Issues Related to

Development &
Management of
Social Sector-II
INDIAN POLITY

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Issues Related to Development &

Management of Social Sector-II

Content
 Elderly

 Issues Faced by the Elderly

 Initiatives by the Government

 Transgenders

 Initiatives by the Government and Supreme Court

 Children

 Issues Faced by Children

 Steps Taken by the Government

 Diseased Patients

 Steps Taken by the Government

 Unorganised Labour

 Schemes for the Unorganised Sector

 Tribal People

 Government Initiatives

 Social Sector

 Importance of Social Sector

 Social Infrastructure in India

 Social Security

 Social Security Measures

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 Social Justice

 Government and Court Measures

 Livelihood Opportunities

 Government Initiatives

 Housing

 Government Initiatives

 Health Care Sector

 Issues with the Healthcare Sector in India

 Central Government Schemes for Healthcare

 Education Sector

 School Education

 Higher Education

 Vocational Education

 Problems with Education Sector in India

 Employment Sector

 Causes of Unemployment in India

 Steps Taken by the Government

 Way Forward

 Practice Mains Questions

Inclusive Development
Elderly
 Aging is a continuous, irreversible, universal process that begins at conception and continues until death.

 However, the age at which one's productive contribution drops and one begins to rely on others for
financial support can most likely be considered the start of the elderly stage of life.

 The National Elderly Policy classifies people aged 60 and up as elderly.

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Statistics:
Census-2011:
India has over 104 million senior people. The figure represents 8.6% of the entire population and is
expected to climb to 19% by the year 2050.

Issues faced by the Elderly

 The factory and mass manufacturing has supplanted the modest family production units as a result of
industrialization. As a result, intergenerational bonds, which were once a feature of the conventional
family, have weakened.

 Negligence by children, disillusionment after retirement, feelings of loneliness, uselessness, and isolation
are common.

Initiatives by the Government

 Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Scheme

 This Scheme has a ten-year policy duration and is designed for senior citizens over the age of 60. The
pensioner has the option of receiving payments monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annually. It allows the
person to earn an annual interest rate of 8%. Pension capping is set at Rs. 3,000 per month for the lowest
and Rs. 10,000 per month for the maximum.

 It ensures the financial security of the elderly.

National Council of Senior Citizens

 It was renamed in 2012 after being known as the National Council for Older Persons (NPOP). It is the
highest body to advise the Central and State Governments on problems connected to the welfare of
elderly citizens and the promotion of their quality of life. It is chaired by the Minister of Social Justice and
Empowerment and must meet at least twice a year.

 National Programme of Health Care for the Elderly (NPHCE)

 This program was implemented in 2011 under the National Rural Health Mission. The Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment is a key body for elderly people's welfare. The scheme's major goal is to
improve the quality of life of older people by providing basic necessities such as shelter, food, medical
treatment, and recreational opportunities.

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Transgenders
 The Indian legal framework's failure to recognize the Third Gender has resulted in the systematic denial of
equal protection under the law and pervasive socio-economic discrimination in society and in Indian
workplaces.

 Transgender refers to and encompasses any individuals whose gender does not correspond or match the
gender given to them at birth, and includes trans-man and trans-woman, according to the Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Points to Remember
LGBTQIA+ Categories
 LGBTQ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning.

 The recent additions to the term are ‘I’ which stands for Intersex, A for Asexual, and + stands for anyone
else that may have been left out.

Initiatives by the Government and Supreme Court

 Recognising as Third Gender

 The Supreme Court of India laid the groundwork for transgender people's rights in India by recognising
'transgender' as a 'third gender' and enacting a number of laws prohibiting discrimination against
transgender people and protecting their rights. The ruling recommended that transgender people be given
preference in professions and educational institutions, as well as the right to disclose their self-perceived
gender identity without having to undergo sex reassignment surgery.

National Portal for Transgender Persons

 It was created in accordance with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, which came into
effect in 2020. It would make it easier for transgender people to apply for a certificate and identification
card online from anywhere in the country. It will ensure that the process is transparent.

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Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020

 The Central government made the rules under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
The guidelines aim to recognize transgender people's identities and prohibit discrimination in areas such
as education, work, healthcare, property ownership and disposal, public and private office holding, and
access to and usage of government services and benefits.

 A person will be recognized as transgender based on a certificate of identity issued by the District
Magistrate, according to the law. This certificate will serve as proof of transgender status and will grant
privileges under the bill.

 According to the Act, regardless of sex reassignment surgery or hormonal therapy, a person has the
freedom to identify as a man, woman, or transgender. It also requires transgender people to be certified
as transgender by a district magistrate and a "district screening committee."

Children
 According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, "the State shall take all appropriate
measures to ensure that the child is protected from all forms of punishment or discrimination on the basis
of the child's parents, legal guardians, or family members' status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs."

 Child labor, hunger, stunting, and other issues still afflict a substantial number of Indian youngsters.

Issues faced by Children

Child Labour

 Child labor is prohibited under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016. The
Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution outlaw child labor
under the age of 14 years in any factory, mine, castle, or in any other hazardous occupation (Article 24).

Child Sex Abuse

 It is a multi-layered problem that impacts the physical and mental health of children, as well as their well-
being and behavioral aspects. The problem has been amplified due to digital technologies, which has also
led to the problem of online harassment and child pornography.

Health Issues

 Diarrhea and malnutrition are two of the leading causes of death among children under the age of five in
India. Both of these concerns are linked to poor cleanliness, as infections cause mineral depletion and loss
of appetite, in addition to a lack of access to nutritional foods.

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Statistics:
Global Nutrition Report 2021:

 Malnutrition is linked to the wasting and stunting of children.

 However, India is one of 105 that are on track to meet the "childhood overweight" target.

 Low height-for-age is referred to as stunting. More than 34% of children under the age of five are still impacted.
India is one of 53 countries on track to fulfill the stunting target.

 Wasting refers to children whose weight is low-for-their height. Over 17% of Indian children under 5 years of
age are affected. India is also among 23 countries that have made no progress or are worsening on reducing
‘childhood wasting’.

Steps Taken by the Government

National Policy for Children, 2013

 The policy considers a child to be under the age of 18. Its goal is to provide a social safety net for families
in order to help them nurture their children. According to the policy, every child has universal, inalienable,
and indivisible human rights. It focuses on the Health, nutrition, and survival of children, their education
and development, child protection, and child involvement.

Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016

 A child is defined by the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986 as a person who has not
reached the age of fourteen. Its goal is to restrict child employees' hours and working conditions, as well
as to prohibit them from working in hazardous industries.

 Employers who violate the Act will face harsher penalties under the 2016 Amendment Act. It will also
make the employer liable if he or she employs a kid or adolescent in violation of the Act. The Act also
authorizes the government to prohibit juvenile workers from working in dangerous settings.

Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme

 The scheme is a popular government flagship program that provides supplementary nutrition,
immunization, and pre-school education to children. It is one of the world's largest programs. It was
established in 1975 and provides an integrated package of services for the holistic development of
children. It was renamed Anganwadi services and covers all districts of the country.

Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015

 The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2000 was replaced by the 2015 Act. Special
provisions were included to deal with child offenders aged 16 to 18 who commit serious crimes.

 Every district must establish Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees. Both groups must
include at least one female member.
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 A new chapter on Adoption has been added to simplify the adoption process for orphans, abandoned
children, and children who have been surrendered. The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) was
also given the status of a statutory organization, allowing it to better carry out its mission.

 The Juvenile Justice Amendment Bill, 2021 includes measures for children who have broken the law and
youngsters who require care and protection.

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006

 Through the Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA), 1929, the minimum age for marriage was set for the
first time in 1928, at 14 years for females and 18 years for boys (also called as Sharda Act). In 1949, the
age was raised to 15 for girls, and in 1978, an amendment was passed raising the age to 18 and 21 for
girls and boys, respectively.

 The Prevention of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, was adopted by the Indian government to replace
the earlier CMRA, with the main goal of prohibiting child marriages and protecting and assisting victims.
The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, introduced in 2021, aims to increase the legal age of
marriage for women from 18 to 21 years, at par with men.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012

 The Goa Children's Act, 2003, was the only particular piece of child abuse legislation in place prior to the
enactment of the POCSO Act. The Act does not discriminate based on gender. The Act defines many types
of sexual abuse, including but not limited to sexual harassment, pornography, and penetrative and non-
penetrative assault. The Act requires that reasonable efforts be made to make the investigation process
as child-friendly as possible and that the matter be resolved within one year of the date of the offense
being reported.

 The Act also establishes Special Courts to hear cases involving such offenses and things relating to them.
The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and State Commissions for the Pro-
tection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) have been established as the designated authorities to monitor the Act's
implementation. Both are governmental organizations.

Diseased Patients
 Like the elderly and children, diseased patients account for a significant percentage of the country’s
population. India has a high prevalence of illnesses, respiratory, infectious, genetic, and rare diseases. They
have the potential to disproportionately affect the poor and the disadvantaged in the future. They
endanger the public health system and damage the economy and society on a daily basis.

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 Over the last century, disease-related mortality has decreased significantly in human societies. However,
as a society, we must continue to fight not only the disease we believed we had under control but also
the diseases that have emerged in the previous 30 years or that are emerging every day, COVID-19 being
a recent example. Such an endeavor necessitates effective disease control measures in the public health
sector.

Steps Taken by the Government

National Policy for the Treatment of Rare Diseases, 2017

 The policy emphasizes the actions and initiatives that must be implemented, both in the short and long
term, to deal completely with rare diseases. It calls for the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Consultative
Committee to coordinate and manage the various ministries' and departments' work. It also calls for the
establishment of a corpus fund at the federal and state levels for the treatment. It aims to establish a
patient register for diseases researched by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It also strives
to raise awareness about rare diseases among health professionals, patient families, and the general
public.

Disease Surveillance System

 The National Surveillance Programme for Communicable Diseases was established in 1997 in response to
a severe cholera outbreak in Delhi in 1988 and the Surat plague outbreak in 1994. However, until 2004,
when India launched the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) in response to the SARS outbreak,
this initiative remained inadequate. The IDSP aimed to enhance government financing for disease
monitoring, strengthen laboratory capacity, train health professionals, and ensure that every district in
India has at least one qualified epidemiologist.

Mission Indradhanush

 The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the 'Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI)' in
1978. The name of the program was changed to 'Universal Immunization Program (UIP)' in 1985. To
speed up coverage, Mission Indradhanush was executed in 2015 with the goal of fast-increasing full
vaccination coverage to 90%. The goal is to fully immunize more than 89 lakh children who are currently
unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated as part of the Universal Immunization Program (UIP).

Universal Immunization Program (UIP):

 Diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, meningitis, and pneumonia, Haemophilus
influenzae type B infections, Japanese encephalitis (JE), rotavirus vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV),
and measles-rubella vaccine are among the 12 vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) covered.

 By 2022, the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 2.0 intends to attain at least 90% vaccination coverage across India.

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Unorganized Labor
 Whether it was demonetization, the implementation of India's Goods and Services Tax (GST), or the
breakout of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the informal sector, which generally deals in cash and works outside
the regulatory framework, bore the brunt of the consequences. The protected organized sector was the
main benefit. The informal sector, in its current state, is in desperate need of effective formalization as
soon as feasible.

 According to the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS)-2020, 90 percent of workers, or 419 million out of 465
million, are in the informal sector.

Schemes for the Unorganized Sector

e-SHRAM Portal

 The Ministry of Labor and Employment has created the e-SHRAM portal to create a National Database of
Unorganized Workers (NDUW) in order to maximize their employability and provide them with the
benefits of social security systems.

 It's the first national database of unorganized workers, such as migrant laborers, construction workers, gig
and platform workers, and so on. This would improve the efficiency with which social security services for
unorganized workers are implemented.

Source: www.labour.gov.in

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One Nation One Ration Card System

 By July 31, 2021, the Supreme Court ordered all states and Union Territories (UT) to implement the One
Nation, One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme.

 Migrant workers protected by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can use their ration card to buy food
at any reasonable price in any region of the country.

Tribal People
 According to India's 2011 census, the scheduled tribes' total population was 8.6% of the country's overall
population. In the eighth schedule of the Indian constitution, the government of India has listed 427
communities as scheduled tribes.

 The scheduled tribes' literacy rate is barely 59 percent, compared to the national average of 73.0 percent
(2011). The federal and state governments have set aside 7.5 percent of the positions for scheduled
indigenous applicants.

 To promote inclusive development, the development of tribal communities is extremely important.

Government Initiatives
Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY)

 It's a market-driven tribal entrepreneurship development initiative, launched in 2018. It is aimed at

building tribal Self Help Groups clusters and strengthening them into Tribal Producer Companies. (Tribal
Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) TRIFED is in charge of implementing the scheme. It is aimed at
generating income for tribals by utilizing the forest's wealth, namely Van Dhan.

 The initiative attempts to tap into tribes' traditional knowledge and skill sets by incorporating technology
and information technology to enhance them at each stage and turn tribal wisdom into a sustainable
economic activity.

 The project will promote and use tribals' collective strength to create a feasible scale to take on predatory
market forces.

 The proposal will also establish tribal community-owned multi-purpose Minor Forest Produce (MFP) Van
Dhan Vikas Kendras in predominantly tribal districts.

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Points to Remember
Minor Forest Produce
 It includes non-timber forest products of plant origin like bamboo, canes, fodder, leaves, gums, waxes,
dyes, resins and many forms of food including nuts, wild fruits, honey, and lac.

 It forms an important source of livelihood for the tribal people. Minor Forest Produce provides them with
20-40% of their annual income.

 Because the majority of Minor Forest Produces are collected and used/sold by women, this activity has a
strong link to women's financial empowerment.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools

The goal of these schools is to provide high-quality middle and high-level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST)
students in remote areas, not only to enable them to take advantage of reservation in higher and professional
education courses and jobs in the government, public, and private sectors, but also to provide them with
equal access to the best educational opportunities available to non-ST students.

Social Sector
 Education, Health, Nutrition, Housing, and Sanitation are often referred to as the "social sector."
Schooling, health, and job training are all investments that people make in themselves. Investment in
these sectors leads to increased worker productivity and a higher financial rate of return to human
resources.

 The concept encompasses empowerment, cooperation, equity in basic capabilities and opportunities,
sustainability, and security.

 The development of the social sector is one of the vital dimensions of the overall development of a
country.

 Focusing on either economic growth or human development may lead to unbalanced economic growth,
jeopardizing the long-term development process. Hence, for overall development, social development and
economic development must be complementary to one another.
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Importance of Social Sector

 Spending on social services as a percentage of GDP and investment in social infrastructure are critical for
inclusive growth and development.

 The social sector works to achieve both social and economic goals and provides social services to
disadvantaged groups and communities in both urban and rural areas.

Social Infrastructure in India

 The construction and upkeep of facilities that support social services are referred to as social
infrastructure.

 Healthcare (medical facilities and accompanying infrastructure), education (schools, universities, and
student housing), and housing are examples of these. The social infrastructure concept includes India's
education system, health care, and management of education and health services.

 The Indian government is responsible for the country's social development through rigorous
infrastructure planning and close collaboration on social issues.

Sector Examples

Medical facilities
Health Hospital Infrastructure
Ancillary Infrastructure (medical colleges, offices, parking facilities, etc)

Primary and Secondary schools

Education
Hostels

Civilian residence colonies

Housing
Defense housing

Water and Wastewater treatment facilities

Sanitation facilities
Civic and Utilities
Community parks
Sports facilities

Bus stations
Transport Train stations
Highways and roads

Courthouses
Justice
Prisons

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Social Security
 Social Security, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO), is a comprehensive approach
aimed at preventing destitution, assuring individuals of a basic minimum income, and protecting them
from unforeseen events.

 It also has two components namely:

 Right to a Standard of Living which includes food, clothing, housing, medical care, and other essential
social services, and

 Right to Income Security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or
another inability to earn a living due to circumstances beyond one's control.

Social Security Measures

National Pension Scheme (NPS)

 The social security of the working poor is covered under the scheme. It began in 2004 and is open to all
government employees. In 2009, the plan was made available to all citizens. It is a long-term, voluntary
retirement plan. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the Central
Government regulate it.

Swavalamban Scheme

 In 2010, the government launched the Swavalamban Scheme to address the risk of premature death
among unorganized sector specialists and to encourage careless workers to save up money for their
retirement. The Swavalamban Yojana was succeeded by the Atal Pension Yojana, which was created to
give old-age income security to unorganized-sector workers.

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)

 The two plans would provide coverage in the unfortunate event of death due to any cause/death or
inability due to an accident.

Social Justice
 Many problems can be solved by social justice. It is a tool aimed at eliminating social inequalities,
ensuring the economic upliftment of vulnerable and backward sections of Indian society, establishing a
democratic system, alleviating sufferings, and providing legal justice to those who have been oppressed
by influential and powerful sections of Indian society. Social justice can be viewed as a dynamic tool for
improving the conditions of India's marginalized people.

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 Besides Supreme Court, High courts, and District courts, there exist Alternate Dispute Redressal Systems
that ensure accessibility of legal justice to the remotest and poorest corners of the country.

Government and Court Initiatives

Lok Adalat

 The title 'Lok Adalat,' which means 'People's Court,' is derived from Gandhian ideas. It is a component of
the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system that provides informal, low-cost, and quick justice to the
general public.

 In Gujarat, the first Lok Adalat camp was held in 1982 as a voluntary and conciliatory organization with no
statutory underpinning for its rulings. The Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987 gave it statutory standing
as a result of its growing popularity. The Lok Adalats Act establishes the organization and operation of the
Lok Adalats.

Family Courts

 The family courts give the most marginalized members of society access to justice. They lower the
barriers to justice in terms of distance, time, and associated costs. They serve as an alternative dispute
resolution tool, reducing delays by facilitating a rapid and efficient summary procedure. They also provide
low-cost, accessible, and effective justice to the poorest members of society.

Livelihood Opportunities
 Poverty is complex, as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demonstrate, and requires a variety of
responses. The obstacles of building poverty-free Rural Clusters are dynamic. To make a difference,
nonfarm livelihoods and diverse livelihoods are essential. According to recent figures, the rural economy
already accounts for half of manufacturing and one-third of the services sector. The path to increased
income and employment is unmistakably through livelihood development and diversification.

Government Initiatives
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

 The scheme's objectives are to provide rural unskilled labor with 100 days of guaranteed pay work,
provide economic security, and reduce labor migration from rural to urban regions. It takes a grassroots-
driven approach for employment generation.

National Rural Livelihood Mission

 Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojana (DDU-GKY) and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana –
NationalRural Livelihood Mission are two key self-employment schemes offered by NRLM (DAY-NRLM).

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 The DAY-NRLM village entrepreneurship development method aims to create a catalytic local
entrepreneurial environment and encourage rural unemployed youth to start their own small businesses.
Converging rural development efforts with agri-infrastructure would help enhance rural livelihoods and
income by mobilizing more SHGs and using their support services for the building and operation of rural
warehouses and other agri-logistics.

Housing
 Housing is a crucial industry for the Indian economy because it is interconnected with other industries.
The housing sector's expansion has a direct impact on job creation, GDP growth, and consumption
patterns in the economy.

 Housing that is both sustainable and disaster-resistant has been identified as a critical component of
reaching the Paris Agreement on Climate Change obligations. Human settlements must be inclusive, safe,
resilient, and sustainable, according to Sustainable Development Goal 11.

Scenario:
 According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, there is a housing shortfall of 18.78 million
units, with the Economic and Weaker Section (EWS) accounting for 56.2 percent of them.

 The Census of India reports that 11.07 million dwellings in Urban India were unoccupied in 2011. This indicates
that there is a demand-supply imbalance in the housing sector.

 According to projections, India's urban population has reached over 80 crores in 2020. This will make providing
housing and basic utilities to the inhabitants extremely difficult. This could lead to an increase in the number of
homeless people.

Government Initiatives
Since independence, the Indian government has implemented policies and programs to house the poor,
including the Low Income Group Housing Scheme (1956), Slum Improvement Clearance Scheme (1956-1972),
Environmental Improvement of Urban Slums (1972), National Slum Development Programme (1966), Scheme
for Housing and Shelter Up-gradation (1989-1997), Night Shelter (1988-89), and Valmiki Ambedkar Awas
Yojana (2001). Industrial employees and economically disadvantaged people were given housing under the
Integrated Subsidies Housing Scheme in 1952.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)

 PMAY-U was established in 2015 with the goal of providing housing to everyone by 2022. Through States/
UTs, the scheme provides central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing
agencies.
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 There are four verticals in the program:

 Credit Link Subsidy Scheme (CLSS)

 Rehabilitation of slum dwellers

 Subsidiary for individual house construction

 Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) program.

Health Care Sector

 Health is best regarded as the unavoidable foundation for determining one's experience of well-being.
Health care encompasses medical treatment, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care. Health
promotion and illness prevention are also represented in an ideal health care system.

 Health is a topic under the state list under the Indian Constitution. Each state has its own healthcare
delivery system, which includes both public and private actors. The health care sector comprises both
public and private sector health care facilities.

 While states are responsible for the operation of their healthcare systems, the central government has
specific obligations, including policymaking, planning, leading, analyzing, assessing, aiding state
governments, and providing financing to implement national health programs.

 India’s health care system includes Allopathy (Western medicine) and also Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga,
and Sowa Rigpa type of medical systems.

India’s health care system includes Allopathy (Western medicine) and also Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, and Sowa
Rigpa type of medical systems.

Issues with the Healthcare Sector in India

Insufficient Medical Personnel

In rural areas, there is a severe scarcity of medical personnel, infrastructure, and last-mile connectivity. India
now has one doctor every 1,445 people, compared to the WHO standard of one doctor per 1000 people.
Massive shortages of services (human resources, hospitals, and diagnostic centers in the commercial and
governmental sectors), exacerbated by drastically unequal availability across and within states.

Low Health Budget

The Budget 2021 allocated ₹2,23,846 crore in health and well-being for 2021-22. However, India is still
among the countries with the lowest public healthcare budget in the world.

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High OOPE

India continues to be one of the countries with the highest out-of-pocket spending (OOPE). Out-of-pocket
healthcare costs in India are estimated to be at 62 percent, nearly three times the global average of 18
percent.

Poor Insurance Penetration

India has one of the lowest healthcare spendings per capita in the world. In comparison to 83.5 percent in
the UK, the government contributes around 32 percent to insurance. The fact that 76 percent of Indians do
not have health insurance contributes to the high out-of-pocket costs.

Non-Holistic Healthcare

There are several factors of better health that are outside the scope of the Health Ministry. They include
factors such as improved drinking water supply and sanitation; better nutritional outcomes, health, and
education for women and girls; improved air quality, and safer roadways.

Central Government Schemes for Healthcare

Objective: The Indian government intends to expand healthcare spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2025.

National Health Mission

The extension of the National Health Mission was approved by the Government of India in Budget 2020-21,
with an allocated budget of roughly Rs 34,000 crores. Financial assistance is provided in the following areas
under the National Health Mission (NHM): ASHA workers, ambulances, mobile medical units (MMUs),
pharmaceuticals and equipment, and support for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent
health (RMNCH+A).

National Nutrition Mission

The National Nutrition Mission has set a goal of lowering undernutrition and stunting concerns by 2%.

PMJAY
The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is the government's largest healthcare
initiative. PMJAY was given a budget of $1 million in the Union Budget for 2020-21.

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Source: www.transformingindia.mygov.in

Education Sector
Current Status of Education in India:

 According to Census 2011, the literacy rate in India stands at 74%.

 The male literacy rate is 82.1%, while the female literacy rate is 65.5%.

 The state with the maximum literacy is Kerala, followed by Delhi, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

 Bihar (63.8%) has the lowest literacy rate among states, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and
Jharkhand.

 According to the 2011 Census, there were 26.5 crore non-literate (15 years and older) people in India.

School Education
 While there have been numerous education policies and reforms, the accessibility of education remains
limited. Children's developmental needs are sometimes not met by the prescribed curricula.

 There aren't enough certified and trained teachers. The teacher-student ratio remains very low. Also, the
pedagogy or the method of teaching isn't up to par.

 The majority of early childhood education is currently provided via anganwadis and private preschools.
Hence, the educational aspects of early life have received less attention.

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Higher Education
 The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education in India has increased from 20.8 percent in 2011-12
to 25.8 percent in 2017-18, according to the All India Survey on Higher Education.

 Lack of quality education, poor infrastructure, outdated curricula, and faculty shortages are some of the
problems that higher education systems face in India.

Vocational Education
 In India, less than 5% of the workforce aged 19-24 receives vocational education, compared to 52 percent
in the United States, 75 percent in Germany, and 96 percent in South Korea.

 The National Policy on Skills Development and Entrepreneurship (2015) planned for 25 percent of
educational institutions to offer vocational education.

 The policy gradually expands this to cover all educational institutions over a ten-year period.

Problems with Education System in India

Poor Quality of Education

 The declining quality of education is shown in the 2015 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER).
According to the survey, deficiencies in core reading and math skills build up over time, leaving pupils
severely disadvantaged for further education. In the 2008 and 2009 Programme for International Student
Assessment (PISA) tests, India performed poorly.

Issues with Teachers

 There aren't enough certified and trained teachers due to defects in the training of teachers. The teacher-
student ratio remains very low. According to the AISHE report 2020, the Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Higher
Education in 2019-20 is 26. The incentives for teachers are low, which results in poor performance.

Inadequate Public Spending

 Most educational institutions lack infrastructure, science equipment, and libraries, among other things,
due to a lack of money. As a result, the expected outcomes are not achieved. According to the National
Policy on Education (1986), education shall account for at least 6% of GDP.

 The National Policy on Education 2021, aimed to achieve this target. However, the goal remained
unachievable, and the rate has stayed around 4%. For 2021, the education sector has been allocated Rs
93,224 crore, comprising Rs 54,873 crore for school education and literacy and Rs 38,350 crore for higher
education to meet the 6% target.

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Inequitable Education

 The education system remains non-inclusive and inequitable. The rich-poor split can be seen across the
educational system.

Employment Sector
 The National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) defines employment and unemployment in terms of an
individual's activity status:

 'Employed' means working (doing something for a living).

 'Unemployed' means looking for work or being available for work.

 Neither looking for work nor available for it.

Causes of Unemployment in India

 The sizable population of India has become a reason for unemployment.

 The working population has little or no educational levels and vocational skills are another reason for un-
employment.

 Inadequate state support, legal complexities, and a lack of infrastructural, financial, and market linkages
to small/ cottage industries or small businesses make them unviable due to the cost and compliance over-
runs.

 Due to a lack of requisite education/skills, a large workforce is linked with the informal sector, which is
not included in any employment data. Domestic assistants, construction laborers, and so on.

 The curriculum taught in schools and universities is out of date and does not meet the current needs of
industry. The main source of structural unemployment is this.

 Inadequate infrastructure growth and poor manufacturing sector investments limit the secondary indus-
try's employment potential.

 Low agricultural output, along with a dearth of alternative employment alternatives, makes the transition
from basic to secondary and postsecondary education challenging.

 Regressive social norms that discourage women from seeking/maintaining work create a gender divide in
the workforce.

Steps Taken by the Government

Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)
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The IRDP was established in 1980 with the goal of creating full-time jobs in rural areas.

Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM)

 This program began in 1979 with the goal of assisting unemployed rural youngsters between the ages of
18 and 35 in developing self-employment skills.

 Youth and women from the SC/ST communities were given priority.

RSETI/RUDSETI

In 1982, Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Educational Trust, Syndicate Bank, and Canara Bank
collaborated to establish the "Rural Development and Self-Employment Training Institute’’ with the acronym
RUDSETI near Dharmasthala in Karnataka, with the goal of addressing the youth unemployment problem.

RSETIs (Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes) are now run by banks with active government and state
government support.

Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)

The JRY was launched on April 1, 1989, by merging the two previous wage employment programs, the
National Rural Employment Program (NREP) and the Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP). It was launched on an 80:20 cost-sharing basis between the center and the states.

MNREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act)

It is a social security program that was established in 2005 to provide a minimum of 100 days of paid work
per year to all families whose adult members choose unskilled labor-intensive work. People have the right to
work under this act.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

The scheme was started in 2015. It aims to help a significant number of Indian youngsters have access to
industry-relevant skill training that will help them secure a better living.

Start-Up India Scheme

It was started in 2016 and intends to create an ecosystem that encourages and supports entrepreneurship.

Stand Up India Scheme

It was established in 2016. It intends to make bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore available to at
least one SC or ST borrower and at least one woman borrower for each bank branch for the purpose of
establishing a greenfield business.

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Way Forward
 To reach out to all elements of society, fundamental and structural changes in the design of policies are
needed.

 People's participation, awareness generation, technological utilisation, and direct benefit transfer must
be used to contribute to a more equitable distribution of wealth.

 Access to education at all levels, including in rural and urban areas, as well as important educational
reforms, are needed to promote professional development.

 Efforts must be made to increase the total employment of the country.

 The authorities must strive to provide accessible and quality healthcare across the country.

 In both rural and urban areas, the percentage of houses with pucca structures must be raised.

 Water conservation activities must be taken, especially in water-distressed districts.

Mains Question for Practice:

Q 1. Explain the concept of inclusive development in context with women, transgenders, and the elderly in
India.(250 words, 15 marks)

Q 2 . Mention some of the challenges faced by women in the current society, and the initiatives are taken by
the government to empower women. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q3. Sustainable housing is in conformity with Sustainable Development Goal 11. Government initiatives
seek to achieve the goal to provide housing to all in India. Examine the statement.(150 words, 10 marks)

Q4. Despite Consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human
development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive. (UPSC CSE 2019)
(250 words, 15 marks)

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