Longitudinal Ageing Study of India

23rd March, 2016

Longitudinal Ageing Study of India

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), here today. 

Need:

Ageing Scenario

On the concern of increasing portion of elderly population in the country. The study will provide valuable data on their health needs, and issues faced by them given the changing social structures, and help us to draw policy tools to address their issues. 

It will survey more than 60,000 elderly over 25 years plan

Conducted by:

The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai in collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and University of Southern California (USC), USA

Facts behind:

The global share of older people aged 60 years or over increased from 9.2 percent in 1990 to 11.7 percent in 2013 and will continue to grow as a proportion of the world population, reaching 21.1 percent by 2050. 

Presently, about two thirds of the world’s older persons live in developing countries. 

By 2050, nearly 8 in 10 of the world’s older population will live in the less developed regions. 

Population ageing threatens to topple existing insurance and pension systems and create health system overload; therefore calls for review of existing models of healthcare, familial and social support.

According to the 2011 census, the 60+ population accounted for 8.6% of India’s total population or 103.84 million elderly.

India’s life expectancy at birth nearly will reach to 76 years, by 2050. As a result, India’s population will rise from 1.3 billion today to an estimated 1.7 billion by 2050, with a much larger elderly share of around 340 million.

Including the pre-retirement phase (i.e., population age 45+), the proportion will rise to over 30%, or almost 600 million persons. Between 2011 and 2050, the number of oldest old people of age 75 and above is expected to increase by 340%. 

Audit on RTE Act, 2009

21st March, 2016

Audit on RTE Act, 2009

RTE act, 2009

Background:

The Constitution (86th Amendment) Act 2002, which made elementary education a Fundamental Right

Consequential legislation- the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, is the main vehicle for the Act’s implementation

The cornerstone of Right to Education is provision of free and compulsory primary education, though the aim is also to provide increasing access to learning opportunities at secondary, technical and higher levels.

Analysis:

1. 3.5 Lakhs schools have been opened in the last decade.
2. 99% of India’s rural population now has a primary school within a one kilometer radius. 
3. 84.4% schools now served the mid-day meals
4. 48.2% schools had proper and functioning toilets for girls 
5. 73% schools had available drinking water
6. The enrollment of girls has increased slightly from 48.12% in 2009-10 to 48.19% in 2014-15 at the elementary level. 
7. For boys, the enrollment at primary level is now 52%. 
8. A 55% decline in dropouts was also reported in the age group 6–14 years, from 13.46 million in 2005 to 6.06 million in 2014
9. Annual average primary school dropout rate declining from 6.8% in 2009-10 to 4.3% in 2013-14.

Improvement Required:

1. Global Monitoring Report 2012 ranked India a low 102 out of the 120 countries on the Education for All (EFA) Development Index, based on progress in universal primary education, adult literacy, gender parity and the quality of education.
2. There has been a decline in the education outcomes, with abilities in reading, writing and other comprehensive skills deteriorating among children between the ages of 6 and 14.
3. The flow of public funds has so far been focused on developing school infrastructure. Teacher training has been a neglected area.
4. An Oxfam India policy report in March 2015 indicated that over 5 lakh sanctioned teacher’s post were lying vacant and more than 6.6 lakh in-service teachers were un-trained. 
5. Around 37% of primary schools were found to be non-conformant with the prescribed national pupil – teacher ratio (PTR) norm of 30:1. 
6. Around 10% of schools across the country remained single teacher schools.
7. The UNESCO EFA Monitoring Report for 2014, noted that teacher absenteeism in India varied from 15% in Maharashtra to 42% in Jharkhand.
8. Less than 10% schools comply with all the RTE norms.
9. Total public expenditure for education, at less than 3.5% of GDP, is well below the 6% commitment made in the National Education Policies.
10. While school education is primarily the responsibility of states, the central government directly finances 60% of education, through programmes such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. 
11. As many as 66% of India’s primary school students attend government schools or government-aided schools. 

Airlander

Airlander

Courtesy: TOI

Thorium based Reactors

17th March, 2016

Thorium based Reactors 

Production:

It is not possible to build a nuclear reactor using Thorium alone. It has to be converted to Uranium-233 in a reactor before it can be used as fuel. 

With this in view, a three-stage nuclear power programme, based on a closed nuclear fuel cycle has been chalked out to use thorium as a viable and sustainable option, right at the inception of India’s nuclear power programme. 

Three stage nuclear Power Programme:

3 Stage Nuclear Power Program

Aims to multiply the domestically available fissile resource through the use of natural uranium in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, followed by use of plutonium obtained from the spent fuel of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors in Fast Breeder Reactors. 

Large scale use of Thorium will subsequently follow making use of the Uranium-233 that will be bred in Fast Breeder Reactors. 

The third stage of Indian nuclear power programme which contemplates making use of Uranium-233 to fuel Thorium Uranium-233 based reactors can provide energy independence to the country for several centuries.

Resources:

India has abundant quantity of thorium resources contained in the mineral monazite occurring in the beach sand placer deposits along the eastern and western coasts of the country as well as the inland placers in parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. 

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) through its Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research (AMD) has carried out exploration activities over the past six decades, which have resulted in establishing in situ resources of 11.93 million tonnes of monazite as on February 2016 in the country. 

Indian Monazite contains about 9-10% of Thorium oxide (ThO2) which in turn results in about 1.07 million tonnes of Thorium oxide (ThO2). 

World Heritage Sites

15th March, 2016

World Heritage Sites 

Determined by:

UNESCO, with the help of 21 member World Heritage Committee and advisory bodies such as International Council on Monuments and Sites and International Union for Conservation of Nature  within the framework of its Operational Guidelines, decides about the cultural and natural sites to be included on the World Heritage list. 

Based on: Outstanding Universal Value

1.    to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

2.      to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a  cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

3.      to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

4.      to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological   ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

5.      to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

6.      to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria.

7.      to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

8.      to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

9.      to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

10.     to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

Cultural Sites:

(Under Protection of Archaeological Survey of India)

S.No	Name of Site	State
1.	Ajanta Caves (1983)	Maharashtra
2.	Ellora Caves (1983)	Maharashtra
3.	Agra Fort (1983)	Uttar Pradesh
4.	Taj Mahal (1983)	Uttar Pradesh
5.	Sun Temple, Konarak (1984)	Odisha
6.	Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)	Tamil Nadu
7.	Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)	Goa
8.	Group of Temples, Khajuraho (1986)	Madhya Pradesh
9.	Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)	Karnataka
10.	Group of Monuments, FatehpurSikri (1986)	Uttar Pradesh
11.	Group of Temples, Pattadakal (1987)	Karnataka
12.	Elephanta Caves ( 1987)	Maharashtra
13.	Great Living Chola temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram (1987 & 2004)	Tamil Nadu
14.	Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)	Madhya Pradesh
15.	Humayun’s  Tomb, Delhi (1993)	Delhi
16.	Qutb Minar Complex, Delhi (1993)	Delhi
17.	Prehistoric Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)	Madhya Pradesh
18.	Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004)	Gujarat
19.	Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007)	Delhi
20.	Hill Forts of Rajasthan  (Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Jaisalmer and Ranthambhore, Amber and Gagron Forts)      (2013) (Amber and Gagron Forts are under protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums)	Rajasthan
21.	Rani ki Vav (2014)	Gujarat

Under Protection of Ministry of Railways

22.	Mountain Railway of India ( Darjeeling,1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka-Shimla(2008)	West Bengal,  Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh
23.	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)	Maharashtra

Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee

24.

Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya (2002)

Bihar

Under Protection of Rajasthan State Archaeology and Museums Department

25.

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)

Rajasthan

NATURAL SITES

Under Protection of Ministry of Environment & Forest

26.	Kaziranga National Park (1985)	Assam
27.	Manas Wild Life Sanctuary (1985)	Assam
28.	Keoladeo National Park (1985)	Rajasthan
29.	Sunderban National Park (1987)	West Bengal
30.	Nanda Devi  and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005)	Uttarakhand
31.	Western Ghats (2012)	Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu
32.	Great Himalayan National Park (2014)	Himachal Pradesh

National Judicial Data Grid

National Judicial Data Grid

13th March, 2016

National Judicial Data Grid 

It is a part of the on-going e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project. 

NJDG will work as a monitoring tool to identify, manage & reduce pendency of cases.

It will also help to provide timely inputs for making policy decisions to reduce delay and arrears in the system, facilitate better monitoring of court performance and systemic bottlenecks, and, thus, facilitate better resource management.

The pendency statistics would be updated on a daily basis by district court complexes. The pendency would be broken into civil and criminal cases, segregated into year-wise categories of up to two years, between two to five years, between five to 10 years and more than 10 years.

The Indian judiciary comprises nearly 15,000 courts spread in approximately 2,500 court complexes throughout the country, the e-Courts Project website said. It said the efforts for computerizing court processes have been on since 1990.

Amendment to the Sikh Gurudwaras Act, 1925

10th March, 2016

Amendment to the Sikh Gurudwaras Act, 1925 

To remove the exception given to Sahjdhari Sikhs in 1944 to vote in the elections to the members of the Board and the Committees constituted under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925

Placed by Ministry of Home Affairs.

Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925:

It was a piece of legislation in British India which legally defined Sikh identity and brought sikh gurdwaras (houses of worship) under the control of an elected body of orthodox Sikhs.

Draft Account Aggregator Norms

5th March, 2016

Draft Account Aggregator Norms

Why Account Aggregator?

At present, persons holding financial assets, such as, savings bank deposits, fixed deposits, mutual funds, insurance policies, do not get a consolidated view of their financial asset holdings, especially when the entities fall under the purview of different financial sector regulators. 

Account Aggregators would fill this gap by collecting and providing the information of customers’ financial assets in a consolidated, organised and retrievable manner to the customer or any other person as per the instructions of the customer. 

The Reserve Bank will regulate and supervise the activity of account aggregation with a view to ensuring that the services provided and the terms at which these are provided conform to prescribed standards.

Regulations:

1. Only companies registered with the Reserve Bank as NBFC – AA will be able to undertake the business of an account aggregator.
2. Entities being regulated by other financial sector regulators and aggregating only those accounts relating to the financial assets of that particular sector will not need to register with the Reserve Bank.
3. The Net Owned Fund should not be less than ₹ 2 crore.
4. An account aggregator will not be able to undertake any other business 
5. Business of an account aggregator will entirely be Information Technology (IT) driven.
6. Account aggregation services will be provided under specific application by the customer for availing such services and would be backed by appropriate agreements/ authorisations.
7. Pricing of services would be as per the account aggregator’s Board approved policy.