strategic partnership
integral to India’s foreign policy strategy.
between India and Afghanistan witnessed
Intensified engagements with partners
continued strengthening.
have brought visible economic benefits to
• Between 2014 and 2019, bilateral trade
the people of India, through enhanced
crossed USD 1.15 billion as a result of
foreign investment and technology tie-ups,
initiatives including ‘Air Freight Corridor.’
leading to the setting up of factories and
creation of jobs. • Afghanistan also started its exports to
India through the Chabahar Port, the
18.7 Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas operations of which were taken over by
• The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas celebrations India Ports Global Ltd., in December 2018.
at Varanasi in 2019 further strengthened • As a key development partner, India has
the bonds between the Diaspora and their completed over 400 projects in all the 34
homeland. provinces of Afghanistan.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas 2020 was held in • India allocated Rs. 400 crore in grants and
New Delhi on January 9, 2020 in which loans to Afghanistan and disbursed Rs.
EAM interacted with Diaspora in eight 408.12 crore in 2019-20. India also
countries through video conference. provided timely assistance in the form of
medical and food supplies to Afghanistan
18.8 India and Neighbourhood to aid its fight against the pandemic.
India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ • India’s development partnership and
continued to be accorded the highest priority, capacity building programme for
with a focus on creating mutually beneficial, Afghanistan was scaled up; India has
extended support to all efforts for an
people-oriented, regional frameworks for
inclusive peace and reconciliation in
stability and prosperity.
keeping with its consistent policy that all
such efforts should be Afghan-led,
Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled;

18.8.2 Pakistan • Bangladesh is a major recipient of grant

• The movement in bilateral relations aid, with thirty-five Small Development
remained constrained owing to the Projects completed, and a further forty in
continuing support in Pakistan to cross- progress.
border terrorism against India. • The year 2021 will mark 50 years of the
• Persistent efforts were made to move ahead liberation of Bangladesh and the
on humanitarian and people to people establishment of diplomatic ties between
issues, including those related to India and Bangladesh.
prisoners, fishermen and pilgrim visits. • India plans to issue a commemorative
• As a result of persistent efforts, India’s stamp on Bangabandhu during Mujib
proposal to establish a “Corridor” to Barsho.
facilitate smooth and easy access for
Indian pilgrims to visit Gurudwara 18.8.4 Myanmar
Kartarpur Sahib, currently located on the • India and Myanmar continued on the
Pakistani side of the International Border, positive trajectory of their bilateral ties
was agreed to by Pakistan. during the year under review.
• India, as part of its consistent policy, has • Myanmar’s President visited India twice in
expressed its desire to have normal 2019 and 2020. During this visit, in
relations with Pakistan in an environment February 2020, ten agreements were
free from terror and violence, and called signed.
upon Islamabad to create a conducive • Substantiantial progress was recorded in
environment for the same. accelerating some of our legacy
infrastructure projects, with the
18.8.3 Bangladesh completion of construction of two
• India-Bangladesh relations expanded in elements out of three (port plus inland
depth and complexity in the year under waterway) of the Kaladan Multi-Modal
review. Transport Project.
• Bangladesh has become India’s largest
development partner, and its largest 18.8.5 Bhutan
trade partner in the region with total trade • India and Bhutan share extraordinary
at around USD 10.3 billion. ties of friendship and cooperation
marked by mutual understanding, goodwill
• In solidarity with Bangladesh’s efforts to
and respect for each other’s interests.
provide succor to those displaced from
North Rakhine State in Myanmar, India • Both countries jointly celebrated in 2018
launched Operation Insaniyat & supplied the Golden Jubilee of the establishment
3 tranches of humanitarian aid. of formal diplomatic relations with a
series of commemorative events that
• Development projects such as Rampal
showcased the strong people-to-people ties
Maitree Power Plant, India Bangladesh
between the two countries.
Friendship Pipeline, and rail links between
Akhaura-Agartala and Chilahati-Haldibari • India and Bhutan saw four high level
and Khulna-Mongla rail line are nearing bilateral visits in 2019-2020, including
completion. the Prime Minister’s visit to Bhutan in

August 2019. During the trip, the RuPay areas is an essential basis for the further
card was inaugurated in Bhutan. development of bilateral relations.
• Hydro power cooperation remains at the • India joining the SCO as a full member
core of the relationship. The 720 MW and China taking over the chairmanship of
Mangdechhu hydroelectric project was SCO in 2018 provided further
jointly inaugurated by Prime Ministers of opportunities for greater interaction
both the countries. between the two sides at senior levels.
18.8.6 Nepal 18.8.8 Maldives

• India-Nepal relations derive strength and • PM’s visit to Maldives in June 2019
salience from age-old cultural and religious followed Maldivian President’s visit to India
ties, close people-to-people contacts, in December 2018. Several LoC and grant
multi-faceted economic and development projects were implemented, and new
partnership, reinforced by open borders. capacity building initiatives were taken in
• In September 2019, Prime Ministers of new areas of cooperation including aviation
both the countries jointly inaugurated security, firefighting, national security
South Asia’s first cross-border petroleum guards, special protection groups, etc.
products pipeline from Motihari in India • Maldives and India share strong cultural
to Amlekhgunj in Nepal. ties, and Male is New Delhi’s key partner in
• India and Nepal have comprehensive ensuring a free, open and secure Indian
economic and developmental Ocean Region. In this regard, our defence
cooperation. India is the largest trade cooperation has also strengthened over
partner of Nepal and one of the largest the last year, with the fourth annual joint
investors. military-to-military talks held in July
2019.
18.8.7 China • Maldives has been the largest recipient of
• Indian Prime Minister and the President of India’s Covid-19 related assistance.
the People’s Republic of China held their
• The new government in Maldives has
Second Informal Summit in Chennai,
reiterated its India-first policy.
India in October 2019.
• The leaders reiterated that both sides will 18.8.9 Mauritius
prudently manage their differences and not • India and Mauritius relations experienced
allow differences on any issue to become an intensive engagement, in keeping with
disputes. the traditional close political, economic,
• While the year 2020 marks the 70th cultural and diaspora linkages.
anniversary of the establishment of • The year 2019 saw the Prime Minister
diplomatic relations between India and visiting India twice.
China, the year also witnessed • INS Shardul and INS Darshak paid
heightened tensions in the India-China friendly visits to Mauritius to undertake
border areas. joint hydrographic survey on the request of
• The two sides also agree that maintenance the Mauritian government.
of peace and tranquility in the border • In July 2020, India and Mauritius jointly
inaugurated Mauritius’ new Supreme

Court building. This project has been 18.8.12 Indian Ocean Rim Association
completed with grant assistance of USD (IORA)
28.12 million from India. • IORA plays a key role in facilitating
• In the wake of the catastrophic oil spill off dialogue based approaches to seek a safe,
Mauritian coast in August 2020, India secure and stable region that delivers
dispatched 30 tonnes of technical shared prosperity for all.
equipment and material to supplement oil • At the 21st IORA Committee of Senior
spill containment operations. Officials held in Abu Dhabi, UAE in
November 2019, mid-term review of IORA
18.8.10 Seychelles Action Plan 2017-2021 was discussed,
• India and Seychelles maintained the strong and it was decided to continue the review
friendship, cooperation and understanding at the next IORA Committee meeting of
that defines their relationship. Senior Officials as well as consider the new
• Several high-ranking officials from the IORA Action Plan 2021-2025.
Seychelles visited India in 2019 to expand
cooperation in various demands. About IORA
• Inter-governmental organization
• Defence and security cooperation was
established on 7 March 1997.
deepened with the visits of INS Shardul,
Sujata, Magar, Tarangini/Sudarshini, • Secretariat - Mauritius.
Kochi and Darshak and Indian Coast
Guard Ships Sarathi and Vikram during
this period.
18.8.11 Sri Lanka

• India-Sri Lanka relations flourished over
the year, marked by multiple high level
bilateral visits.
• Bilateral trade between the two countries • 22 member states- Australia, Bangladesh,
reached USD 6.2 billion. Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives,
• A new USD 400 million line of credit was
Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles,
announced during Sri Lankan President’s
Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
visit to India in November 2019 that will
Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, UAE, and
give a boost to infrastructure and
Yemen.
development in Sri Lanka
• Maldives, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
• Prime Minister was the first world leader to
Myanmar though bordering Indian ocean,
visit Sri Lanka immediately after the
are not members
aftermath of the tragic Easter Sunday
bombings in 2019.
18.9 South East Asia and Indo
• A special Line of Credit of USD 50 million
Pacific
was announced to aid Sri Lanka’s fight
against terrorism. • Under India’s Act East Policy (AEP)
launched in 2014, India has been engaging
robustly with countries in Southeast Asia

region, Oceania, Northeast Asia and 18.10 East Asia

East Asia.
18.10.1 Democratic People’s Republic
• The region is the fulcrum of India’s vision
of Korea
for a free, open, inclusive and prosperous
• Since its inception in 1973, the bilateral
Indo-Pacific.
and diplomatic relations between India and
• India has repeatedly emphasised the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
centrality of ASEAN to the Indo Pacific,
(DPPK) have been cordial and mutually
and has proactively engaged with the
beneficent.
region, building on the historic and
• The Government of India extended medical
civilisational ties it shares with South East
assistance worth about USD 1 million to
Asia.
DPRK in July 2020.
• As the pandemic disrupted conventional
democracy, India held the first ever a 18.10.2 Japan
bilateral virtual summit with Australia, in • India-Japan relationship has been
June 2020. transformed into a partnership with great
• The first India-France-Australia Trilateral substance and purpose and is a
Dialogue was also held virtually in cornerstone of India’s Act East Policy and
September 2020 with an aim to enhance Indo-Pacific vision.
joint cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. • India-Japan Special Strategic and Global
• India is also actively engaged with New Partnership continued making strides in
Zealand and Pacific Island countries 2020, when the armed forces of the two
(PICs) through political understanding, countries signed the Agreement on
security and defence cooperation, and Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and
economic engagement. Services.
18.9.1 ASEAN 18.10.3 Republic of Korea

• In accordance with its ‘Act East Policy,’ • India-Republic of Korea (ROK) bilateral
India has boosted ties with the ASEAN relationship, elevated to the level of
Member States across political, security, Special Strategic Partnership and
economic and cultural spheres. gathered further momentum.
• There is increasing emphasis from both • Indian Prime Minister visited Seoul in
India and ASEAN to deal with non- February 2019 to receive the Seoul Peace
traditional security issues like terrorism, Prize.
cyber-security, and environmental threats. • Bilateral trade amounts to around USD 21
• In ASEAN-India Ministerial meeting in billion, and the two plan to expand their
September 2020, the status of ASEAN- trade relations to around USD 50 billion by
India Strategic Partnership was reviewed the year 2030.
in several areas including maritime
cooperation, connectivity, education and 18.10.4 Mongolia
capacity building and people-to-people • India’s traditionally friendly and cordial
contacts. relations with Mongolia have steadily
improved over the years, following the
Prime Minister’s historic visit to Mongolia

in May 2015 when bilateral relations were • Prime Minister participated in the online
upgraded to Strategic Partnership. Summit of NAM Contact Group, hosted by
• In 2019, Mongolian President paid a state Azerbaijan in May 2020 to discuss the
visit to India in September. This was the response to the pandemic.
first Presidential visit from the Mongolian
18.12.2 Shanghai Cooperation
side in almost a decade.
Organisation
18.11 Eurasia • SCO Foreign Ministers met in Bishkek
(Kyrgyz Republic) in May 2019 and in
• The ’special and Privileged’ Strategic
Moscow in September 2020.
relationship with Russia, constitutes an
• India has been taking active part in
important dimension of India’s foreign
various SCO dialogue mechanisms under
policy.
the Chairmanship of the Russian
• Prime Minister visited Vladivostok in
Federation in 2020.
September 2019 to hold the 20th India-
Russia Annual Bilateral Summit and About Shanghai Cooperation Organization
participate in the 5th Eastern Economic (SCO)
Forum as the Chief Guest at the invitation • Founded in 2001 in Shanghai.
of Russian President. • Also known as the Shanghai Pact. SCO is a
• This year also saw Russia conferring its Eurasian political, economic, and
highest state honour, the Order of St military organization
Andrew, the Apostle, on Indian Prime
Minister in April 2019.
• In September 2020, India participated in
the virtual meeting of BRICS Ministers of
Foreign Affairs under Russian
Chairmanship.
18.12 Central Asia

• India’s outreach with its extended
neighbourhood of Central Asia saw further
progress with the visit of the President of
• HQ : Beijing, China
Kyrgyz Republic to India and that of Indian
Prime Minister to Kyrgyz Republic in 2019. • Founding members: China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and
18.12.1 South Caucasus Uzbekistan.
• India’s relations with Azerbaijan, Georgia • Present strength- 8 members. Pakistan
and Armenia continued in an upward and India became members of SCO
trajectory. recently
• India and Azerbaijan continued to have • In terms of geographical coverage and
productive exchanges with the visit of the population, it is world’s largest regional
Vice President to Baku for the 18th organization.
Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.

18.13.2 Iran
Objectives
• The 19th session of the Joint Commission
• Strengthening mutual trust and
at the level of External Affairs was held in
neighborliness among the member states;
December 2019 after a gap of four years.
• Promoting their effective cooperation in
• Both sides agreed on building upon the
politics, trade, the economy, research,
success achieved in operationalising
technology and culture
Chabahar port for promoting regional
• Making joint efforts to maintain and connectivity
ensure peace, security and stability in the
region 18.14 West Asia and North Africa
• Moving towards the establishment of a (WANA)
democratic, fair and rational new • This region is a primary source of rock
international political and economic order. phosphates and its derivatives, and
potash−the key raw materials for the
India and SCO production of various fertilizers.
• India became member of SCO in 2017
• More than 80 per cent requirements of
along with Pakistan
rock phosphates are sourced from the
• Statue of Unity included in 8 Wonders of countries in this region.
SCO
• India intensified its efforts to further
• For the first time India is hosting 19th secure its energy interests in the region.
Council of Heads of Governments of SCO
in 2020 18.15 AFRICA
18.13 The Gulf and West Asia 18.15.1 East & South Africa
• Many of the world’s fastest growing
18.13.1 Gulf economies are in Africa and the combined
• India has a close and strong relationship GDP of the continent is USD 2.4 trillion.
with the Gulf region which has remained a • By 2030, Africa will represent almost a
region of prime importance for India’s quarter of the world’s workforce and
extended neighbourhood. consumers.
• The Gulf is one of India’s top trading • India’s relationship with Africa has been
partners with bilateral trade of over USD advanced using consultative and
150 billion in 2018-19. responsive mechanisms under the rubric
• It is the source of more than 50 per cent of India-Africa Forum Summit.
of oil and gas needs, and hosts a 9 million • The year 2020 also saw Defence Ministers
strong Indian community and contributed and Heads of Delegation from African
an annual remittance of over USD 48 countries meet the Defence Minister of
billion in 2018. India during the first ever India Africa
• PM visited Bahrain (first ever Indian PM Defence Ministers’ Conclave during the
visit to the nation) and UAE in August DEFEXPO INDIA 2020 in Lucknow
2019, where he was conferred their
respective nations’ highest civilian awards. 18.15.2 West Africa
• The region is rich in all known minerals.
India sources about 18 per cent of its

crude oil requirements from this region EU’s 9th largest trading partner. India’s
(Nigeria alone accounts for 11-12 per cent). bilateral trade in goods with the EU in
India imports over US$ 2 billion worth of 2018 stood at 91.5 billion Euros (USD
gold from Ghana per year. 107.97 billion) comprising India’s exports
• India also sources a significant amount of to the EU at 45.8 billion Euros (USD 54.0
raw cashew nuts from countries in the billion) and imports at 45.7 billion Euros
region including Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea (USD 53.9 billion).
Bissau and Senegal.
18.17 The Americas
• A Joint Force of the Group of Five for the
Sahel (G5 Sahel) or FC-G5S has been 18.17.1 North America
established by Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, • India and the United States continued to
Mauritania and Niger to deal with the expand and develop their multifaceted and
threat of terrorism. robust ties as ‘natural allies’.
• India has been contributing troops • There was significant progress in bilateral
including military observers and police cooperation in areas such as defence,
personnel for MONUSCO (UN Stabilization security, counter-terrorism, energy,
Mission in the Domestic Republic of science and technology, and people-to-
Congo). people ties.
• Regular interaction at the leadership level
18.16 Europe and European Union
continued to provide guidance and vision
• Central Europe: During 2019, close to 20 for taking forward the India-US Strategic
high level exchanges took place giving Partnership.
relations a further boost. EAM visited
• The year 2020 marked US President’s first
Poland and Hungary in August 2019,
official visit to India when the relationship
Finland in September 2019 and Serbia in
was upgraded to a ‘Comprehensive Global
November 2019.
Strategic Partnership.’
• Western Europe: India’s engagement with
• The President was welcomed at the
countries in Western Europe including
spectacular ‘Namaste Trump’ event in
France, Germany, UK, Italy, Ireland,
Ahmedabad.
Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Andorra and
• meetings at the Ministerial levels and high-
Monaco witnessed an upswing during
level dialogue mechanisms, such as EAM’s
2019-2020. This year was marked with a
visit to the US and Canada (in December
series of high level political visits which
2019) and the India-US 2+2 Ministerial
deepened the existing bilateral
Dialogue were held.
relationship. The Prime Minister visited
France for the G7 Summit and the EAM 18.17.2 Latin America
visited several of these countries. India • India attaches importance to its relations
received the first Rafale fighter aircraft in with Latin America and the Caribbean
October 2019 region.
• European Union: The 15th India-EU • The presence of more than one million
Summit was held virtually in July 2020. Indian diaspora, which is culturally and
The EU continues to be India’s largest emotionally attached to India, adds a
regional trading partner while India is the special dimension to the relationship.
• Relations with Latin America and the 18.18.3 Consular, Passport and Visa
Caribbean (LAC) region gained Services
momentum in 2019-20. India’s trade with • The Ministry, in association with the
the region reached USD 40 billion in 2019. Department of Posts, has taken an
• The historic-cultural linkages binding us innovative initiative to open Passport Seva
with a vibrant and dynamic Indian Kendras at the Head Post Offices (HPO)/
diaspora of nearly 1 million in the Post Offices in the country to be known as
Caribbean were buttressed further. ‘Post Office Passport Seva Kendra’
(POPSK).
• The first ever India-CARICOM Leaders’
meeting at PM level was held in September • The mPassport Seva Mobile App with
2019 on the sidelines of UNGA. additional facilities to apply, pay and
schedule appointments for passport
18.18 United Nations and services was launched in 2018.
International Organisations • India today is placed third behind China
and the United States in terms of global
18.18.1 India and Peacekeeping
passport issuance.
• India continued to push for greater priority
to be given within the UN system for the 18.18.4 Overseas Indian Affairs
global counter-terrorism effort. • The Overseas Indian Affairs Divisions are
• India continued to be the largest driven by the vision of development
cumulative contributor of UN through coalitions in a world without
Peacekeeping troops, having provided borders.
more than 200,000 troops and police • Initiatives to strengthen the engagement
personnel since 1950s. with Indian Diaspora - Videsh Sampark
• As on August 30, 2020, India is the fifth outreach programme, Know India
largest Troop Contributing Country Programme, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
(TCC) with 5,353 personnel, most of which Conferences, Scholarship programme for
are deployed in MONUSCO in DRC and diaspora children, and Awareness
UNMISS in South Sudan. Campaign on Safe and Legal Migration.
18.18.2 Global Cyber Issues

• Increasing use of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) for the
19. Industry
social and economic development of
nations has made cyber issues one of the 19.1 Department for Promotion of
significant subjects of diplomatic
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
discussions around the world.
• The DPIIT was established in 1995. In
• In keeping with its profile, the MEA
2018, the matters related to e-Commerce
upscaled its Global Cyber Issues Cell to
were transferred to the Department and in
create the new Cyber Diplomacy (CD)
2019 the Department was given charge for
Division which has been entrusted with
matters related to internal trade, welfare
the responsibility of projection and
of traders and their employees and
safeguarding of Indian interests on the
Startups.
subject in international fora.

• The Department also handles matters o National Investment and Manufacturing

related to Protection of Intellectual Zones (NIMZs) are an important
Property Rights (IPR) and administers six instrumentality of the Policy.
Acts related to IPRs. • National Plan for Manufacturing
• It also handles matters related to Foreign Clusters- The objective is to bring about
Direct Investment (FDI) and Investment convergence in the multiple models of
by NRIs. development of industrial clusters.
• DIPP is a single point interface of the • Make in India initiative was launched in
government to facilitate investors for FDI September, 2014 as a national effort
through approval route. towards making India an important
investment destination and a global hub
• The Quality Council of India is an
for manufacturing, design and innovation.
autonomous body under this Department,
promotes adoption of quality standards • Ease of Doing Business- In order to
relating to Quality Management Systems. improve the business environment in the
country, the DPIIT has taken up a series of
19.1.1 Functions and roles of the measures to simplify and rationalise the
department regulatory processes (registration and
(a) Formulation and implementation of inspection processes) and introduction of
industrial policy and strategies for information technology as enabler to make
industrial development. governance more efficient and effective.
India ranks 63rd in the World Bank’s
(b) Monitoring the industrial growth, in
annual Doing Business Report (DBR) 2020
general, and performance of industries
as against 77th rank in the DBR 2019.
specifically assigned to it.
• The Public Procurement (Preference to
(c) Formulation of Foreign Direct Investment Make in India) Order 2017 (PPP-MII
(FDI) Policy and promotion, approval and Order) was issued in 2017 pursuant to
facilitation of FDI. Rule 153 (iii) of the General Financial
(d) Formulation of policies relating to Rules 2017 to promote domestic value
Intellectual Property Rights in patents, addition in public procurement.
trademarks, industrial designs and • The assessment of Business Reforms
geographical indications of goods and Acton Plan, 2017-2018 was released
jointly by DPIIT and the World Bank in
administration of regulations, rules made
2018. An 80-point Business Reforms
thereunder.
Action Plan 2019 has been prepared and
19.1.2 Initiatives of the Department shared with states and UTs.
• The National Manufacturing Policy (NMP) • STARTUP INDIA initiative was launched in
was notified with the objective of 2016 to catalyse startup culture and build
enhancing the share of manufacturing in a strong and inclusive ecosystem for
GDP to 25 per cent and creating 100 innovation and entrepreneurship in India.
million jobs over a decade or so. • Invest India has been set up as a joint
o The Policy is based on the principle of venture (not for profit) company between
industrial growth in partnership with Department of Industrial Policy and
the states. Promotion, FICCI, CII, NASSCOM and

various state governments. It is the 19.2 Industrial / Economic

National Investment Promotion and Corridors Under Implementation
Facilitation Agency of India and acts as the
1. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
first point of reference for investors.
(DMIC): DMIC project was launched in
• Project Monitoring Group (PMG), was set
pursuance of an MoU signed between the
up in Cabinet Secretariat in 2013 and has
Government of India and the Government
recently been merged with DPIIT from
of Japan in 2006.
2019, with Invest India providing support.
2. Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor
The PMG is now known as Project
Monitoring- Invest India Cell (PMIC). (CBIC) - to address the infrastructure
bottlenecks through a holistic approach
19.1.3 Intellectual Property Rights 3. Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic Corridor –
• DPIIT is nodal department for BMEC is intended to facilitate
administration of various laws related to development of a well-planned and
Intellectual Property Rights: patents, trade resource-efficient industrial base served
marks, industrial designs, geographical by world-class sustainable connectivity
indications of goods, copyrights, and
infrastructure
semiconductor integrated circuit layout
4. Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor
designs.
(AKIC): It will be structured around the
• DPIIT also is the nodal department for
Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor
dealing with World Intellectual Property
(EDFC).
Organization (WIPO). The office of the
5. Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial
Controller General of Patents, Designs and
Corridor (VCIC): It is a key part of the
Trademarks (CGPDTM), a subordinate
office under DPIIT east Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC),
India’s first coastal corridor.
• The Intellectual Property Appellate Board
(IPAB), established in 2003, is the 19.3 National Design Policy
appellate tribunal to hear appeals against
decisions of the Controller of Patents as • The National Design Policy was approved
also Registrar of Trade Marks and in 2007. The objective is to promote
Geographical Indications. Indian design through a well-defined and
managed regulatory, promotional and
• The National IPR Policy, lays the future
institutional framework
roadmap for intellectual property in India.
The Policy recognises the abundance of • It aims at setting up of specialised Design
creative and innovative energies that flow Centres or Innovation Hubs for sectors
in India, and the need to tap into and such as automobile and transportation,
channelize these energies towards a better jewellery, leather, soft goods etc.
and brighter future for all.
19.4 Industrial Performance
• The National Productivity Council (NPC)
represents India in the Tokyo based Asian 19.4.1 Performance of Eight Core
Productivity Organization (APO), of which Industries
India is a founder member. • The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI)
monitors production of eight core

industries i.e., coal, crude oil, natural gas, Cigarette included in the First Schedule to
refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement the Industries (Development &
and electricity every month. Regulations) Act, 1951 requires industrial
• These eight industries have combined license.
weight of around 40.27 per cent in Index of • Paper Industry: India rules as one of the
Industrial Production (IIP). fastest growing paper market in the world.
• In line with the base year change in IIP, The per capita consumption of paper in
the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, India is about 13 kg, which is much lower
revised the base year of Index of Eight Core than world average (58 kg).
Industries to 2011-12. • Newsprint: The newsprint sector in the
• These eight industries have combined country is governed by the Newsprint
weight of around 40.27 per cent in Index of Control Order (NCO), 2004. The mills listed
Industrial Production (IIP). under the schedule of this order are
exempt from excise duty.
19.4.2 Performance of other key • Salt Industry: India continues to hold
industries third position in the production of salt in
• Leather Industry: Indian Leather the world after China and USA and second
Development Programme (ILDP) aims at largest producer of iodized salt, next to
augmenting raw material base through China.
modernization and technology upgradation
• Ferrous Castings: The Coimbatore cluster
of leather units.
is famous for pump sets castings, the
• Cement Industry: Cement industry was Kolhapur and Belgaum for automotive
de-licensed in 1991 under Industrial castings, Rajkot cluster for diesel engine
(Development & Regulation) Act, 1951. castings and Batala and Jalandhar for
India is the second largest manufacturer of machinery parts and agricultural
cement after China in the world. implements.
• Ceramic Industry: India continues to rank • Seamless Steel Pipes and Tubes: Oil
No.3 in terms of production and sector accounts for around 60 per cent of
consumption of tiles in the world after the total requirement of seamless pipes.
China and Brazil. Bearings and boiler sector contribute
• Tyre & Tubes Industry: Tyres play an around 30 per cent of demand.
integral role to ensure mobility including • Bicycle Industry: India is the second
movement of passengers and essential largest bicycle producer of the world, next
goods across the urban and rural only to China. Most of the manufacturing
landscape of the country. Indian Tyre units are located in Punjab and Tamil
industry consists of 39 companies with 60 Nadu with Ludhiana (Punjab) being a
tyre manufacturing plants. major bicycle production hub.
• Rubber Goods Industry: The rubber goods • Food Processing Machinery: The Indian
industry excluding tyre and tubes consists market for food processing machinery has
of 4550 small and tiny units generating been growing steadily fuelled by strong
about 5.50 lakhs direct jobs. domestic demand for processed food and
• Cigarette Industry: The cigarette industry beverage products.
is an agro-based labour intensive industry.

19.5 Micro, Small and Medium • The Textile Industry contributes to 7 per
Enterprises cent of industry output in value terms of
2 per cent of India’s GDP and to 15 per
• The MSME sector has emerged as a highly
cent of the country’s export earnings.
vibrant and dynamic sector of the Indian
economy over the last five decades. • Indian handlooms have worldwide
recognition through India Handloom
• The Micro, Small and Medium
Brand (IHB) which guarantees high
Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act,
quality, authentic handloom items made
2006 provides the firstever legal
with organic substance
framework for recognition of the concept of
“enterprise” which comprises both • Silk: In India, about 97 per cent of the
manufacturing and service entities. raw mulberry silk is produced in the five
states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,
• In 2007, erstwhile Ministry of Small Scale
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu and
Industries and the Ministry of Agro and
Kashmir. Three other commercially
Rural Industries were merged to form the
important types of silk fall into the
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
category of non-mulberry silks namely: eri;
Enterprises.
tasar; and muga.
• As per the National Sample Survey (NSS)
• Cotton: India has the largest area under
73rd round, conducted by National Sample
cotton in the World. Cotton Corporation
Survey Office, in 2015-16, there were 633
of India (CCI), a Public Sector Undertaking
lakh unincorporated non-agriculture
under the Textile Ministry, is the principal
MSMEs.
agency of Government of India for
19.5.1 Khadi and Village Industries undertaking MSP operations.
Commission (KVIC) • Jute: India is the largest producer of
• KVIC is a statutory organization under jute in the world. The Government of
Ministry of MSME. India provides support to the jute growers
• It is engaged in promoting and developing through MSP operation by the Jute
Khadi and Village Industries (KVI) for Corporation of India.
providing employment opportunities in the • Wool: Integrated Wool Development
rural areas, thereby strengthening the Programme, (IWDP) is being implemented
rural economy. through Central Wool Development Board
Coir Board - The Coir Board is a statutory in major wool producing states in next
body established under the Coir Industry three years. A programme for development
Act, 1953 for promoting overall development of Pashmina sector in J&K was
announced.
of the coir industry.
• Technical Textiles – they are the future of
19.6 Textiles the textiles industry. High tenacity fibers
are the lightest and toughest fabrics yet.
• The Indian textiles industry is one of the
They have a variety of applications in
largest in the world with a large raw
automobile, aerospace, architecture and
material base and manufacturing strength
building, occupational therapy, sport and
across the value chain.
apparel industries etc.

19.6.1 Initiatives in Textile Sector sponge iron etc, and other related
• Weavers’ Mudra Scheme was launched to functions.
provide concessional credit to the • The National Steel Policy (NSP) was
handloom weavers. launched in 2017. The policy projects
• Govt. of India launched e-Dhaga mobile crude steel capacity of 300 million tonnes
App in 2016 to bring efficiency in service (MT), production of 255 MT and a robust
delivery to the handloom weavers. finished steel per capita consumption of
• To provide a single point of contact to 160 kg by 2030-31, as against the current
handloom weavers for their professional consumption of 74 kg.
queries “Bunkar Mitra” -Helpline for • Out of a total global crude steel
handloom weavers was launched in 2017. production of 1,029 MT (during January-
• Hastkala Sahyog Shivirs for handloom July 2020, down by 5.1 per cent), India
weavers & handicraft artisans are was the 2nd largest crude steel producer
organized across country. (51.89 MT) with a 5.1 per cent share in
total world production and a 21.9 per cent
19.6.2 Man Made Fibre decline in production over the same period
• Share of Man-Made Fibre (MMF) in the of 2019. China is the largest producer.
world textiles fibre consumption has been
increasing steadily over the years. 19.7.1 Key Initiatives
• Purvodaya: The eastern states of India
• The global consumption pattern is in
(Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal,
favour of synthetics (polyester, rayon,
Chhattisgarh, and Northern Andhra
acrylic) and blends.
Pradesh) are home to 80 per cent of the
• In contrast with the global consumption
Indian iron reserves. Therefore, a flagship
pattern, in India, the domestic market has
initiative - Purvodaya was envisaged for an
been dominated by cotton with MMF
integrated steel hub in the Eastern states
having a smaller share.
• Ispati Irada to encourage steel usage:
• Imports of PTA were subjected to Anti-
This is a collaborative branding campaign
Dumping Duty (ADD), which was
with the objective of promoting the benefits
increasing the cost of MMF fibre/filaments
of steel usage in various facets of nation
in the country thereby eroding the cost
building and how it impacts the lives of
competitiveness of the MMF textile
citizens in the country.
industry in global markets.
• In the Union Budget 2020- 21, ADD on 19.8 Fertilizers
PTA was removed enabling MMF
• Department of Fertilizers comes under
manufacturers to procure raw material at
the ambit of Ministry of Chemicals and
globally competitive prices.
Fertilizers.
19.7 Steel • The main objective of the Department is
to ensure adequate and timely availability
• The Ministry of Steel, is responsible for
of fertilizers at affordable prices for
planning and development of iron and steel
maximizing agricultural production in
industry, development of essential inputs
the country
such as iron ore, limestone, dolomite
manganese ore, chromites, ferro-alloys,

• The Department has one attached office 19.8.2 Pharmaceuticals

under it, viz., Fertilizers Industry • Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy- 2012 was
Coordination Committee (FICC). notified with the objective to put in place a
• The New Urea Policy-2015 was notified regulatory framework for pricing of
with the objectives of maximizing drugs to ensure availability of required
indigenous urea production; and medicines - “essential medicines” - at
rationalizing subsidy burden on the reasonable prices
government. • Medical Devices industry is a multi-
• Neem coating of urea (NCU) has been product industry, producing wide range of
made mandatory for all the indigenous products. India is growing as a key market
producers. for Medical Devices and Diagnostics.
Indian Medical Devices industry depends
• Incorporated in 1961, Fertilizer
on imports up to an extent of almost 70
Corporation of India Limited was re-
per cent.
organized along with National Fertilizers
Corporation Ltd (NFCL) from 1978 into • Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
five companies namely, FCI, NFL, Pariyojana - The Jan Aushadhi Scheme
Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd. was launched in 2008 with the aim of
(HFCL), Rashtriya Chemicals and selling affordable generic medicines
Fertilizers Ltd. (RCFL) and Projects and through dedicated sales outlets i.e., Jan
Development India Ltd. (PDIL). Aushadhi Stores in various districts across
the country.
19.8.1 Chemicals and Petrochemicals • Recently, “Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi
• The chemical and petrochemical industry Yojana” (PMJAY) has been renamed as
is a knowledge and capital intensive “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
industry. Pariyojana” (PMBJP) and “Pradhan
• It includes basic chemicals and its Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra” (PMJAK) as
products, petrochemicals, fertilizers, “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
paints, varnishes, gases, soaps, Kendra” (PMBJK).
perfumes and toiletry and
pharmaceuticals. 19.9 Mines and Minerals
• In the chemical sector, 100 per cent FDI • Ministry of Mines is responsible for
is permissible. Manufacture of most of the survey and exploration of all minerals,
chemical and petrochemical products is other than natural gas, petroleum and
delicensed. atomic minerals; for mining and metallurgy
• Department of Chemicals and of non-ferrous metals like aluminium,
Petrochemicals is implementing the three copper, zinc, lead, gold, nickel, etc
schemes under the National Policy on • The Ministry is responsible for legislation
Petrochemicals:- (i) setting up of plastic for regulation of mines and development
parks; (ii) setting up of Centres of of minerals within the territory of India,
Excellence in Polymer Technology; and (iii) including mines and minerals underlying
national awards for technology innovation. the ocean within the territorial waters or
the continental shelf, or the exclusive

economic zone and other maritime • Advance action for auction: The Bill
zones of India provides that state governments can take
• MMDR Act empowers the central advance action for auction of a mining
government to formulate rules for lease before its expiry. Previously it was
regulation of grant of mineral concessions to be done after the expiry of term.
for major minerals • Reallocation after termination of the
allocations may be done through Auctions
19.9.1 Initiatives as determined by Central Government.
• The government launched Pradhan Mantri
• Composite license for prospecting and
Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana
mining:
(PMKKKY) which is to be implemented by
the district mineral foundations of the o The Bill adds a new type of license,
respective districts. called prospecting license-cum-
mining lease.
• PMKKKY will help in creating a congenial
o This will be a composite license
mining environment and ameliorate the
providing for both prospecting and
condition of the affected person.
mining activities.
• The monitoring of PMKKKY would be done • Prior approval from the central government
under “DISHA”, the District Development
o The Bill provides that prior approval of
Coordination and Monitoring Committee of
the central government will not be
Ministry of Rural Development.
required in granting these licenses for
• The Ministry of Mines launched in 2016 coal and lignite, in certain cases.
Scheme of Star Rating of Mines/mining
leases for implementation of Sustainable 19.9.2 Mineral resources
Development Framework (SDF). • Bauxite: Odisha alone accounts for 51 per
cent of country’s resources of bauxite.
The Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020
• Chromite: About 96 percent resources of
The Bill amends the Mines and Minerals chromite are located in Odisha, mostly in
(Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 the Sukinda valley in Jajpur and Keonjhar
(MMDR Act) and the Coal Mines (Special districts.
Provisions) Act, 2015 (CMSP Act). Passed by • Copper: Rajasthan is credited with 813.33
both the houses. It replaced the Ordinance million tonnes ore (54 per cent) containing
which was issued previously. 4.48 million tonnes of copper metal in the
country.
Key provisions of the bill
• Eligibility: The amended provisions clearly • Gold: The largest resources in terms of
provide that companies which do not gold ore (primary) are located in Bihar
possess any prior coal mining experience (44per cent) followed by Rajasthan (25 per
in India or other countries can participate cent) and Karnataka (21 per cent),
in auction of coal/lignite blocks. • Iron: Hematite and magnetite are the most
• Removal of restriction on end-use of coal: important iron ores in India. Major
The removal of the specified end use resources of hematite are located in Odisha
restriction would allow wider participation (34 per cent) and Jharkhand (24 per cent).
in auction of coal mines India’s 72 per cent magnetite resources
arelocated in Karnataka.
• Lead and Zinc: Rajasthan is endowed with 19.10 Important Organizations

the largest resources of lead-zinc ore
amounting to 89.44 share. 19.10.1 Geological Survey of India (GSI)
• Established in 1851, is the premier earth
• Manganese Ore: Statewise, Odisha tops
science organization of the country, is the
the total resources with 44 per cent share
principal provider of basic earth science
followed by Karnataka (22 per cent).
information to the Government, Industry
• Nickel: Important occurrence is
and the geoscientific sector.
nickeliferous limonite in the overburden of
• GSI is now the custodian of one of the
chromitein Sukinda Valley, Jajpur district,
largest and most comprehensive earth
Odisha, where it occurs as oxide.
science databases developed over the last
• Tungsten: Resources are mainly
one and half century
distributed in Karnataka (42 per cent).
• Diamond: By states, Madhya Pradesh 19.10.2 Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM)
accounts for about 90.18 per cent • Established in 1948 performs regulatory
resources. Other states are Andhra functions under the relevant provisions of
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha the Mines and Mineral (Development and
• Graphite: occurrences are reported from Regulation) Act, 1957 amended in 2015.
various states but the deposits of economic • IBM provides technical consultancy
importance are located in Andhra services to the mining industry for the
Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, geological appraisal of mineral resources,
Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. and the preparation of feasibility report of
• Gypsum: Rajasthan alone accounts for mining projects, including beneficiation
81 per cent resources and Jammu & plants.
Kashmir 14 per cent resources. • It prepares mineral maps and countrywide
• Magnesite: Substantial quantities of inventory of mineral resources of leasehold
resources are established inUttarakhand and freehold areas.
(59 per cent). The Ministry of Mines has three Public
• Mica: The most important mica-bearing Sector Undertaking (PSUs) under its
pegmatites occur in Andhra Pradesh administrative control.
(40%), Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra 1) National Aluminium Company Limited
and Rajasthan. Occurrences of mica (NALCO) is a Navratna CPSE under Ministry of
pegmatites are also reported from Gujarat,
Mines. It was established in 1981 at
Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil
Bhubaneswar.
Nadu and West Bengal.
2) Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), a Mini
• Phosphate Minerals - Of the total
Ratna Government of India Enterprise under
resources, the bulk (57 per cent) is located
the administrative control of the Ministry of
in West Bengal followed by Jharkhand
Mines, was incorporated in 1967.
(30 per cent) and Meghalaya (5 per
3) Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited
cent).
(MECL) a Miniratna Company is a premier
mineral exploration Public Sector Undertaking
of the country with ISO 9001-2008
certification.
19.10.3 Other organisations judges of the Supreme Court/High Courts

• National Institute of Rock Mechanics etc.
(NIRM) is the only institution in south Asia • The main sources of law in India are the
exclusively devoted to research in rock Constitution, statutes (legislation),
mechanics. customary law and case law.
• National Institute of Miners’ Health,
Nagpur (NIMH) is an autonomous institute 20.1.2 Indian Legal System
established under Ministry of Mines. The Indian Legal System comprises four
• The Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium components namely
Research Development and Design (a) The basic values and principles enshrined
Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur is a Centre of in the Constitution;
Excellence set up in 1989 as a joint (b) Rights and obligations conferred by
venture of Ministry of Mines, Government ordinary statues;
of India and UNDP. (c) Organisational set-up to enforce these
rights and obligations within the
Constitutional norms; and
(d) Lastly the legal and judicial personnel.
20. Law and Justice
20.2 Judiciary
20.1 Introduction • At the apex of the entire judicial system

exists the Supreme Court of India with a
20.1.1 Ministry of Law and Justice High Court for each state or group of states
• Ministry of Law and Justice is the oldest and under the High Courts there is a
limb of the Government of India dating hierarchy of subordinate courts.
back to 1833 when the Charter Act,1833
• Ministry of Law and Justice comprises
the three Departments namely the
Department of Legal Affairs, the Legislative
Department and the Department of
Justice.
• The Department of Legal affairs is
assigned legal functions including the
interpretation of the Constitution and
Laws, litigation, legal profession, law
reforms, treaties and agreements with
foreign countries etc. • Panchayat Courts also function in some
• The legislative Department is concerned states under various names like Nyaya
with the drafting of the principal legislation Panchayat, Panchayat Adalat, Gram
for the central government. Kachehri, etc., to decide civil and
criminal disputes of petty and local
• The Department of Justice is concerned
nature.
with the appointment, resignation and the
removal of the Chief Justice of India, the • The highest court in each district is that of
District and Sessions Judge.

• This district court is the principal court of • In partnership with the United Nations
civil jurisdiction and can try all offences Development Programme (UNDP), the
including those punishable with death. Department of Justice (DoJ), Ministry of
He is the highest judicial authority in a Law and Justice, is implementing a decade
district. long programme on Access to Justice for
• Below him, there are courts of civil Marginalised People (2008- 2017).
jurisdiction, known in different states as
20.3 Legal Affairs
Munsifs, Sub-Judges, Civil Judges and
the like. • Department of Legal Affairs is the nodal
• Similarly, criminal courts comprise Chief department for reciprocal arrangement
Judicial Magistrate and Judicial with foreign countries for enforcement of
Magistrate of First and Second class. arbitral awards pursuant to the New York
Convention
20.2.1 Current scenario of Judiciary in • The department of Legal Affairs is the
India Central Authority under the Hague
• On January 26, 1950, Supreme Court of Convention of 1965 for service aboard of
India was setup under the new judicial and extra-judicial documents in
Constitution. The Supreme Court of India civil and commercial matters.
comprises the Chief Justice and 30 other
• Legal Information Management and
Judges appointed by the President of India.
Briefing System (LIMBS) - In line with
Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde is the 47th
Digital India mission, this system
Chief Justice of India. Seat of SC is in
digitalizes the court case details and
Delhi.
brings various stakeholders on a single
• There are 25 High Courts in the country, platform.
three having jurisdiction over more than
• The draft National Litigation Policy
one state. Among the union territories,
2017 proposes to put in place a system
Delhi has a High Court of its own. Other
which prevents, controls and reduces
six union territories come under the
litigation. This helps to reduce the pending
jurisdiction of different state High Courts.
cases in the court.
• The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir
• Department of Legal Affairs, constituted a
now will be the common High Court for the
high level committee to review
Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Institutionalization of Arbitration
and Union territory of Ladakh.
Mechanism in India, under the
20.2.2 Judiciary initiatives chairmanship of Hon’ble Justice Shri B.
• National Mission for Justice Delivery N. Srikrishna.
and Legal Reforms was set up in 2011 • The Appellate Tribunal for Foreign
with the twin objectives of increasing Exchange was established in 2000 under
access by reducing delays and arrears in Section 18 of Foreign Exchange
the system and enhancing accountability Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
• The e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode
Project is one of the e-Governance projects
being implemented in High Courts and
district/subordinate courts of the country.
20.4 Enforcement Agencies Force to guard the borders of

Police • The police force in the erstwhile Pakistan
country is entrusted with • The objective is to promote a
the responsibility of sense of security among
maintenance of public the people living in the
order and prevention and border areas
detection of crimes.
Assam • The Assam Rifles raised as
• Public order and police Rifles Catchar Levy in 1835 is the
being state subjects under oldest Central Para Military
the Constitution, police is Force in India.
maintained and controlled
• Their long association with
by states.
the region reflects in the
• The police force in a state is force being fondly called
headed by the Director “The Sentinel of the
General of Police/ NorthEast” and “Friends
Inspector General of of the Hill People” security
Police. in the north-eastern region
• The central government and guarding the Indo-
maintains Central Police Myanmar border.
forces, Intelligence Bureau National • The need for creating a
(IB), Central Bureau of Security special force for executing
Investigation (CBI), Guard surgical operations based
institutions for training of on tactical intelligence was
police officers and forensic felt in India when Operation
science institutions Blue Star in 1984.
Indo- • The ITBP was raised in the • NSG was conceptualised
Tibetan wake of Chinese aggression and created in October,
Border in 1962 with a modest 1985 as a Federal
Police
strength of 4 Bns under an Contingency Force under
integrated ‘guerilla-cum- the MHA.
intellgence-cumfighting
Central • The Central Reserve Police
Force’ self-contained in Reserve Force (CRPF) was formed in
supplies, communication Police July 1939 at Neemuch as
and intelligence collection. Force
the Crown Representative’s
• Today, ITBPF guards 3,488 Police. After independence it
kms of Indo-China Border was renamed as the Central
• ITBP is basically a mountain Reserve Police Force
trained force and most of • The CRPF has also been
the officers and men are deployed internationally at
professionally trained Kosovo, Haiti and Sri Lanka.
mountaineers and skiers.
Rapid • In 1992, 10 Battalions of
Border • Border Security Force was Action CRPF were reorganized and
Security raised in 1965 established Force
converted into 10 battalions • The Amendment to the Civil Defence

of 4 coys each of Rapid Act, 1968 accorded legal sanction to the
Action Force (RAF). additional role of the Civil Defence
• The personnel in RAF are constituents in the field of disaster
trained and equipped to be management.
an effective strike Force in • The training of master trainers and
communal riots and similar specialized training is conducted at the
situations. National Civil Defence College, Nagpur.
Commando • In order to effectively tackle • Training of the volunteers in Civil
Battalion the Maoists, the need for a Defence Organisation is conducted at
for Special Force, capable of local/town levels by trained trainers in the
Resolute form of short-term training programmes.
striking at the core of naxal
Action
heartland was felt. • Home Guards is a voluntary force, first
• With this idea, ten CoBRA raised in India in December, 1946, to
(Commando Battalion for assist the police in controlling civil
Resolute Action) battalions disturbances and communal riots. Home
were raised between 2008 Guards are raised under the Home Guards
and 2011. Act and rules of the states/union
Central • Raised in 1969, Central territories.
Industrial Industrial Security Force
Security 20.5.1 Fire Services
(CISF) is providing security
Force • “Fire Services” is a state subject and has
cover to 303 units including
been included as a municipal function in
59 domestic and
the XII schedule of the Constitution of
international airports and
India in terms of Article 243- W
fire protection cover to 87
industrial undertakings. • As such, it is the primary responsibility of
the state governments/municipal bodies
• The protection includes
to enforce the National Building Code and
thermal and nuclear power
allocate sufficient resources for
plants, dams, industries etc.
strengthening and equipping Fire
Sashastra • The “Sashastra Seema Bal” Services to ensure that safety of life and
Seema Bal (SSB) is the newest border property of citizens within their
guarding force of Union of jurisdiction.
India entrusted with the
guarding of Indo-Nepal and 20.6 Personal Law
Indo-Bhutan borders.
• The subject matter of personal laws is
relatable to entry 5 of List III-
20.5 Civil Defence Concurrent list in the Seventh Schedule
• Civil Defence includes any measures not to the Constitution of India and hence the
amounting to actual combat, for affording Union Legislature, namely Parliament and
protection to any person, property, place or subject to the provisions of Article 254 of
thing in India or any part of the territory the Constitution.
thereof against any hostile attack.

• The state legislatures are also competent 20.6.1 Adoption

to make laws in the field. • Although there is no general law governing
• Law relating to marriage and divorce has adoption, it is permitted by The Hindu
been codified in different enactments Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956
applicable to people of different religions. amongst Hindus.
• The Special Marriage Act, 1954 which • Muslims, Christians and Parsis have no
provides for a special form of marriage and adoption laws and have to approach the
the registration of such marriages extends court under The Guardians and Wards
to the whole of India except the state of Act, 1890.
Jammu and Kashmir • The general law relating to guardians and
• Persons governed by The Special Marriage wards is contained in the Guardians and
Act, 1954 can specifically register Wards Act, 1890. It clearly lays down that
marriage under the said Act even though father’s right is primary and no other
they are of different religious faiths. person can be appointed unless the father
is found unfit.
• As regards the Christians, provisions
relating to marriage and divorce are 20.6.2 Anand Marriage (Amendment)
contained in The Indian Christian Act, 2012
Marriage Act, 1872 and in Section 10 of
• The Anand Marriage Act, 1909 was
The Indian Divorce Act, 1869
enacted to remove doubts as to the validity
respectively.
of the marriage rights of the Sikh called
• The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, “Anand” and it does not provide for the
1936 governs the matrimonial relations of provisions of registration of marriages.
Parsis. The word ‘Parsi’ is defined in the
• However, vide The Anand Marriage
Act as a Parsi Zoroastrian. A Zoroastrian
(Amendment), Act, 2012, The Anand
is a person who professes the Zoroastrian
Marriage Act, 1909 was amended to
religion.
provide for registration of Anand marriages
• In Divorce Act, 1869 comprehensive commonly known as Anand Karaj.
amendments were made through Indian
Divorce (Amendment) Act, 2001 to remove 20.7 Election Laws and Electoral
discriminatory provisions against women Reforms
in the matter of divorce and to provide for
dissolution of marriage by mutual consent. 20.7.1 Delimitation of Constituencies
• The periodic readjustment of the Lok
• Under the Code of Criminal Procedure,
Sabha and Assembly constituencies is
1973, right of maintenance extends not
mandatory in a representative system
only to the wife and dependent children,
where single-member constituencies are
but also to indigent parents and divorced
used for electing political representatives.
wives.
• The procedure for delimiting the
• The Indian Succession Act was enacted in
constituencies in India stands clearly spelt
1925 to consolidate the law applicable to
out in The Delimitation Act, 2002. The
intestate and testamentary succession
final orders of the Commission are not
which was in existence at that time. The
subject to any modification or veto by
Act does not apply to the residents of the
the Government.
union territory of Puducherry.
• The first Delimitation Commission in person who is not less than eighteen
India was constituted in 1952, the years of age on the qualifying date and is
second in 1962 and the third in the year ordinarily resident in constituency shall
1973. The third delimitation exercise— be entitled to be registered in the electoral
based on 1971 census—was completed in rolls for that constituency.
the year 1975. • The citizen who are living in abroad though
• The present delimitation, based on 2001 not an ordinary resident of the
census, has been undertaken after 30 constituency cannot be denied the right
years. The Government, as part of the to vote. Hence a law was enacted for this
National Population Policy strategy, purpose.
decided to extend the current • The overseas Indians can now furnish the
constitutional freeze on undertaking fresh documents self-attested by them and get
delimitation up to 2026. their name enrolled in the electoral roll of
their respective constituency.
20.7.2 Electronic Voting Machines
• The use of Electronic Voting Machines
(EVMs) was started in the country on
experiment basis in 1982. During the 21. Labour, Skill
General Elections to the Lok Sabha in Development and
2004, EVMs were used in all polling Employment
stations across the country.
• The EVMs were developed at the behest of
the Election Commission jointly with two 21.1 Introduction
Public Sector Undertakings, Bharat
21.1.1 Labour
Electronics Limited, Bangalore (BEL)
• The Ministry of Labour and Employment is
and Electronics Corporation of India
one of the important and oldest
Limited, Hyderabad (ECIL) in 1989.
ministries of the Government of India.
20.7.3 Electors’ Photo Identity Cards • The main responsibility entrusted to the
• The use of electors’ photo identity cards Ministry is to protect and safeguard the
by the Election Commission was started interest of workers in general and the
in 1993 throughout the country to check poor, deprived and disadvantaged sections
bogus voting and impersonation of electors of the society, in particular.
at elections. • Labour being the subject in the
• The electoral roll is the basis for issue of Concurrent List under the
EPICs to the registered electors. Constitution of India the state
• 25th January has been declared as the governments are also empowered to enact
National Voters’ Day to focus on legislations.
enrolment of voters and making EPIC.
21.1.2 New Initiatives:
20.7.4 Voting Rights to the Citizens of Initiative Description
India Living Abroad Shram • Pension scheme for
• Section 19 of the Representation of the Yogi Maan- unorganised sector
Dhan Yojana • Started in February 2019
People Act, 1950 provides that every

Eligibility criteria: Portal so that services can

i. Monthly income – 15000 be delivered online.
or less
• scheme provides for part
ii. Age group – 18-40 years
iii. should not be covered funding to States for IT
under.New Pension upgradation and minor
Scheme (NPS); refurbishing of
Employees’ State Employment Exchanges
Insurance Corporation and for organizing job
(ESIC) scheme or
fairs.
Employees' Provident
Fund Organisation Pradhan • since 2016-17 with the
(EPFO) Mantri Rojgar objective of promoting
iv. Not an income tax payee Protsahan employment generation
• Voluntary and Yojana
• Government of India will
contributory – 50:50 basis pay the Employees
beneficiary contributes Pension Scheme (EPS)
some part and the same contribution of 8.33
amount is contributed by percent for all new
the government too
employees enrolling in
• The beneficiary has to pay Employees’ Provident
this contribution until he Fund Organisation (EPFO)
attains the age of 60 for the first three years
• Implemented through of their employment.
LIC and Common Shram • Unified web portal ‘Shram
Services Centres-SPV Suvidha Suvidha Portal’, to bring
(CSC-SPV) Portal transparency and
• LIC is the fund manager accountability in
and responsible for enforcement of labour
pension pay out laws and ease
• CSC-SPV responsible for compliance.
enrolling the beneficiary. Single Unified • Ministry of Labour and
National • Mission Mode Project for Annual Employment has started
Career Return Single Unified Annual
transformation of the
Service National Employment Return for eight Labour
Project Acts.
Service to provide a
variety of employment • This facilitates filing of
related services like career simplified Single Online
counselling, vocational Return by the
guidance, information on establishments instead of
skill development courses, filing separate Returns
apprenticeship etc., Common • Facility for Common
• The project enhanced to Registration Registration under five
interlink all employment Central Labour Acts has
exchanges with the NCS been developed on e-Biz
portal of the Department 21.3 Digital India e-initiatives of

of Industrial Policy and ESIC
Promotion.
• e-biz Platform: ESIC was the first
Labour Codes • This Ministry has taken a organization of Central government, to
number of initiatives for integrate its services (Registration of
bringing transparency Employers through e-biz portal of
and accountability in Department of Industrial Policy and
enforcement of labour Promotion DIPP) to promote ease of
laws. business and curb transaction costs.
• These initiatives include • e-Pehchan: A process of establishing the
governance reforms identity of the insured person through
through use of technology Adhaar number has been set up by
and also legislative seeding Adhaar number to the insurance
reforms by simplifying, number
rationalising and • Mobile App for IPs: Our IPs have been
amalgamating the existing provided with a Mobile app ‘Ask An
labour laws into four Appointment’(AAA+) to enable them to
labour codes. book an appointment with the doctors
online prior to actually making a visit to
21.2 Legislative Initiatives the hospital
21.2.1 Draft Small Factory Bill 21.4 Employees’ Provident Fund
• The Bill provides for regulation of working Organisation
and service conditions of workers in small
manufacturing units employing less than • The Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) and
40 workers. Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
provides for Provident Fund, Pension
• The Bill amalgamates, simplifies and
Scheme and Insurance Fund in factories
rationalizes the provisions of six Labour
/establishments employing twenty or more
Laws at one place for these small factories.
employees in industries mentioned in
21.2.2 Social Security Schedule-I to the Act.
• The Act is applicable on its own volition
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation
and these legal actions are attracted for
• To provide medical care and cash benefits
non compliance for whatsoever reason.
in case of sickness, maternity and
employment injuries, the Employees’State 21.4.1 Universal Account Number
Insurance Act was enacted in 1948. • The facility of Universal Account Number
• Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (UAN) for EPF subscribers was formally
(ESIC) is implementing the ESI Scheme launched in 2014.
introduced since 1952. • Portability is an inherent feature of the
UAN programme.
• It provides automatic portability of
Provident Fund account on change of
employment if the employee has activated

his UAN by seeding his Know Your 21.5.1 Policy on Child Labour
Customer details • The National Policy on Child Labour
announced in August, 1987, addresses
21.4.2 Pension Reforms this complex issue in a comprehensive,
• Minimum Pension During the year, one of holistic and integrated manner.
the long-awaited demands for
• The Action Plan under is multi-pronged
implementation of the minimum pension
and focus on general development
was given effect to.
programme for the benefit of the families of
• The central government is providing a such labour.
minimum pension of Rs. 1,000 per month
for member/widow(er)/disabled/ 21.5.2 Legislative Action Plan
nominee / dependent parent • The Child Labour (Prohibition &
pensioners, Rs. 750 per month for orphan Regulation) Act, was enacted in 1986.
pensioners and Rs. 250 per month for As per the provisions of the Act, the
children pensioners. employment of children below the age of
14 years was prohibited in 18 occupations
21.4.3 Industrial Relations and 65 processes.
• Twenty-two Central Government Industrial
• Government followed it up with the Child
Tribunal (CGIT) -cum-Labour Courts have
Labour (Prohibition & Regulation)
been set up under the provisions of the
Amendment Act, 2016, which came into
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 for
force from 2016. The Amendment inter-alia
adjudication of industrial disputes in
covers the complete prohibition on
organizations for which the Central
employment or work of children below
Government is the appropriate authority.
14 years of age in all occupations and
• In order to reduce pendency of cases Lok Processes
Adalats are being organized by the CGIT
• In pursuance of National Child Labour
cum-Labour Courts as an Alternate
Policy, the National Child Labour Project
Grievance Redressal System.
(NCLP) Scheme was started in 1988 to
21.5 Child Labour rehabilitate children rescued from child
labour. It is an ongoing Central Sector
• Child Labour is an area of great concern Scheme and at present sanctioned in 270
and Government of India is committed to districts in the country.
address the issue.
• Under the Scheme, working children are
• Child labour schemes comprises statutory identified through child labour survey,
and legislative measures, rescue and withdrawn from work and put into the
rehabilitation, universal elementary special training centres so as to provide
education along with social protection and them with an environment to subsequently
poverty alleviation and employment join mainstream education system.
generation schemes.
• The objective is to create an environment 21.5.3 Re-alignment of NCLP Scheme
where families are not compelled to send with RTE Act
their children to work. • With the enactment of Right to Education
(RTE) Act, 2009, there was a need for

realignment of the NCLP Scheme with the Directorate General of Mines Safety
provisions of RTE Act, 2009. (DGMS) and the Directorate General of
Factory Advice Service and Labour
21.6 Bonded Labour Institutes (DGFASLI)
Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour • DGMS enforces the safety and health
• With a view to supplementing the efforts provisions for the workers in the mining
of the state governments; a Centrally industry through its Inspectors appointed
Sponsored Plan Scheme for rehabilitation under the Mines Act, 1952.
of bonded labour was launched in 1978. • The DGFASLI, through its Inspectorate of
• Under the Scheme, state governments Dock Safety enforces safety provisions in
are provided Central assistance on the docks and also acts as the
matching grants (50:50) basis for the coordinating agency at the national
rehabilitation of bonded labour. level for the Inspectorate of Factories
functioning under different state
21.7 Wages and Bonus governments.
The Minimum Wages Act, 1948
21.9 Research and Training
• The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 was
enacted to safeguard the interests of the National Board for Workers’ Education
workers mostly in the unorganised sector. and Development
• Under the provision of the Act, both the • The Dattopant Thengadi National Board for
Central and state governments are the Workers’ Education and Development was
appropriate governments to fix, revise, established in 1958 to implement the
review and enforce the payment of Workers’ Education Programmes at
minimum wages to workers in respect of national, regional and unit/village level.
scheduled employments under their • The Board undertakes training
respective jurisdictions. programmes, which cover workers from
• In order to have a uniform wage structure organised, unorganised, rural and informal
and to reduce the disparity in minimum sectors.
wages across the country, a concept of • The main objective of the Board’s training
National Floor Level Minimum Wage programmes is to create awareness among
(NFLMW) was mooted on the basis of the all sections of the working population.
recommendations of the National • Headquarters at Nagpur
Commission on Rural Labour (NCRL) in
1991 21.10 Skill Development
• It, however, needs to be noted that the • Skill development and entrepreneurship
National Floor Level Minimum Wage, is efforts across the country have been highly
a non-statutory measure. fragmented so far.
21.8 Occupational Safety and Health • Currently, over 40 Skill Development
Programmes (SDPs) are being implemented
• The provisions on Occupational Safety and by over 18 Ministries/Departments of the
Health (OSH) of workers as provided Government of India.
for in the Constitution of India are being
implemented through the offices of
• A separate ministry was created in 2014, • The skill component of the policy
namely, the Ministry of Skill addresses key issues in the skill
Development and Entrepreneurship. landscape: low aspirational value, non-
• This Ministry is responsible for co- integration with formal education, lack of
ordination of all skill development focus on outcomes, quality of training
efforts, removal of disconnect between infrastructure and trainers, among others.
demand and supply of skilled manpower,
21.11 Schemes and Initiatives
building the vocational and technical
training framework, skill up-gradation, Scheme Description
building of new skills, and innovative Pradhan • outcome-based skill
thinking not only for existing jobs but also Mantri training scheme
jobs that are to be created. Kaushal
• enable and mobilize a large
Vikas Yojana
(PMKVY) number of youth to take
21.10.1 National Skill Development
up outcome based skill
Mission
training to become
• The National Skill Development Mission
employable and earn their
was launched in 2015 on the occasion of
livelihood.
World Youth Skills Day.
• Launched in 2015
• It aims to create convergence and
expedite cross-sectoral decisions Pradhan • Scheme for setting up of
through a high-powered decision-making Mantri model skill centre in every
Kaushal district of the country
framework.
Kendras
while ensuring coverage of
• It consists of a three-tier institutional (PMKK)
all the parliamentary
structure, where the cascading functions
constituencies.
of the bodies consist of providing policy
directives and guidance, reviewing and • envisages to create
monitoring overall progress, and actual benchmark institutions
implementation in line with Mission that demonstrate
objectives. aspirational value for
competency based skill
21.10.2 National Policy on Skill development training at
Development and Entrepreneurship district level
• The first National Policy on Skill
Development (NPSD) was notified in
2009. Schemes for Entrepreneurship
• The NPSD 2009 laid out the broad Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana
framework as well as objectives and
Aims at creating an enabling eco-system for
outcomes for the skilling landscape in the
entrepreneurship promotion among youth
country.
through entrepreneurship education and
• The new National Policy on Skill
training, advocacy, easy access to
Development and Entrepreneurship was
entrepreneurship support network and
notified in 2015 which replaced the
policy of 2009. promotion of social entrepreneurship.

Udaan • The Integrated Finance Wing looks after

• The Special Industry Initiative (SII) for the financial aspects of the Ministry
Jammu and Kashmir is funded by Ministry
22.2 Prasar Bharati
of Home Affairs and implemented by
National Skill Development Corporation • Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation
of India) is the public service broadcaster
• The programme is a part of the overall
in the country, with Akashvani (All India
initiative for addressing economic issues in
Radio) and Doordarshan as its two
the state and is focused on providing skills
constituents.
and job opportunities to the youth.
• It came into existence on November 23,
1997, with a mandate to organize and
conduct public broadcasting services to
22. Mass Communication inform, educate and entertain the public
and to ensure a balanced development of
broadcasting on radio and television.
22.1 Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting The major objectives of the Prasar Bharati
Corporation as laid out in the Prasar Bharati
• The Ministry of Information and
Act, 1990, are as follows:
Broadcasting, plays an effective role in
helping people to have access to free flow (i) to uphold the unity and integrity of the
of information. country and the values enshrined in the
• The Ministry is divided into four wings i.e., Constitution;
the Information Wing, the Broadcasting (ii) to promote national integration;
Wing, the Films Wing and the Integrated (iii) to safeguard citizens’ rights to be
Finance Wing. informed on all matters of public interest
• The Ministry functions through its 21 and presenting a fair and balanced flow
media units/ attached and subordinate of information;
offices, autonomous bodies and PSUs.
(iv) to pay special attention to the fields of
• The Information Wing handles policy
education and spread of literacy,
matters of the print and press media and
agriculture, rural development etc.
publicity requirements of the government.
This Wing also looks after the general 22.2.1 Prasar Bharati Board
administration of the Ministry. • The Corporation is governed by the Prasar
• The Broadcasting Wing handles matters Bharati Board, which comprises a
relating to the electronic media and the Chairman, an Executive Member (also
regulation of the content of private TV known as Chief Executive Officer), a
channels as well as the programme Member (Finance), a Member (Personnel),
matters of All India Radio and six part-time Members.
Doordarshan and operation of cable • The Chairman is a part-time member with
television and community radio, etc. a three-year tenure subject to an age limit
• The Films Wing handles matters relating to of 70 years.
the film sector.

22.3 All India Radio • All India Radio has a wide network of
Audience Research Units across the
• The first radio programme was broadcast
country operational since 1946. It provides
by the Radio Club of Bombay in June,
programme feedback to programme
1923.
producers to plan, design, and modify the
• It was followed by the setting up of a
programmes according to the needs,
Broadcasting Service that began
tastes, and aspiration of the target
broadcasting on July 23, 1927 on an
audience.
experimental basis at Mumbai and
Kolkata simultaneously 22.4 Doordarshan
• The Indian State Broadcasting Service was
• From an experimental service begun at
renamed as All India Radio in 1936.
Delhi in September 1959, Doordarshan
• All India Radio came to be known as (DD) over the years has grown
Akashvani from 1957. The entertainment tremendously to become one of the leading
channel of AIR named Vividh Bharati was TV organizations of the world.
started on October 3, 1957. Doordarshan is headed by the Director
• The first ever FM service was started in General.
Madras in 1977. • DD National Channel, a public service
• The News Services Division (NSD) of All broadcaster is the largest terrestrial
India Radio has been expanding its network in the world. It covers about 92.0
presence across various domains with the per cent population and 81.0 per cent land
aim of reaching diverse cross section of area of the country.
people. • DD News is the only terrestrial-cum-
• For Mann Ki Baat programme, live satellite, multilingual news channel of the
webcasting is done on website news on country. The news channel has been
air.nic.in. Special window and page are successfully discharging its responsibility
created for the purpose. • DD Bharati Channel was re-launched in
• External Services Division: All India 2012 as a niche channel for art and
Radio entered the domain of external culture to preserve Indian culture and
broadcast on October 1, 1939 purely as a heritage with authenticity and to present it
tool for propaganda for the Allies during to the wider public.
the World War II with a service in Pushto • DD India: Doordarshan opened its
language to counter the German Radio windows to the world by launching its
Blitzkrieg. international channel on March 14, 1995.
• National Academy of Broadcasting and The Channel, initially known as DD-World
Multimedia (NABM) (Programme) hitherto was renamed DD-India in 2002.
known as Staff Training Institute • Doordarshan Commercial Service (DCS)
(Programme) is the apex training institute is an independent wing to coordinate all
of Prasar Bharati. the commercial activities being performed
• AIR’s Social Media Cell regularly at the headquarters, Doordarshan
highlights important activities and Kendras, marketing divisions and DCD
broadcasts of AIR, this Cell also extensively towards sale of airtime as well as collection
promotes the policies of government.

of revenue from agencies/clients/ Festival related information to media at the

producers. venue in Goa.
• PM’s Publicity and Reference Unit is a
22.5 Electronic Media Monitoring
dedicated unit for the publicity and media
Centre
support for the Prime Minister’s Office and
• In India, Electronic Media Monitoring cabinet.
Centre (EMMC) is entrusted with the task • Journalists’ Welfare Scheme: A scheme
of monitoring the content being aired by of providing financial assistance to
TV channels. journalists and their families facing acute
• EMMC records and monitors the content financial hardship on account of serious
of around 600 channels, beaming over ailment is being implemented by PIB which
the Indian Territory, so that any violations provides for one-time ex-gratia relief on
of codes framed under the Cable Television urgent basis.
Network (Regulation) Act, 1995 could be
checked. 22.7 News Agencies
22.6 Press and Print Media 22.7.1 Press Trust of India

• India’s largest news agency, Press Trust of
• The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers
India (PTI) is a non-profit sharing
for India (RNI) is an attached office of the
cooperative owned by the country’s
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
newspapers with a mandate to provide
Under its Statutory and derivative
efficient and unbiased news to all
functions, it verifies and approves titles of
subscribers.
newspapers and registers them.
• Founded in August, 1947, PTI began
• The Press Information Bureau (PIB)
functioning from 1949. It offers its news
o PIB is the nodal agency of the services in English and Hindi languages.
Government of India to disseminate
• PTI now has its own satellite delivery
information to the print, electronic and
system through a transponder on an
social media on government policies,
INSAT satellite for reaching its services
programmes, initiatives and
directly to subscribers anywhere in the
achievements.
country.
o It functions as an interface between
the government and the media and 22.7.2 United News of India (UNI)
also provides feedback to the • UNI was incorporated under the
government on the reaction of people as Companies Act, 1956 in December, 1959
reflected in the media. and started functioning effectively from
o The PIB has a News Room/Control 1961.
Room which is operational round the • It has a full- fledged Hindi wire service
year to meet challenges emerging out of ‘UNIVARTA’ since 1982 and a Photo
any eventuality during any time of the Service and a Graphics Service in the same
day or night. decade.
• International Film Festival of India- The
Press Information Bureau was part of the
IFFI 2017 to facilitate dissemination of

22.7.3 NAM News Network (NNN) its media units and others engaged in
• NNN is the internet-based news and mass communication.
photo exchange arrangement of the news • The Division compiles a reference book,
agencies belonging to member countries of ‘India-A Reference Annual’, on
the nonaligned movement. development and progress made by central
• Formally launched in April 2006, NNN ministries/departments, states/ union
replaces the Non-aligned News Agencies territory administrations and PSUs/
Pool (NANAP) which had acted as the news autonomous bodies.
exchange mechanism among non-aligned
countries for 30 years. 22.7.6 Photo division
• Photo Division, an independent media
22.7.4 Press Council of India unit meant for the visual support of the
• The Press Council of India is a statutory varied activities of the Government of
quasi-judicial autonomous authority. India, is a subordinate office of the
• It has the responsibility to preserve the Ministry of Information and
freedom of the press and to maintain and Broadcasting and the biggest production
improve the standards of newspapers and unit of its kind in the country in the field
news agencies in the country. of photography.
• It comprises a Chairman and 28 members. • Photo Division was established in late
The Chairman has, by convention, been a 1959.
sitting or retired judge of the Supreme • National Photography Awards - On the
Court of India. occasion of completion of 50 years in 2010,
• Press and Registration Appellate Board the Photo Division introduced National
Section 8C of the Press and Registration of Photography Awards to encourage
Books Act, 1867, entrusts to the Press professional and amateur photographers of
Council, the Appellate Jurisdiction over the the country.
Magisterial Orders of non-authentication of
22.8 Publications Division
a Declaration under Section 6 or its
• Publications Division, a repository of books
subsequent cancellation under Section 8B
and journals highlighting subjects of
of the said Act.
national importance and India’s rich
• The National Press Day is celebrated
cultural heritage, was established in 1941.
annually on November 16 as a symbol of a
• It is among the premier publishing
free and responsible press in the country.
organizations of the Government of
22.7.5 New Media Wing India involved in production, sale and
• Set up in 1945, the Research, Reference distribution of popular books and journals
and Training Division now renamed as on matters of national importance.
“New Media Wing” functions as information • The Division has published several books
unit for the Ministry of Information and on Gandhian thoughts including the
Broadcasting. Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi
• It provides background, reference and (CWMG) in 100 volumes
research material for use of the Ministry, • Besides books, the Publications Division
also publishes 18 monthly journals,

which include Yojana in English, Hindi objective of promoting good cinema. It

and 11 other languages, Aajkal (Hindi and organizes the: (a) the International Film
Urdu), Bal Bharati (Hindi), Kurukshetra Festival of India; and (b) the National
(English and Hindi) and a weekly journal Film Awards and the Dadasaheb Phalke
Employment News (English, Hindi and Award.
Urdu). • The National Film Awards along with
cinema’s highest honour, the Dadasaheb
22.9 Films and related organisations
Phalke Award, are presented by the
• The story of the Films Division is
President of India. To commemorate the
synchronous with the eventful years of
release of the first Indian Feature Film,
the country since Independence and over
Raja Harishchandra on 3rd May 1913, It
the last 67 years, the Division has been
has been decided to confer the National
motivating the broadest spectrum of the
Film Awards on 3rd May of every year.
Indian public with a view to enlisting their
• The National Film Archive of India
active participation in nation building
(NFAI) was established as a media unit in
activities.
1964 to trace, acquire and preserve for
• Since 1990, Films Division organises the
posterity the heritage of national cinema.
biennial Mumbai International Film
• 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma
Festival for Documentary, Short and
Gandhi - To celebrate the 150th birth
Animation Films (MIFF).
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, two
• The concept of National Museum of
festivals were held—one at Nagaon, Assam
Indian Cinema (NMIC) is a unique idea to
and other at Port Blair. The package of
be pursued for the first time in the history
films showcased various aspects of
of Indian Cinema. The NMIC was
Gandhi’s life.
inaugurated in 2019 at the Films Division
• National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM),
Complex, Pedder Road, Mumbai. The
a prestigious mission of Government of
Museum showcases history of India
India project was set up in 2014 for
Cinema.
restoring and preserving the film hertiage
• The National Film Development
of India. This new plan scheme has taken
Corporation Limited (NFDC),
care of digitization/restoration of films
incorporated in 1975, (100 per cent
available with NFAI.
owned GOI body) was formed by the
• Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI)
Government of India with the primary
which started functioning in 1955 as an
objective of promoting integrated
autonomous body under Ministry of
development of the Indian film industry.
Information and Broadcasting, is
• Central Board of Film Certification
mandated to produce children’s film.
(CBFC) is a statutory body under
• The Film and Television Institute of
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,
India (FTII), Pune was set up in 1960. It
regulating the public exhibition of films
became a Society in 1974 under the
under the provisions of the Cinematograph
Registration of Societies Act, 1860. It
Act, 1952.
provides the latest education and
• The Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF)
technological experience in the art and
was set up in 1973 with the prime

technique of film making and television

production. 23. Planning
• Satyajit Ray Film and Television
Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata was established
23.1 Introduction
as an autonomous educational institution
and was registered under the West Bengal • Planning in India derives its objectives and
Societies Registration Act, 1961. The social premises from the Directive
institute offers three-year post-graduate Principles of State Policy enshrined in the
diploma courses in direction and Constitution.
screenplay writing, cinematography etc. • Individual efforts and private initiatives are
• The Indian Institute of Mass considered necessary and desirable in the
Communication (IIMC), registered as a national endeavour for development with
society under the Societies Registration optimum voluntary cooperation.
Act, 1860 came into existence in 1965. The
Institute conducts a number of post-
23.2 Niti Aayog
graduate diploma courses in print • The National Institution for
journalism, radio and TV journalism and Transforming India (NITI Aayog) came
advertising into existence in 2015 replacing the
• Broadcast Engineering Consultants Planning Commission which was
India Ltd. (BECIL), a profit-making PSE established in 1950.
was constituted in 1995 to provide the • The NITI Aayog is the successor to the
national broadcasters’ expertise to the Planning Commission.
private broadcasters in the country. • Institution is envisaged to be a catalyst to
• Bureau of Outreach and Communication the developmental process; nurturing an
(BOC) was created in 2017 by integrating overall enabling environment, through a
erstwhile Directorate of Advertising and holistic approach to development
Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of
Field Publicity (DFP) and Song & Drama 23.2.1 Objectives and Composition
Division (S&DD).
o The objective is to have mass reach
with specific focus on media dark
areas and rural areas and on
communicating with people in the form
and language understood by them
23.3 Erstwhile Planning Commission

• Set up in March, 1950 in pursuance of
declared objectives of the Government to

promote a rapid rise in the standard of agricultural production to

living of the people by efficient meet the requirements of
industry and exports
exploitation of the resources of the
country, increasing production and (iii) expand basic industries
offering opportunities to all for employment (iv) fully utilize the manpower
resources of the country and
in the service of the community.
ensure a substantial
Plan Description expansion in employment
• highest priority to agriculture opportunities
First including irrigation and power • The situation created by the
Five- projects Indo-Pakistan conflict in
Year 1965, two successive years of
Plan • aimed at increasing the rate of
investment from five to about severe drought, devaluation of
(1951- the currency, general rise in
1956) seven per cent of the national
income. Annual prices and erosion of resources
Plan available for Plan purposes
• to promote a pattern of
(1966- delayed the finalization of the
development, which would
1969) Fourth Five Year Plan.
ultimately lead to the
establishment of a socialistic • Instead, between 1966 and
pattern of society in India. 1969, three Annual Plans were
formulated within the
Aims:
Second framework of the draft outline
(i) an increase of 25 per cent in
Five- the national income of the Fourth plan.
Year • Aimed at accelerating the
(ii) rapid industrialization with
Plan
particular emphasis on the tempo of development of
(1956- development of basic and reducing fluctuations in
1961) heavy industries agricultural production as well
(iii) large expansion of employment Fourth
Five as the impact of uncertainties
opportunities
Year of foreign aid.
(iv) reduction of inequalities in
Plan • particular emphasis on
income and wealth and a more
even distribution of economic (1969- improving the condition of the
power. 1974) less privileged and weaker
• aimed at securing a marked sections especially through
advance towards self- provision of employment and
sustaining growth. education.
Third • The Plan aimed at increasing • formulated against the
Five the national income by about backdrop of severe inflationary
Year 30 per cent Fifth pressures.
Plan Five
Objectives: • objective was to achieve self-
(1961- Year
(i) increase in the national reliance and adopt measures
1996) Plan
income of over five per cent for raising the consumption
per annum (1974-
1979) standard of people living below
(ii) achieve self-sufficiency in the poverty line
food grains and increase
• gave high priority to bring
inflation under control and to allied sectors

achieve stability in the • Significant growth rate in
economic situation. import and export
Rolling Plan (1979-1980) • launched in the fiftieth year of
• Removal of poverty was the India’s Independence.
foremost objective of the Sixth • Aimed at achieving a targeted
Sixth Plan GDP growth rate of seven per
Five • Stress was laid on tackling cent per annum and there was
Year
Plan interrelated problems through a emphasis on the seven
systematic approach with Ninth identified Basic Minimum
(1980-
greater management, efficiency Five Services (BMS)
1985)
and intensive monitoring in all Year
Plan • Also aimed at pursuing a policy
sectors. of fiscal consolidation,
(1997-
• emphasized policies and 2002) reduction in the revenue deficit
programmes, which aimed at of the Government,
rapid growth in food decentralization of planning
Seventh
Five grains production, increased and implementation through
Year employment opportunities and greater reliance on States and
Plan productivity within the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
(1985- framework of basic tenets of
1990) planning, namely, growth, • approved by the National
modernization, self-reliance Development Council (NDC)
and social justice.
• aims at harnessing the benefits
• The Eighth Five-Year Plan Tenth
Five of growth to improve the quality
(1990-95) could not take off of life of the people
Year
due to the fast-changing Plan • Plan recognized the rapid
ANNUAL political situation at the
PLANS (2002- growth in the labour force
Centre. 2007)
(1990- • Plan addresses the issue of
• basic thrust of these Annual
1992) poverty and the unacceptably
Plans was on maximization of
low levelsof social indicators.
employment and social
transformation. • provided a comprehensive
Eleventh
Five strategy for inclusive
• growth targets were planned to
Year development, building on the
be achieved with relative price
Plan growing strength of the
Eighth stability and substantial
(2007- economy, while also addressing
Five improvement in the country’s 2012) weaknesses that have surfaced.
Year Balance of Payments.
Plan • recognizes that the objective of
Salient features of economic Twelfth
(1992- performance Five development is broad- based
1997) • Faster economic growth Year improvement in the economic
Plan and social conditions of our
• Faster growth of manufacturing
(2012- people.
sector and agriculture and
2017) • Last Five-Year Plan

23.4 Atal Innovation Mission technologies in areas of national

• Initiative of the Central Government, set importance and social relevance through a
up by NITI Aayog to promote innovation grant-based mechanism.
and entrepreneurship across the length
and breadth of the country. 23.5 Initiatives and Reforms
• An umbrella innovation organization that 23.5.1 Contract Farming
would play an instrumental role in • The Union Government provided, for the
alignment of innovation policies between first time, an opportunity to the farmers to
central, state and sectoral innovation decide the price of their produce and
schemes negotiate with buyers through Model Act
• AIM is setting up Atal Tinkering Labs on Contract Farming.
(ATL) in schools across all 700+ districts • The Model Act called the State/UT
across India. Agricultural Produce and Livestock
• ATLs are dedicated innovation workspaces Contract Farming and Services (Promotion
of 1000-1500 square feet where latest & Facilitation) Act, 2018 was
technologies are installed. formulated in consultation with NITI Aayog
• At the university, NGO, SME and and launched in 2018 for its adoption by
Corporate industry levels, AIM is setting up the states/union territories.
world-class Atal Incubators (AICs) that • The Model Act covers the entire value and
would trigger and enable successful growth supply chain from pre-production to post-
of sustainable start-ups in every sector harvest marketing including services
/state of the country. contract for the agricultural produce and
livestock.
23.4.1 Mentor India
• The Mentor India programme launched by 23.5.2 POSHAN Abhiyaan
AIM is a path-breaking initiative to • A Scheme for holistic nutrition or POSHAN
catalyse the academia– industry Abhiyaan or National Nutrition Mission,
partnerships. is Government of India’s flagship
• These mentors volunteer their time to programme to improve nutritional
engage with ATL students, sharing outcomes for children, pregnant women
technical and professional insights and lactating mothers.
• Launched in 2018, POSHAN Abhiyaan
23.4.2 Atal Incubation Centres directs the attention of the country
• Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and
towards the problem of malnutrition and
Established Incubation Centres are
addresses it in a mission-mode.
incubation spaces intended to provide
• four point strategy/pillars of the mission
incubation facilities to innovative start-
are:
ups
a. inter- sectoral convergence for better
23.4.3 Atal New India Challenge service delivery
• Atal New India Challenge (ANIC), which is
b. use of technology (ICT) for real time
an initiative by Atal Innovation Mission
growth monitoring and tracking of
aimed at supporting innovators to create
products/ solutions based on advanced women and children

c. intensified health and nutrition • Rural development implies both the

services for the first 1,000 days economic betterment of people as well
as greater social transformation.
d. Jan Andolan or people’s movement.
• In 1952, an organization known as
23.5.3 POSHAN Maah Community Projects Administration was
• September was celebrated as Rashtriya set up under the Planning Commission to
POSHAN Maah in 2018. administer the programmes relating to
• The broad themes were: antenatal care, community development.
optimal breastfeeding (early and exclusive), • The Community Development
complementary feeding, anaemia, growth Programme, inaugurated in 1952, was an
monitoring, girls’-education, diet, right age important landmark in the history of rural
of marriage, hygiene and sanitation, and development.
eating healthy-food fortification. • In October, 1974, the Department of
Rural Development came into existence
23.5.4 Ayushman Bharat: Pradhan
as a part of Ministry of Food and
Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
Agriculture.
• The National Health Policy 2017
envisages creation of a digital health • The Ministry was again renamed as the
technology eco-system aiming at Ministry of Rural Development in 1999
developing an integrated health with three departments viz., Department
information system that serves the needs of Rural Development, Department of Land
of all stakeholders Resources and Department of Drinking
Water and Sanitation.
• Ayushman Bharat comprising twin
missions is set to transform the nation’s • The Department of Drinking Water and
health system by: Sanitation was made a separate Ministry
from July 2011.
a) Operationalizing 1.5lakh health and
wellness centres offering preventive and 24.2 Major Programmes for Rural
primary care, on the supply side; Development
b) offering financial protection of up to Rs. 5
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
lakhs per year per family for the deprived Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) -
10 crores plus households towards for providing wage employment
secondary and tertiary care, on the • National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)
demand side. – for self-employment and skill
development
24. Rural Development • Housing for All: Pradhan Mantri Awaas
Yojana – Grameen (PMAY-G) – for providing
housing to BPL households
24.1 Introduction • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
• India has been a welfare state since (PMGSY) - for construction of quality
independence and the primary objective of roads
all governmental endeavours has been the • National Social Assistance Programme
welfare of its people. (NSAP) - for social pension

• Shyama Prasad Mukherjee RURBAN o Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana

Mission
24.5 Rural Self Employment
• Integrated Watershed Management
Training Institute
Programme (IWMP) - for improving the
productivity of the land. • Decided to set up one Rural Self
Employment Training Institute (RSETI) in
24.3 Rural Employment each district of the country.
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural • RSETIs also provide periodic doses of skill
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) upgradation training for making their
aims at enhancing livelihood security of initiative viable and sustainable in an
households in rural areas of the country increasingly competitive environment.
by providing not less than one hundred
days of guaranteed wage employment in 24.6 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak
a financial year to every household whose Yojana
adult members volunteer to do unskilled • Government of India, as the part of
manual work. poverty reduction strategy, launched
• To streamline the fund flow mechanism the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
and bring down delay in payment of wages, (PMGSY) 2000
the Ministry of Rural Development has • A centrally sponsored scheme to assist
implemented National Electronic Fund the states, though rural roads are in the
Management System (NeFMS) in 21 State List under the Constitution
states and 1 union territory.
• The primary objective of Scheme is to
• This process reduces the delay in provide connectivity by way of an all-
allocation of funds for payment of wages weather road
to the states and removes parking of funds
at various level. 24.7 Rural Housing
• Housing is universally recognized as a
24.4 Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana—
basic human need.
National Rural Livelihoods Mission
• The rural housing scheme Indira Awaas
• launched in 2011. Yojana (IAY) implemented by Ministry of
• Ensures adequate coverage of vulnerable Rural Development, aimed at providing
sections of the society houses to families below the poverty line
• The key components of DAY NRLM include (BPL) in rural areas.
o Promoting Institutions of Poor • Government’s priority for “Housing for
o Training, Capacity Building and Skill All” by 2022, the rural housing scheme
Building IAY has been restructured to Pradhan
o Community Investment Support Fund Mantri Awaas Yojana—Gramin (PMAY-G),
o National Special Fund Support for which came into effect from the financial
Convergence year 2016-17.
o Infrastructure Creation and Marketing • identification of beneficiaries based on
Support socio – economic and caste census data
o Sensitive Support Structures
o Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana
24.8 National Social Assistance • SGSY was formed by the restructuring of

Programme the Integrated Rural Development
Programme (IRDP) in 1999.
• Article 41 of the Constitution of India
directs the state to provide public Features:
assistance to its citizens in case of • The focus of this programmes is on the
unemployment, old age, sickness and rural youth from poor families, in the age
disablement and in other cases of group of 15 to 35 years, belonging to: a)
undeserved want within the limit MGNREGA worker household; b) RSBY
of its economic capacity and development. household; c) Antyodaya Anna Yojana card
• Government of India introduced National household; d) BPL PDS card households; e)
Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) in NRLM-SHG household; f) Household
1995 covered under auto inclusion parameters
• A centrally sponsored scheme, with 100 of SECC 2011.
per cent central assistance is extended to • Full social inclusion of candidates is
the states/UTs to provide the benefits in ensured by the mandatory coverage of
accordance with the norms, guidelines and socially disadvantaged groups—50 per
conditions laid down by the central cent allocation to SC/ST groups, 15 per
government. cent to minorities, 33 per cent for women
• Presently NSAP comprises the following and 3 per cent for persons with disabilities.
schemes for Below Poverty Line (BPL) • Placement in wage employment is
Households: mandated for a minimum of 70 per cent of
o Indira Gandhi National Old Age all successful candidates, with a minimum
Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) salary of Rs. 6,000/- per month or the
o Indira Gandhi National Widow minimum wages, whichever is higher
Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)
24.10 Sansad Adrash Gram Yojana
o Indira Gandhi National Disability
Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) • Launched in 2014 with the aim to develop
o National Family Benefit Scheme one village by each Member of Parliament
(NFBS) as a model village by 2016 and two more
by 2019.
24.9 Deen Dayal Upadhyaya • The Gram Panchayats adopted under
Grameen Kaushalya Yojana SAGY prepared Village Development
(DDU-GKY) Plans (VDPs) containing prioritized time-
• Placement linked skill-training programme bound activities to achieve holistic
under the Ministry of Rural Development progress of the village, through
(MoRD). convergence of resources.
• Announced in 2014, DDU-GKY is a • The Ministry has developed Panchayat
critical component of the National Skill Darpan, a 35 point impact monitoring
Development Policy tool to gauge the impact of SAGY in the
• DDU-GKY has its roots in the Swarnjayanti GPs.
Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY).

24.11 Watershed Development • Constitution has fixed its tenure as five

years and has made provision for
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
reservation for SC, ST and Women
(PMKSY) was launched in 2015-16 by
amalgamating ongoing schemes of three • The Constitution of India also stipulates
ministries; direct elections of all members of
panchayats. For conducting these
o Accelerated Irrigation Benefit
elections, all states are mandated to
Programmed (AIBP) and PMKSY (WR) of
constitute a State Election Commission
the Ministry of Water Resources,
River Development and Ganga • Compulsory for states to constitute a State
Rejuvenation Finance Commission very fifth year.
o Integrated Watershed Management
24.13.1 Initiatives
Programme (IWMP) of the Ministry of
• Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran
Rural Development
Abhiyan
o National Mission on Sustainable
Agriculture (NMSA) of the Ministry of o To improve the functioning of PRI, the
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare MoPR implemented the Rajiv Gandhi
Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan
24.12 Natural Land Reforms (RGPSA) in the 12th Five Year Plan
Modernization period.
o The RGPSA addressed the major
• The scheme of National Land Reforms
constraints of inadequate devolution
Modernization Programme (NLRMP) has
of powers, lack of manpower,
been renamed as Digital India Land
inadequate infrastructure and limited
Records Modernization Programme
capacity in the effective functioning of
(DILRMP) and is being implemented since
panchayats by providing manpower,
2008.
infrastructure, training and promotion
24.13 Panchayati Raj of devolution of power to panchayats.
• Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)
• The mandate of the Ministry of Panchayati
will focus on capacity building of
Raj (MoPR), which was set up in 2004, is
Panchayati Raj Institutions for convergent
to ensure the compliance of the provisions
action to deliverbasic services and achieve
of Part IX of the Constitution.
development goals.
• Part IX of the Constitution of India
• e-Panchayat was identified as one of the 27
provides for setting up of three tiers of
Mission Mode Projects under the National
Panchayats (only two tiers in case of states
e-Governance Plan (NeGP) formulated in
of union territories having population less
2006.
than 2 million):
o gram panchayats at village level; 24.14 Drinking Water and Sanitation
o district panchayats at district level;
• The Department of Drinking Water Supply
o intermediate panchayats at sub-district
was created in the Ministry of Rural
level in between gram panchayats and
Development in 1999, and subsequently
district panchayats.
renamed as the Department of Drinking
Water and Sanitation in 2010.

• Government of India created and notified their heritage, religious

the Ministry of Drinking Water and and/or cultural
Sanitation as a separate Ministry in 2011. significance.
• After the notification in June 2019, the • The goal of the initiative is
Ministry has since been renamed as to improve the cleanliness
Department of Drinking Water and conditions at these places
Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. to a distinctly higher level.
• launched in 2014. • This initiative is in
• Concept is to provide access partnership with ministries
for every person to of Urban Development,
sanitation facilities Tourism and Culture with
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Swachh • implemented by the
being the nodal ministry.
Bharat Ministry of Drinking
Mission Water and Sanitation
• Action Plan calls for an • started in April 2016
Open Defecation Free • objective of bringing a
(ODF) India in five years fortnight of.intense focus on
(by 2019) Swachhata
the practices of Swachhata
Pakhwada
• Intervention in the rural by engaging GoI ministries
sanitation sector initially and departments in their
started in 1954. jurisdiction.
Main objectives:
• bring about an
improvement in the general • initiative of Ministry of Jal
quality of life in the rural Shakti
areas, by promoting • making villages on the bank
Namami
Swachh cleanliness, hygiene and of river Ganga ODF and
Gange
Bharat eliminating open defecation interventions dealing with
Mission solid and liquid waste
• accelerate sanitation
(Grameen) management.
coverage in rural areas to
achieve the vision of • Ganga Gram is another
October 2019 inter-ministry project between
• Swachh Bharat by 2nd SBM and the Namami Gange
encourage cost effective and Programme.
Ganga
appropriate technologies for • The Project is focused on
Gram
ecologically safe and better cleanliness and
sustainable sanitation. infrastructure facilities,
• The Ministry has taken up a through convergence with
multi-stakeholder initiative other departments
Swachh
Iconic focusing on cleaning up 100
Places places across the country
that are “iconic” due to

24.14.1 National Rural Drinking Water • CAWACH for Covid-19

Programme o DST launched a funding initiative-
• Centrally sponsored scheme aimed at Centre for Augmenting WAR with
providing adequate and safe drinking water Covid-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) in
to the rural population of the country March 2020.
• Is a component of Bharat Nirman which o The aim was to nationally scout and
focuses on the creation of the support the innovations and start-ups
infrastructure. in the areas of diagnostics and drugs,
• Rural drinking water supply is a state disinfectants and sanitizers, ventilators
subject and is also included in the and medical equipment, PPEs and
Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution. informatics to address Covid-19
challenges by scaling up efforts at the
• Thus, the participation of the Panchayati
national level.
Raj Institutions in the rural drinking water
• Science and Engineering Research
supply sector is an important area of
focus. o The research and development in
frontier areas of science and
engineering has received an
overwhelming support with the
25. Scientific and establishment of the Science and
Technological Developments Engineering Research Board (SERB).
o Teachers’ Associates for Research
Excellence (TARE) Mobility Scheme :
25.1 Introduction The Scheme launched in 2016-17 aims
• THE Department of Science and to facilitate mobility of faculty members
Technology (DST) functions as the nodal working in a regular capacity in state
agency to connect science and technology universities/colleges/academic
sector to Government verticals. institutions such as IITs, IISc, IISERs,
national labs, etc.
25.1.1 Initiatives • Innovation in science pursuit for
• Science, Technology and Innovation inspired research (INSPIRE) is an ongoing
Policy initiative for attracting talent for science
o The new Science, Technology and and research.
Innovation (STI) Policy unveiled in • DST has launched several initiatives for
2013 includes a thrust for innovations women in science under its flagship
in science and technology sector. scheme namely KIRAN (Knowledge
o STI policy reveals an aspiration to gain Involvement in Research Advancement
global competitiveness and link through Nurturing).
science sector to the developmental
• The department is implementing Million
agenda of the country.
Minds Augmenting National Aspiration
o Science, research and innovation
and Knowledge (MANAK) scheme under
system for high technology led path
its flagship programme Innovation in
for India (SRISHTI) is the main policy
Science Pursuit for Inspired Research
goal.
(INSPIRE).

• Water Technology Initiative (WTI), with the Department of Health

initiated in 2007, aims to promote R&D Research.
activities aimed at providing safe drinking o A unique type of face mask, named as
water at affordable cost and in adequate Tribo-E mask, was designed and
quantity using appropriate science and developed.
technology interventions evolved through
Survey of India (SOI)
indigenous efforts.
• SOI is the national survey and mapping
• Climate change: National Mission for organisation under the Ministry of Science
Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem and Technology, was set up in 1767.
(NMSHE) and National Mission for
• In its assigned role as the National
Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change
Principal Mapping Agency
(NMSKCC) launched under National Action
Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC) are • Survey Training Institute, Hyderabad
under implementation by the Department. established under UNDP assistance is a
premier institution for training in various
• Clean Energy Research Initiative - This
disciplines of surveying and mapping to
initiative of the department directly caters
the trainees.
to furthering the Sustainable
Development Goal #7 (SDG 7), which • While Survey of India meets the national
aims to ensure access to affordable, needs in cartography, some specialised
reliable, sustainable and modern energy thematic maps required to meet the needs
for all. of the specific users are taken care of by
the National Atlas and Thematic
• National Mission of Nano Science and
Mapping Organisation (NATMO) operating
Technology - an umbrella programme was
under the Department.
launched in 2007 to promote R&D in this
emerging area of research in a Council of Scientific and Industrial
comprehensive fashion. Research, (CSIR)
• National Initiative for Developing and • CSIR was constituted in 1942 is an
Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) autonomous body which is known for its
cutting edge R&D knowledge base in
o It has evolved as an umbrella scheme
diverse S&T areas.
for a seamless innovation ecosystem
booster. • It has created and is the custodian of
o Major links of the innovation to market Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
value chain would be supported and (TKDL) which is a powerful weapon
strengthened at various nodes across against unethical commercial exploitation
the country to attain the mission of of Indian traditional knowledge.
nation building through innovation, • It maintains Microbial Type Culture
entrepreneurship and incubation. Collection (MTCC) and Gene Bank.
• Research for Covid-19
o To ramp up the Covid-19 testing 25.2 Atomic Energy
capacity in the country, DST has • The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE),
engaged five of its laboratories for established in 1954 is engaged in the
Covid-19 testing related activities as per development of nuclear power technology.
the ICMR guidelines in collaboration

• DAE has wide ranging capabilities in • Fast Breeder Reactors

uranium mining and mineral processing, o For the second stage of the Nuclear
and is self-sufficient in the production of Power Generation Programme, the
heavy water, zirconium alloy Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
components and other materials Research (IGCAR) is pursuing
• The Nuclear Fuel Complex at Hyderabad development of sodium cooled fast
manufactures fuel assemblies for breeder reactors. Breeder reactors
pressurised heavy water reactors, boiling produce more fuel than they consume.
water reactors and fast breeder reactor.
25.2.1 Nuclear Power Programme

• To utilise uranium and large thorium
reserves in the country for electricity
generation, India has been pursuing a
three-stage nuclear power programme
(NPP).
• For the first stage of nuclear power
programme the Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), a
Public Sector Enterprise under DAE, is
responsible for siting, design, construction,
commissioning and operation of nuclear
power reactors.
• At present, 22 nuclear power reactors with
an installed capacity of 6,780 MW are o The Fast Breeder Test Reactor
running (FBTR), operating at Kalpakkam for
over 25 years, also caters to technology
• The Heavy Water Board (HWB) has
development related to fast reactors.
contributed successfully to the first stage
• Thorium Based Reactors: The Indian
of Nuclear Power Programme by producing
Nuclear Power Programme Stage-3 aims at
heavy water for all pressurised heavy water
using thorium as fuel for power generation
reactors.
on a commercial scale. In the thorium fuel
• Atomic Minerals Directorate for
cycle, thorium 232 is transmuted into the
Exploration and Research (AMD)
fissile isotope uranium 233 which is a
continued the accelerated pace of
nuclear fuel.
exploration activities for augmentation of
• Kalpakkam Mini (Kamini) Reactor was
uranium, thorium and rare metals.
operated successfully for neutron
• The Homi Bhabha National Institute
radiography of various pyro devices for
(HBNI) accredited as a deemed university
Department of Space.
by Ministry of Human Resource and
• Dhruva Research Reactor operated at
Development (MHRD) completed ten years
rated power of 100 MWt at a high safety
of its existence.
level and availability factor.

25.3 Indian Space Programme • The Decision Support Centre (DMSDSC),

established at National Remote Sensing
25.3.1 Timeline Centre (NRSC), is engaged in monitoring of
• Space activities in the country were natural disasters
initiated with the setting up of Indian
• Remote Sensing applications projects at
National Committee for Space Research
national, state and local levels made
(INCOSPAR) in 1962.
significant progress through a well-
• In the same year, work on Thumba established multi-pronged implementation
Equatorial Rocket Launching Station architecture of National Natural
(TERLS) near Thiruvananthapuram was Resources Management System
also started. (NNRMS) in the country.
• Indian Space Research Organisation • National Database for Emergency
(ISRO) was established in August, 1969. Management (NDEM) continued to provide
• The Government of India constituted the disaster related inputs for states/UTs.
space commission and established the • Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which is
Department of Space (DOS) in 1972 and India’s first inter-planetary spacecraft
brought ISRO under DOS in 1972. mission, has sucessfully completed three
• Antrix Corporation, established in 1992 years in its orbit.
as a government owned company, markets • AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength
the space products and services. observatory, completed two years in orbit.
• The Indian Institute of Space Science The satellite is now being operated as an
and Technology (IIST), a deemed ‘Observatory.’
university, was established at
Thiruvananthapuram in 2007. 25.4 Earth Sciences
• NewSpace India Limited is a Central • Earth system sciences deals with all the
Public Sector Enterprise of Government of five components of the earth system, viz.,
India. It was established in 2019 under atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere,
the administrative control of Department lithosphere and biosphere and their
of Space, India complex interaction.
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
25.3.2 Initiatives in the field of space
holistically addresses all the aspects
• Chandrayaan-2 Mission - India’s
relating the earth system science.
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle,
• The Earth System Science Organization
GSLV Mklll-M 1, successfully launched
(ESSO) operates as an executive arm of the
Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into its planned
MoES for its policies and programmes. It
orbit with a perigee (nearest point to earth)
was established in 2007.
and an apogee (farthest point to earth) of
45,475 km. • Atmospheric and Climate Research - A
high resolution global deterministic
• The Disaster Management Support (DMS)
weather prediction model was
Programme of ISRO is continuing to
commissioned for generating operational
provide space-based inputs for the effective
weather forecasts at a horizontal resolution
management of disasters in the country.
of 12 km

• The Ministry in collaboration with the Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for
Indian Council of Agricultural Research Afro-Asian Region.
(ICAR) provides the Agromet Advisory • The Indian Tsunami Warning System
Services (AAS) for the benefit of farmers. established by the Ministry at the INCOIS,
• Forecasts for Heat and Cold Waves: A Hyderabad has been recognized as the
Global Ensemble Forecast System Regional Tsunami Service Provider
(GEFS) for short and medium range (RSTP) for the Indian Ocean region by
prediction at 12 km using 21 members of UNESCO.
the model was commissioned in 2018. • Indigenously developed 500m depth rated
• Ocean Services, Technology, shallow water/Polar Remotely Operated
Observations, Resources Modelling and Vehile (PROVe) was successfully deployed,
Science (O-SMART), has been put in place in the Andaman coral islands.
for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20 for • Polar and Cryosphere Research (PACER)
addressing ocean development activities. - National Centre for Antarctic and
• Atmospheric and Climate Research, Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa
Observations Science Services (ACROSS) established a high altitude research station
pertains to the atmospheric science in Himalaya called HIMANSH, situated
programmes of the Ministry. Its objective is above 13,500 ft at a remote region in Spiti
to provide reliable weather and climate Himachal Pradesh.
forecast for betterment of society. • Seismology and Geoscience Research
• A mobile App named “DAMINI” has been (SAGE) - The national seismological
developed to disseminate the information network consisting of 115 observatories
on lightning to the public. has been functioning smoothly.
• The field campaign namely the Cloud Information pertaining to significant
Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation earthquake events were transmitted to all
Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) concerned state and central government
Phase-IV campaign was conducted near agencies.
Solapur in Maharashtra to understand the • Research, Education and Training
physical process involved in enhancement Outreach (REACHOUT) Programme is a
of precipitation. scheme that provides support to
academic/research organizations in
25.5 Ocean Services: Technology various sectors of earth system sciences
and Observations including technology development.
• Potential Fishery Zone (PFZ) Advisories -
The Indian National Centre for Ocean
25.6 Biotechnology
Information Services (INCOIS) provides • Realising the tremendous potential of
Potential Fishery Zone (PFZ) Advisories to biotechnology in improving human and
2.75 lakh fishermen on a daily basis to animal health and productivity,
help them to easily locate the areas of enhancing agricultural activity and
abundant fish in the ocean. government set up a multi-agency board
• The ocean forecast services were extended namely National Biotechnology Board
to Sri Lanka and Seychelles under the (NBTB) way back in 1982 with
umbrella of Regional Integrated Multi- participation of DST, UGC, ICMR and

CSIR to promote activities in

biotechnology. 26. Transport
• Subsequently, the National Board was
upgraded to a fulfledged Department of
26.1 Introduction
Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry
of Science and Technology in 1986. The Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry
• To infuse momentum in the growth of of Road Transport and Highways are
Biotechnology sector in the country, DBT responsible for the formation and
has formulated the National implementation of policies and programmes
Biotechnology Development Strategy. for the development of various modes of
• DBT being a visionary in biotech research transport save the railways and the civil
and promotion established 16 aviation.
autonomous institutes for pursuing
research in various disciplines of 26.2 Railways
biotechnology. • The Railways in India provide the principal
• Also from the time the Covid-19 struck in mode of transportation for freight and
2019-20, the DBT has been engaged passengers.
relentlessly to contribute to mitigate the • The first train steamed off from Mumbai to
crisis. Thane, a distance of 34 kms in 1853.
25.7 Public Sector Undertakings

The Department is also having two PSUs
namely Bharat Immunologicals and
Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) in
Uttar Pradesh and Biotechnology Industry
Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
25.7.1 Biotechnology Industry Research

Assistance Council (BIRAC)
• BIRAC is a not- for-profit Section 8,
Schedule B, public sector enterprise, set
up as an interface agency to strengthen
• Now railways have a vast network of 7,349
and empower the emerging biotech
stations spread over a route length of
enterprise to undertake strategic research
67,368 km with a fleet of 11,461
and innovation
locomotives, 53,453 passenger service
• Biotech Ignition Grant (BIG) scheme
vehicles, 6,714 other coaching vehicles and
under BIRAC is encouraging scheme for
2,77,987 wagons.
the young investigators for entrepreneurial
• About 48.26 per cent of total track
and managerial development of SME’s in
kilometre has been electrified.
biotechnology through incubators.
• The network is divided into 18 zones.
Divisions are the basic operating units. In
February 2019, Union Railways Minister

announced “South Coast Railway highways-1,54,814 kms; other roads-

(SCoR)” as 18th Zone of Indian Railways 56,08,477 kms totalling to 58,97,671 kms.
comprising existing Guntakal, Guntur and • In order to assist the state governments in
Vijayawada divisions. the development of state roads, central
• New Catering Policy 2017 was issued in government also provides financial
2017 with the objective to provide quality assistance out of the Central Road Fund
food to rail passengers by unbundling of (CRF) and Inter State Connectivity and
catering services on trains. Economic Importance (ISC & EI)
• Railways has been operating the luxury Scheme.
tourist train ‘Palace on Wheels’ since
26.3.1 Initiatives
1982. Four more trains namely ‘Deccan
• National Highways Development Project
Odyssey’, ‘Golden Chariot’, ‘Heritage
(NHDP)
Palace on Wheels’ and ‘Maharajas
Express’ on similar lines have been added o The Government is implementing
over the years. National Highways Development
Project (NHDP), the largest Highways
26.2.1 Railway finance Project ever undertaken in the country
• The Railway Budget was being presented since 2000.
separately to Parliament since 1924- 25 o The NHDP was mainly being
owing to the Separation Convention of implemented by National Highways
1924. Authority of India (NHAI) and
• The Government decided to merge the National Highways and Infrastructure
Railway Budget with the general Budget Development Corporation Ltd.
from the 2017-18. (NHIDCL)
• The Bharatmala Pariyojana
26.3 Roads o It envisages development of about
• The Ministry of Road Transport and 26,000 km length of economic
Highways is the apex body for formulation corridors, which along with Golden
and administration of the rules, Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South
regulations and laws relating to road and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors are
transport and transport research. expected to carry majority of the freight
• It encompasses construction and traffic on roads.
maintenance of national highways (NHs), • Setu Bharatam
administration of Motor Vehicles Act, o In order to ensure safe and smooth flow
1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules of traffic, the Ministry has envisaged a
1989, National Highways Act,1956 and plan for replacement of level crossing
National Highways Fee (Determination of on national highways by Road Over
Rates and Collection) Rules,2008 etv. Bridges (ROBs)/Road Under Bridges
• India has about 58.98 lakh kms of road (RUBs) under a scheme known as
network, which is the second largest in Setu Bharatam.
the world. • Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana
• The break-up is: national highways / o This project envisages development of

expressways-1,34,380 kms; state easy access to the four prominent

Dhams, namely, Gangotri, Yamunotri, 26.4 Shipping

Kedarnath and Badrinath, situated in
• The Ministry of Shipping was formed in
Uttarakhand.
2009. It is the apex body for formulation
• The Government has approved a National
and administration of the rules and
Road Safety Policy and National Highways
regulations and laws relating to shipping.
Accident Relief Service Scheme (NHARSS)
• India has a long coastline of about 7,517
so as to minimise road accidents.
km.
• e-tolling - Nationwide Electronic Toll
• There are 12 major ports and about 200
Collection based on passive Radio
non-major ports. Approximately 95 per
Frequency Identification (RFID) has been
cent of the country’s trade by volume and
implemented.
68 per cent by value is moved through
• The Green Highways (Plantation
maritime transport.
Transplantation. Beautification and
• There are 27 shipyards in the country, 6
Maintenance) Policy was firmed up in 2016
under central public sector, 2 under state
to develop eco-friendly national highways
governments and 19 under private sector.
with the participation of community,
farmers, NGOs and private sector. • India has 25-30 per cent share in the
global ship recycling industry. Ship
• National Highways Authority of India
recycling is carried out mainly at Alang-
(NHAI)
Sosiya in Gujarat. Alang-Sosiya is the
o NHAI was set up under the NHAI Act, largest ship recycling yard in the world.
1988. It has been entrusted with
National Highways Development Project 26.4.1 Initiatives
(NHDP) • India has embarked on the ambitious
• National Highways & Infrastructure Sagarmala Programme to promote port-led
Development Corporation development in the country. The objectives
o The NHIDCL is a fully owned company of the Programme include: port
of the Ministry that exclusively carries modernisation, new port development, port
out the task of construction/ up- connectivity, coastal community
grading/widening of national highways development, etc.
in parts of the country which share • A shipbuilding subsidy scheme was in
international boundaries with existence to promote Indian Shipbuilding
neighbouring countries industry for Central PSU Shipyards since
• Indian Academy of Highway Engineers 1971. The scheme was extended to all
(IAHE) is a registered society under the Indian shipyards in 2002.
administrative control of the Ministry. • Ship Recycling
o It is a collaborative body of both • India has 25-30 per cent share in the
central and state governments and global ship recycling industry. Ship
was set up in 1983 with the objective of recycling is carried out mainly at Alang-
fulfilling the long felt need for Sosiya in Gujarat. Started in February
training of highway engineers in the 1983, Alang-Sosiya is the largest ship
country, both at the entry level and recycling yard in the world.
during the service period.

• It has high recycling potential of more than

450 ships (approximately 4.5 million LDT)
per annum.
Organisations related to shipping

• Indian Maritime University (IMU) was set
up in 2008 in Chennai with campuses at
Chennai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam as a
central university.
• The Directorate General of Shipping, an • Major ports on east coast - –Kolkata,
attached office of the Ministry of Shipping, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kamarajar
(Ennore), Chennai and V.O. Chidamananar
was established in 1949 for administering
the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. • On west coast - Cochin, New Mangalore,
Mormugao, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru
• The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)
Port (Sheva, Navi Mumbai) and Deendayal
was formed in 1961. SCI continues to be
(erstwhile Kandla)
the country’s premier shipping line,
owning a fleet of 70 vessels. • The major ports are under the direct
• Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), located administrative control of the central
in Kochi in Kerala is the only yard which government and fall in Union List 7th
Schedule of Constitution.
has regularly undertaken dry dock repairs
of the aircraft carriers of Indian Navy. It is • Ports other than the major ones are under
currently building the Indian Navy the jurisdiction of the respective maritime
Indigenous Aircraft Carrier. state government and fall in the
Concurrent List.
• Dredging Corporation of India Ltd.
(DClL) was formed in 1976 to provide • Kolkata Port is the only riverine major
integrated dredging and related marine port in the country.
services. • Kamarajar Port Limited (Ennore) is the
• Andaman and Lakshadweep Harbour only corporate port amongst the major
Works (ALHW) a subordinate office under ports administered by the central
Ministry of Shipping was established government.
during 1965 for the service of A&N Islands
26.4.3 Inland Water Transport
and Lakshadweep Islands.
• Cargo transport through inland waterways
• Hooghly Dock and Port Engineers
is, presently less than 1 per cent of the
Limited (HDPEL), Kolkata became a
total cargo movement in the country.
Central Public Sector undertaking in 1984.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI) was constituted in 1986, for the
26.4.2 Major Ports
development and regulation of inland
• There are 12 major ports and about 200
waterways for shipping and navigation.
non-major ports along India’s coastline
which is about 7517 km. • 111 inland waterways have been declared
as ‘National Waterways’ under the
National Waterways Act, 2016.

• Jai Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) is being 26.5.2 FDI Liberalization

implemented by the IWAI for the capacity • Government of India has raised the FDI
augmentation of national waterway I on limit for 49 to 100 per cent in scheduled
the Haldia–Varanasi stretch of Ganga- and non-scheduled air transport services.
Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system with the • FDI in scheduled airlines upto 49 per cent
technical and financial assistance of the permitted under automatic route and FDI
World Bank. beyond 49 per cent through Government
approval.
• For NRIs, 100 per cent FDI will continue to
he allowed under automatic route.
Institutions relating to aviation sector

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) is an attached office of the Ministry
of Civil Aviation and is headed by Director
General (Civil Aviation). The headquarters
are located in New Delhi.
• The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security
(BCAS) is the regulator for civil aviation
security in the country. The BCAS has its
26.5 Civil Aviation
headquarters in New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation is
• Airports Authority of India (AAI) came
responsible for formulation of national
into being in April 1995. AAI is a Mini
policies and programmes for the
Ratna-Category-I PSE involved in
development and regulation of the civil
building, upgrading, maintaining and
aviation sector in the country.
managing airports infrastructure across
• It is responsible for the administration of the country. It owns and maintains 125
the Aircract Act, 1934, Aircraft Rules, 1937 airports comprising 21- international
airport (3 - civil enclaves).
26.5.1 National Civil Aviation Policy
o AAI provides Air Navigation Services
• For the first time since Independence and
(ANS) at all civil airports in the country.
Integrated Civil Aviation Policy was
• Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) was
notified in June, 2016, which aims at
incorporated in 1985 as a government
creating an ecosystem that will push the
company under the Companies Act.
growth of the civil aviation sector, which in
turn, would promote tourism, increase o It was established for providing
employment and lead to a balanced helicopter support services to the oil
regional growth. sector in offshore exploration, operate
in hilly and inaccessible areas and
• The Regional Connectivity Scheme
make available charter flights for
(RCS)-UDAN was envisaged in National
promotion of travel and tourism.
Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016 with the
• At present, there are three units of Hotel
twin objective of promoting balanced
Corporation of India Limited viz.,
regional growth and making flying
Centaur Lake View Hotel (CLVH), Srinagar,
affordable for masses.

Centaur Delhi Airport (CHDA) including Vande Bharat Mission

Chefair Flight Catering (CFCD), Delhi and • Vande Bharat Mission consists of special
Chefair Flight Catering (CFCM), Mumbai. repatriation flights operated by Indian
• The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran carriers and chartered flights operated by
Akademi (IGRUA) was set up at both Indian and foreign carriers.
Fursatganj, Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh) to • As per the information provided by the
bring about a quantum improvement in Ministry of External Affairs till August
the standards of flying and ground training 2020, more than 11 lakh Indians
of commercial pilots in the country. (excluding land border crossings) have
• The Airports Economic Regulatory returned to India under this mission.
Authority (AERA) is a statutory body
Lifeline UDAN
constituted under the Airports Economic
• Ministry of Civil Aviation launched ‘Lifeline
Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008 in
UDAN’ in March 2020. It is an initiative to
2009 with its head office at Delhi.
ensure a steady supply of essentials as
• Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation well as medical supplies, Personal
University (RGNAU) is a central university Protective Equipment (PPEs), test kits, etc.,
under the administrative control of the to all parts of the country.
Ministry. The university has been
established by the Rajiv Gandhi National
Aviation University Act, 2013. It is situated
at Fursatganj, Raebareli, district Amethi, 27. Water Resources
Uttar Pradesh.
26.5.3 Initiatives 27.1 Introduction

• Air Sewa – it is an initiative of the The Ministry of Water Resources, River
Ministry of Civil Aviation launched 2016 to Development and Ganga Rejuvenation lays
offer people a convenient and hassle-free down policies and programmes for
air travel experience. development and regulation of the water
• GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation resources of the country.
(GAGAN) is an augmentation system to
The Ministry has been renamed Ministry of
enhance the accuracy and integrity of GPS
Jal Shakti with two departments —
signals to meet precision approach
requirements in Civil Aviation and it is 1. Department of Water Resources, River
being implemented jointly by AAI and Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and
ISRO. 2. Department of Drinking Water and
• Air India Ltd. is in transport services Sanitation.
sector under the administrative control of
the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Air-India 27.2 Water Availability
Charters Limited (AICL) operates a low • The average annual water availability of
cost airline under the brand name “Air any region or country is largely dependent
India Express”. upon hydrometeorological and
geological factors.

• India receives mean annual precipitation of • This Policy has made several
about 3,880 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM). recommendations for conservation,
The average annual water availability, after development and improved management of
evaporation, is assessed at 1,999.20 BCM. water resources in the country.
• Due to geological and other factors, the • The Policy also lays emphasis on
utilisable water available is limited to community participation in management
1,122 BCM per annum, comprising of 690 of water resources projects and services
BCM of surface water and 432 BCM of
groundwater. 27.3.2 National Water Mission
• National Water Mission is one of the
• Total requirement of the country for
missions under NAPCC.
different uses for high demand scenario for
the years 2025 and 2050 has been • The main objective of the National Water
assessed as 843 BCM and 1,180 BCM Mission is (NWM) “conservation of water,
respectively. minimizing wastage and ensuring its
more equitable distribution both across
• Water availability per person declines
and within States through integrated
progressively with the increase in
water resources development and
population.
management”.
• For India, the average annual per capita
• An independent Web Portal of NWM has
water availability of water for the years
been launched, which aims at providing all
2001 and 2011 was assessed at 1,816
the information relating to water resources,
cubic meters and 1,545 cubic meters
organisations and their activities on
respectively.
different aspects of water resources at one
• The average annual per capita water
point.
availability is projected to further reduce to
1,340 cubic meters and 1,140 cubic 27.3.3 National Mission for Clean Ganga
meters in the years 2025 and 2050 • The main stem of the river Ganga traverses
respectively. 5 major states namely, Uttarakhand,
• As per the commonly used Falkenmark Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and
Indicator, annual per capita water West Bengal and travels 2525 kms.
availability of less than 1,700 cubic • In 2015, the “Namami Gange” - Integrated
meters is considered as water stressed Ganga Conservation Mission programme
condition, whereas annual per capita was launched.
water availability below 1,000 cubic meters • In 2016, through the River Ganga
is considered as a water scarcity condition. (Rejuvenation, Protection and
Management) Authorities Order 2016,
27.3 Initiatives for water
NGRBA has been replaced with a National
conservation
Ganga Council for Rejuvenation, Protection
27.3.1 National Water Policy and Management of River Ganga as an
• The National Water Policy, 2012 was authority.
adopted by the National Water Resources • National Mission for Clean Ganga
Council. (NMCG) has also been converted in to an
authority

27.3.4 Jal Kranti Abhiyan Management Activities and Works related

• Ministry has launched Jal Kranti Abhiyan to Border Areas (RMBA) schemes.
(2015-16 to 2017-18) in order to • With the objective to effectively tackle
consolidate water conservation and critical and chronic flood problems in the
management in the country through a Ganga Basin, Ganga Flood Control Board
holistic approach involving all (GFCB) was set up in 1972.
stakeholders, making it a mass movement.
• Ganga Flood Control Commission
27.3.5 Jal Manthan (GFCC), a subordinate office of this
Ministry with its headquarters at Patna,
It is an initiative of this Ministry for wider
was also created in 1972 to act as the
consultations among various stakeholders for secretariat and executive limb of GFCB.
churning out new ideas and tangible solutions
to various water sector issues. 27.5 Ground Water Development
• Central Ground Water Board carries out
27.3.6 Irrigation initiatives
periodic assessment of ground water
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
resources jointly with the state ground
• PMKSY was launched with an aim to
water departments.
enhance physical access of water on farm
• In the XII Plan, CGWB has taken up the
and expand cultivable area under assured
National Project on Aquifier
irrigation, improve on farm water use
Management (NAQUIM) to facilitate
efficiency, introduce sustainable water
identification, delineation, characterization
conservation practices, etc.
and effective management of aquifiers to
• The Accelerated Irrigation Benefits
ensure sustainability of ground water
Programme (AIBP) was launched in 1996- resources.
97 to provide Central Assistance to
• Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)
major/medium irrigation projects in the
has been entrusted with the responsibility
country
of regulating and controlling ground water
• The Centrally Sponsored Command Area
development and management in the
Development (CAD) Programme was
country and issuing necessary directives
launched in 1974-75 for development of
for the purpose. CGWA exercises of power
adequate delivery system of irrigation
under Section 5 of the Environment
water up to farmers’ field with an objective
(Protection) Act, 1986
to enhance water use efficiency and
• The Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water
production and productivity of crops per
Training and Research Institute
unit of land and water for improving socio-
(RGNGWTRI) is the training arm of Central
economic condition of farmers.
Ground Water Board and is located at
27.4 Flood management Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
• A new scheme called Flood Management 27.6 Central Water Commission

and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)
• Central Water Commission (CWC) is
has been proposed with merged
headed by a Chairman, with the status of
components from the existing Flood
an ex-officio Secretary to the Government
Management Programme (FMP) and River
of India.

• The work of the Commission is divided

Water project Authorities and boards
among 3 wings namely, Designs and
• The Farakka Barrage Project Authority
Research Wing (D&R), Water Planning
was set up in 1961 with the mandate to
and Projects Wing (WP&P) and River
execute and thereafter operate and
Management Wing (RM).
maintain the Farakka Barrage Project
• The main functions of CWC include: to Complex comprising Farakka Barrage,
carry out techno-economic appraisal of Jangipur Barrage, Feeder Canal,
irrigation, flood control and multipurpose Navigation Lock and associated structures.
projects proposed by the state It is in west Bengal.
governments; to collect, compile, publish
• Betwa River Board (B.R.B) was
and analyse the hydrological and hydro-
constituted in 1976 to execute the Rajghat
meteorological data relating to major rivers
Dam Project and Power House. The
in the country, consisting of rainfall, runoff
benefits and cost of the above project are
and temperature, etc.;
shared equally by Uttar Pradesh and
• Central Water Commission is monitoring Madhya Pradesh.
water quality at 429 key locations
• The Tungabhadra Board was constituted
covering all the major river basins of India.
in 1953. The Board consists of
• CWC is providing Flood Forecasting representations from Andhra Pradesh,
service at 226 stations, of which 166 are Karnataka, Telangana and Government of
level forecasting stations on major rivers India.
and 60 are inflow forecasting stations on
• Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) is a
major dams/ barrages.
subordinate office under this Ministry. The
• Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Board was constituted in 1994 with
Project (DRIP) is the World Bank assisted Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar
project for rehabilitation of 223 large Pradesh, Rajasthan and National Capital
dams in the seven participating states Territory of Delhi as its measure.
along with institutional strengthening
• Brahmaputra Board, an autonomous
component for participating states and
statutory body was set up and started
Central Water Commission.
functioning in 1982. The jurisdiction of
• As per the latest information compiled Brahmaputra Board includes both
under the National Register of Large Brahmaputra and Barak valley and covers
Dams (NRLD) maintained by CWC, there all the states of North Eastern Region,
are 5701 large dams in the country. Sikkim and Northern part of West
• India-WRIS (Water Resource Information Bengal falling under Brahmaputra basin.
System), a portal for providing information • The Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal
on water resources has been jointly (NWDT) was constituted in 1969 to
developed by CWC and ISRO. adjudicate upon the water dispute
• National Water Academy, the training pertaining to river Narmada. Central
institute of CWC, is located at Pune for Government has framed the Narmada
training of central and state in-service Water Scheme interalia constituting the
engineers, NGO’s, etc. Narmada Control Authority (NCA).
• The Sardar Sarovar Construction

Advisory Committee (SSCAC) was (NIH), established in 1978 as an

constituted by the Government of India in autonomous organization under this
accordance with the directives of the Ministry, is a premier R&D institute in
Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) the country to undertake, aid, promote
in 1980. and coordinate basic, applied and strategic
• Krishna River Management Board research on all aspects of hydrology and
(KRMB) was constituted in 2014 with water resources development. The
autonomous status under this Ministry. Institute has its headquarters at Roorkee
(Uttarakhand).
• Polavaram Irrigation Project is a multi-
purpose irrigation project which is on the • National Projects Construction
river Godavari near Ramayyapeta village of Corporation Limited (NPCC) was
Polavaram mandal about 42km upstream established in 1957 as a premier
of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage. construction company to create necessary
infrastructure for economic development of
27.7 International treaties and co- the country. NPCC comply with quality
operation management requirements of ISO 9001-
2008 for execution of civil works
• An Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers
• To utilise the expertise of the engineers
Commission (JRC) is functioning since
who had carried out pioneering work and
1972. A Treaty was signed by the Prime
to share the knowledge and experience
Ministers of India and Bangladesh in 1996
with other developing countries and in
for the sharing of Ganga/Ganges waters
turn earning foreign currency Water and
at Farakka during the lean season.
Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS)
• Indo-Nepal bilateral mechanisms for the
was established in 1969.
management of floods due to the rivers
• The North Eastern Regional Institute of
flowing into India from Nepal are: (i) Joint
Water and Land Management
Committee on Inundation of Flood
(NERIWALM) was established at Tezpur,
Management (JCIFM) and (ii) Joint
Assam by North Eastern Council (NEC), in
Committee on Kosi Gandak Proiects
1989.
(JCKGP).
• The main objective of the Institute is to
• Under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960,
provide capacity building, undertake
India and Pakistan have each created a
research and provide technical services to
Permanent post of Commissioner for Indus
the line departments in order to improve
Waters. The two Commissioners together
agricultural production and socio-
form the Permanent Indus Commission
economic status of the people in north
(PIC).
east.
Organisations
• The National Water Development Agency
was set up in 1982 to study the feasibility
of the links under peninsular component of
national perspective plan. The NWDA is
fully funded by Government of India.
• The National Institute of Hydrology

tribes against scheduled castes and

28. Welfare scheduled tribes.
• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment
28.1 Introduction
Act, 2015 and 2016: There have been
Ministry of Social Justice and addition of several new offences. The
Empowerment has two departments establishment of exclusive special courts
(i) Department of Social Justice and for the speedy trial of offences of atrocities
Empowerment (Samajik Nyaya and are provided.
Adhikarita Vibhag) • National Commission for Scheduled
(ii) Department of Disability Affairs Castes
(Nishaktata Karya Vibhag) since renamed o The National Commission for SCs and
as Department of Empowerment of STs (NCSC) which was set up under
Article 338 of the Constitution in 1990
Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan).
was bifurcated into two Commissions
28.2 Events Related to Scheduled namely, National Commission for
Caste Welfare Scheduled Castes and National
Commission for Scheduled Tribes after
• Celebration of Constitution Day- On 29 the 89th Constitutional (Amendment)
August 1947, the Constituent Assembly Act, 2003.
set up a Drafting Committee under the o The National Commission for Scheduled
Chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to Castes is responsible for monitoring the
prepare a draft Constitution for India.
safeguards provided for Scheduled
• The national committee that was formed Castes and also to review issues
under the chairmanship of the Prime concerning their welfare.
Minister for celebrating the 125th Birth
Anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, 28.2.2 Educational Empowerment
decided to increase awareness about the • Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC Students
Constitution. Scheme –The Scheme is centrally
sponsored introduced in 2012 and
28.2.1 Welfare of Scheduled Castes and implemented by the state governments and
Scheduled Tribes union territory administrations.
• Protection of Civil Rights - In pursuance • National Overseas Scholarship for SCs
of Article 17 of the Constitution of India, Scheme – it provides for fees charged by
the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 institutions as per actual, monthly
was enacted. Subsequently, it was maintenance allowance, passage visa fee
amended and renamed in 1976 as the and insurance premium, annual
Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. contingency allowance, incidental journey
• The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled allowance.
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, • Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana –
1989 (The PoA Act) came into force in the objective is to provide hostel facilities
1990. This legislation aims at preventing to SC boys and girls studying in middle
commission of offences by persons other
than scheduled castes and scheduled
schools, higher secondary schools, colleges • Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme

and universities. for Scheduled Castes with an objective to
• Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC encourage entrepreneurship in the lower
Students - The Scheme provides financial strata of the society resulting in job
assistance to scheduled caste students for creation.
pursuing research studies leading to M.
28.3 Welfare of Persons with
Phil, Ph.D, and equivalent research
Disabilities
degree in universities, research
institutions and scientific institutions. • In order to give focused attention to
different policy issues and meaningful
28.2.3 Special Central Assistance (SCA) thrust to the activities aimed at welfare
o SCA to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan is and empowerment of the Persons with
a central sector Scheme, started in Disabilities, a separate Department of
1980, under which 100 per cent grant Disability Affairs was carved out of the
is given to the states/UTs, as an Ministry of Social Justice and
additive to their Scheduled Castes Sub Empowerment in 2012.
Plan (SCSP). The main objective is to
• According to Census 2011, there are 2.68
give a thrust to family-oriented
crore persons with disabilities in the
schemes of economic development of
country (who constitute 2.21 per cent of
SCs below the poverty line.
the total population). Out of the total
• Scheduled Castes Development
population of persons with disabilities,
Corporations (SCDCs) - The centrally
about 1.50 crore are men and 1.18 crore
sponsored scheme for participating in the
are women.
equity share of the in the ratio of 49:51
• These include persons with visual, hearing,
(central/state) was introduced in 1979.
speech and locomotor disabilities, mental
o The main functions of such
illness, mental retardation, multiple
corporations are identification of
disabilities and other disabilities.
eligible SC families and motivating
them to undertake economic 28.3.1 Constitutional provisions
development schemes, sponsoring the • Article 41: “The State shall, within the
schemes to financial institutions for limits of its economic capacity and
credit support development, make effective provision for
• The National Scheduled Castes Finance securing the right to work, to education
and Development Corporation (NSFDC) and to public assistance in case of
was set up in 1989 under Section 8 of the unemployment, old age, sickness and
Companies Act, 2013 to provide financial disablement and in other cases of
assistance in the form of concessional undeserved want’.
loans to scheduled caste families. • Eleventh Schedule to Article 243-G and
• Government announced the setting up of a Twelfth Schedule to Article 243-W,
Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled which pertain to the powers and
Castes in 2014. This was to promote responsibilities of the Panchayats and
entrepreneurship among the scheduled municipalities respectively with respect to
castes and to provide concessional finance implementation of schemes for economic
to them. development and social justice, include
welfare and safeguarding the interests of • Mental Health Act- Mental illness has
Persons with Disabilities among other been recognized as one of the disabilities
weaker sections of the society. under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal
• The Department deals with the following Opportunities, Protection of Rights and
legislations governing different aspects of Full Participation) Act, 1995. The
disability and welfare and empowerment of treatment and care of the mentally ill
the Persons with Disabilities—The persons are governed by the Mental Health
Rehabilitation Council of India Act, Act, 1987.
1992; The Persons with Disabilities • A comprehensive law, namely, the Persons
(Equal Opportunities, Protection of with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities,
Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995; Protection of Rights and Full
and The National Trust for the Welfare Participation) Act, 1995, was enacted
of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and enforced in 1996.
Mental Retardation and Multiple o The law deals with both prevention and
Disabilities Act, 1999. promotion aspects of the rehabilitation
such as education, employment and
28.3.2 Initiatives
vocational training, creation of barrier-
• Department of Empowerment of Persons
free environment, provision of
with Disabilities (DEPwD), has formulated
rehabilitation services for persons with
the accessible India Campaign (Sugamya
disabilities, institutional services and
Bharat Abhiyan), as a nation-wide
supportive social security measures like
campaign for achieving universal
unemployment allowance and grievance
accessibility for PwDs.
redressal machinery both at the central
• Access Audit – to check the easy access of and state levels.
public buildings and Websites to the • Chief Commissioner for Persons with
persons with disabilities. As per the audit Disabilities - The Chief Commissioner is
findings, retrofitting and conversion of an important statutory functionary,
buildings, transport and websites would appointed under Section 57 of the Persons
be undertaken by various government with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities,
departments. Protection of Rights and Full Participation)
• The Department is collaborating with Act, 1995.
Ministry of Home, Ministry of Health • Rehabilitation Council of India - The
and Family Welfare and Ministry of Rehabilitation Council of India is a
Tourism for creating “accessible police statutory body set up under the
station”, “accessible hospitals” and Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992.
“accessible tourism” respectively across
• The Council is responsible for regulating
the country.
the training policies and programmes for
• Scheme of Implementation of Persons various categories of professionals in the
with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) is an area of rehabilitation and special
umbrella scheme run by the DEPwD for education.
implementing various initiatives for social
• Artificial Limbs Manufacturing
and economic empowerment of PwDs.
Corporation of India (ALIMCO), Kanpur
is a public sector body, engaged in

manufacturing of aids and appliances for “Tribal Areas” and provides for district
persons with disabilities. councils and/or regional councils for such
• National Handicapped Finance and areas.
Development Corporation (NHFDC) – • The term scheduled tribes is defined in
NHFDC is an apex-level financial the Constitution of India under Article
institution for extending credit facilities to 366(25) as such tribes or tribal
persons with disabilities for their economic communities or parts of groups within
development. such tribes or tribal communities as are
deemed under Article 342 to be scheduled
28.4 Tribal Affairs tribes.
28.4.1 Development of Scheduled National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

Tribes (NCST)
• NCST was set up with effect from 19th
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs was set up in
February, 2004 by amending Article 338
1999 after the bifurcation of Ministry of Social
and inserting a new Article 338A in the
Justice and Empowerment with the objective
Constitution, through the Constitution
of providing more focused approach on the
(Eighty-ninth Amendment) Act, 2003.
integrated socio-economic development of the
• The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of
Scheduled Tribes (STs), the most
the Commission have been conferred the
underprivileged of the society.
rank of Union Cabinet Minister and
28.4.2 Constitutional provisions for Minister of State respectively, while the
scheduled areas members of the Commission have been
• The Fifth Schedule under Article 244 (1) of given the rank of a Secretary to the
Constitution defines “Scheduled Areas” as Government of India
such areas as the President may by Order
declare to be Scheduled Areas after
28.4.3 Procedure for Declaration as ST
• The term scheduled tribes is defined in the
consultation with the Governor of the
Constitution of India under Article 366(25)
state.
as such tribes or tribal communities or
• The criteria for declaring any area as a
parts of groups within such tribes or tribal
“Scheduled Area” under the Fifth Schedule
communities as are deemed under Article
are:
342 to be scheduled tribes.
o Preponderance of tribal population,
• Article 342 prescribes the procedure to be
o Compactness and reasonable size of the
followed in the matter of specification of
area,
scheduled tribes.
o A viable administrative entity such as a
• In terms of Article 342(1), the President
district, block or taluk, and
may, with respect to any state or union
o Economic backwardness of the area as
territory, and where it is a state, after
compared to neighbouring areas.
consultation with the Governor thereof,
• The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 (2)
notify tribes or tribal communities or parts
of the Constitution relates to those areas in
thereof as scheduled tribes.
the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura
and Mizoram which are declared as • Thus, in terms of Article 342(1), only
those communities who have been
declared as such by the President through of tribal people and was adopted for the
an initial public notification will be first time in the Fifth Five Year Plan.
considered as scheduled tribes. • National Scheduled Tribes Finance and
• Any further amendment in the list is to be Development Corporation (NSTFDC) was
done through an Act of Parliament set up in 2001 under the Ministry of Tribal
(Article 342(2)). Affairs. It was established with a view to
• Parliament may, by law, include in or pay a focused attention and accelerate
exclude from the list of scheduled the pace of economic development of
tribes, any tribe or tribal community or scheduled tribes
parts thereof. • Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana
• The list of scheduled tribes is state- (AMSY) is an exclusive Scheme for the
specific. In other words, a community economic development of ST women, at a
declared as scheduled tribe in one state highly concessional rate of interest.
need not be so in another. • The Scheduled Tribes and Other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition
28.4.4 Scheduling and De-Scheduling of of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 seeks to
Tribes recognize and vest the forest rights and
• Thus, the first specification of scheduled occupation in forest land in forest dwelling
tribes in relation to a particular state/ scheduled tribes and other traditional
union territory is by a notified order of forest dwellers
the President, after consultation with the
o As per the Act, the responsibility for
state governments concerned.
recognition and vesting of forest rights
• The criteria generally adopted for and distribution of land rights rests
specification of a community as a with the state government.
scheduled tribe are: (a) indications of • The central government launched an
primitive traits; (b) distinctive culture; (c) approach, namely, Vanbandhu Kalyan
shyness of contact with the community at Yojana (VKY) with a view to translate the
large; and (d) geographical isolation, i.e., available resource into overall development
backwardness. These are not spelt out in of tribal population with an outcome-based
the Constitution but have become well orientation.
established.
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development
• It is worth noting that no community has
Federation of India Limited (TRIFED)
been specified as a scheduled tribe in
• TRIFED was set up in 1987 as a national
relation to the states of Haryana and
level apex body under the Multi State
Punjab and the union territories of
Cooperative Societies Act, 1984
Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry.
• TRIFED functions as a ‘market developer’
28.4.5 Initiatives for tribal products and as ‘service provider’
• Tribal Sub Plan - The present Tribal Sub to its member federations.
Plan (TSP) strategy was initially developed
by an Expert Committee set up by the 28.5 Welfare of Other Backward
Ministry of Education and Social Welfare in Classes
1972 for rapid socio-economic development • The Second Backward Classes Commission
(commonly known as Mandal
Commission), constituted under Article o The Policy envisaged state support to

340, submitted its report in 1980. ensure financial and food security,
• In the light of this report, the Government health care, shelter and other needs of
of India provided 27 per cent reservation in older persons
central government posts for persons • The government has reconstituted
belonging to the socially and economically National Council for Older Persons
backward classes, (also referred to as (NCOP) to advise and aid the government
“Other Backward Classes” or OBCs). on developing policies and programmes for
older persons.
• Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy
on Educational Loans: The objective of the o The Council has been reconstituted and
Scheme is to award interest subsidy to renamed as National Council of Senior
meritorious students belonging to the Citizens (NCSrC) in 2012.
Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and
28.6.2 Drugs and Psychotropic
Economically Backward Classes (EBCs).
Substances
National Commission for Backward Classes • The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
(NCBC) Substances Act, 1985, was enacted, inter
• NCBC was set up in 1993 as per the alia, to curb drug abuse.
provision of the National Commission for • Section 71 of the Act provides that the
Backward Classes Act, 1993. Government may, in its discretion,
• The Constitution (102 Amendment) Act of establish as many centres as it thinks fit
2018 gave constitutional status to the for identification, treatment, education,
Commission under Article 338B after-care, rehabilitation of addicts
• Ministry of Finance in consultation with all
National Backward Classes Finance and
Development Corporation (NBCFDC) stakeholders including the Department of
• NBCFDC was incorporated in 1992 as a Social Justice and Empowerment has
Company not for profit with an objective brought the Narcotic Drugs and
to promote economic and developmental Psychotropic Substances Policy (NDPS
activities for the benefit of backward Policy)
classes and to assist the poorer sections of
28.6.3 Minorities
these classes in skill development and self-
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs was
employment ventures.
established in 2006.
• It is a Government of India Undertaking
• It has been mandated for formulation of
under the aegis of Ministry of Social
policies, schemes and programmes for
Justice and Empowerment.
welfare and socio-economic development of
6 (six) notified minority communities
28.6 Social Defence
namely, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
28.6.1 Welfare of older persons Buddhists, Parsis and Jains, which
• The existing National Policy on Older constitute more than 19 per cent of
Persons (NPOP) was announced in 1999 to India’s population.
reaffirm the commitment to ensure the
well-being of the older persons.

Initiatives
National Commission for Minorities
• The Prime Minister’s 15-Point programme
• The Minorities Commission which was set
for the Welfare of Minorities was
up in 1978 became a statutory body with
announced in 2006. The objectives of the
the enactment of the National Commission
programme are enhancing opportunities
for Minorities Act, 1992 after which it was
for education, ensuring an equitable
renamed as the National Commission for
share for minorities in economic
Minorities.
activities and employment etc.
• Scholarship Schemes for Minority Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities
Students- This Ministry is implementing • The Office of the Commissioner for
three scholarship schemes for the Linguistic Minorities (CLM) was established
educational empowerment of students in 1957. in pursuance of the provision of
belonging to the notified minority Article 350-B of the Constitution which
communities envisages investigation by CLM of all
• The Maulana Azad National Fellowship matters relating to the safeguards
(MANF) scheme for minority students provided for the linguistic minorities in
was launched in 2009 as a Central Sector the constitution.
Scheme (CSS). It is implemented through Central Wakf Council
University Grants Commission (UGC) • A Wakf is a permanent dedication of
and cent per cent central assistance is movable or immovable properties for
provided under the Scheme. purposes recognised by the Muslim Law as
• Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied religious, pious or charitable.
Scheme - The “Free Coaching and Allied • Administration of central legislation for
Scheme for the candidates belonging to Wakfs is the responsibility of the Ministry
miniority communities was launched in of Social Justice and Empowerment.
2007 by this Ministry.
• Nai Udaan - The objective of the Scheme is 28.7 Women and Child Development
to provide financial support to the minority
• A separate Ministry of Women and Child
candidates clearing prelims conducted by
Development came into existence from
Union Public Service Commission, Staff
2006
Selection Commission and State Public
Service Commissions Initiatives
• Padho Pardes- The objective of the Scheme • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is one the
is to award interest subsidy to meritorious flagship programmes of the Government,
students belonging to economically weaker launched in 2015 to address the declining
sections of minorities Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and address other
related issues of disempowerment of
• Nai Roshni This Ministry implements an
women. CSR is the number of girls against
exclusive scheme ‘Nai Roshni’ for
1000 boys in the age group of 0-6 years.
leadership development of minority women
with an aim to empower and instill • Government announced pan India
confidence in them implementation of maternity benefit
programme to eligible pregnant women and
lactating mothers. The programme was

named Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana improve overall police responsiveness to

Yojana (PMMVY). gender sensitive cases and to bring
• Government of India approved the Mahila visibility to more women and strengthen
Shakti Kendra (MSK) Scheme in 2017 for gender sensitivity in police force.
its implementation from 2017-18 to 2019- • Guidelines for Matrimonial Websites - In
20 to empower rural women through view of the increasing number of crimes
community participation. committed against women on account of
• To provide emergency response to women information shared on matrimonial
in distress, MWCD had taken up the websites, it was decided to look into the
installation of physical panic button on issue and put in place a regulatory
mobile phones. Based on extensive framework in order to check this misuse.
stakeholder consultations initiated by the • The WCD Ministry has been working to
Ministry the ’Panic Button and Global extend the maternity leave period for
Positioning System in Mobile Phone working women to seven months to enable
Handsets Rules, 2016’ have been notified them to provide exclusive breastfeeding
by the Department of Telecommunications. to children for six months after child
• The broad mandate of Mahila Police birth and complementary foods thereafter
Volunteers (MPVs) is to report to to help reduce incidence of malnutrition.
authorities/police the incidences of • Ministry of Women and Child Development
violence against women such as domestic is working towards the effective
violence, child marriage, dowry implementation of the Sexual
harassment and violence faced by women Harassment of Women at Workplace
in public spaces. (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)
• The Ministry is implementing the Swadhar Act, 2013.
Greh Scheme which targets the women • Village Convergence and Facilitation
who have been victims of unfortunate Service (VCFS) is an initiative launched in
circumstances and who are in need of 2015 aimed at creating awareness through
institutional support for rehabilitation so community engagement. Dedicated
that they could lead their life with dignity. village coordinators are selected to
• The recently enacted Rights of Persons facilitate convergence on women’s issues
with Disabilities Act, 2016 notified in and work in close coordination with the
2016, included acid attack as a kind of gram panchayat and its subcommittees.
disability. • The Ministry of Women and Child
• Gender Budgeting (GB) is a powerful tool Development launched “Mahila e- Haat”,
for achieving gender mainstreaming so as a unique direct online digital marketing
to ensure that benefits of development platform for women entrepreneurs in 2016.
reach women as much as men. • National Policy for Women
• The MWCD as the nodal agency for • The Draft National Policy for Women, 2016,
gender budgeting is undertaking several is in its last stages of finalisation. It has
initiatives for taking it forward at the been revised after 15 years and is expected
national and state levels. to guide government action on women’s
• The WCD Ministry has been working along issues over the next 15-20 years.
with the Ministry of Home Affairs to
• The policy addresses women’s issues on a and anonymous mode of making a

life-cycle continuum and encompasses a complaint, an internet based facility, e-
wide spectrum of issues from education, Box, has been provided.
health, economic participation, decision • Comprehensive Adoption Reforms -
making, violence etc. Government has notified Juvenile Justice
• Ujjawala is a comprehensive scheme to Act, 2015 and Chapter VIII of the Act
combat trafficking. The Scheme was provisions for adoption of orphaned,
launched in 2007 with the objective to abandoned and surrendered children and
prevent trafficking of women and children also adoption of children by relatives.
for commercial sexual exploitation, to • Central Adoption Resource Agency has
facilitate rescue victims and placing them been reconstituted as Central Adoption
in safe custody. The Scheme is being Resource Authority (CARA) under this
implemented mainly through the non Act.
governmental organisations (NGOs).
• National Nutrition Mission (NNM) is
• The Government had set up a dedicated proposed to achieve improvement in
fund called Nirbhaya Fund in 2013, for nutritional status of children (O-6years),
implementation of initiatives aimed at adolescent girls and pregnant women and
enhancing the safety and security for lactating mothers in a time bound manner
women in the country. over a period of three years with the
• Every year, International Women’s Day is objectives of
celebrated on 8th March. On this day, a o preventing and reducing under-
large number of events are held across the nutrition in children (0-3 years);
country to inspire and celebrate o reducing the prevalence of anaemia
achievements of women in various spheres. among young children (6-59 months)
and
28.7.1 Children’s Issues
o reducing the prevalence of anaemia
• A major part of India’s population—around
among women and adolescent girls (15-
158 million consist of children in the age
49 years).
of 0-6 years (2011 Census).
• The Integrated Child Development
• The Ministry of Women and Child Services (ICDS) Scheme now known as
Development is administering various Anganwadi Services Scheme was
schemes for the welfare, development and launched in 1975 with the objective to
protection of children. improve the nutritional and health status
• Khoya-Paya Portal: In order to bring of children in the age-group 0-6 years.
citizen participation for protecting children, • Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) was
a new citizen-based portal Khoya-Paya was introduced in 2010-11 and is operational
launched in 2015 which enables posting of in 205 selected districts across the
information of missing and sighted country. It aims at all-round on pilot basis
children. development of adolescent girls of 11-18
• POCSO e-Box - Children are often unable years.
to complain about sexual abuse because it • Junk Food Guidelines have been
is usually done by someone known to developed and forwarded to MHRD and
them. In order to provide them with a safe MoHFW for implementation.

• The National Plan of Action for Children • The National Commission for Protection
(NPAC), 2016 is based on the principles of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in
embedded in the National Policy for 2007 under the Commissions for
Children, 2013. The Action Plan has four Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act,
key priority areas: survival, health and 2005.
nutrition; education and development; • Central Adoption Resource Authority
protection; and participation. (CARA) is a statutory body that functions
• The National Creche Scheme is being as the nodal body for adoption of Indian
implemented as a centrally sponsored children and is mandated to monitor and
scheme through the states/UTs from 2017 regulate in-country and intercountry
to provide day-care facilities to children of adoptions.
working mothers and other deserving • Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) was
women. established in 1993 as an autonomous
• Ministry launched the National Early body and was registered under the
Childhood Care and Education (NECCE) Societies Registration Act 1860.
Policy in 2013. The Policy lays down the
way forward for a comprehensive
approach towards ensuring a sound
foundation for survival, growth and
29. Youth Affairs and Sports
development of child with focus on care
and early learning. 29.1 Introduction
• Enrolment of Children below Six Years
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Under Aadhaar - The Aadhaar Act has
functioned under the overall guidance of
been notified conferring legal status upon
the Minister of State (Independent Charge)
the Unique Identification Authority of
for Youth Affairs and Sports during the
India (UIDAI) to issue Aadhaar to
year.
residents of India including children below
five years. • In April, 2008, two separate Departments,
namely, Department of Youth Affairs and
Organisations under Ministry of WCD Department of Sports, were created under
• National Institute of Public Cooperation the Ministry.
and Child Development (NIPCCD) is a • India is one of the youngest nations in
premier organisation devoted to promotion the world, with about 65 per cent of the
of voluntary action research, training and population under 35 years of age.
documentation in the overall domain of
• The youth in the age group of 15-29 years
women and child development. It was
comprises 27.5 per cent of the population.
established in New Delhi in 1966 under
This ‘demographic dividend’ offers a great
Societies Registration Act of 1860.
opportunity.
• The National Commission for Women
was set up as statutory body in 1992 29.2 Initiatives
under the National Commission for Women
• The National Youth Policy, 2014 (NYP-
Act, 1990 to review the Constitutional and
2014) was launched in 2014, replacing the
legal safeguards for women
erstwhile National Youth Policy, 2003. The

Policy defines ‘youth’ as persons in the • Education through Service is the purpose
age-group of 15-29 years. of the NSS. The ideological orientation of
• The Department undertook a the NSS is inspired by the ideals of
comprehensive exercise to re-structure/ Mahatma Gandhi.
consolidate all the schemes which are • Very appropriately, the motto of NSS is ‘not
now being operated by Department of me, but you’. An NSS volunteer places the
Youth Affairs into 3 flagship schemes as ‘community’ before ‘self’.
follows:
29.2.3 Rajiv Gandhi National Institute
of Youth Development (RGNIYD)
• RGNIYD in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is
an ‘Institute of National Importance’
under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports.
• The RGNIYD was set up in 1993 as a
society under the Societies Registration
Act, 1975 and was conferred the status of
‘Deemed to be University’ under ‘de-
novo’ category in 2008, by the Ministry of
29.2.1 Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Human Resources Development.
Karyakram
29.2.4 National Programme for Youth
• Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS),
and Adolescent Development (NPYAD)
launched in 1972, is one of the largest
scheme
youth organisations in the world. NYKS
• It was introduced in 2008. Under it,
currently has about 8.7 million youth
financial assistance is provided to
enrolled through 3.04 lakh youth
government/non-government
clubs/mahila mandals. The objective of the
organisations for taking up youth and
programme is to develop the personality
adolescent activities.
and leadership qualities of the youth and
to engage them in nation-building • Under promotion of national integration, of
activities. NPYAD, a National Youth Festival is
organised in January every year to
• The Scheme of National Youth Corps
commemorate the birth anniversary of
(NYC) was launched in 2010-11 and the
Swami Vivekananda (12th January), which
same is being implemented through NYKS.
is celebrated as National Youth Day.
The main objective of the Scheme is to set
up a group of disciplined and dedicated 29.3 Sports
youth who have the inclination and spirit
to engage in the task of nation-building 29.3.1 National Sports Policy
National Sports Policy, 2001 envisages mainly
29.2.2 National Service Scheme (NSS)
• NSS was introduced in 1969 with the broadbasing and promotion of excellence in
primary objective of developing the sports.
personality and character of the youth The salient features of this Policy are:
through voluntary community service.

(i) Broadbasing of sports and achievement 29.3.5 Khelo India

of excellence; • A new umbrella Scheme “Khelo India” was
(ii) Upgradation and development of launched during 2016-17 after merger of
infrastructure; existing scheme Rajiv Gandhi Khel
(iii) Support to national sports federations Abhiyan (RGKA), Urban Sports
Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and National
and other appropriate bodies;
Sports Talent Search System Programme
(iv) Strengthening of scientific and coaching
(NSTSSP).
support to sports;
• The Scheme is being implemented as a
(v) Incentives to promote sports;
central sector scheme.
29.3.2 Sports Authority of India • The revamped Khelo India aims at
• SAI was established in 1984 as a registered achieving the twin objectives of the
society primarily to ensure effective National Sports Policy 2001- broadbasing
maintenance and optimum utilization of of sports and achieving excellence in
the sports infrastructure that was built in sports.
Delhi during ASIAD, 1982.
29.3.6 The National Sports
• It is now the nodal agency in the country
Development Fund (NSDF)
for broadbasing sports and for training
• NSDF was instituted with a view to
of sportspersons to achieve excellence in
mobilizing resources from the government
national and international sports.
as well as non-governmental sources,
29.3.3 Lakshmibai National Institute of including the private/corporate sector
Physical Education (LNIPE) and non-resident Indians, for promotion
• The Institute was established initially as a of sports and games in the country.
college in 1957. It was upgraded to a
29.3.7 Awards in sports
“Deemed University” in 1995.
Rajiv Gandhi It is the highest sporting
• The University is located at Gwalior. LNIPE Khel Ratna honour of the country. The
is fully funded by the Government of India. Award recipient(s) are selected and
• A North East Campus of LNIPE has also honoured for their
been established at Guwahati (Assam) and “spectacular and most
outstanding performance
is functioning since 2010-11.
in the field of sports over a
period of four years” at
29.3.4 National Sports University
international level. It was
• In recognition of the talent and instituted in 1991-92.
contribution of the sportspersons of the The The award is for
North Eastern states in general and Dronacharya Outstanding Coaches in
Manipur in particular, the Government of Award Sports and Games, is
India decided to set up a National Sports sports coaching honour of
University in Manipur. the country.
• The University will impart Bachelor’s, It is awarded annually to
selected people for
Master’s and Doctoral programmes in
meritorious work on a
sports coaching, sports sciences and consistent basis and enabled
physical education in various disciplines. sportspersons to excel in

international events” over 29.3.8 Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay

a period of four years. It was National Welfare Fund
instituted in 1985.
• The name of National Welfare Fund for
Arjuna Awards The awards are given to sportspersons was changed to Pandit
recognize outstanding
Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare
achievement in sports. It
was instituted in 1961. Fund for sportspersons from 2017.
The Dhyan It is the lifetime • This Fund was set up in 1982 with a view
Chand Award achievement sporting to assisting outstanding sportspersons
honour of the country. It of yesteryears, living in indigent
was instituted in 2002. circumstances who had won glory for the
Rashtriya Conferred in four categories: country in sports.
Khel a. Identification and
Protsahan nurturing of 29.3.9 Scheme of Assistance for Anti-
Puruskar budding/young talent; Doping Activities
b. Encouragement to
• Doping is the deliberate or inadvertent use
sports through
Corporate Social by sportspersons of a substance or method
Responsibility; banned by Medical Commission of
c. Employment of sports International Olympic Committee /
persons and sports World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
welfare measures;
d. Sports for Development. • To curb doping India became one of the
members of the Foundation Board of
It was instituted in 2009.
WADA, set up with the initiative of the
Tenzing It is the highest national
Norgay recognition for outstanding International Olympic Committee.
National achievements in the field of • National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), set
Adventure adventure on land, sea and up in 2009, is the national organization
Award air. responsible for promoting, coordinating,
Maulana Abul It is a running trophy by and monitoring the doping control
Kalam Azad the Ministry of Education programme in sports in the country.
Trophy and awarded each year to a
University which has all • The National Dope Testing Laboratory
round best performance in (NDTL) is an autonomous body under this
sports at inter-university, Ministry. It is accredited by National
national and international Accreditation Board for Testing and
competitions. It was Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and
instituted in 1956-57.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
Special This Scheme was
Awards to introduced in 1986. Under
winners in it, special awards are given
International to sportspersons and their
Sports Events coaches for winning medals
and their in recognized international
Coaches: sports events held in a year.

• Mines and Geology: The state has the

30. States and Union largest deposits of quality chrysotile
Territories asbestos in the country. Other important
minerals found in the state are copper ore,
manganese, mica, coal and limestone. The
30.1 Andhra Pradesh Singareni Coal Mines supply coal to the
entire south India.
• Capital: Amaravati
• There is one major port at Visakhapatnam
• Principal Languages: Telugu, Urdu, Hindi,
Banjara under the Central Government and 13
non-major ports under state government.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Andhra
Pradesh 30.2 Arunachal Pradesh
• The earliest mention of the Andhras is said
• Capital – Itanagar
to be in Aitereya Brahmana (2000 BC).
• Principal Languages: Nyishi, Adi, Bengali,
• After Independence, Telugu-speaking areas
Nepali, Hindi, Mohpa, Assamese, Wancho,
were separated from the composite Madras
Tangsa, Mishmi, Mishing, Nocte, etc.
Presidency and a new Andhra State came
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Falls under
into being on 1st October 1953.
Gauhati High Court
• With the passing of the States
• Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged
Reorganisation Act, 1956, there was a
state on February 20, 1987. Arunachal
merger of Hyderabad State and Andhra
Pradesh finds mention in the literature of
State, and consequently Andhra Pradesh
Kalika Purana and Mahabharata.
came into being on 1 November 1956.
• Agriculture is the mainstay of the people
• It is the eighth largest state in the country
of the state and mainly depends on jhum
• The state has the second longest coastline
cultivation. Encouragement is being given
of 974 km (605 mi) among all the states of
to the cultivation of cash crops like
India, second only to Gujarat.
potatoes and horticulture crops like
• Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 apples, oranges and pineapples.
commonly called Telangana Act is an Act of
• Some of the important festivals of the
Indian Parliament proclaiming the
state are Mopin and Solung of the Adis,
bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh into two
Lossar of the Monpas, Boori-boot of the
states, Telangana and residuary Andhra
Hill Miris, Sherdukpens, Dree of the
Pradesh.
Apatanis, Si-Donyi of the Tagins, Reh of
• Agriculture and allied sectors support the ldu-Mishmis, Nyokum of the
more than 60 per cent of population in the Nyishis, etc.
state. Rice is a major food crop and staple
food contributing a large chunk of the 30.3 Assam
foodgrain production. • Capital – Dispur
• Rivers - Krishna, Godavari and Pennar • Principal Language: Asamiya, Bodo
• Forests cover 23 per cent of the state’s • Jurisdiction of High Court: Assam,
area. Nagaland, Mizoram an Arunachal Pradesh

• The state also known as a “Land of Red • The name Bihar is derived from the
River and Blue Hills”, is one of the most Sanskrit word Vihara which means
attractive and beautiful states of the “abode”.
country. • The state finds mention in the Vedas,
• The word ‘Assam’ is believed to have Puranas, ancient epics, etc., and was the
derived from the Sanskrit word Asoma main scene of activities of Buddha and 24
meaning peerless or unparalleled. Jain Trithankars.
• It became a British protectorate in 1826 • Bihar has a number of rivers, the most
when the Burmese ceded Assam to the important of which is the Ganga. The other
British under the provision of the Treaty rivers are the Sone, Punpun, Falgu,
of Yandaboo. Karmanasa, Durgawati, Kosi, Gandak,
• Assam is the gateway to the north- Ghaghara, etc.
eastern states • Agriculture - The principal food crops are
• Physiography - A significant geographical paddy, wheat, maize and pulses. Main
aspect of Assam is that it contains three cash crops are sugarcane, potato, tobacco,
of six physiographic divisions of India— oilseeds, onion, chillies, jute and mesta.
the Northern Himalayas (eastern Hills)
30.5 Chhattisgarh
the Northern Plains (Brahmaputra Plain),
and Deccan Plateau (Karbi Anglong). • Capital: Raipur
• Forest Cover - Assam has a total 29,282 • Principal Language: Hindi
sq. km. area of forest and tree cover which • Jurisdiction of High Court: Chhattisgarh
covers 37.33 per cent of total • Chhattisgarh, carved out of Madhya
geographical area of the state. Pradesh came into being in November
• Festivals: Bihu is by far the most 2000 as the 26th state of the Union.
important festival of Assam. Rongali Bihu • Area-wise, Chhattisgarh is the ninth
or Bohag Bihu, coinciding with the largest state and population-wise it is
Assamese New Year, is the principal Bihu. seventeenth populous state of the nation.
The harvest festival is known as the
• Chhattisgarh has the perfect geological set
Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu.
up to host a number of economically
• Over the years, Assam, the “Gateway of crucial minerals. Large deposits of coal,
the North-East” has emerged as a popular iron ore, limestone, bauxite and dolomite
tourist destination. are found in various parts of the state.
• The five national parks, 19 wildlife • Central plains of Chhattisgarh are known
sanctuaries and three bird sanctuaries are as Rice Bowl of central India.
treasure houses of rare flora and fauna
• The agro climate zones of Chhattisgarh are
30.4 Bihar three, viz., Northern Hill Zone,
Chhattisgarh Plain and Plateau of Bastar.
• Capital: Patna
• Principal Language: Hindi, Bhojpuri,
Maithili
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Bihar

30.6 Goa Saurashtra which later came to be known

as Dwarka.
• Capital: Panaji
• Gujarat officially formed as a state in May
• Principal Languages: Konkani (Official
1960. It is situated on the west coast of
Language); other languages: Marathi,
India.
Hindi, English, Kannada
• ‘Krishi Mahotsav’ is being organized every
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Panaji Bench
year to make farmers aware of modern
of Bombay High Court
technologies and methods of scientific
• Goa, known in the bygone days as
farming.
Gomanchala, Gopakapattam, Gopakapuri,
• Gujarat is the major producer of cotton,
Govapuri, Gomantak, etc., abounds in a
groundnut and tobacco and provides
rich historical heritage.
inputs for important industries like
• In 1510, Alfonso de Albuquerque with the
textiles, oil and soap.
help of the emperor of Vijayanagar
• Gujarat has become the first state in the
attacked and captured Goa.
country to come with a solar policy in
• Even after India’s independence, Goa
2009, with a view to give boost to the solar
continued to be in the hands of the
energy sector.
Portuguese.
• Gujarat is the first state that has
• However, they could not fulfil the
implemented five desalination plants in
aspirations of the Goan people and
coastal area. The state secured first rank
ultimately on 19 December 1961, Goa was
in Composite Water Management Index
liberated and made a composite Union
among states with 78 per cent households
Territory with Daman and Diu.
getting tap water across the state.
• In May 1987, Goa was conferred statehood
• The state ranks first in PNG connection
and Daman and Diu was made a separate
and industrial PNG connection. It stands
Union Territory.
second in CNG vehicles.
• Goa has a good forest cover of 34 per cent
• Gujarat is one of the highly industrialised
against the national requirement of 33 per
states with its reputation of being a major
cent and nearly 62 per cent of tree cover.
investor-friendly state. The state
• Mormugao is the major port in the state contributes 7.9 per cent share to the
which handles cargo vessels. Minor ports national GDP.
are located at Panaji, Tiracol, Chapora,
• Gujarat has the world’s largest
Betul and Talpona, out of which Panaji is
petroleum refining hub at Jamnagar.
the main operative port
The state is a global leader in processed
30.7 Gujarat diamonds and world’s third largest
producer of denim.
• Capital – Gandhinagar
• There are 41 minor and intermediate and
• Principal Language: Gujarati one major port—Kandla Port.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Gujarat • Festivals: Tarnetar fair is held at village
• The history of Gujarat goes back to 2000 Tarnetar of Surendranagar district in
BC. It is believed that Lord Krishna left thehonour of Lord Shiva. Madhavrai fair at
Mathura to settle in the west coast of

Madhavpur near Porbandar is held in the MidMountains and the Greater

month of Chaitra (March/April). Himalayas or Alpine Zone.
• The entire state is punctuated with stone
30.8 Haryana
as well as wood temples.
• Capital – Chandigarh • On 15th April 1948, the Pradesh was born
• Principal Language: Hindi and Haryanvi as a result of the integration of some thirty
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Punjab and erstwhile Princely Hill States; twenty six
Haryana High Court Shimla Hill States and four Punjab Hill
• Replete with myths, legends and Vedic States.
references, Haryana’s past is steeped in • Himachal Pradesh is called the “Fruit
glory. It was on the soil of Haryana that Bowl” of the country. The state has
Saint Ved Vyas wrote Mahabharata. favourable climatic conditions to produce a
• With the reorganization of Punjab in variety of fruits such as apple, pear, peach,
November 1956, Haryana was born as a plum, apricot, mango, litchi, guava,
full-fledged state. strawberry and citrus fruits.
• Haryana has the second highest per • Forest in Himachal Pradesh covers an area
capita income in India, after Goa. of 37,033 sq. km which comes to 66.52
per cent of the total geographical area
• Agriculture is the mainstay of more than
of the state.
81 per cent population in the state with
the second largest contribution to the food 30.10 Jharkhand
bowl of the country.
• Capital – Ranchi
• Panipat handlooms and carpets are
• Principal Language: Hindi
known all over the world besides its tasty
panchranga pickle. • Jurisdiction of High Court: Jharkhand
• Haryana was the first state in the • Jharkhand which came into being in
country to have achieved hundred per November 2000 as another state of the
cent rural electrification way back in Union is the homeland of the tribals who
1970. had dreamt of a separate state for a long
time.
30.9 Himachal Pradesh • Some of Jharkhand’s major industries are
• Capital- Shimla Bokaro Steel Plant in the public sector,
• Principal Languages: Hindi and Pahari Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) in
Jamshedpur in the private sector.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Himachal
Pradesh • Tourist Centres; There are many scenic
attractions in the state, namely, Ichagarh
• Himachal Pradesh is wonderful land
Bird Sanctuary, Udhwa Sanctuary-
inhabited by people of various castes
Sahibganj (Pataura Lake), Chachro
and religions groups, is also called as “Dev
Crocodile Breeding Centre–Koderma (Tilaya
Bhumi: the abode of gods and
Dam), Chandrapura Bird Sanctuary.
goddesses”.
• The territory of this state can be divided
into three zones, Outer Himalayas or the
Shivaliks, Inner Himalayas or
30.11 Karnataka 30.12 Kerala

• Capital – Bengaluru • Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
• Principal Language: Kannada • Principal Language: Malayalam
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Karnataka • Jurisdiction of High Court: Kerala and
• Karnataka has a recorded history of more Lakshadweep Islands
than 2,000 years. • Under the States Re- organisation Act,
• Aihole has been one of the cradles of 1956, Travancore-Cochin state and
temple architecture in the country. Malabar were united to form Kerala state
in November, 1956.
• The world renowned Gomateshwara
monolith at Shravanabelagola was • Kerala, the land of lush green paddy fields,
installed by a Ganga minister cool coconut groves, fragrant spice garden,
Chavundaraya. dubbed as “God’s Own Country” is nestled
in the southern tip of India.
• Freedom movement was followed by the
movement for the unification of • Agriculture - Fertile soil and warm humid
Karnataka. tropical climate make Kerala an ideal place
for cultivation of a wide variety of crops
• After Independence, the Mysore state was
which included coconut, rice, rubber,
created in 1953, wherein all the Kannada
banana, spices, fruits, vegetables, cashew
dominant areas under different
nut, tubers, coffee, tea etc.
dispensations were unified and the
enlarged Mysore state carved in 1956 • Ports: It has one major port at Kochi.
and was renamed Karnataka in 1973. • Air Transport: Kerala has three airports at
• Karnataka is one of the major milk Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and
producers and the Karnataka Milk Kozhikode, handling both international
Federation has numerous dairy and domestic flights.
processing plants. • Kerala’s high social development is mostly
• Karnataka and Bengaluru city in reflected in women’s high health status in
particular have become the largest comparison to men in the state as well as
bioclusters in the country. to persons in other parts of the country.
Most of the health indicators are highly
• Karnataka “One State Many Worlds” is
favourable to women.
becoming a hub of tourist attraction of
south India. • Life expectancy of women in the state at
76.9 years is the highest in India (all India
• Ports: The state has a maritime coastline
average is 67.7 years).
of 155 nautical mile (300 kilometres) and
has only one major port at Mangalore, i.e., • Festivals:
New Mangalore Port o Onam is the most typical of festivals
• Tourism: The Golden Chariot named after which coincides with the harvest
the famous Stone Chariot in Hampi, a season.
world heritage site, in southern India will o The Vallamkali or boat race is typical
travel through timeless historical heritage of Kerala. All the boat festivals have a
sites, resplendent palaces, wildlife and religious origin except Nehru Trophy
golden beaches. Boat Race conducted in the
Punnamada Lake.
o Thrissur celebrates Pooram festival in • The first well-known rulers of Maharashtra

April - May every year with an were the Satavahanas (230 BC to 225
impressive procession of caparisoned AD), who were practically the founders of
elephants. Maharashtra
• Maharashtra is a plateau of plateaus, its
30.13 Madhya Pradesh
western upturned rims rising to form the
• Capital – Bhopal Sahyadri Range parallel to the sea-coast
• Principal Language: Hindi, Urdu and its slopes gently descending towards
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Madhya the east and south-east.
Pradesh • Agriculture: The state is a major producer
• Madhya Pradesh is the second largest of oilseeds. Groundnut, sunflower,
Indian state in size with an area of soyabean are major oilseed crops.
3,08,000 sq.km. Important cash crops are cotton,
sugarcane, turmeric and vegetables.
• Madhya Pradesh came into being in
November 1956. It was reorganised in • Maharashtra is the second largest
November 2000 to create a new producer of sugar behind Uttar Pradesh
Chhattisgarh state. • Ports: Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal
• Agriculture - Madhya Pradesh has posted Nehru Port (JNPT) are the two major ports
country’s highest agricultural growth rate of the state. JNPT, located at Nhava Sheva
which had averaged above 20 per cent over opposite the Mumbai harbour, is the
last four years. The state leads the country largest container port in India, accounting
in production of pulses, oilseeds, for half of all container cargo handled by
soyabean, gram, pea, garlic, guava and Indian ports.
medicinal and aromatic herbs. • Maharashtra has five exclusive UNESCO
• Country’s largest 130 MW solar energy World Heritage Sites, viz., Ajanta Caves,
plant has been established in Neemuch. Ellora Caves, Elephanta Island,
Chhatrapati Shivaj Maharaj Terminus
• A Department of Happiness has been set
(formerly Victoria Terminus) and the 2018
up in the state as part of efforts to create
inscribed Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble
an enabling atmosphere for people to live a
of Mumbai.
happy and blissful life.
• Festivals: An important tribal festival is 30.15 Manipur
Bhagoriya marked by traditional gaiety and
• Capital – Imphal
enthusiasm. An annual Narmada Festival
• Principal Language: Manipuri
has been started from this year at
Bedhaghat in Jabalpur, famous for its • Jurisdiction of High Court: Manipur
marble rocks. • Manipur became a full-fledged state in
1972 with a Legislative Assembly of 60
30.14 Maharashtra members of whom 19 are reserved for
• Capital – Mumbai Scheduled Tribes and one for Scheduled
• Principal Language: Marathi Castes.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Maharashtra,

Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli

• The political history of Manipur could be • Industry: The most important non-agro
traced back to 33 A.D. with the coronation based industry is cement. Because of its
of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba. rich limestone deposits, the state has a
• Geography: This state is in a number of cement plants operating in
geographically unique position, since it different parts.
virtually is the meeting point between India • Aviation: The only airport in the state at
and South-East Asia. The hill covers about Umroi, 35 km from Shillong is functional.
9/10 of the total area of the state. • Nokrek Peak (1412m) is the highest peak
• Industries: The handloom industry is by in western Meghalaya.
far the largest and most important cottage
industry. As per the 3rd National 30.17 Mizoram
Handloom Census of Weavers and Allied • Capital – Aizawl
Workers 2010, Manipur topped in • Principal Languages: Mizo, English and
distribution of handloom workers. Lushai
• Railways: The state was included in the • Jurisdiction of High Court: Falls under
railway map of India with the opening of a the jurisdiction of Gauhati High Court.
rail head at Jiribam in 1990. The Jiribam - There is a Bench at Aizawl
Tupul – Imphal railway line has been
• Mizoram is a mountainous region which
declared as a national project.
became the 23rd state of the Indian
• Important festivals: Lai Haraoba, Rasa Union in February 1987. It was one of the
Leela, Cheiraoba, Ningol Chak-Kouba, districts of Assam till 1972 when it became
Rath-Jatra, Idul Fitr, Imoinu Iratpa, Gaan- a Union Territory.
Ngai, Lui-Ngai-Ni, Idul Zuha, Yaoshang
• Agriculture - The main pattern of the
(Holi), Durga Puja, Mera Houchongba etc.
agriculture followed is jhum or shifting
30.16 Meghalaya cultivation. Of the total 21 per cent is put
on paddy/seasonal crops. About 63 per
• Capital – Shillong
cent of the total crop area is under jhum
• Principal Languages: Khasi, Garo & cultivation.
English
• Mizoram has one of the highest forest
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Meghalaya cover among the states of India. India
• Meghalaya was created as an autonomous State of Forest Report-2015 indicated that
state within the state of Assam in 1970. about 91.47 per cent of the state’s total
The full-fledged state of Meghalaya came geographical area is under forests cover.
into existence in 1972. • Railways: Broad gauge rail link has been
• Meghalaya literally means the ‘Abode of established in Bairabi, Mizoram near
Clouds’ and is essentially a hilly state. It is Assam border.
predominately inhabited by the tribal • Aviation: The airport at Lengpui is
Khasis, Jaintias and Garos population. connected by flights to and from Kolkata,
• Meghalaya is basically an agricultural Imphal and Guwahati.
state with about 81 per cent of its total • Festivals: ‘Kut’ is the Mizo term for
population depending entirely on it for festival. Among the various cultural
their livelihood. festivals, only three, viz., Chapchar Kut,

Mim Kut and Thalfavang Kut are being 30.19 Odisha

observed now a days.
• Capital – Bhubaneswar
• Phawngpui is the highest peak at an
• Principal Language: Odia
elevation of 2157 m.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Odisha
30.18 Nagaland • The history of Odisha dates back to
antiquity, its most famous old names being
• Capital – Kohima
Kalinga, Utkal and Odra. Mauryan
• Principal Languages: English, Hindi and
Emperor, Ashoka’s invasion of Kalinga
16 tribal dialects, Nagamese
was an epoch-making event of ancient
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Falls under times.
Gauhati High Court.
• Agriculture: The state has emerged as the
• Nagaland became the 16th state of the largest producer of sweet potato in the
Indian Union in 1963. country contributing 30 per cent of total
• The Naga people belong to the Indo- national production and third largest state
Mongoloid group of people living in a in production of cashew.
contiguous area of the north-eastern hills • Industry: Most large-scale industries in
of India and the upper portion of western the state are mineral based, while 25 per
Myanmar. cent of the iron ore reserves in the country
• The major recognised tribes of Nagaland are in Odisha.
are Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, • Ports: Paradeep Port is the only major port
Khiamniungan, Kuki, Konyak, Kachari, in Odisha and the first major port on the
Lotha, Phom, Pochury, Rengma, Sangtam, East Coast commissioned in Independent
Sumi, Yimchungrii and Zeliang. India.
• Forest: There are Rangapahar wildlife • Aviation: Government has taken proactive
sanctuaries in Dimapur district, Fakim steps for implementation of RCS-UDAN
wildlife sanctuaries in Tuensang district Scheme in Utkela and Jeypore Airstrips.
and Singphan wildlife sanctuaries in Mon Jharsuguda airport is fully developed now.
district, Intanki National Park in Peren
• Chilika, the largest brackish water inland
district and Zoological Park in Dimapur
lake in Asia nestles in the heart of coastal
district.
Odisha. It has been declared a Ramsar
• Festivals site.
o The Hornbill festival conceived by the • Bhitarkanika, situated in the district of
Tourist Department and held in the Kendrapara, is the second largest
first week of December is an annual mangrove ecosystem in India with an area
event. of 672 sqkms of wildlife sanctuary of which
o Three traditional festivals, namely 175 sqkm was declared a national park in
Sekrenyi at Touphema in Kohima 1998.
district (Feb), Monyu at Pongo in
Longleng sub-division (April) and 30.20 Punjab
Moatsu at Chuchuyimlang in
• Capital – Chandigarh
Mokokchung district (May) have been
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Punjab and
identified as festival destinations.
Haryana
• Ancient Punjab formed part of the vast • Rajasthan is the largest state in India area-
Indo-Iranian region. In later years it saw wise. Prior to independence it was known
the rise and fall of the Mauryas, Bactrians, as Rajputana or Rajputs—a martial
Greeks, Sakas, Kushans and Guptas. community who ruled over this area for
Medieval Punjab saw a supremacy of the centuries.
Muslims. • Principal crops in the state are wheat,
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the works of a barley, jowar, millet, maize, gram, oilseeds,
Persian writer, changed Punjab from kharif pulses and cotton.
Madam-Kada to Bagh-Bahist (from the • Rajasthan is second only to Jharkhand as
abode of sorrow to the garden of paradise). regards to mineral wealth. It has rich
• After two abortive Anglo-Sikh wars, deposits of zinc concentrates, emerald,
Punjab was finally annexed to the British garnet, gypsum, silver, asbestos, felspar
Empire in 1849. and mica.
• Eight princely states of East Punjab were • Presently it is the sole producer of lead-
grouped together to form a single state zinc, wollastonite, calcite and selenite and
called PEPSU—Patiala and the East Punjab leading producer of silver, gypsum, marble,
States Union—with Patiala as its capital. ochre, ball clay, rock phosphate, cadmium
• PEPSU state was merged with Punjab in and feldspar in the country.
1956 with its capital at Chandigarh. Later • More than 85 per cent of the country’s
in 1966, Haryana was carved out of potash, lead-zinc, silver and wollastonite
Punjab. resources are located in the state.
• Agriculture: The state ranks 4th in the • Rajasthan the state has become the second
world in terms of productivity of wheat highest producer of crude oil after Bombay
whereas it stands first in India amongst all High
the other states. It stands third in terms of • Multipurpose Special Economic Zone
productivity of rice producing countries “Mahendra World City” has been
after China and Japan. established in PPP model at Jaipur.
• Aviation: Punjab has two international • Important fairs organized in the state are:
airports at Amritsar (Rajasansi) and Teej, Gangaur, Holi-Dhulandi, Kite and
Mohali. Rajasthan Divas (Jaipur), annual Urs of
• Important festivals/fairs/melas are: Ajmer Sherif and Galiakot Pushkar Fair
Maghi Mela at Mukatsar, Rural Sports at (Ajmer), Ramdevji Cattle Fair (Nagaur),
Kila Raipur, Basant at Patiala, Holla Camel Festival (Bikaner), Desert Festival
Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib, Chappar Mela (Jaisalmer) etc.
at Chappar, Ram Tirath Mela at Village
Ram Tirath, Shaheedi Jor Mela at Sirhind 30.22 Sikkim
etc. • Capital – Gangtok
• Principal Languages: Lepcha, Bhutia,
30.21 Rajasthan
Nepali, Limboo, Sikkimese
• Capital – Jaipur
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Sikkim
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Rajasthan
• Sikkim became an integral part of the
Indian Union in 1975.

• The world’s third highest mountain, 30.24 Telangana

Khangchendzonga, is regarded as the
• Capital – Hyderabad
guardian deity of Sikkim. Sikkim is one of
• Principal Languages: Telugu and Urdu
the 18 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Telangana
• The state has its first airport at Pakyong in
East Sikkim. • In 2014 Telangana was formed as 29th
state of India with Hyderabad as its
• CSC in Sherethang has been declared as
capital. Earlier Telangana was part of
the highest cyber cafe in the world by the
Andhra State.
Limca Book of Records.
• The name Telangana refers to the word
30.23 Tamil Nadu Trilinga Desa, earned due to the presence
of three ancient Shiva temples at
• Capital – Chennai
Kaleswaram, Srisailam and
• Principal Language: Tamil
Draksharamam.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Tamil Nadu
• Agriculture: Rice is the major food crop
and Puducherry
of the state. Other important crops are
• Tamil Nadu was one of the first of British tobacco, mango, cotton and sugarcane.
settlements in India. The state is the The major kharif coarse cereals maize,
successor to the old Madras Presidency jowar, bajra, ragi are produced in the state.
which in 1901 covered the bulk of the
• Arts and Crafts: The region offers many
southern peninsula. The composite Madras
astounding handicrafts like bidri crafts,
state was later reorganised and the present
banjara needle crafts, dokra metal crafts,
Tamil Nadu was formed.
nirmal arts, bronze castings, lacquerware,
• The state is pioneer in IT initiatives for etc.
agriculture and continuing with it, a
• Festivals: ‘Bathukamma’ is a colourful
mobile App - Uzhavan - was launched to
and vibrant festival and this unique
provide 15 vital personalised agricultural
festival of flowers stands as a symbol of
information.
cultural identity. “Bonalu” is an annual
• It has five UNESCO declared World Hindu festival celebrated in the state in
Heritage sites, namely, Shore Temple, Five which Goddess Mahakali is worshipped.
Rathas, Arjuna’s Penance -
Mamallapuram, Brahadeeswarar Temple - 30.25 Tripura
Thanjavur, Iravatheeswarar Temple -
• Capital – Agartala
Darasuram, Brahadeeswarar Temple -
• Principal Languages: Bengali and
Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Nilgiri
Kokborok
Mountain Railway.
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Tripura
• Four international airports, namely,
Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and • The history of Tripura can be learnt from
Coimbatore and two major ports Chennai Rajmala chronicles of King Tripura.
and Thoothukudi are the major connecting • According to Rajmala, the rulers were
points. known by the surname Fa meaning father.
• Nineteenth century marked the beginning
of the modern era in Tripura when King

Maharaja Bir Chandra Kishore Manikya (Champawat), Nanda Devi Mela

Bahadur modelled his administrative set- (Almora), Gauchar Mela (Chamoli),
up on the British India pattern and Uttaraini Mela (Bageshwar), Vishu Mela
brought in various reforms. (Jaunsar Bhabar), Peerane-Kaliyar
• His successors ruled Tripura till 15 (Roorkee), and Nanda Devi Raj Jat
October 1949 when the state merged with Yatra held every twelfth year.
the Indian Union.
30.27 Uttar Pradesh
• In 1972, Tripura attained the status of a
full-fledged state. • Capital – Lucknow
• Principal Languages: Hindi, Braj, Urdu,
30.26 Uttarakhand Avadhi
• Capital – Dehradun • Jurisdiction of High Court: Uttar Pradesh
• Principal Languages: Hindi, English, • Many great sages of the Vedic times like
Garhwali, Kumauni Bhardwaja, Gautam, Yagyavalkaya,
• Jurisdiction of High Court: Uttarakhand Vashishtha, Vishwamitra and Valmiki
flourished in this state.
• Uttarakhand finds mention in the ancient
Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, • It was at Sarnath that Buddha preached
Manaskhand and Himavant. his first sermon and laid the foundations
of his order and it was in Kushinagar in
• The Kushanas, Kunindas, Kanishka,
Uttar Pradesh where Buddha breathed his
Samudra Gupta, Pauravas, Katuris, Palas,
last.
Chandras and Panwars and the British
have ruled it in turns. • Ramananda and his Muslim disciple
Kabir, Tulsidas, Surdas and many other
• It is often called the Land of the Gods (Dev
intellectuals contributed to the growth of
Bhoomi) because of its various holy places
Hindi and other languages.
and abundant shrines.
• The biggest congregation, perhaps of the
• History: In January 1950, the United
world, Kumbha Mela is held at Prayagraj
Province was renamed as Uttar Pradesh
every twelfth year and Ardh Kumbh Mela
and Uttaranchal remained a part of Uttar
every sixth year.
Pradesh before it was carved out in
2000 as the 27th state of India. • Among other fairs is the fortnight long
Jhoola fair of Mathura, Vrindavan and
• About 90 per cent of the population
Ayodhya, when dolls are placed in gold
depends on agriculture.
and silver jhoolas or cradles.
• The state is rich in mineral deposits like
• A famous cattle fair is held at Bateswar in
limestone, marble, rock phosphate,
Agra district. Dewa in Barabanki district
dolomite, magnesite, copper graphite,
has become famous because of the Muslim
gypsum, etc.
saint Waris Ali Shah.
• Prominent fairs/festivals
o The world-famous Kumbh Mela/Ardh 30.28 West Bengal
Kumbh Mela is held at Haridwar at
• Capital: Kolkata
every twelfth/sixth year interval.
• Principal Languages: Bangla, Bhojpuri,
o Other festivals are Devidhura Mela
Urdu, Hindi
(Champawat), Purnagiri Mela
• Jurisdiction of High Court: West Bengal 10° north latitude are

and Andaman & Nicobar Islands called Nicobar Group of
• Stone Age tools dating back 20,000 years Islands.
have been excavated in the state. • There are four Negrito
• Bengal was referred to as Gangaridai by tribes, viz., Great
the ancient Greeks around 100 BC, Andamanese, Onge,
meaning, speculatively, a land with the Jarawa and Sentinalese
river Ganga in its heart. in the Andaman Group of
• The first recorded independent King of Islands and two Mongoloid
Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around tribes, viz., Nicobarese
the early 7th century. and Shompens in the
Nicobar Group of Islands.
• The Battle of Plassey in 1757 changed
the course of history when the English first • A large variety of timbers
gained a strong foothold in Bengal and are also found. The most
India as well. Bengal was partitioned in valuable timbers are
1905 to achieve some political returns. padauk and gurjan. These
species are not found in
• Agriculture is the main source of income
Nicobar.
for about 70 per cent of the population.
Jute and rice are the principal crops grown • Reefs are mostly fringing
in the state, along with tea, maize, tobacco type on eastern coast and
and sugarcane. barrier type on the western
coast.
• The state celebrates festivals like the
Durga Puja, Poila Baishakh (the Bengali Chandigarh • Capital: Chandigarh
New Year), Dolyatra or Basanta-Ursab and • Languages: Hindi, Punjabi
Ganga Sagar Yatra. • Jurisdiction of High
Court: Punjab and
Union Territories Haryana
Union Features • The city nestles in a
Territories picturesque setting in the
Andaman • Capital: Port Blair foothills of Shivalik hills
and Nicobar • Principal Languages: and enjoys the popular
Hindi, Nicobarese, Bengali, epithet the “City
Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu Beautiful”.
• Jurisdiction of High • Chandigarh and the area
Court: Falls under the surrounding it, were
jurisdiction of Calcutta constituted as a Union
High Court Territory on 1 November
• The Islands located north 1966.
of 10° north latitude are • It serves as the joint
known as Andaman capital of both Punjab
Group of Islands while and Haryana states. It
islands located south of shares its boundary on

north and west by Punjab harvesting of crops.

and on the east and south • Daman and Diu
by Haryana.
• History: Daman and Diu
Dadra, Nagar • Capital: Silvassa along with Goa was a
Haveli • Principal Languages: colony held by the
Daman and
Gujarati, Hindi, English, Portuguese even after
Diu
Portuguese, Konkani, Varli Independence. In 1961, it
• Jurisdiction of High was made an integral part
Court: Falls under of India. After Goa was
Bombay High Court conferred statehood on 30
May 1987, Daman and
• The Portuguese ruled this
Diu was made a separate
territory until its liberation
Union Territory.
in 1954. From 1954 till
1961 the territory • Daman is bound on the
functioned almost east by Gujarat, on the
independently by what was west by the Arabian Sea,
known as ‘‘Free Dadra and on the north by the Kolak
Nagar Haveli river and on the south by
Administration’’. Kalai river. The
neighbouring district of
• However, the territory was
Daman is Valsad in
merged with the Indian
Gujarat.
Union in 1961 and since
then is being administered • Diu is an island connected
by the Government of India by two bridges. The
as a Union Territory. neighbouring district of
Diu is Junagadh of
• Geography: Dadra and
Gujarat.
Nagar Haveli has an area
of 491 sq km and it is • Daman and Diu which was
surrounded by Gujarat earlier a separate union
and Maharashtra. territory was merged with
Silvassa is also the Dadra and Nagar Haveli in
capital of this UT. January 2020.
• Festivals: Diwaso is Delhi • Capital: Delhi
celebrated by Dhodia and • Principal Languages:
Varli tribes and Raksha Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and
Bandhan is celebrated by English
Dhodia tribe. Other • Jurisdiction of High
festivals include Bhawada Court: Delhi
amongst Varlis, Koli tribes
• Delhi finds prominent
and Khali Puja by all tribes
reference right from the
after harvesting of crops
times of the epic
and Gram Devi before
Mahabharata.

• In the latter half of the

But according to geologists,
18th century and early
geographical changes made
19th century, British rule way for the outflow of water by
was established in Delhi. subsidence of the mountain at
In 1911, Delhi became Khadianayar, Baramulla and
the centre of all thus emerged the Valley of
activities after the capital Kashmir.
was shifted from Kolkata
It was governed by Dogra
(Calcutta).
rulers till 1947 when
• It was made a Union Maharaja Hari Singh signed
Territory in 1956. The the Instrument of Accession in
69th constitutional favour of the Indian Union on
amendment is a milestone 26 October 1947.
in Delhi’s history as it got
Aviation: Srinagar airport has
a Legislative Assembly with
been upgraded as
the enactment of the
international airport (named
National Capital Territory
as Sheikh-ul-Alam Airport).
Act, 1991.
Ladakh • Capital: Leh
• It has three airports:
• Principal Language:
Indira Gandhi
Ladakhi
International Airport for
• Jurisdiction of High Court:
the international flights,
Falls under the Jammu
Palam Airport for domestic
and Kashmir High Court
air services and Safdarjung
Airport for training • The union territory of
purposes. Ladakh has two districts -
Kargil and Leh - with each
Jammu and
Capital: Srinagar (Summer) having its autonomous
Kashmir
Jammu (Winter) district council.
Principal Languages: Urdu, • Ladakh does not have an
Dogri, Kashmiri, Jammu elected legislative assembly
(Winter) Pahari, Punjabi, or chief minister
Ladakhi, Balti, Gojri and Lakshadweep • Capital: Kavaratti
Dadri
• Principal Languages:
Jurisdiction of High Court: Malyalam, Dhivehi
Jammu and Kashmir (language of Maldives)
According to the books • Jurisdiction of High
Rajtarangani and Nilmat Court: Falls under
Purana, Kashmir was once a Jurisdiction of Kerala High
large lake and it was Kashyap Court
Rishi who drained off the • Geography: Lakshadweep,
water, making it a beautiful a Group of Coral Islands,
abode. lie scattered in the Arabian

Sea about 280 km off Puducherry, Karaikal,

Kerala coast between Mahe and Yanam.
8°and 12°3’ North Latitude • Puducherry, the capital of
and 71°and 74°East the territory was once the
Longitude. original headquarters of
• Polity: In 1956, the Islands the French Government
were constituted into a in India. The French
single territory and since Government handed over
then, have been directly the administration of their
administered by the Union territories in November
Government through an 1954.
administrator. • The territories thus
• Fisheries: Fishing is a handed over were
major activity. The sea constituted into the Union
around the Islands is Territory of Puducherry.
highly productive. The
Islands stand first in the
country in per capita
availability of fish.
31. Diary of National Events
• Coconut is the only major 2020
crop. Lakshadweep
coconut is branded as an
31.1 January 2020
organic product.
• In India, Lakshadweep • The Election Commission of India
stands first in coconut organises the 10th National Voters’ Day
production. The celebrations on January 25 in New Delhi.
Lakshadweep coconuts are • India’s communication satellite GSAT-30
the highest oil content successfully launched from the Spaceport
nuts in the world (82 per in French Guiana.
cent). • Direct daily flight operations from
Puducherry • Capital: Puducherry Bhubaneshwar to Varanasi marked the
250th route operationalised under the
• Principal Languages:
Regional Connectivity Scheme— UDAN.
Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam,
English and French • National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
inaugurated.
• Jurisdiction of High
Court: Falls under • Winners of Padma Awards in three
jurisdiction of Madras High categories of Padma Vibhushan, Padma
Court Bhushan and Padma Shri announced.
• The Union Territory of
31.2 February 2020
Puducherry, an ex-French
enclave, comprises four • The 34th Surajkund International Crafts
isolated region of Mela in Surajkund, Haryana, gets
underway.
• Prime Minister inaugurates the first Khelo improving the online education ecosystem
India University Games in Odisha via video of India.
conferencing.
31.5 May 2020
• First ever helicopter services
operationalised from Dehradun’s • PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen
Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar, and Assistance and Relief in Emergency
Chinyalisaur under the Regional Situations) Fund trust allocated 3,100
Connectivity Scheme—UDAN. crore for fight against Covid-19.
• First-ever Khelo India Winter Games held • India enters the third phase of its
in Leh, Ladakh. nationwide lockdown.
• Finance Minister unveils second and third
31.3 March 2020 set of economic stimulus package for small
• President presents Nari Shakti Puraskar businesses, taxpayers, organised sector,
on International Women’s Day. real estate, agriculture and allied activities.
• Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes over as • Prime Minister announces a special
the 17th Chief Minister of Madhya economic and comprehensive package of
Pradesh. 20 lakh crore.
• Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit was • New 177 mandis integrated with the
convened to discuss the challenges posed National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) to
by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. strengthen agriculture marketing and
• The Department of Posts, Delhi circle, facilitate farmers to sell their harvested
opens the third all-women post office in the produce through the online portal.
national capital. • The 440m long Chamba tunnel (Himachal
• The government imposes a 21 -day Pradesh) under Chardham Pariyojana
nationwide lockdown to contain the spread inaugurated.
of Coronavirus pandemic.
31.6 June 2020
• Finance Minister announces a Rs. 1.7
trillion economic stimulus plan for poor • PM CARES Fund trust allocated 2,000
and migrants hit by the lockdown. crore for supply of 50,000 Made-in-India
ventilators to government-run Covid
31.4 April 2020 hospitals in all states/UTs.
• Prime Minister discusses measures to • Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh
combat Covid-19 with chief ministers of becomes an international airport.
states. • Sixth International Day of Yoga with the
• Union cabinet approved investments to the theme ‘Yoga with Family’ was celebrated
tune of 15,000 crore for ‘India Covid-19 across the country.
Emergency Response and Health • The world’s first ever online B.Sc. degree
System Preparedness Package’. in Programming and Data Science offered
• Union Education Minister launches a by IIT Madras virtually launched.
week-long ‘Bharat Padhe Online’ • India bans 59 Chinese apps for security
campaign for crowdsourcing of ideas for reasons under Section 69A of the
Information Technology Act.

• MyGov Corona helpdesk bagged two 31.10 October 2020

awards for Best Innovation for Covid-19 • Prime Minister participates in the Ekta
and Society and People’s Choice Covid- Diwas celebrations to commemorate the
19 Overall Winner at CogX 2020—a birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai
prestigious Global Leadership Summit and Patel at Kevadia, Gujarat.
festival of Al and Emerging Technology • Water aerodrome and the sea-plane service
held annually in London. connecting Statue of Unity in Kevadia
with Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad
31.7 July 2020
inaugurated.
• Prime Minister launches three high • Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food
throughput Covid-19 testing facilities at and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas
the Indian Council of Medical Research Paswan passes away. Union Minister of
(ICMR) at Kolkata, Mumbai and Noida. Railways Shri Piyush Goel takes over as
• First helicopter service by Pawan Hans additional charge.
was flagged off in Uttarakhand under the
UDAN-RCS scheme. 31.11 November 2020
• The first five Indian Air Force Rafale • Prime Minister inaugurates the 3rd Global
aircraft inducted into the Indian Air Force. Renewable Energy Investment Meeting
and Expo (RE-Invest 2020) through video
31.8 August 2020 conferencing.
• The President of India gives away the • India participates in the 12th BRICS
National Sports and Adventure Awards, Summit, in a virtual format.
2020. • India blocks 43 mobile apps citing
• Union Cabinet approves creation of security reasons.
National Recruitment Agency, paving the • The nation celebrates Constitution Day,
way for a transformational reform in the also known as Samvidhan Diwas, on 26th
recruitment process for central government November to commemorate the adoption of
jobs. the Constitution of India.
• Former President Bharat Ratna Pranab
Mukherjee passes away in New Delhi. 31.12 December 2020
• Day Care Therapy Centre facility under
31.9 September 2020
Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy
• Prime Minister inaugurates six mega systems for central government employees
development projects in Uttarakhand and pensioners approved by the Ministry of
under the Namami Gange Mission. Health and Family Welfare. Private Day
• Union Minister for Food Processing Care Therapy centres will also be
Industries Smt. Harsimrat Kaur resigns empanelled under Central Government
from the Union Council of Ministers. Health Scheme shortly.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister • BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile in
Narendra Singh Tomar takes over as Anti-Ship mode successfully test fired.
additional charge.
• Minister of State for Railways Shri Suresh
Angadi dies of Coronavirus.
• A high-level ministerial committee for 7A Holders of Bharat Ratna Decoration

implementation of Paris Agreement on 8 Ambassadors Extraordinary and
climate change constituted. Plenipotentiary and High Commissioners
• India makes considerable progress in of Commonwealth Countries accredited
to India Chief Ministers of States outside
reducing its malaria burden as per the
their respective States
WHO World Malaria Report 2020.
Governors of States outside their
• Foundation stone is laid for the new respective States
Parliament Building in New Delhi. 9 Judges of Supreme Court
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 9A Chairperson, Union Public Service
releases the fifth National Family Health Commission Chief Election
Survey for 17 states and five UTs. Commissioner Comptroller & Auditor
General of India
• Union Ministry of Information and
10 Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Deputy
Broadcasting issues advisory for
Chief Ministers of States Deputy
advertisements related to online gaming Speaker, Lok Sabha
and fantasy sports.
32.2 Presidents of India
Name Tenure
32. General Information Rajendra Prasad 1950 to 1962
Sarvepalli 1962 to 1967
Radhakrishnan
32.1 Table of Precedence
Zakir Hussain 1967 to 1969
The order in this Table of Precedence is meant Varahagiri Venkata Giri 1969 to 1969
for State and Ceremonial occasions and has (Acting)
no application in the day-to-day business of Justice Muhammad 1969 to 1969
Government. Hidayatullah (Acting)
The Table, with respect to the rank and Varahagiri Venkata Giri 1969 to 1974
precedence of the persons named therein as Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed 1974 to 1977
approved by the President, is given as under: Basappa Danappa Jatti 1977 to 1977
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy 1977 to 1982
1 President
Giani Zail Singh 1982 to 1987
2 Vice-President
Ramaswamy 1987 to 1992
3 Prime Minister Venkataraman
4 Governors of States within their Shankar Dayal Sharma 1992 to 1997
respective States
Kocheril Raman 1997 to 2002
5 Former Presidents Narayanan
5A Deputy Prime Minister A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 2002 to 2007
6 Chief Justice of India Speaker of Lok Pratibha Patil 2007 to 2012
Sabha
Pranab Mukherjee 2012 to 2017
7 Cabinet Ministers of Union; Chief
Ministers of States within their Ram Nath Kovind 2017 – till date
respective States; Deputy Chairman,NITI
Aayog; Former PMs; Leaders of
Opposition in Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha

32.3 Vice-Presidents of India 32.5 Important Posts

Name Tenure Post Incumbent
Dr Sarvepalli 1952-1962
Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana
Radhakrishnan
Dr Zakir Hussain 1962-1967 Chief Election Sushil Chandra
Varahagiri Venkatagiri 1967-1969 Commissioner
Gopal Swarup Pathak 1969-1974 Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba
B.D. Jatti 1974-1979 UPSC Chairman Pradeep Kumar
Justice Mohammad 1979-1984 Joshi
Hidayatullah
R. Venkataraman 1984-1987 32.6 Civilian Awards - Bharat Ratna
Dr Shankar Dayal 1987-1992
Sharma • It is the highest civilian award. It is given
K.R. Narayanan 1992-1997 in recognition of exceptional
Krishan Kant 1997-2002 service/performance of the highest order
Bhairon Singh 2002-2007 in any field of human endeavour.
Shekhawat • Since its inception in 1954, 48 persons
Mohammad Hamid 2007-2017
have been decorated with Bharat Ratna so
Ansari
Muppavarapu 2017 – Incumbent far.
Venkaiah Naidu • In 2019, the President of India conferred
the award on Nanaji Deshmukh and Dr.
32.4 Prime Ministers of India Bhupendra Hazarika (Posthumous), and
Name Tenure Pranab Mukherjee.
Jawaharlal Nehru 1947 - 1964 Awarded
Name of recipient
Gulzari Lal Nanda (Acting) 1964 - 1964 in
1954 CV Raman
Lal Bahadur Shastri 1964 - 1966
C Rajagopalachari Sarvepalli
Gulzari Lal Nanda (Acting) 1966 - 1966 Radhakrishnan
Indira Gandhi 1966 - 1977 1955 BhagwanDas M Visvesvaraya
Morarji Desai 1977 - 1979 Jawaharlal Nehru
Charan Singh 1979 - 1980 1957 Govind Ballabh Pant
Indira Gandhi 1980 - 1984 1958 Dhondo Keshav Karve
Rajiv Gandhi 1984 - 1989 1961 Bhagwan Das M Visvesvaraya
Vishwanath Pratap Singh 1989 - 1990 Jawaharlal Nehru
Chandra Shekhar 1990 - 1991 1962 Rajendra Prasad
P.V. Narasimha Rao 1991 - 1996 1963 BhagwanDas M Visvesvaraya
Atal Bihari Vajpayee 1996 - 1996 Jawaharlal Nehru
H.D. Deve Gowda 1996 - 1997 1966 Lal Bahadur Shastri
I.K. Gujral 1997 - 1998 1971 Indira Gandhi
Atal Bihari Vajpayee 1998 - 1999 1975 VV Giri
Atal Bihari Vajpayee 1999 - 2004 1976 K Kamaraj
Dr. Manmohan Singh 2004 - 2014 1980 Mother Teresa
Narendra Modi 2014 – 1983 Vinoba Bhave
Incumbent 1987 Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

1988 MG Ramachandran displayed by an individual in the

1990 BR Ambedkar meritorious act of saving the life of another
Nelson Mandela person from drowning, fire incidents,
1991 Rajiv Gandhi rescue operations in mines, natural
Vallabhbhai Patel Morarji Desai calamities and other such eventualities.
1992 Abul Kalam Azad • There are three categories of Jeevan
JRD Tata Satyajit Ray Raksha Padak awards, namely,
1997 GulzarilaNanda Aruna Asaf Ali Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Uttam
APJ Abdul Kalam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan
1998 MS Subbulakshmi Raksha Padak.
Chidambaram Subramaniam
1999 Jayaprakash Narayan 32.9 Nobel Laureates
Amartya Sen Gopinath Bordoloi Nobel laureate Year Field/rationale
Ravi Shankar Abhijit 2019 Economic Sciences
2001 Lata Mangeshkar Banerjee "For their
Bismillah Khan experimental
2009 Bhimsen Joshi approach to
CNR Rao alleviating global
2014 poverty"
Sachin Tendulkar
Kailash 2014 Peace
2015 Madan Mohan Malaviya
Satyarthi "For their struggle
Atal Bihari Vajpayee against the
2019 Pranab Mukherjee suppression of
Nanaji Deshmukh children and young
Bhupen Hazarika people and for the
right of all children to
32.7 Padma Awards education."
Venkatraman 2009 Chemistry
• Padma Awards are among the highest
Ramakrishnan "For studies of the
civilian awards of the country. structure and
• They are conferred in three categories, function of the
namely, ‘Padma Vibhushan’, ‘Padma ribosome."
Bhushan’ and ‘Padma Shri’. Amartya Sen 1998 Economic Sciences
"For his contributions
• The Awards are given for distinguished
to welfare economics."
service in various fields of activities Physics
Subrahmanyan 1983
including art, social work, public affairs,
Chandrasekhar "For his theoretical
science and engineering, sports, medicine, studies of the
literature and education. physical processes of
• The awards are announced on the eve of importance to the
Republic Day every year. structure and
evolution of the
stars."
32.8 Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of
Awards Mother Teresa 1979 Peace "In recognition
of [her] work in
• Jeevan Raksha Padak series of awards are bringing help to
given for the courage and promptitude suffering humanity"

100
Har Gobind 1968 Physiology or 32.11 Gallantry Awards

Khorana Medicine
Param • Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the
"For their Vir highest gallantry award for
interpretation of the Chakra officers and other enlisted
genetic code and its (PVC) personnel of all military
function in protein
branches of India for the
synthesis."
highest degree of valour in the
C. V. Raman 1930 Physics presence of the enemy.
"For his work on the • Introduced on 26th January
scattering of light and 1950, this award may be given
for the discovery of posthumously.
the effect named after Ashok • The Ashok Chakra series of
him." Chakra awards are open to civilians
Rabindranath 1913 Literature also.
Tagore "Because of his • These awards are biannual
profoundly sensitive, and are given on the Republic
fresh and beautiful Day and Independence Day.
verse, by which he Shaurya • This is awarded for gallantry
has made his poetic Chakra other than in the face of the
thought, expressed in enemy.
his own English
• This award may be granted to
words, a part of the
civilians or to military
literature of the
personnel and may be
West."
awarded posthumously.
32.10 Chief of Defence Staff
• To bring in reform in higher defence
management in the country, the post of
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was created
in the rank of a four-star General with
salary and prerequisites equivalent to a
Service Chief.
• The Chief of Defence Staff will also head
the Department of Military Affairs
(DMA), to be created within the Ministry of
Defence and function as its Secretary.
• Gen. Bipin Rawat has taken over as the
first CDS of the country from January 1,
2020 for a three-year tenure.

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INDIA YEAR BOOK 2021 - SUMMARY

Sl. No. Topic Page No.

1. Land and the People

“INDIA is the cradle of the human race, the

1.1 Geographical Background of

Mnemonic to remember neighbouring

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another large basin of the region.

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River Basins west monsoon brings most of the rainfall

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• Within only about 2 per cent of world’s understanding in any language is

1,000 to express it per 1,000 population. The

National Symbols Features

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laws, conventions, practices and instructions for the guidance of all

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Gahe tava jaya-gatha.

Other National Symbols

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3.4 Fundamental Rights 3.7 The Union Executive

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3.7.5 Rajya Sabha

3.7.6 Lok Sabha

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progressive use of Hindi as official 3.16 Local Government

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elections—both general elections and • It contributes 17.8 per cent to the

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The mission is administered by Ministry of Determinants of MSP

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regions (2015) and agroecological sub- eggs per annum.

species and regions, the National Livestock

4.6.3 Livestock Health

Prophylactic Vaccines Are Designed to Build

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discrimination to public/devotees. created the Guru Granth Sahib.

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• Bal Sahitya Puraskar is given to b. To promote the spirit of national

o Chemical preservation of monuments promote and develop contemporary Indian

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5.8 National Research Laboratory for 5.10 Libraries

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manner to provide complete religious 6.2 National Statistical Commission

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6.7 Twenty Point Programme entitlement per MP/ constituency is 5

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7.6 Major Schemes for Export • Duty free import/procurement of precious

1. Advance Authorisation Scheme 5. Export Promotion of Capital Goods

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is headed by Director General of Foreign window clearance on matters relating to

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Indian testing laboratories and Mutual • Promoting Quality through Standards/

7.11.2 Anti-Dumping • Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme

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Organization Overview 8.3.4 Social Security Scheme

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(iii) direct benefit transfers MGNREGA, 8.3.8 Postal Life Insurance

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