Yojana Magazine May 2022 - 1 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Development RoaDmap N
ational Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch 
the Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it 
falls, when it falls” is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures 
(RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil 
strata before monsoon.
This Campaign drives to check dams, water harvesting 
pits, rooftop RWHS, etc. removal of encroachments and 
de-silting tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal 
of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them 
from the catchment areas; repairs step-wells and using 
defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to 
aquifers, etc., are to be taken up with the active participation 
of people.
To facilitate these activities, States have been requested 
to open “Rain Centres” in each district— in Collectorates/
Municipalities or GP offices. During this period, these 
Rain Centres will have a dedicated mobile phone number 
Catch the Rain
y y India receives more than thrice the amount of rainfall than 
its average consumption– which means rainwater harvesting 
is a very effective method to save water, reducing the gap 
between demand and supply.
y y The average general population is not aware of the level of 
water scarcity in the country and in the particular region 
that they live in– and this information should be considered 
general knowledge.
y y Water security, just like food security should be an important 
goal– and it is not just the government’s responsibility– 
citizen action is crucial.
y y Benefits of rainwater harvesting– in a decentralised manner–
a. Large scale using simple filtration methods, such 
as nets, to cover pipe openings and save the water 
falling on terrace tops into tanks overground/
underground– which may be boiled before use, 
for drinking or cooking, and used directly for all 
secondary purposes.
b. Putting out buckets and large utensils during rain in balconies/backyards which can further be used in the same 
way as above.
Encouraging people to reuse and recycle water for different purposes, within the household, to lower overall 
consumption, such as––
a. Reuse leftover drinking water or ice– by collecting it separately and using it for cleaning table-tops, counters, etc.
b. Reusing the water used for washing vegetables, fruits or grains to water plants or for mopping the house, etc.
c. If the household uses RO– water discharged by the machine can be used for all secondary purposes such as cleaning 
the house, doing laundry, cleaning the car/any other vehicle.
d. Taking a bath using a bucket (instead of showers) to reduce wastage.
e. Reusing leftover bathwater– for water plants or for laundry purposes.
f. Reusing laundry water for flushing/washing toilets.                                                                                                  ?
Source: NWM
and will be manned by an engineer or a person well trained 
in RWHS. This centre acts as a technical guidance centre 
to all in the district as to how to catch the rain, as it falls, 
where it falls.
Page 2


Development RoaDmap N
ational Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch 
the Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it 
falls, when it falls” is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures 
(RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil 
strata before monsoon.
This Campaign drives to check dams, water harvesting 
pits, rooftop RWHS, etc. removal of encroachments and 
de-silting tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal 
of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them 
from the catchment areas; repairs step-wells and using 
defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to 
aquifers, etc., are to be taken up with the active participation 
of people.
To facilitate these activities, States have been requested 
to open “Rain Centres” in each district— in Collectorates/
Municipalities or GP offices. During this period, these 
Rain Centres will have a dedicated mobile phone number 
Catch the Rain
y y India receives more than thrice the amount of rainfall than 
its average consumption– which means rainwater harvesting 
is a very effective method to save water, reducing the gap 
between demand and supply.
y y The average general population is not aware of the level of 
water scarcity in the country and in the particular region 
that they live in– and this information should be considered 
general knowledge.
y y Water security, just like food security should be an important 
goal– and it is not just the government’s responsibility– 
citizen action is crucial.
y y Benefits of rainwater harvesting– in a decentralised manner–
a. Large scale using simple filtration methods, such 
as nets, to cover pipe openings and save the water 
falling on terrace tops into tanks overground/
underground– which may be boiled before use, 
for drinking or cooking, and used directly for all 
secondary purposes.
b. Putting out buckets and large utensils during rain in balconies/backyards which can further be used in the same 
way as above.
Encouraging people to reuse and recycle water for different purposes, within the household, to lower overall 
consumption, such as––
a. Reuse leftover drinking water or ice– by collecting it separately and using it for cleaning table-tops, counters, etc.
b. Reusing the water used for washing vegetables, fruits or grains to water plants or for mopping the house, etc.
c. If the household uses RO– water discharged by the machine can be used for all secondary purposes such as cleaning 
the house, doing laundry, cleaning the car/any other vehicle.
d. Taking a bath using a bucket (instead of showers) to reduce wastage.
e. Reusing leftover bathwater– for water plants or for laundry purposes.
f. Reusing laundry water for flushing/washing toilets.                                                                                                  ?
Source: NWM
and will be manned by an engineer or a person well trained 
in RWHS. This centre acts as a technical guidance centre 
to all in the district as to how to catch the rain, as it falls, 
where it falls.
May 2022
YOJANA
Volume-66
No. 05
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
Editor 
Shuchita chaturvedi
Joint dirEctor, Production 
d K c hrudhainath
c ovEr dEsign
Bindu verma
ouR RepReSentatIveS 
Ahmedabad: Janhavi Patel, Bengaluru: BK Kiranmai, 
Bhubaneswar: Itishree Singh Rathaur, Chennai: 
Sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, Hyderabad: 
Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep Kaur 
Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: Umesh 
Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: Roy Chacko.
Yojana (english): Room No. 647, Soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003.  
e-mail (editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of Information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
diScLaimer
l 	 The	 vie ws	 e xpressed	 in	 various	 articles	 are	
those	 of	 the	 authors	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 nec essarily	
re flect	 the	 vie ws	 of	 the	 Go vernmen t	 or	 the	
organisation/ s	the y	work	f or .
l Map s/flags	 used	 in	 the	 articles	 are	 only	
indic ative	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 re flect	 the	 politic al	
map	 or	 legal	 represen t ation	 of	 the	 flag	 of	 India /
an y	other	c oun tr y .
l The	 inf ographics/fig ures	 are	 pro vided	 b y	 the	
authors	 through	 their	 reliable	 sourc es	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims	 no	 re sponsibility 	 f or	 the	 same.
l Images,	 graphics	 and	 illus trations,	 whe re ver	
used,	 are	 mos tly	 sourc ed	 from	 go vernme n t	
channels	and	are	indic ative	in	nature.
l YOJANA 	 does	 not	 o wn	 responsi bility	
regarding	 the	 c on t en ts	 of	 the	 advertisemen ts.	
The	 re aders	 are	 reque s t ed	 t o	 verif y	 the	 claim s	
made	 in	 the	 advertisemen ts	 regarding	 c ourses,	
c areer -guidanc e	book s	or	ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n tities 	 presen t e d 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudies 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
SuBScriP tiOn/Grievance S
email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal address: abhishek chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, Room No. 
779, Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi 
Road, New Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SuBScri PtiOn-reLated detaiLS : Page 48
in thiS iSSue
number of pages: 52
Next Issue - New-age tech
Details of the sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 15
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
re GuLar S
deveLOPment rO admaP ........................................................................... Cover II
dO YOu KnO w? ..................................................................................................... 32
Our BOOKS ............................................................................................................ 50
Lead articLe
EMPOwERING DIVyANGJAN 
Dr Virendra Kumar ............................7
FOcuS
SAfEGUARDING CHILDREN 
Sameera Saurabh ...........................23
SPeciaL articLe
HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE 
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha ....................13
SAfETy N ET f OR fARMERS 
Dr Jagdeep Saxena ............................ 29
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC 
GROwTH 
Avinash Mishra,  
Madhubanti Dutta ............................ 17
Since 1957
DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERy 
Ishita Sirsikar ..................................... 35
BRIDGING ACCESSIBILITy GAP 
Ranjan S Das, Pramit Dash ................... 41
SPORTS AS A LUCRATIVE CAREER 
Rajesh Rai ........................................ 45
uPc OmINg - triB aLS in india
Page 3


Development RoaDmap N
ational Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch 
the Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it 
falls, when it falls” is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures 
(RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil 
strata before monsoon.
This Campaign drives to check dams, water harvesting 
pits, rooftop RWHS, etc. removal of encroachments and 
de-silting tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal 
of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them 
from the catchment areas; repairs step-wells and using 
defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to 
aquifers, etc., are to be taken up with the active participation 
of people.
To facilitate these activities, States have been requested 
to open “Rain Centres” in each district— in Collectorates/
Municipalities or GP offices. During this period, these 
Rain Centres will have a dedicated mobile phone number 
Catch the Rain
y y India receives more than thrice the amount of rainfall than 
its average consumption– which means rainwater harvesting 
is a very effective method to save water, reducing the gap 
between demand and supply.
y y The average general population is not aware of the level of 
water scarcity in the country and in the particular region 
that they live in– and this information should be considered 
general knowledge.
y y Water security, just like food security should be an important 
goal– and it is not just the government’s responsibility– 
citizen action is crucial.
y y Benefits of rainwater harvesting– in a decentralised manner–
a. Large scale using simple filtration methods, such 
as nets, to cover pipe openings and save the water 
falling on terrace tops into tanks overground/
underground– which may be boiled before use, 
for drinking or cooking, and used directly for all 
secondary purposes.
b. Putting out buckets and large utensils during rain in balconies/backyards which can further be used in the same 
way as above.
Encouraging people to reuse and recycle water for different purposes, within the household, to lower overall 
consumption, such as––
a. Reuse leftover drinking water or ice– by collecting it separately and using it for cleaning table-tops, counters, etc.
b. Reusing the water used for washing vegetables, fruits or grains to water plants or for mopping the house, etc.
c. If the household uses RO– water discharged by the machine can be used for all secondary purposes such as cleaning 
the house, doing laundry, cleaning the car/any other vehicle.
d. Taking a bath using a bucket (instead of showers) to reduce wastage.
e. Reusing leftover bathwater– for water plants or for laundry purposes.
f. Reusing laundry water for flushing/washing toilets.                                                                                                  ?
Source: NWM
and will be manned by an engineer or a person well trained 
in RWHS. This centre acts as a technical guidance centre 
to all in the district as to how to catch the rain, as it falls, 
where it falls.
May 2022
YOJANA
Volume-66
No. 05
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
Editor 
Shuchita chaturvedi
Joint dirEctor, Production 
d K c hrudhainath
c ovEr dEsign
Bindu verma
ouR RepReSentatIveS 
Ahmedabad: Janhavi Patel, Bengaluru: BK Kiranmai, 
Bhubaneswar: Itishree Singh Rathaur, Chennai: 
Sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, Hyderabad: 
Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep Kaur 
Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: Umesh 
Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: Roy Chacko.
Yojana (english): Room No. 647, Soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003.  
e-mail (editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of Information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
diScLaimer
l 	 The	 vie ws	 e xpressed	 in	 various	 articles	 are	
those	 of	 the	 authors	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 nec essarily	
re flect	 the	 vie ws	 of	 the	 Go vernmen t	 or	 the	
organisation/ s	the y	work	f or .
l Map s/flags	 used	 in	 the	 articles	 are	 only	
indic ative	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 re flect	 the	 politic al	
map	 or	 legal	 represen t ation	 of	 the	 flag	 of	 India /
an y	other	c oun tr y .
l The	 inf ographics/fig ures	 are	 pro vided	 b y	 the	
authors	 through	 their	 reliable	 sourc es	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims	 no	 re sponsibility 	 f or	 the	 same.
l Images,	 graphics	 and	 illus trations,	 whe re ver	
used,	 are	 mos tly	 sourc ed	 from	 go vernme n t	
channels	and	are	indic ative	in	nature.
l YOJANA 	 does	 not	 o wn	 responsi bility	
regarding	 the	 c on t en ts	 of	 the	 advertisemen ts.	
The	 re aders	 are	 reque s t ed	 t o	 verif y	 the	 claim s	
made	 in	 the	 advertisemen ts	 regarding	 c ourses,	
c areer -guidanc e	book s	or	ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n tities 	 presen t e d 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudies 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
SuBScriP tiOn/Grievance S
email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal address: abhishek chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, Room No. 
779, Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi 
Road, New Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SuBScri PtiOn-reLated detaiLS : Page 48
in thiS iSSue
number of pages: 52
Next Issue - New-age tech
Details of the sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 15
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
re GuLar S
deveLOPment rO admaP ........................................................................... Cover II
dO YOu KnO w? ..................................................................................................... 32
Our BOOKS ............................................................................................................ 50
Lead articLe
EMPOwERING DIVyANGJAN 
Dr Virendra Kumar ............................7
FOcuS
SAfEGUARDING CHILDREN 
Sameera Saurabh ...........................23
SPeciaL articLe
HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE 
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha ....................13
SAfETy N ET f OR fARMERS 
Dr Jagdeep Saxena ............................ 29
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC 
GROwTH 
Avinash Mishra,  
Madhubanti Dutta ............................ 17
Since 1957
DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERy 
Ishita Sirsikar ..................................... 35
BRIDGING ACCESSIBILITy GAP 
Ranjan S Das, Pramit Dash ................... 41
SPORTS AS A LUCRATIVE CAREER 
Rajesh Rai ........................................ 45
uPc OmINg - triB aLS in india
YOJANA   May 2022 5
Editorial
YOJANA
The Safety Net 
S
ociety is always seen as a collective whole which cannot rise without an 
inclusive approach towards development. Equitable distribution of resources 
and uplifting of those who are marginalised are the essentials of a growing 
society. Also, how a society and its individuals function and overcome exigencies is 
a marker of how prepared and equipped they are for such circumstances. All these 
parameters when taken together bring onboard where society stands in terms of its 
self-reliance and sustainability. 
The role of any government is crucial, it fills the gaps in the system and prevents 
leakages. It is about strategic intervention and policy planning aimed at each sector 
and region, thus leaving no one behind. This includes safeguarding the interests of 
its people in healthcare, old age, unemployment, etc., along with standing for those 
living on the edge or are more vulnerable.
The necessity for this social security became even more evident during the recent 
pandemic. With lockdowns, illnesses, lay-offs, and limited means, the functional 
requirement of a strong refuge was felt by the various sections of the society. This 
formed the very basis of the Atmanirbhar Bharat stimulus packages built on the five 
pillars of Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography, and Demand. Reforms and enablers were envisaged 
across seven sectors focusing on industry, agriculture, poverty, labour, and migration which were adversely affected due 
to the pandemic situation. 
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri  
Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial inclusion. The combination of Jan Dhan Bank 
accounts and mobile phones and the establishment of digital identity through Aadhaar enabled the poor to receive benefits 
directly into their bank accounts. 
For the workers engaged in the unorganised sector, social security benefits are being addressed through the Unorganised 
Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. The Act empowers the Central Government to provide Social Security benefits to 
unorganised sector workers by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health 
and maternity benefits, old age protection, and other benefits. The State Governments are also empowered to formulate 
suitable welfare schemes on the matters regarding housing, provident funds, educational schemes, skill upgradation, 
old age homes, etc. Life and disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY) and 
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). The health and maternity benefits are addressed through Ayushman 
Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which is a universal health scheme administrated by the 
National Health Authority. The Code on Social Security, 2020 amends and consolidates the existing labour laws relating 
to social security with the wider goal of extending social security benefits to all the employees and workers, irrespective 
of the organised or unorganised sector. 
Further, fintech is expanding financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment and transaction possibilities. 
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan,  the world’s largest digital literacy programme, promotes digital 
literacy in rural India by covering six crore rural households. Digital delivery of services has simplified the manner in 
which citizens interact with the government, helping them effectively avail various services and enhance their overall 
standard of living. It is also essential to formulate and implement social security schemes for farming community by 
and large, and specifically for small and marginal farmers, who earn their living in uncertain weather and economic 
conditions. 
Societal innovation is also seen as a solution that can work in tandem with the government schemes. It is about 
bringing a systemic change in the interaction between the state and society by considering the state as an equal partner in 
achieving sustainable changes to society’s structures, leading to a holistic safety net for the society and its people.          ?
Page 4


Development RoaDmap N
ational Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch 
the Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it 
falls, when it falls” is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures 
(RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil 
strata before monsoon.
This Campaign drives to check dams, water harvesting 
pits, rooftop RWHS, etc. removal of encroachments and 
de-silting tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal 
of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them 
from the catchment areas; repairs step-wells and using 
defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to 
aquifers, etc., are to be taken up with the active participation 
of people.
To facilitate these activities, States have been requested 
to open “Rain Centres” in each district— in Collectorates/
Municipalities or GP offices. During this period, these 
Rain Centres will have a dedicated mobile phone number 
Catch the Rain
y y India receives more than thrice the amount of rainfall than 
its average consumption– which means rainwater harvesting 
is a very effective method to save water, reducing the gap 
between demand and supply.
y y The average general population is not aware of the level of 
water scarcity in the country and in the particular region 
that they live in– and this information should be considered 
general knowledge.
y y Water security, just like food security should be an important 
goal– and it is not just the government’s responsibility– 
citizen action is crucial.
y y Benefits of rainwater harvesting– in a decentralised manner–
a. Large scale using simple filtration methods, such 
as nets, to cover pipe openings and save the water 
falling on terrace tops into tanks overground/
underground– which may be boiled before use, 
for drinking or cooking, and used directly for all 
secondary purposes.
b. Putting out buckets and large utensils during rain in balconies/backyards which can further be used in the same 
way as above.
Encouraging people to reuse and recycle water for different purposes, within the household, to lower overall 
consumption, such as––
a. Reuse leftover drinking water or ice– by collecting it separately and using it for cleaning table-tops, counters, etc.
b. Reusing the water used for washing vegetables, fruits or grains to water plants or for mopping the house, etc.
c. If the household uses RO– water discharged by the machine can be used for all secondary purposes such as cleaning 
the house, doing laundry, cleaning the car/any other vehicle.
d. Taking a bath using a bucket (instead of showers) to reduce wastage.
e. Reusing leftover bathwater– for water plants or for laundry purposes.
f. Reusing laundry water for flushing/washing toilets.                                                                                                  ?
Source: NWM
and will be manned by an engineer or a person well trained 
in RWHS. This centre acts as a technical guidance centre 
to all in the district as to how to catch the rain, as it falls, 
where it falls.
May 2022
YOJANA
Volume-66
No. 05
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
Editor 
Shuchita chaturvedi
Joint dirEctor, Production 
d K c hrudhainath
c ovEr dEsign
Bindu verma
ouR RepReSentatIveS 
Ahmedabad: Janhavi Patel, Bengaluru: BK Kiranmai, 
Bhubaneswar: Itishree Singh Rathaur, Chennai: 
Sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, Hyderabad: 
Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep Kaur 
Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: Umesh 
Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: Roy Chacko.
Yojana (english): Room No. 647, Soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003.  
e-mail (editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of Information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
diScLaimer
l 	 The	 vie ws	 e xpressed	 in	 various	 articles	 are	
those	 of	 the	 authors	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 nec essarily	
re flect	 the	 vie ws	 of	 the	 Go vernmen t	 or	 the	
organisation/ s	the y	work	f or .
l Map s/flags	 used	 in	 the	 articles	 are	 only	
indic ative	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 re flect	 the	 politic al	
map	 or	 legal	 represen t ation	 of	 the	 flag	 of	 India /
an y	other	c oun tr y .
l The	 inf ographics/fig ures	 are	 pro vided	 b y	 the	
authors	 through	 their	 reliable	 sourc es	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims	 no	 re sponsibility 	 f or	 the	 same.
l Images,	 graphics	 and	 illus trations,	 whe re ver	
used,	 are	 mos tly	 sourc ed	 from	 go vernme n t	
channels	and	are	indic ative	in	nature.
l YOJANA 	 does	 not	 o wn	 responsi bility	
regarding	 the	 c on t en ts	 of	 the	 advertisemen ts.	
The	 re aders	 are	 reque s t ed	 t o	 verif y	 the	 claim s	
made	 in	 the	 advertisemen ts	 regarding	 c ourses,	
c areer -guidanc e	book s	or	ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n tities 	 presen t e d 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudies 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
SuBScriP tiOn/Grievance S
email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal address: abhishek chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, Room No. 
779, Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi 
Road, New Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
week s	 t o	 s t art	 your	 sub scrip tion.	 Kindly	 raise	 
your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SuBScri PtiOn-reLated detaiLS : Page 48
in thiS iSSue
number of pages: 52
Next Issue - New-age tech
Details of the sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 15
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
re GuLar S
deveLOPment rO admaP ........................................................................... Cover II
dO YOu KnO w? ..................................................................................................... 32
Our BOOKS ............................................................................................................ 50
Lead articLe
EMPOwERING DIVyANGJAN 
Dr Virendra Kumar ............................7
FOcuS
SAfEGUARDING CHILDREN 
Sameera Saurabh ...........................23
SPeciaL articLe
HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE 
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha ....................13
SAfETy N ET f OR fARMERS 
Dr Jagdeep Saxena ............................ 29
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC 
GROwTH 
Avinash Mishra,  
Madhubanti Dutta ............................ 17
Since 1957
DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERy 
Ishita Sirsikar ..................................... 35
BRIDGING ACCESSIBILITy GAP 
Ranjan S Das, Pramit Dash ................... 41
SPORTS AS A LUCRATIVE CAREER 
Rajesh Rai ........................................ 45
uPc OmINg - triB aLS in india
YOJANA   May 2022 5
Editorial
YOJANA
The Safety Net 
S
ociety is always seen as a collective whole which cannot rise without an 
inclusive approach towards development. Equitable distribution of resources 
and uplifting of those who are marginalised are the essentials of a growing 
society. Also, how a society and its individuals function and overcome exigencies is 
a marker of how prepared and equipped they are for such circumstances. All these 
parameters when taken together bring onboard where society stands in terms of its 
self-reliance and sustainability. 
The role of any government is crucial, it fills the gaps in the system and prevents 
leakages. It is about strategic intervention and policy planning aimed at each sector 
and region, thus leaving no one behind. This includes safeguarding the interests of 
its people in healthcare, old age, unemployment, etc., along with standing for those 
living on the edge or are more vulnerable.
The necessity for this social security became even more evident during the recent 
pandemic. With lockdowns, illnesses, lay-offs, and limited means, the functional 
requirement of a strong refuge was felt by the various sections of the society. This 
formed the very basis of the Atmanirbhar Bharat stimulus packages built on the five 
pillars of Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography, and Demand. Reforms and enablers were envisaged 
across seven sectors focusing on industry, agriculture, poverty, labour, and migration which were adversely affected due 
to the pandemic situation. 
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri  
Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial inclusion. The combination of Jan Dhan Bank 
accounts and mobile phones and the establishment of digital identity through Aadhaar enabled the poor to receive benefits 
directly into their bank accounts. 
For the workers engaged in the unorganised sector, social security benefits are being addressed through the Unorganised 
Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. The Act empowers the Central Government to provide Social Security benefits to 
unorganised sector workers by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health 
and maternity benefits, old age protection, and other benefits. The State Governments are also empowered to formulate 
suitable welfare schemes on the matters regarding housing, provident funds, educational schemes, skill upgradation, 
old age homes, etc. Life and disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY) and 
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). The health and maternity benefits are addressed through Ayushman 
Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which is a universal health scheme administrated by the 
National Health Authority. The Code on Social Security, 2020 amends and consolidates the existing labour laws relating 
to social security with the wider goal of extending social security benefits to all the employees and workers, irrespective 
of the organised or unorganised sector. 
Further, fintech is expanding financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment and transaction possibilities. 
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan,  the world’s largest digital literacy programme, promotes digital 
literacy in rural India by covering six crore rural households. Digital delivery of services has simplified the manner in 
which citizens interact with the government, helping them effectively avail various services and enhance their overall 
standard of living. It is also essential to formulate and implement social security schemes for farming community by 
and large, and specifically for small and marginal farmers, who earn their living in uncertain weather and economic 
conditions. 
Societal innovation is also seen as a solution that can work in tandem with the government schemes. It is about 
bringing a systemic change in the interaction between the state and society by considering the state as an equal partner in 
achieving sustainable changes to society’s structures, leading to a holistic safety net for the society and its people.          ?
YOJANA   May 2022 7
he Prime Minister coined the term 
“Divyangjan” to address persons with 
disabilities, with a view to change the social 
attitude towards them and recognise their 
potential. Under his leadership, the issues related to 
Divyangjans have been put at the forefront of Government 
initiatives.
Prior to May 2012, at the Central Government 
level, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment 
through its Disability Bureau was acting as the 
focal point for handling the matters of persons with 
disabilities. Keeping in view the complexity of issues 
involved in managing disability and also giving focused 
attention to policies, programmes, and activities 
aimed at inclusion and empowerment of PwDs, 
the Department of Empowerment of Persons with 
Disabilities (Divyangjan) was carved out under the 
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Since its 
inception, the Department has expanded the outreach 
activities in the direction of empowerment of PwDs and 
made its presence felt through its various policies and 
programme interventions.
Being the head of the Ministry, I have been closely 
monitoring the activities relating to mainstreaming of 
persons with disabilities and during the last eight years of 
our Government, we can safely say that the Government 
is progressing in the right direction as per our global 
commitments in creating an inclusive society.
Empowering Divyangjan
Dr Virendra Kumar
The author is the Union Minister, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI. Email: officesjem@gmail.com
India has been known across the world as having a composite and inclusive culture since 
ancient times. We believe in inclusiveness, integration and harmony, and thrive on the 
principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Keeping in view the complexity of issues involved in 
managing disability and also to give focused attention to policies, programmes, and activities 
aimed at inclusion and empowerment of PwDs, Department of Empowerment of Persons with 
Disabilities (DEPwD) was carved out under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 
Since its inception, the Department has expanded the outreach activities in the direction of 
empowerment of PwDs and made its presence felt through its various policies and programme 
interventions.
InclusIve socIety T
India being a party to the United Nations Convention 
on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it was an obligation 
on us to streamline our domestic law, governing the 
disability sector. Accordingly, our Government enacted 
the path-breaking legislation, the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities Act, 2016 which came into force on 
19 April 2017. This law is one of the best examples 
of inclusiveness, which broadens the horizon of rights 
and entitlements of persons with disabilities, besides 
providing adequate safeguards for protecting these rights. 
This Rights guarantee equality, protection from cruelty, 
exploitation and violence, the right to live with family and 
community, access to justice, accessibility to voting, legal 
capacity, etc. They also mandate the Government to take 
measures to promote health, education, skill development, 
and employment opportunities for PwDs and to create 
LEAD ARTICLE
Page 5


Development RoaDmap N
ational Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign “Catch 
the Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it 
falls, when it falls” is to nudge the states and stakeholders 
to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures 
(RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil 
strata before monsoon.
This Campaign drives to check dams, water harvesting 
pits, rooftop RWHS, etc. removal of encroachments and 
de-silting tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal 
of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them 
from the catchment areas; repairs step-wells and using 
defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to 
aquifers, etc., are to be taken up with the active participation 
of people.
To facilitate these activities, States have been requested 
to open “Rain Centres” in each district— in Collectorates/
Municipalities or GP offices. During this period, these 
Rain Centres will have a dedicated mobile phone number 
Catch the Rain
y y India receives more than thrice the amount of rainfall than 
its average consumption– which means rainwater harvesting 
is a very effective method to save water, reducing the gap 
between demand and supply.
y y The average general population is not aware of the level of 
water scarcity in the country and in the particular region 
that they live in– and this information should be considered 
general knowledge.
y y Water security, just like food security should be an important 
goal– and it is not just the government’s responsibility– 
citizen action is crucial.
y y Benefits of rainwater harvesting– in a decentralised manner–
a. Large scale using simple filtration methods, such 
as nets, to cover pipe openings and save the water 
falling on terrace tops into tanks overground/
underground– which may be boiled before use, 
for drinking or cooking, and used directly for all 
secondary purposes.
b. Putting out buckets and large utensils during rain in balconies/backyards which can further be used in the same 
way as above.
Encouraging people to reuse and recycle water for different purposes, within the household, to lower overall 
consumption, such as––
a. Reuse leftover drinking water or ice– by collecting it separately and using it for cleaning table-tops, counters, etc.
b. Reusing the water used for washing vegetables, fruits or grains to water plants or for mopping the house, etc.
c. If the household uses RO– water discharged by the machine can be used for all secondary purposes such as cleaning 
the house, doing laundry, cleaning the car/any other vehicle.
d. Taking a bath using a bucket (instead of showers) to reduce wastage.
e. Reusing leftover bathwater– for water plants or for laundry purposes.
f. Reusing laundry water for flushing/washing toilets.                                                                                                  ?
Source: NWM
and will be manned by an engineer or a person well trained 
in RWHS. This centre acts as a technical guidance centre 
to all in the district as to how to catch the rain, as it falls, 
where it falls.
May 2022
YOJANA
Volume-66
No. 05
A DEVELOPMENT MONTHLY
Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.
Rig Veda
Website: www.publicationsdivision.nic.in
@DPD_India
@publicationsdivision
@dpd_india
Editor 
Shuchita chaturvedi
Joint dirEctor, Production 
d K c hrudhainath
c ovEr dEsign
Bindu verma
ouR RepReSentatIveS 
Ahmedabad: Janhavi Patel, Bengaluru: BK Kiranmai, 
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Sanjay Ghosh, Guwahati: Maruf Alam, Hyderabad: 
Krishna Vandana P , Jalandhar: Gagandeep Kaur 
Devgan, Kolkata: Khurshid Mallick, Mumbai: Umesh 
Ujgare: Thiruvananthapuram: Roy Chacko.
Yojana (english): Room No. 647, Soochna Bhawan, 
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003.  
e-mail (editorial): sec-yojanaeng-moib@gov.in
YOJANA, a development monthly published since 
1957, is a theme-based journal providing in-depth 
analyses and views on socio-economic issues in 
the broader framework of government policies. 
Although published by the Ministry of Information 
and Broadcasting, YOJANA is not restricted to 
expressing the official point of view.
diScLaimer
l 	 The	 vie ws	 e xpressed	 in	 various	 articles	 are	
those	 of	 the	 authors	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 nec essarily	
re flect	 the	 vie ws	 of	 the	 Go vernmen t	 or	 the	
organisation/ s	the y	work	f or .
l Map s/flags	 used	 in	 the	 articles	 are	 only	
indic ative	 and	 the y	 do	 not	 re flect	 the	 politic al	
map	 or	 legal	 represen t ation	 of	 the	 flag	 of	 India /
an y	other	c oun tr y .
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authors	 through	 their	 reliable	 sourc es	 and	
YOJANA 	 claims	 no	 re sponsibility 	 f or	 the	 same.
l Images,	 graphics	 and	 illus trations,	 whe re ver	
used,	 are	 mos tly	 sourc ed	 from	 go vernme n t	
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made	 in	 the	 advertisemen ts	 regarding	 c ourses,	
c areer -guidanc e	book s	or	ins titutions.
l YOJANA doesn't 	 e ndorse 	 or 	 promot e 	 an y 	 brands	
or 	 privat e 	 e n tities 	 presen t e d 	 as 	 c ase 	 s tudies 	 in 	 an y	 
of 	 the 	 article s.
SuBScriP tiOn/Grievance S
email: pdjucir@gmail.com 
Phone: 011-24367453  
(monday-Friday, 9:30 am- 6:00 pm)
Postal address: abhishek chaturvedi, Editor, 
Journals Unit, Publications Division, Room No. 
779, Soochna Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi 
Road, New Delhi-110 003.
Please	 not e	 that	 it	 will	 t ak e	 atleas t	 eigh t	
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your	 queries/grie vanc es	 about	 non	 rec eip t	 of	 the	
journals	only	aft er	this	period.
SuBScri PtiOn-reLated detaiLS : Page 48
in thiS iSSue
number of pages: 52
Next Issue - New-age tech
Details of the sales Outlets of the Publications Division on Page 15
YOJANA is published in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, 
Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
re GuLar S
deveLOPment rO admaP ........................................................................... Cover II
dO YOu KnO w? ..................................................................................................... 32
Our BOOKS ............................................................................................................ 50
Lead articLe
EMPOwERING DIVyANGJAN 
Dr Virendra Kumar ............................7
FOcuS
SAfEGUARDING CHILDREN 
Sameera Saurabh ...........................23
SPeciaL articLe
HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE 
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha ....................13
SAfETy N ET f OR fARMERS 
Dr Jagdeep Saxena ............................ 29
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC 
GROwTH 
Avinash Mishra,  
Madhubanti Dutta ............................ 17
Since 1957
DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERy 
Ishita Sirsikar ..................................... 35
BRIDGING ACCESSIBILITy GAP 
Ranjan S Das, Pramit Dash ................... 41
SPORTS AS A LUCRATIVE CAREER 
Rajesh Rai ........................................ 45
uPc OmINg - triB aLS in india
YOJANA   May 2022 5
Editorial
YOJANA
The Safety Net 
S
ociety is always seen as a collective whole which cannot rise without an 
inclusive approach towards development. Equitable distribution of resources 
and uplifting of those who are marginalised are the essentials of a growing 
society. Also, how a society and its individuals function and overcome exigencies is 
a marker of how prepared and equipped they are for such circumstances. All these 
parameters when taken together bring onboard where society stands in terms of its 
self-reliance and sustainability. 
The role of any government is crucial, it fills the gaps in the system and prevents 
leakages. It is about strategic intervention and policy planning aimed at each sector 
and region, thus leaving no one behind. This includes safeguarding the interests of 
its people in healthcare, old age, unemployment, etc., along with standing for those 
living on the edge or are more vulnerable.
The necessity for this social security became even more evident during the recent 
pandemic. With lockdowns, illnesses, lay-offs, and limited means, the functional 
requirement of a strong refuge was felt by the various sections of the society. This 
formed the very basis of the Atmanirbhar Bharat stimulus packages built on the five 
pillars of Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography, and Demand. Reforms and enablers were envisaged 
across seven sectors focusing on industry, agriculture, poverty, labour, and migration which were adversely affected due 
to the pandemic situation. 
In today’s India, financial inclusion is at the heart of its social-security system. The Pradhan Mantri  
Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) resulted in a massive increase in financial inclusion. The combination of Jan Dhan Bank 
accounts and mobile phones and the establishment of digital identity through Aadhaar enabled the poor to receive benefits 
directly into their bank accounts. 
For the workers engaged in the unorganised sector, social security benefits are being addressed through the Unorganised 
Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. The Act empowers the Central Government to provide Social Security benefits to 
unorganised sector workers by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health 
and maternity benefits, old age protection, and other benefits. The State Governments are also empowered to formulate 
suitable welfare schemes on the matters regarding housing, provident funds, educational schemes, skill upgradation, 
old age homes, etc. Life and disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY) and 
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). The health and maternity benefits are addressed through Ayushman 
Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which is a universal health scheme administrated by the 
National Health Authority. The Code on Social Security, 2020 amends and consolidates the existing labour laws relating 
to social security with the wider goal of extending social security benefits to all the employees and workers, irrespective 
of the organised or unorganised sector. 
Further, fintech is expanding financial inclusion by providing a variety of payment and transaction possibilities. 
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan,  the world’s largest digital literacy programme, promotes digital 
literacy in rural India by covering six crore rural households. Digital delivery of services has simplified the manner in 
which citizens interact with the government, helping them effectively avail various services and enhance their overall 
standard of living. It is also essential to formulate and implement social security schemes for farming community by 
and large, and specifically for small and marginal farmers, who earn their living in uncertain weather and economic 
conditions. 
Societal innovation is also seen as a solution that can work in tandem with the government schemes. It is about 
bringing a systemic change in the interaction between the state and society by considering the state as an equal partner in 
achieving sustainable changes to society’s structures, leading to a holistic safety net for the society and its people.          ?
YOJANA   May 2022 7
he Prime Minister coined the term 
“Divyangjan” to address persons with 
disabilities, with a view to change the social 
attitude towards them and recognise their 
potential. Under his leadership, the issues related to 
Divyangjans have been put at the forefront of Government 
initiatives.
Prior to May 2012, at the Central Government 
level, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment 
through its Disability Bureau was acting as the 
focal point for handling the matters of persons with 
disabilities. Keeping in view the complexity of issues 
involved in managing disability and also giving focused 
attention to policies, programmes, and activities 
aimed at inclusion and empowerment of PwDs, 
the Department of Empowerment of Persons with 
Disabilities (Divyangjan) was carved out under the 
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Since its 
inception, the Department has expanded the outreach 
activities in the direction of empowerment of PwDs and 
made its presence felt through its various policies and 
programme interventions.
Being the head of the Ministry, I have been closely 
monitoring the activities relating to mainstreaming of 
persons with disabilities and during the last eight years of 
our Government, we can safely say that the Government 
is progressing in the right direction as per our global 
commitments in creating an inclusive society.
Empowering Divyangjan
Dr Virendra Kumar
The author is the Union Minister, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GoI. Email: officesjem@gmail.com
India has been known across the world as having a composite and inclusive culture since 
ancient times. We believe in inclusiveness, integration and harmony, and thrive on the 
principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Keeping in view the complexity of issues involved in 
managing disability and also to give focused attention to policies, programmes, and activities 
aimed at inclusion and empowerment of PwDs, Department of Empowerment of Persons with 
Disabilities (DEPwD) was carved out under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 
Since its inception, the Department has expanded the outreach activities in the direction of 
empowerment of PwDs and made its presence felt through its various policies and programme 
interventions.
InclusIve socIety T
India being a party to the United Nations Convention 
on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it was an obligation 
on us to streamline our domestic law, governing the 
disability sector. Accordingly, our Government enacted 
the path-breaking legislation, the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities Act, 2016 which came into force on 
19 April 2017. This law is one of the best examples 
of inclusiveness, which broadens the horizon of rights 
and entitlements of persons with disabilities, besides 
providing adequate safeguards for protecting these rights. 
This Rights guarantee equality, protection from cruelty, 
exploitation and violence, the right to live with family and 
community, access to justice, accessibility to voting, legal 
capacity, etc. They also mandate the Government to take 
measures to promote health, education, skill development, 
and employment opportunities for PwDs and to create 
LEAD ARTICLE
8 YOJANA   May 2022
an environment for participation of PwDs in sports, 
recreation, and cultural activities. Reservation in seats has 
been increased from 3% to 5% for persons with benchmark 
disabilities (i.e. disability of 40% or more), whereas 
reservation in the Government/Government-aided higher 
educational institutions has been increased from 3% to 4% 
under the said Act. 
The Department of Personnel and Training being 
the nodal Department on recruitment matters in Central 
Government establishments issued a circular in January 
2018 for implementation of the provision of reservation 
in government jobs. The Government has also initiated a 
special recruitment drive for persons with disabilities in 
Central Government establishments and more than 14,000 
vacancies have been filled up, out of about 15,700 reported 
vacancies. We have also notified the list of 3566 posts 
(Group A– 1046, Group  B– 515, Group C– 724 & Group 
D– 281) suitable for reservation for various categories of 
persons with benchmark disabilities, which provides the 
basis for recruitment of PwDs for various Government 
establishments.
Disability certification was one of the priority areas 
of our Government. Keeping in view the inclusion of new 
categories of disabilities under the RPwD 
Act, the Ministry notified the guidelines 
for the assessment of the extent of 
specified disabilities in a person in  
2018. These guidelines inter-alia 
provide a composition of medical 
authority for disability certification. 
With a view to having a uniform 
and hassle-free mechanism for the 
certificate of disability and creating 
a national database for PwDs, the 
Government has launched the Unique 
Disability Identity (UDID) Project since 
2015-16. The first Unique Disability 
Identity Card was generated on 27 
January 2017 at Datia district, Madhya Pradesh. So 
far, around 70 lakh UDID cards have been generated in  
715 districts across India. The Government is thriving 
towards digitising all existing manual certificates of 
disability onto the portal at the earliest possible time in 
consultation with the States/UTs.
Creating a barrier-free environment for persons 
with disabilities is the key to their inclusion. The Prime 
Minister launched the Accessible India Campaign on  
3 December 2015, which focuses on accessibility in  
built-up environment, transportation system, and ICT 
ecosystem. Significant progress has been made in 
this direction. Under the Campaign, about 577 State 
Government buildings and more than 1030 Central 
Government buildings have been made accessible. All  
35 international airports and 55  out  of  69 domestic 
airports have been provided with accessible features 
like ramps, help desks, and accessible  toilets. Around 
709 railway stations of A1, A & B categories have been 
made accessible and 8443 buses have been made fully 
accessible, while 44153 STU buses have been made 
partially accessible. 603 State Government websites 
and 95 Central Government websites have already been 
made accessible. The Ministry of 
Information & Broadcasting has 
issued guidelines in September 2019 
for making TV viewing accessible 
for persons with hearing impairment. 
So far, 19 private news channels are 
telecasting partially accessible news 
bulletins, 2447 news bulletins have 
been telecast with subtitling/sign 
language interpretation, and more 
than 3686 scheduled programmes/
movies using subtitling have been 
telecast by general entertainment 
channels. The Ministry has also 
developed Sugamya Bharat App, a 
mobile application for crowdsourcing 
Creating a barrier-free 
environment for persons with 
disabilities is the key to their 
inclusion. The Prime Minister 
launched the Accessible India 
Campaign on 3 December 
2015, which focuses on 
accessibility in built-up 
environment, transportation 
system, and ICT ecosystem. 
Significant progress has been 
made in this direction.