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CHAPTER - 2
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. With respect to gender equality in
guardianship what are the salient features
of Personal Laws (Amendment) Act?
In September 2010, President Pratibha Patil
has give n assent to the Pe rsonal Laws
(Amendment) Bill, which aims at bringing about
gende r e quality in guardianship unde r the
Guardian and Wards Act and in the matter of
ado ption under the Hindu Adopti ons and
Maintenance Act.
Under the Guardians and Wards Act, the new
legislation would amend clause (b) of Section 19.
Till now, under its clause, courts could appoint
someone as a guardian for a minor if the father is
unfit to be a guardian, even if the mother is fit to
take the role. The amendment changes this. Now
the mother will also be able to be the guardian, if
the father is unfit.
In the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act,
the law amends Sections 8 and 9.
Till now, only a man can adopt a child or give a
child in adoption, with the consent of his wife. The
amendment allows a woman also to adopt a child
or give a child in adoption with the consent of her
husband.
The amendment would be of benefit particularly
to those women, who are separated from their
husbands or are in the midst of a lengthy battle for
divorce to adopt a child.
2. Bring out the salient features of Sabla
scheme.
Sabla scheme
The Scheme is aimed at addressing the multi-
dimensional problems of adolescent girls between
11 and 18 years and would be implemented through
the platform of integrated Child Development
Scheme (ICDS) projects and anganwadi centres.
Over one crore girls are expected to benefit from
the scheme annually.
The girls would be empowered by improvement
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in their nutritional and he alth status and
upgrading home, life and vocational skills. It also
aims at equipping the girls on family welfare,
health, hygiene and information and guidance on
existing public services, along with mainstreaming
out of school girls into formal or non-formal
education.
Nutrition would be provided to all girls of 11 to
15 years who are out of school and those of 15 to 18
years.
The scheme is expected to tackle the inter-
generational cycle of malnutrition, effectively, to
prepare young girls for future motherhood.
It would eventually result in the reduction of
high levels of anaemia, maternal mortality rate
and child marriages.
The government has allocated Rs. 1,000 crore
for the purpose for the current financial year.
Sabla would be a Centrally-sponsored scheme
except for the nutrition component for which the
State would have to shell out 50 per cent of the
cost. As per the estimates, the ‘cost of nutrition
would be Rs. 5 per day per girl.
3. Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana
(IGMSY)
To improve maternal and child health, the
government approved, the Indira Gandhi Matritva
Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) — a monetary scheme for
pregnant, women and “lactating mothers — on a
pilot basis in 52 districts in this Five-Year Plan.
Each pregnant and lactating woman will receive
Rs. 4,000 in three installments between the second
trimester of, pregnancy until the child is six months
old.
Each beneficiary has to open an individual
account (if she does not have one already) in the
nearest bank or the post office for cash transfer.
The scheme, to be implemented through the
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
Scheme infrastructure and personnel, will cost Rs.
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1,000 crore. The scheme will fully funded by the
Centre.
Under the scheme, cash transfers will be made
to all pregnant and lactating women as Incentives
based on fulfillment of specific conditions relating
to mother and. child health, and nutrition.
However, government employees and Central
and State Public Sector employees have been
excluded from the scheme as they are entitled to
paid maternity leave.
The beneficiaries white pregnant women of 19
years and above and for the first two live ‘births
(benefits for still births will be as per the norms of
the scheme).
The re will be stee ring and monitoring
committees at all levels to oversee the scheme.
A special cell to monitor the scheme will be
set up within the Ministry of Women and Child
Development.
4. Bring out the aims of N ational
Population Policy 2000. Do we really
moving towards population stabilization as
expected by National Population Policy
2000?
The immediate objective of the NPP 2000 is to
address the unmet needs for contraception, health
care infrastructure and health personnel, and to
provide integrated service delivery for basic
reproductive and child health care.
The medium-term Objective is to bring the TFR
to replacement levels by 2010, through vigorous
implementation of inter-sectoral operational
strategies.
The long-term objective is to achieve a Stable
population by 2045, at a level consistent with the
requirements of sustainable economy growth,
social development, and environmental protection.
Will, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) continuing
at 2.8 per cent, the Union Health and Family
Welfare Ministry has pushed back the target date
for achieving population stabilisation to 2070 from
2045, Stipulated in the National Population Policy
(NPP) 2000.
It is extremely difficult to achieve it by 2045.
At the current rate of implementation, we expect
population stabilisation to be achieved only in
2070, with a population of 170 crore.
While there was a declining trend in fertility
rates in 14 States, northern and central parts of
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the country continued to have persistently high
TFRs ranging from 3 to 3.9 per cent.
It is estimated that nearly half the population
growth will be from just seven States and 22 per
cent from Uttar Pradesh alone. This is against the
combined contribution of 13 per cent from the
southern States of Karnataka Kerala, Tamil Nadu
and Andhra Pradesh.
5. Bring out the new definition of Slums.
Compare the 2001 census data on urban
slum with 2011 census.
New definition for slums
The new statistical model is based o the report
of the committee headed by Pranob Sen, Principal
Advisor to the Planning Commission set up in 2008,
which presents its report to the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Poverty Alleviation on August 30, 2610.
The Committee’s report also gave a broader
definition of slums to replace the existing one used
by Census of India and the states.
From flow on, any compact housing cluster or
settlement of at least 20 households with a
collection of poorly built tenements which are,
mostly temporary in nature with inadequate
sanitary, drinking water facilities and unhygienic
conditional will be termed as slums.
This new definition will serve as a guideline
for Slum Census 2011 and will replace the existing
one used by Census of India and the States.
So far, while various States have their own
definitions to identify slum, the Registrar General
of India office that conducts Census identified only
cluster of 60 houses as slums, leaving out smaller
ones.
A new — re liable statistical mo del to
enumerate people living in urban slums indicates
that their population will be 93.06 million in the
2011 census, against 75.26 million estimated in
the 2001 census. This shows a growth of 17.8
million.
6. Bring out the salient features of
Protection of Women against Sexual
Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010
Pro tection of Wome n against Sexual
Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010.
In Nove mbe r 20 10, The Union Cabin et
approved the Protection of Women against Sexual
Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010, that ensures
a safe environment for women at work place, both
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in the public and private sectors, in the organised
and unorganised sectors. The Bill will help in
achieving gender empowerment and equality.
Domestic help have, however, been kept out of
the purview of the proposed law that also proposes
a fine of Rs. 50,000 if found violating the provisions
of the law.
The Bill propose s a de finition of se xual
harassment, as laid down by the Supreme Court
in Vishaka vs State of Rajasthan (1997).
Additionally, it recognises the promise or threat
to a woman’s employment prospects or creation of
hostile work environment as ‘sexual harassment’
at workplace and seeks to prohibit such acts.
It provides protection not only to women who
are employed but also to any woman who enters
the workplace as a client, customer, apprentice,
daily wageworker, or in ad hoc capacity. Students,
research scholars in colleges/universities and
patients in hospitals have also been covered.
The Bill provides for an effective complaints
arid redressal mechanism. Under the proposed Bill,
every employer is required to constitute an
Internal Complaints Committee.
Since a large number of the establishments
(41.2 million out of 41.8 million as per Economic
Census, 2005) in the country have less than 10
workers for whom it may not be feasible to set up
an Inte rnal Complaints Committee (ICC) it
provides for selling up of Local Complaints
Committee (ICC) to be constituted by the designated
District Officer at the district or Sub-district levels
as the need be.
This mechanism would ensure that women in
any workplace irrespective of its size or nature have
access to a redressal mechanism.
The LCCS will enquire into the complaints of
sexual harassment and recommend action to the
employer or District Officer.
The Complaint Committees are required to
complete the enquiry within 90 days and a period
of 60 days has been given to the employer/District
Officer for implementation of the recommendations
of the Committee.
The Bill provides for safeguards in the case of
false or malicious complaint of Sexual harassment.
Howeve r mere inability to substantiate the
complaint or provide adequate proof would not make
the complainant liable for punishment.
Imple me ntation of the Bill wil l be the
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responsibility of the Central government in case
of its own undertakings/establishment and of the
State government in respect of every workplace
establishe d owne d controlled or whol ly or
substantially financed by it as well as of private
sector establishments failing within their territory.
Through this implementation mechanism
every employer has the primary duty to implement
the provisions of law within his/her establishment
while the State and Central governments have
been made responsible for overseeing and ensuring
overall implementation of the law.
The governments will also be responsible for
maintaining data op the implementation of the law.
In this manner, the proposed Bill will create an
elaborate system of repotting and checks and
balance s, which will result in effe cti ve
implementation of the law.
7. Bring out salient features of the recent
draft Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences Bill, 2010
Draft Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences Bill, 2010
The draft Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences Bill, 2010, describes any kind of physics
contact with “sexual intent” — though without the
actual ‘penetration’ as sexual assault.
It describes a child — boy or girl — as an
individual below the age of 18 and suggest that in
case s where “penetrative sexual assault” is
committed against a child been 16 and 18 years
(both inclusive) it should be considered whether
the consent for such an act has been obtained
against his or her will; or through fraud, deceit
coercion undue influence threats; or when the
Child did not have the capacity to understand the
nature of the act; or if it was committed without
the child’s consent The punishment recommended
in such cases is imprisonment up to five years.
Where a person is prosecuted for violating any
of the provisions of the proposed Bill, and where
the victim is below 16 years, the burden of Proving
that he has not committed such violation shall be
on the accused person.
But harsher punishment ranging from a
minimum of 10 years to life term, has been
recommended for those accused of aggravated
penetrative sexual assault.
Policemen personnel of the security forces and
the armed forces, and public servants found guilty
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of sexual offences against children Wilt be tried
under this category.
It will include managements of hospitals,
educational institutions jails and even private
institutions Sexual offences committed in a place
of custody or care or protection or when under the
guardianship or foster care, too fall under this
severe category.
Committing this offence with a deadly weapon
physically incapacitating the child or causing the
child to become mentally ill or unfit to perform
regul ar tasks, even causing Pre gnancy, or
inflicting the child with Human immunodeficiency
Virus or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or
any other life threatening disease will be treated
under the category.
The Bill seeks to protect children against
offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and
Pornography and provide for establishment of
special courts for trial of such offences.
8. What do you understand by the term
Social Networking Service What are the
emerging trends in Social Ne tw ork
service? Write about the potential misuse
of social networking services Bring out the
social impacts of Social network.
A social networking service is an online service
platform or site that focuses on building and
reflecting of social networks or social relations
among people, who, for example, share interests
and/or activities.
A social network service essentially consists
of a representation of each user (often a profile)
his/her social links, and a variety of additional
services Most social network services are web
based and provide means for users to interact over
the In te rnet such as e -mail and instant
messaging.
Online community services are sometimes
considered as a social network service, though in
a broader sense, social network service usually
means an individual-centered service whereas
online community services are group-centered.
Social networking cites allow users to share
ideas, activities, events, and interests within their
individual networks.
The main types of social networking services
are those which contain category places (such as
former school year or classmates), means to
connect with friends (usually with self-description
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pages) and a recommendation system linked to
trust. Popular methods now combine many of
these.
Twitter, Facebook, Linkedln and Orkut are
some of the social networking sites that are very
popular in India.
Emerging trends in social networking
At the forefront of emerging trends in social
networking sites is the concept of “real-time web”
and “location based.”
Real time allows users to contribute content,
which is then broadcasted as it is being uploaded -
the concept is analogous to live radio and television
broadcasts. Twitter set the trend for “real time’
services, where users can broadcast to the world
what they are doing, or what is on their minds
within a 140 character limit. Facebook followed
suit with their ‘Live Feed” where users’ activities
are streamed as soon as it happens.
Clixtr, another real time service, focuses on
group photo sharing where users can update their
(photo streams with photos while at an event.
Foursquare gained popularity as it allowed for
use rs to “che ck-in to places that they are
frequenting at that moment. Gowalla is another
such service which functions in much the same
way that Foursquare does, leveraging the GPS in
phones to create a location- based user experience.
Clixtr, though in the real time space, is also a
location based social networking site since events
created by users are automatically geotagged, and
users can view events occurring nearby.
Potential for misuse
The relative free dom afforde d by social
networking services has caused concern regarding
the potential of its misuse by individual patrons.
Citizen s an d go ve rn me nts have bee n
concerned by a misuse by child and teenagers of
social networking services, particularly in relation
to online sexual predators.
A common misuse of social networking sites
is that it is occasionally used to emotionally abuse
individuals. Such actions are often referred to as
trolling. It is not rare for confrontations in the real
world to be translated online. Trolling can occur in
many different forms, such as (but not limited to)
defacement of deceased person(s) tribute pages,
name calling, playing online pranks on volatile
individuals and controversial comments with the
intention to cause anger and cause arguments.
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Online bullying, also called cyber-bullying, is a
relatively common occurrence and it can often
result in emotional trauma for the victim. There
are hot many limitations as to what individuals
can post when Online, Inherently individuals are
given the power to post offensive remarks or
pictures that could potentially cause a great
amount of emotional pain for another individual.
As social networking site s have risen in
popularity over the past years, people have been
spending an excess amount of time on social
networking sites and on the Internet in general
the excessive amount of time that people spend
on social networking sites has led researchers to
debate the establishment of Internet addiction as
an actual clinical disorder. Social networking can
also affect the extent to which a person feels lonely.
Social impacts of social networking
Web based social networking services make it
possible to connect people who share interests and
activities across political economic and geographic
borders through e-mail and instant messaging
online communities are created where a gift
economy and reciprocal altruism are encouraged
through cooperation. Information is particularly
suited to gift economy, as information is a nonrival
good and can be gifted at practically no cost.
Facebook and other social networking tools are
increasingly the object of scholarly research.
Scholars in many fields have begun to investigate
the impact of social networking sites, investigating
how such sites may play into issues of identity
privacy, social capital, youth culture, and education.
Several websites are beginning to tap into the
powe r of the s ocial ne tworking mod el for
philanthropy Such models provide a means for
connecting otherwise fragmented industries and
small organizations without the resources to reach
a broader audience with interested users.
Social networks are providing a different way
for individuals to communicate digitally. These
communities of hypertexts allow for the sharing of
information and ideas, an old concept placed in a
digital environment.
Note:
In the social sciences, a gift economy (or gift
culture is a society where valuable goods and
services are regularly given without any explicit
agreement for, immediate or future rewards.
In evolutionary-biology, reciprocal altruism is
a behaviour whereby an organism acts in a
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manner that temporarily reduces its fitness while
increasing another organism’s fitness, with the
expectation that the other organism will act in a
similar manner at a later time.
9. Bal Bandhu Scheme
In an attempt to prevent adolescents and youth
from picking up guns, the Centre will soon
announce a special initiative to protect children’s
rights and mobilise communities through local
youth volunteers or child defenders in the areas
affected by armed conflict, particularly the Naxal
districts.
The “Bal Bandhu Scheme for Protection of
Children’s Rights in Areas of Civil Unrest” is aimed
at bringing stability in the lives of children and, in
the process, en sure the ir e ntitle me nts to
protection, health, nutrition, sanitation, education
and safety are fulfilled.
This scheme is expected to enhance democracy
through community participation and action, and
renew hope in harmonising society and stabilising
lives while a child’s wellbeing becomes the focus
of all action in the areas.
While the scheme has been drafted by the
Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, it will be
implemented by the National Commission for
Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Funds for the scheme will come from the Prime
Minister’s National Relief Fund.
10. What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?
Write about the Human Papilloma Virus
(HPV) vaccines. Comment on recent
controversy associated with HPV vaccines
project in India.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a member of
the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable
of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses,
HPVs establish productive infections only in
keratinocytes of the skin or mucous membranes.
While the majority of the nearly 200 known types
of HPV cause no symptoms in most people, some
types can cause watts (verrucae), while others can
— in a minority of cases — lead to cancers of the
cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus in women or
cancers of the anus and penis in men, It can also
cause cancers of the head and neck (tongue, tonsils
and throat).
The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine
The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine
prevents infection with certain species of human
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papillorna virus associated with the development
of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less
common cancers.
The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine may
prevent infection with certain species of human
papillomavirus associated with the development
of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less
common cancers, Worldwide, HPV is the most
common sexually transmitted infection in adults.
Two HPV vaccines are currently on the market:
Gardasil and Cervarix both vaccines protect against
the two HPV types (HPV-16 and HPV-18) that cause
70% of cervical cancers, and cause most HPV-
induced genital and head and neck cancers.
A project-in two states in India to vaccinate
320000 girls aged 10 to 14 years against the
human papillomavirus has struck controversy,
with women’s groups, health activists, and some
doctors questioning its rationale ethics and
informed consent procedures.
A women’s organisation has asked the -
government to investigate reports of deaths and
side effects among girls who have received the
vaccine under the project, which is being run by
the Indian council of Medical Research, the nation’s
leading health research agency, and the non-profit
Program for Appropriate Technology in Health
(PATH), which is based in Seattle, Washington. The
vaccine has been available to the public in India
through private medical practitioners since
October 2008.
Panel finds deficiencies in HPV vaccine
project
The three member committee set tip to probe
the alleged irregularities in conducting studies
using human papilloma virus (HFV) vaccine by
PATH in India, has identified several deficiencies
n the planning and implementation of the project
leading “to a crisis requiring suspension of the
study but has fallen short of fixing responsibility
on any individual or agency.
11. “The lowest ever child sex ratio of 914
is witnessed an census 2011”. In the light
of the statement bring out the, region-wise
and state-wise distribution patterns of
child sex ratio in the country. Bring out
the recent meas ure taken by the
government of India to improve child sex
ratio.
Child sex ratio
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The lowest ever child sex ratio of 914 is
witnessed in census 2011. The provisional data
showed that the child sex ratio [0 to 6 years] came
down to 914 females per 1,000 males against 927
in Census 2001.
An increasing trend in the child sex ratio was
seen in Punjab, Haryana. Himachal Pradesh,
Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and the Andaman
and Nicobar Island, but in the remaining States/
UTs, the ratio showed a decline.
While he overall sex ratio has improved since
1991, the decline in child sex ratio has been
unabated since the 1961 Census.
The total number of children in the age group
of 0-6 is now 158.8 million less by five million since
2001.
Twenty states and Union Territories now have
over one million children in the age group 0-6
years. On the other extreme, there are five States
and Union Territories in the country that ore yet
to reach the One hundred thousand mark.
Uttar Pradesh (29.7 million), Bihar (18.6
million), Maharashtra (12.8 million), Madhya
Pradesh (10.5 million) and Rajasthan (10.5 million)
constitute 52pc children in the age group of 0-6
years.
Population (0-6 years) 2001-2011 registered
minus (-) 3.08 percent growth with minus (-) 2.42
for males and - 3.80 for females.
The proportion of Child Population in the age
group of 0-6 years to total population is 13.1 percent
while the corresponding figure in 2001 was 15.9
percent. The decline has been to the extent of 2.8
points.
Child sex ratio (0-6 years) is 914. Increasing
trend in the child sex ratio (0-6) seen in Punjab,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Mizoram and A and N Islands. In all remaining 27
States/UTs, the child sex ratio show decline over
Census 2001.
Mizoram has the highest child sex ratio (0-6
years) of 971 followed by Meghalaya with 970.
Haryana is at the bottom with ratio of 830 followed
by Punjab with 846.
At the district le ve l. Lahul and Spiti in
Himachal Pradesh had the highest sex ratio in the
age group of 0-6 at 1,013, while in Twang
(Arunachal Pradesh), it was 1,005. It was
shamefully low in Jhajjar and Mahendragarh
(Haryana) at 774 and 778.
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Central supervisory board reconstituted to
tackle declaring child sex ratio
Concerned over the sharp decline in the child
sex ratio as reflected in the provisional Census
figures, the Centre reconstituted the Central
Supervisory Board set up under the Pre-conception
& Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 (PC
& PNDT Act).
Chaired by the Union Minister for Health and
Family Welfare and co-chaired by the Minister of
Women and Child Development, the Board consists
of ex-officio members; 10 non official members —
two each from five categories of medical geneticists,
gynecologists and obstetricians, pediatricians,
social scientists and representatives of women
welfare organisations; three women Members of
Parliament (two from the Lok Sabha and one from
the Rajya Sabha); four members to be appointed by
the Centre by rotation to represent the States and
the Union Territories.
The new Board will have 35 members including
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of Health &
Family Welfare as the chairperson.
12. Trace the origin of Pre-na tal
Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and
Prevention of Misuse) Act. Bring out the
aims and aspirations of this act. Bring out
the Offences under the Act.
In 1988, the State of Maharashtra became the
first i n the country to ban pre -natal se x
determination through enacting the Maharashtra
Regulation of Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act.
At the national level the Pre-natal Diagnostic
Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse)
Act was enacted on September 20, 1994. This act
came into force in the year 1996.
The Act was amended in 2003 following a PIL
filed in 2000 to improve regulation of technology
capable of sex selection and to arrest the decline
in the child sex ratio as revealed by the Census
2001 With effect from February 14, 2003 due to
the amendments, the Act is known as the Pre-
conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques
(Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994.
The main purpose of enacting the PC & PNDT
(prohibition of ex Selection) Act, 1994 has been to:
Ban the use of sex selection techniques
before or after conception
Prevent the misuse of pre-natal diagnostic
techniques for sex selective abortions
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Regulate such techniques
The long title of the Act now reads, “An Act to
provide for the prohibition of sex selection, before
or after conception, and for regulation of pre-natal
diagnostic techniques for the purposes of detecting
abnormalities or me tabolic disorde rs or
chromosomal abnormalities or certain congenital
malformations or sex-linked disorders and for the
prevention of their misuse for sex determination
leading to female foeticide and for matters
connected therewith or incident thereto”.
Amendments to the Act mainly covered: i)
bringing the technique of pre-conception sex
selection within the ambit Of the Act ii) Bringing
the use of Ultrasound Machines within the purview
of the Act more explicitly, iii) Further empower the
Central Supervisory Board for monitoring the
implementation of the Act, iv) Constitution of State
level Supervisory Boards and a multi-member State
Appropriate Authority for better implementation,
v) More stringent punishments, vi) Empowering
the Appropriate Authorities with the powers of the
Civil Court for search, seizure and sealing the
machines equipments/records o the violators,
including sealing the premises and commissioning
of witne sse s vii) making mandatory the
maintenance of proper records in respect of the
use of ultrasound machines and viii) Regulate the
sale of ultrasound machines only to the registered
bodies.
Offences under the Act
Conducting or associating or helping in the
conduct of PND techniques/tests in an un-register
unit: Liable person is the owner or person
responsible for conducting the PND test;
Sex selection on a woman or a man or both or
on any tissue, embryo, conceptus fluid or gametes
derived from either or both of them: Liable person
is the specialist or team of Specialists.
Taking the services of un-qualified person
whether on honorary or payment basis: Liable
person is the Unit owner or person responsible;
Conducting a PND test for any purpose other
than those mentioned as permissible in the Act:
Liable person is the Unit owner, person responsible
or person conducting the procedure;
Sale, distribution supply, renting allowance or
authorization of use of any ultrasound machine or
any other equipment capable of detecting sex of a
fetus to non-registered units: liable person is any
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organization company, manufacturer Importer,
Dealer, Supplier;
Advertisement or communication in any from
in print, electronic media or internet by units,
medical professionals or companies on the
availability of sex determination and sex selection
in the form of services medicines, or any kind of
techniques methods or ayurvedic medicines.
Liable person is the unit owner, person responsible
distributor printer, publisher, website host, website
developer or anyone connected with the issuance
of any such communication or advertisement.
13. What do you understand by Infant
mortality ratio and maternal mortality
rate? Assess the Infant mortality rate in
India?
Infant mortality is defined as the number of
infant deaths (on year of age or younger) per 1000
live births.
Maternal death, or maternal mortality also
“obstetrical death” is the death of a woman during
or Shortly after a pregnancy.
Maternal Mortality Ratio is the ratio of the
number of maternal ‘deaths per 100,000 live births.
Infant mortality rate Shows decline
The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India has
come down to 50 (deaths per 1,000 live births) from
53, showing a reduction of three points as compared
to 2008, and eight points since 2005, when the
national average was 58.
The latest data released by the Registrar
General of India (RGI) in its Sample Registration
System for the calendar year of 2009 shows a nine-
point decline in rural IMR during 20.05-2009
compared to six points in cities and towns.
The MR is the lowest in Goa at 11, though it
was 10 in 2008, followed by Kerala at 12.
The worst performers are Madhya Pradesh at
67, Orissa at 65, Uttar Pradesh a 63, and Assam at
61. In Tamil Nadu, the IMR has come down from
31 in 2008 to 28 in 2009.
14. Revised National Tuberu1is Control
Program (RNTCP)
Having achieved the global objectives of a new
70 per cent in case detection and a treatment
success rate of 85 per cent for the last three
co nsec utive ye ars, the Re vise d National
Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) is being
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Current Affairs
further revised with the objective of universal
access to quality TB care for all patients.
Under the universal Access, all TB patients,
including vulnerable and marginalized persons,
will have access to early quality diagnosis and
treatment. The intermediate target is to detect 90
per cent of all cases and successfully treat 90 per
cent of them year 2015.
The RNTCP is being implemented following the
WHO-recommended Directly Observed Treatment
Short Course (DOTS) strategy that provides a sure
cure for tuberculosis with 6-8 months course and
is available free, of cost in the entire country.
India’s DOTS program is the largest in the
world in terms of patients initiated on treatment,
placing on an average of more than 1, 25,000
patients on treatment every Month.
Since its inception, the RNTCP has initiated
over 12.8 million patients on treatment thus
saving more than 2.3 million lives.
15. Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana
(MKSP)
The Union government intends to launch a
scheme aimed at improving the status of women
as agriculture and open up Opportunities for their
empowerment. The scheme, to be taken up by the
Ministry of Rural Development, has been named
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP).
It will be launched as a sub-component of the
renamed, but yet to be launched, National Rural
Livelihood Mission (NRLM), which was earlier
known as Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna
(SGSY).
The scheme hopes to meet the needs of women
farmers, who predominantly come under the small
and marginal farmer categories. Its objective is to
ac hiev e socioe conomic and tec hnical
empowerment of rural woman farmers.
A sum of Rs. 100 crore has been allocated for
implementing the MKSP in the initial stages. The
MKSP will serve as a mechanism that will help
women access extension services and production
assets such as seed, water, credit, and subsidy. At
present, they-are not considered beneficiaries of
various government programmes as they are not
recognised a farmer for want of ownership of land.
The programme provides for syste matic
investments to enhance their participation and
productivity and, at the same time, create and
sustain agriculture-based livelihoods of rural
women.
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16. Bring out the Highlights of Supreme
Court’s decision on Aruna Shanbaug case
Aruna Shanbaug case
Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse working at the
KEM Hospital in Mumbai on 27 November 1973
when, she was strangled and sodomized by Sohanlal
Walmiki, a sweeper. During the attack she was
strangled with a claim, and the deprivation of
oxygen has left her in a vegetative state ever since.
She has been treated at KEM since the incident
and is kept alive by feeding tube. On behalf of
Aruna, her friend Pinki Virani, a social activist,
filed a petition in the Supreme Court arguing that
the “continued existence of Aruna is in violation
of her right to live in dignity”. The Supreme Court
made its decision on 7 March 2011.
The court rejected the plea to discontinue
Aruna’s life support but issued a set of broad
guidelines legalising passive euthanasia in India.
The Supreme court’s decision to reject the
discontinuation of Aruna’s life support was based
on the fact that hospital staff who treat and take
care of her did not support euthanizing her.
Supreme Court’s decision
While rejecting Pinki Virani’s plea for Aruna
Shanbaug’s euthanasia, the court laid out
guidelines for passive euthanasia. According to
these guidelines, passive euthanasia involves the
withdrawing of treatment or food that would allow
the patient to live.
Forms of active euthanasia, including the
administration of lethal compounds, are legal in a
number of nations and jurisdictions, including
Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well
as the US states of Washington and Oregon, but
they are still illegal in India. Elsewhere in the world
active euthanasia is almost always illegal.
The legal status of passive euthanasia, on the
other hand, including the withdrawal of nutrition
or water, varies across, the nations of the world.
As India had no law about euthanasia, the
Supreme Court’s guidelines are law until and
unless Parliament passes legislation.
The following guidelines were laid down:
A decision has to be taken to discontinue life
support either by the parents or the spouse or other
close relatives, or in the absence of any of them,
such a decision can be taken even by a person or
a body of persons acting as a next friend. It can
also be taken by the doctors attending the patient.
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However, the decision should be taken bona fide
in the best interest of the patient.
Even if a decision is taken by the near relatives
or doctors or next friend to withdraw life support
such a decision requires approval from the High
Court concerned.
When such an application is filed the Chief
Justice of the High Court should forthwith
constitute a Bench of at least two Judges who
should decide to grant approval or not.
A committee of three reputed doctors to be
nominated by the Bench, who will give report
regarding the condition of the patient.
Before giving the verdict a notice regarding the
report should be given to the close relatives and
the State After hearing the parties the High Court
can give its verdict.
17. What do you understand by the term
“Honor killing”? Bring out the role of Khap
panchayats in honour killings. Bring out
the reasons for the existence of Khap
panchayats? How the Khap panchayats
affect the women rights? Bring out the
recent initiatives taken by the Government
of India.
An honor killing or honour killing (also called
a customary killing) is the murder of a family or
clan member by one or more fellow family members,
in which the perpetrators (and potentially the wider
community) believe the victim to have brought
dishonour upon the family, clan, or community.
The perceived dishonor is normally the result
of the following behaviors, or the suspicion of such
behaviors: (a) utilizing dress codes unacceptable
to the family/community, (b) wanting to terminate
or prevent an arranged marriage or desiring to
marry by own choice, or (c) engaging in certain
sexual acts, including those with the opposite or
same sex.
Such killings or attempted killings result from
the perception that the defense of honor justifies
killing a person whose behavior dishonors their
own clan or family.
Khap parichayat
Khap is a cluster of villages united by caste
arid geography. Khap panchayat governs the khap
formed by same gotra (clan) families from several
neighbouring villages. Khap panchayats are
prevalent in Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and
Parts of Rajasthan.
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Khap panchyats and honour killings
Love marriages are considered taboo in areas
governed by Khap panchayats. Those living in a
Khap are not allowed to marry in the same gotra or
even in any gotra from the same village. Many
young couples have been killed in the past defying
khap rules.
Khap panchyat imposes its writ through social
boycotts and tine and in most cases end up either
killing or forcing the victims to commit suicide.
All this is done, in the name of brotherhood and its
honour.
R ea so ns for the e xi sten c e of Kh a p
panchayats
It is due to the inhe re nt we akn ess of
democratically elected Panchayati Raj institutions,
Khap panchayats have been powerful.
The absence of a strong political will to crack
down on the illegal diktats of khap panchayats is
‘directly related to the fear among politicians of
alienating ‘their caste constituencies.
Many village people defe nd these caste
panchayats as they deliver the verdict in one sitting
whereas court cases drag for years. According to
them, in many cases innocent people get harassed
in the court and by police. Here as everyone is
known so they cross check everything to ensure
neutrality.
Social boycott is also a main reason for the
families to accept the supremacy of Khap
Panchayats. .
Khap panchayats and women rights
In keeping with the khap rules, older villages
try to keep the young people apart. Some schools
are also forced to have separate timings for the
boys and girls. By doing this, the Khap panchayats
affect the freedom of movement of women and their
educational rights.
Fearing their daughters would go astray, many
parents marry them off at an early age. There by,
the Khap panchayats encourage Child marriages
which affect the women’s development.
Sometimes rules are bent for the boys but a
girl is never allowed to bend the rules. More over,
these bodies undermine the existence of legal
system of the country and the universally accepted
legal procedures and there by them deny the legal
rights and equality of law to the women.
Steps taken by the Government of India
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Concerned about the spate of recent ‘honour
killings’, the Supreme Court of India has asked
the Centre and eight State governments to submit
reports on the steps taken to prevent this barbaric
practice.
Already the central government has indicated
it would bring in a new law that will make the
punishment for honour killings e xtremely
stringent. Further, the government has suggested
that unlike ordinary criminal law which requires
the prosecution to establish guilt, the new law will,
reverse the onus of proof, leaving those accused to
prove their innocence.
18. Write a note on New Pension System
for all citizens. How the New Pension
System for all citizens is different from
New Pension System of the government
employees?
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) announced the launch of the
New Pension System (NPS) for all citizens with
effect from May 1, 2009.
The PFRDA note d that Tier-I of the NPS
comprises the non with-drawable pension account
and Tier-II comprises withdrawable account.
The pension fund mangers appointed to handle
the NPS are to manage three separate schemes
each investing in a different asset class. The asset
classes are equity government securities and
credit risk-bearing fixed income instruments.
On the basis of recommendations of the NPS
Trust and on advice from the government it has
be e n de cide d that inves tme nt by an NPS
participant in equity would be subject to a cap of
50 percent.
As per the scheme the investment in equities
would be only in index funds that replicate either
30-share BSE sensitive index (Sensex) or the 50-
share (Nifty) of the National Stock Exchange (NSE)
The pension subscriber will have the option to
decide on the proportion of fund investment in, the
three asset classes.
The NPS facility has been in operation for
Central government employees since April 1, 2008.
While the adoption of the NPS are at different stages
of implementation in various States, it was in
August 2008 that the Government advised the
pension regulator to extend the NPS to all citizens
of the country on a voluntary basis.
As per the scheme, Central gove rnme nt
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