Social Issues: November 2021 Current Affairs - CLAT PDF Download

1. Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle

NITI Aayog has released a comprehensive report titled Health Insurance for India’s Missing Middle. It brings out the gaps in the health insurance coverage across the Indian population and offers solutions to address the situation.

• Health insurance is a mechanism of pooling the high level of Out of Pocket expenditure (OOPE) in India to provide greater financial protection against health shocks. 
• India’s health sector is characterized by low Government expenditure on health, high out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), and low financial protection for adverse health events. 

Who Constitute Missing Middle

A combination of the three models, phased in at different times, can ensure coverage for the missing middle population

• Short-term: Focus should be on expanding private voluntary insurance through commercial insurers. 
• Medium-term: once the supply-side and utilization of PMJAY and ESIC is strengthened, their infrastructure can be leveraged to allow voluntary contributions to a PMJAY plus product, or to ESIC’s existing medical benefits.  
• Long-term: Once the low-cost voluntary contributory health insurance market is developed, expansion of PMJAY to the uncovered poorer segments of the missing middle should be considered. 
• The report has also suggested sharing of the government scheme data with the private insurance companies. Government databases such as National Food Security Act (NFSA), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, or the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) for agricultural households can be shared with private insurers after taking consent from these households, the report said, suggesting an outreach strategy.

2. Bhasha Sangam Initiative

Ministry of Education launched Bhasha Sangam under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) to commemorate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.

• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was announced in 2015 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel under which every State and UT would be paired with another State/UT for a time period, during which they would carry out engagement with one another in the spheres of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events, tourism etc. 
• Bhasha Sangam is to teach basic sentences of everyday usage in 22 Indian languages. The idea is that people should acquire basic conversational skills in an Indian language other than their mother tongue. It is amined that at least 75 lakh people should acquire this skill during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav period. Initiatives launched under Bhasha Sangam:

3. Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge

Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched a week-long awareness campaign on SafaiMitra Suraksha Challenge (SSC) as part of the ‘World Toilet Day’ (19th November) celebrations, to run up to the ‘Swachh Amrit Diwas’. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge (SSC) on the occasion of World Toilet Day (19th November 2020). SSC has main objective of eradicating the practice of hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and promote mechanized cleaning of the same.

Important Features of SSC

• Total 246 cities are going to participate in the challenge. The state capitals, urban local bodies and smart cities will be eligible to participate. - 
• SSC is aimed to encourage cities to mechanize their sewer and septic tank cleaning operations in order to prevent deaths and fatalities of sanitation workers from ‘hazardous entry’. - 
• The initiative is in line with the core of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 

Components of Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge

• Skill Development Trainings of Safaimitras have been conducted through the support of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It will also include ‘Recognition of prior learning’ (RPL) model for Green jobs. 
• Under SSC, National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, supported by MoHUA are organizing Loan Melas across the country. 
• All 246 participating cities have already notified ban on single-use plastic (SUP)
• Separate Standard uniform designs for different categories of sanitation workers across urban India. It will include :
• Assessment by independent third party. 
• Cities can try to implement innovative solutions for this like Bandicoot robot deployed by Kerala government for cleaning of sewer. 
• 31 states/UTs have established a Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA) and 210 cities are having the Sanitation Response Units (SRU) 8. A dedicated helpline number has been set up to register complaints and provide real-time solutions on desludging or sewer overflow. 
• Cities being awarded a cash prize based on their performance. 

Swachhata Commandos (sanitation workers engaged in underground cleaning of sewers and septic tanks)

Safaimitras (engaged in road sweeping and waste collection)

Swachhata Supervisors/ Operators

Need of Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge

• Supreme court through different judgements prohibited hazardous cleaning, i.e. manual entry into a septic tank or sewer without protective gear and observing operating procedures.
• Same provision is there under The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act (2013).  
• Still this practice is prevalent in municipalities across India. There are instances of death of manual scavengers in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai.  
• As per SECC, 2011 there are 180000 manual scavengers in India.  
• SSC stresses on the fact that safety and dignity of sanitation workers is the core of Swachh Bharat Mission. 
• Hence such kind of challenges will bring together all stakeholders to curb this inhuman practice and ensure cleanliness through technology interventions.

4. Legal Metrology Rules 2011 Amended

Centre has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 to protect the interest of consumers (January 2021). Rules are being made under Legal Metrology Act 2009. Legal metrology is the application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments. Important examples are Medicines, pre-package food items, medical devices like oxygen support devices in COVID-19 times are comes under ambit of legal metrology for description rules and regulations.

Provisions Under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011

• The objective of Legal Metrology is to ensure public guarantee from the point of view of security and accuracy of the weighments and measurements.  
• The act provides for application of legal requirements to measurements and measuring instruments.  
• The Department of Consumer Affairs, administers the Legal Metrology Act 2009.  
• Rules are primarily intended to ensure that the consumers are able to make informed choices by being informed of essential declarations on the pre-packed commodities. 

Recent Amendments

• The Department of Consumer Affairs has omitted the Rule 5 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2011 to safeguard interest of consumers. Rule 5 defines the Schedule II prescribing the pack sizes of various types of commodities. 
• Companies selling packaged commodities with a quantity of more than one kilogram are required to print ‘unit sale price’ per kg along with its maximum retail price (MRP).
• Rule regarding mentioning of quantity on a packaged commodity was amended.  Now the quantities can be expressed in terms of the number or unit or piece or pair or set or such other word which represents the quantity in the package. Earlier Quantity should either be in ‘number’ or ‘unit’ and it should be mentioned as “xxN or xxU ''. 
• Date declaration has now been required to the month and year in which the pre packed commodity is manufactured. 
• The provisions of declarations of MRP have been simplified by removing illustration and providing for making the mandatory declaration of MRP in Indian currency inclusive of all taxes. 

With Changes, Following Positive Implications for Customers

• It will be easier for consumers to find the cost in unit terms which will help for conscious purchase decisions.  
• It will lessen compliance burden on industries.  
• Easier for domestic customers who are using internationally produced goods.  
• These amendments will ensure transparency and accountability in the pre-packaged goods market.

5. Multidimensional Poverty Index

Multidimensional poverty index seeks to measure poverty across multiple dimensions in country. It is to quantify poverty in all of its forms. NITI Aayog has released first national multidimensional poverty index.

• First national multidimensional poverty index shows that 25% of India’s population is poor. The figure is higher than income based measures of poverty.  
• The MPI released by Niti Ayog used data from 4 th National Family Health Survey 2015-16.

The index used three equally weighted dimensions of Health, education and standard of living. It has used 12 indicators like nutrition, sanitation and a housing bank account.

Salient Feature of Index

• The index is first ever country’s own poverty index. 
• To track poverty across subnational regions 
• It can be used to deconstruct Global MPI and to improve India’s ranking in global position. 
• It will complement monetary poverty reduction efforts. 
• It provides ample of data to help policy maker to make effective decision. This report delves in to in-depth analysis of the head count ratio and intensity of multidimensional poverty at the national, state and district levels. 

Purpose: National Multi Poverty index is tailored to national priorities. It has break down by sub national regions, urban or rural areas, age and other factors.

Key Findings

• Bihar has the highest proportion of poor people. It is followed by Jharkhand and then Uttar Pradesh.  
• Kerala has lowest number of poor people followed by Goa and Sikkim 

• Bihar has also highest number of malnourished people. It is followed by Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.  
• Pondicherry has least poor people among union territories. It is being followed by Lakshadweep. National capital is performing low on maternal health index. It weighted only 15.9%. 
• Uttar Pradesh performed worst on child mortality rate with 4.97%.  
• Manipur has highest number of people deprived of drinking water.  
• Jammu and Kashmir has highest number of people with bank account.

Methodology: Used the globally accepted and robust methodology developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United National Development Programme (UNDP).

6. NFHS-5 -Women Related Data

Recently, the latest data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2019-21) has been released. It is conducted by Ministry of Health and Family welfare in coordination with International institute of Population Science Mumbai. 5th National Family Health Survey was from 2019 to 2021 and conducted in around 6.1 lakh household. Survey has taken parameter like Fertility rate, Infant mortality rate, child mortality rate, maternal mortality rate. Along with this, survey also gives insights on practice of Family planning and Nutritional status of population and reproductive health of women in country.
Fifth NFHS survey has spotlighted women health as one of its core dimension. It has also included some new dimensions like details on the percentage of women and men who have ever used internet. It has also served some in-depth issues like component of micro-nutrient to children, menstrual hygiene, reproductive health etc. The result of the survey has mixed finding. Some of the findings are great achievement for country and some needs urgent attention.

Major Positive Result of Survey

Decline in total fertility rate (TFR) There is major decline in total fertility rate with most state reduced their fertility rate below replacement level. This is major demographic achievement. TFR has declined further from 2.2 reported in 2015-16 to 2.0 at the all India level.

• The TFR is at 1.6 in urban areas and 2.1 in rural India.  
• TFR of about 2.1 children per woman is called Replacement-level fertility.

Major factors contributing to achieve decline in TFR are:

• Increased use of modern contraceptive: Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has improved much better. Contraceptive Prevalence Rate has increased substantially from 54% to 67% at the all-India level.  
• Socio political change: Delay in marriage due to education has affected the total fertility rate.  
• Reversible Spacing: Introduction of new reversible spacing (gaps between children) methods , wage compensation systems to undergo sterilisation, and the promotion of small family norms also worked well over the years  
• Push in family planning: Schemes like National population stabilisation fund and RMNCH+A by government has encouraged and educated people to adopt family planning.  
• Closing of urban rural gap for the first time. It has narrowed to 0.5 in last 30 years.  
• Women Empowerment: There is increase in women empowerment as result of education which in turn translates to have say in family matter.

Worrying Trends Regarding TFR

• Increasing Female Sterilization: The survey reveals that the uptake of female sterilisation has gone up to 38% against 36% in 2015-16  
• Concerns of Lower TFR: TFR lower than 2.1 children per woman — indicates that a generation is not producing enough children to replace itself, eventually leading to an outright reduction in population.

Marriage Age: The share of women aged 20-24 who married before turning 18 has declined from 27% to 23% in the last five years.

• West Bengal and Bihar, with around 41% such women each, had the highest prevalence of girl child marriage.  
• The maximum reduction in the proportion of underage marriages was observed in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.

Performance in Malnutrition indicators: The three indicator of mal-nutrition are stunting, wasting shows an overall improvement. E.g. Bihar has reduced from 48.3 to 42.9 in child stuning.
Difference in sex ratio at birth and adulthood: For first time in India there are 1020 adult women per 1000 men. This is one of astonishing data. And total number of female babies has increased to 929 per 1000 male babies.

• There has been improvement on other dimensions such as educational attainment, institutional deliveries, vaccinations and infant mortality etc. 

Some Areas Of Concern For The Country

• There is poor performance in dealing with Anaemia.  57% of women of reproductive age in the country are anaemic.  21% of males are anaemic.  66.1% children under 5 year old are anaemic. 
• Increase in proportion of overweight children, women and men. It is becoming major health challenge in India. It is reflection of poor eating habit leading to serious health consequence in the form of non-communicable disease. 
• Women reproductive Health: Problems like high rate of C-section is high as 47.5% in private hospital compared to 14.7% in public facility. Addressing issues like menstrual hygiene are still taboo. Male engagements in family planning are low. 

Conclusion

The decrease in Total fertility rate is sign of increasing prosperity. There are definitely increasing number of literate women. The numbers of empowerment women are also going up. These major achievement is a welcoming step in women welfare. It is duty of policymakers to ensure the hard earned gain go towards positive achievement further. Also concerns about rise in anaemia are an alarming and needs immediate attention. Programmes like “eat right movement” should be implemented effectively. Government’s schemes like National nutrition mission (Poshan abhiyan) should be implemented effectively at grass root level.

7. Internal Displacement UNHRC Report

Internal displacement is described as situations that forced people to leave home but are staying inside the political boundary of country. This report is published annually by United Nation High Commission for Refugee. This year focus on relationship between climate change, disaster and displacement. 51 million people are displaced internally across 33 countries due to conflict, violence in first six months of 2021.The lethal combination of climate emergency, COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has swelled the percentage of internal displacement.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee is UN’s refugee agency and a world organisation dedicated to save lives, protect rights and shape healthier future for refugee, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. Geneva Switzerland is the head quarter for UNHRC.

Key Findings of Report

• ‘Global displacement is climbing over 82 million despite pandemic. It has swelled around three million in 2020.  
• Africa Violence in Ethiopia and Mozambique are causing surge in displacement.  
• Deadly Jihadist violence has led to displacement in Mozambique.
• Freshly displacement in Sahel region.  
• Only 3.2 million IDPs has returned home in 2020 marking drop of 40% from 2019.  
• 20 million displaced due to climate change issue.  
• Problem of internal displacement has increased straight for nine years.  
• 42% displaced are girls and boys under the age of 18.

Internal Displacement in India

According to ‘The Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID 2020)’ five million people were displaced internally in India. The problem of internal displacement is a neglected crisis.
Following issues are pertaining with internal displacement in India:

• No regular monitoring due to diverse status of country.  
• There is no national policy and legal institution framework for IDPs.  
• India has not ratified 1951 convention and 1967 protocol of human rights. 
• Federal structure has created a barrier as land, public order is under state subject.

Reasons for Internal Displacement

• Secessionist Displacement: Arm conflicts in different part of country have become reason of displacement in Nagaland, Assam, displacement of Kashmiri Pundit etc. 
• Environmental Displacement: Displacement due to flood in Uttarakhand, water scarcity in Ladakh has forced people to displace internally. People in Godhamara and Mousuni island located on shores of West Bengal are displaced due to rising sea level. 
• Identity based displacement: Bodo land, Punjab, Bru Reanng tribe are example of identity based displacement. 
• Tribal displacement: Tribal displacement due to development projects make tribal people to go away from their natural habitat. 
• Caste based violence: State like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar witness displacement due to caste and religion based migration.