Indian Society and Social Issues: April 2023 UPSC Current Affairs | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

Kurmis’ Push for ST Status

Why in News?

• Recently, the Kurmi Community has called off the agitation in Bengal, asking for the inclusion in the ST (Scheduled Tribe) Status from Other Backward Class (OBC).
• They also want their Kurmali language to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

What is the Background?

• Kurmis were not included among the communities classified as STs in the 1931 Census and were excluded from the ST list in 1950.
• In 2004, the Jharkhand government recommended the community be added to the ST list rather than be categorized as OBCs.
• Following the recommendation, the matter went to the Tribal Research Institute (TRI), which held that Kurmis are a sub-caste of Kunbis and not tribals. Based on this, the Centre rejected the demand of Kurmis to be considered as ST.
• According to the Tribal Development Department of the state government, the state’s tribal population is almost 53 lakhs as per Census 2011, or about 5.8% of the state's total population.

What is the Process of Inclusion under ST?

• About:
  • Kurmis are a landowning farming community whose status varies from place to place.
  • Kurmis are referred to as “progressive farmers” who “avail of maximum benefits of all the development schemes available in the area and region.
  • Kurmis are distributed across several states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Goa, and Karnataka.
• Caste Status:
  • In most states, Kurmis belong to the OBC in both the central and state lists for reservations.
  • In Gujarat, Patels, who are linked to Kurmis, are in the general category, and have been demanding OBC status.
  • In West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand — where Kurmi is written as ‘Kudmi’ — Kurmis want to be included among Scheduled Tribes.
• Kurmali Language:
  • Kurmali language is a language spoken by the Kurmi community, primarily in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
  • The Kurmali language is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family and belongs to the Bihari language family. It shares some similarities with Maithili and Magahi. It has its own script called "Kurmi Kudali" which is a modified version of the Devanagari script.

Himachal Pradesh Sukhashraya Act, 2023

Why in News?

Himachal Pradesh passed Sukhashraya (Care, Protection, and Self-Reliance of Children of the State) Act, 2023 to ensure the welfare of orphans and persons with special needs.

What are the Key Details of Sukhashraya Act, 2023?

• About:
  • The Act defines orphans as those without biological parents or whose parents are incapacitated and includes children in need of care and protection such as those without homes or those at risk of forced marriage, crime, or drug abuse.
  • The Act offers financial and institutional benefits to the beneficiaries between the age of 18-27 years, along with vocational training, skill development, and coaching to help them become active members of society.
  • The Act is a step towards ensuring the protection and care of the most vulnerable section of society.
• Benefits under the Act:
  • A Mukhya Mantri Sukhashraya Sahayata Kosh fund of Rs 101 crore has been formed, and a child welfare committee will be established in each district to oversee the scheme.
  • Orphans and persons with special needs will become ‘children of the state’.
  • Financial benefits include Rs 5,000 in summer and winter, Rs 500 for major festivals, and Rs 4,000 monthly allowance for daily expenses in college.
  • Institutional benefits include sponsored train tickets and accommodation for 10 days within the state, and hostel fees for beneficiaries in ITI and government colleges.
  • The government will give a fixed amount of money at the time of marriage and three biswas of land to build their own homes.
  • Orphans who wish to establish their own start-ups will be given a token corpus to incentivize entrepreneurial pursuits.
  • Ph.D. students will also receive the monthly allowance.
• Other Safeguards Mentioned in the Act:
  • Ex-residents of child care institutions will be supported by the state government till the age of 21 years.
  • Recurring deposit accounts will be opened for each child and orphan, and the state government shall make contributions to these accounts as per prevalent rates.
  • The child welfare committee will carry out surveys to identify orphans and will look into the demands of children in need.

WHO Report on Sodium Intake Reduction

In News

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the report to monitor progress and identify areas for action in the implementation of sodium reduction policies and other measures.

Major Highlights of the Report

• The world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30 percent in the next two years (by 2025).
• Reducing sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve health and reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases, as it can avert a large number of cardiovascular events and deaths at very low total programme costs.
• The global burden of unhealthy diets constitutes a major public health and development challenge worldwide. Urgent action is required to modify the production and consumption of foods and beverages, including industry manufactured (pre-packaged) food. 
• Only 5% of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies and 73% of WHO Member States lack full range of implementation of such policies.
• Issues with High Intake of Sodium
• The largest number of diet-related deaths, an estimated 1.89 million each year, is associated with excessive intake of sodium, a well-established cause of raised blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of less than five grams of salt per day (one teaspoon). 
• More evidence is emerging documenting links between high sodium intake and increased risk of other health conditions such as gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease.

NCDs in India

• NCDs account for 60% of all deaths in India. 
• Cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension) contribute to 45% of all NCD deaths followed by chronic respiratory disease (22 %), cancers (12 %) and diabetes (3%). 
• Tobacco use has been identified as the single largest risk factor attributable to NCDs. 
• The prevalence of obesity and overweight is also showing a rapid increase in trends.
• Nearly one out of every ten persons aged 18 years and above in India has raised blood glucose. 
• More than two-thirds of the adolescents aged 11-17 years are physically inactive in India as per WHO standards. The level of physical inactivity among adults is around 13 %. 

Steps Taken by Government of India to Prevent NCDs

• National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS): Government of India provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs under the programme as part of National Health Mission (NHM).
• It focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion & awareness generation for Cancer prevention, early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facility for treatment of the NCDs.
• Screening under NHM: A population-based initiative for prevention, control and screening for common NCDs i.e. diabetes, hypertension and common cancers has been rolled out in the country under 
• Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening for the three common cancers i.e oral, breast and cervical. 
• Screening of these common cancers is an integral part of service delivery under Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres.
• Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centre scheme: Preventive aspect of Cancer is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care through scheme, by promotion of wellness activities and targeted communication at the community level. 
• Awareness Programmes: Other initiatives for increasing public awareness about Cancer and for promotion of healthy lifestyle includes observation of National Cancer Awareness Day& World Cancer Day.
• In addition, NPCDCS gives financial support under NHM for awareness generation (IEC) activities for Cancer to be taken by the States/UTs as per their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
• Fit India Movement: It is implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and various Yoga related activities are carried out by the Ministry of AYUSH. 

Recommendations by WHO

• WHO recommends lowering sodium content in food products; implementing front-of-pack labelling to help consumers select food products with lower sodium content; conducting mass media campaigns to alter consumer behaviour around sodium; and implementing public food procurement and service policies to reduce sodium content in food served or sold. 
• Modelling indicates the estimated potential impact of policy implementation on sodium intake to be a 23% reduction, and on cardiovascular death a 3% reduction, globally, by 2030. 
• Although the modelled global sodium reduction is below the 30% target by 2030, achieving the target can still be considered attainable with the rapid implementation of government-led and comprehensive mandatory sodium reduction policies and other measures.

Code on Social Security 2020 and Gig Workers

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of State for Labour and Employment told the Lok Sabha that the definition of ‘gig worker’ and ‘platform worker’ has been provided for the first time in the Code on Social Security (SS), 2020.

What are the Provisions under Social Security Code, 2020?

• Objective:
  • The Code aims to regulate the organized/unorganized (or any other) sectors and extend social security benefits, during sickness, maternity, disability, etc. to all employees and workers across different organizations.
  • Integrates Labour Laws: The Code undertakes integrating the following 9 labour laws relating to social security into one integrated Code:
  • The Employees Compensation Act, 1923.
  • The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948.
  • The Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
  • The Employees Exchange (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959
  • The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
  • The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972
  • The Cine Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981
  • The Building and Other Construction Workers Cess Act, 1996
  • The Unorganized Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008
• Coverage and Applicability:
  • The Code has widened coverage by including the unorganised sector, fixed term employees and gig workers, platform workers, inter-state migrant workers in addition to contract employees.
  • The Code applies to everyone on wages in an establishment, irrespective of occupation.
• Revised Definition:
  • On employees: The term ‘employees’ now also includes workers employed through contracts.
  • On inter-state migrant workers: It also includes self-employed workers who have migrated from another state.
  • Gig workers: Freelancers, independent contractors, etc. who engage in hourly or temporary work and share a non-traditional employer-employee relationship are grouped as gig workers.
  • Platform workers: Workers who use an app or website to get connected to their customers are classified as platform workers.
  • Since many kinds of businesses are beginning to use this approach, the labour ministry is looking to add more categories under this code.
• Digitisation:
  • All records and returns have to be maintained electronically. Digitisation of data will help in exchange of information among various stakeholders/funds set up by the Government, will ensure compliance and also facilitate governance.
• Maternity Benefits:
  • The provision of maternity benefits has not been made universal and is presently applicable for establishments employing 10 workers or more.
  • The definition of ‘establishment’ in the proposed code did not include the unorganised sector.
  • Hence, women engaged in the unorganised sector would remain outside the purview of maternity benefits.
• Stringent Penalties:
  • Any failure to deposit employees’ contributions not only attracts a penalty of Rs 100,000, but also imprisonment of 1-3 years. In the case of repeated offence, the penalties and prosecution are severe, and no compounding is permitted for repeated offenses.

What are the Concerns Related to SS Code?

• The code still has thresholds based on the size of the establishment for making certain benefits mandatory.
• This means that certain benefits like pension and medical insurance are only mandatory for establishments with a certain minimum number of employees, thus leaving out a large number of workers.
• Additionally, the codes treat employees within the same establishment differently based on their wages. Only employees earning above a certain threshold will receive mandatory benefits.
• The delivery of social security benefits is still fragmented and administered by multiple bodies such as the Central Board of Trustees, Employees State Insurance Corporation, and Social Security Boards. This can make it confusing and difficult for workers to access the benefits they are entitled to.

Way Forward

• The SS Code 2020 tries to bring informal workers under social security, but it doesn't fully achieve its goal of making social security universal. India is facing an ageing population without proper social security, and the current workforce won't be able to support it in the future. Providing social security can help formalize the workforce.
• Employers should take responsibility for providing social security to their workers as they benefit from their productivity. While the state has a role, employers have the primary responsibility.
• While the gig economy offers many opportunities for individuals to earn a livelihood and gain work flexibility, there is a need for better regulation and protections for gig workers in India.

World Malaria Day

In News

World Malaria Day is being observed on 25th April.

World Malaria Day

• It is an international observance commemorated every year to recognize global efforts to control malaria.
• Theme - “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”.
• World Malaria Day was first held in 2008. It was developed from Africa Malaria Day.
• WHO officially endorses disease-specific global awareness days for only four diseases namely, HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Hepatitis.

Malaria 

• Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by parasites (Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale) that are transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• In the human body, parasites initially multiply in liver cells and then attack the Red Blood Cells (RBCs).
• There are 5 Plasmodium parasite species that cause malaria in humans and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat.
• It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America and Asia.
• It is preventable and curable.
• Malaria symptoms include high fever, chills, headache and other flu-like symptoms.
• Iinfants, children under 5 years, pregnant women, travelers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.

India’s Malaria Burden

• In 2021, India accounted for 79% of all malaria cases in Southeast Asia, according to the World Malaria Report 2022, released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• India also accounted for about 83% of all malaria deaths in the region.

Critical challenges on road to elimination

• Disruptions due to COVID, potential effects of climate change, humanitarian crisis, health system shortfall, and limited donor funding are some of the challenges in combating malaria.
• Absence of private sector in the fight, hidden malaria burden, lack of intersectoral action, exclusion of private health providers (local/traditional healers), and lax behaviour change communication.

Malaria Vaccines

• RTS,S:
  • RTS,S (branded as Mosquirix) reduces the risk of malaria by nearly 40%.
  • It trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite
  • Bharat Biotech, based in Hyderabad, has been granted a licence to manufacture this vaccine.
• R21:
  • R21, otherwise referred to as Matrix-M malaria vaccine, is the second vaccine ever developed for a disease (NOT APPROVED BY WHO YET)
  • Ghana and Nigeria have granted approval
  • manufactured by SII (Serum Institute of India), world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.

Initiatives  

• WHO’s Initiatives: 
  • The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’.
  • The WHO’s Global technical strategy for malaria 2016–2030 aims to reduce malaria case incidence and mortality rates by at least 40% by 2020, at least 75% by 2025 and at least 90% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.
  • WHO has initiated the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) initiative in 11 high malaria burden countries, including India. 
• India’s Initiatives:
  • National Framework for Malaria Elimination (2016-2030)- India’s vision to be malaria-free by 2027 and to eliminate the disease by 2030.
  • Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)
  • Established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
  • It is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control
  • The Health Ministry has also initiated a joint action plan with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for malaria elimination in tribal areas.
  • Real time data monitoring through an integrated health information platform (HIP-Malaria Portal).

Mandal Commission

Why in News?

The second phase of the caste survey beginning in Bihar and several other political debates have brought Mandal Politics once again in news.

What is Mandal Politics and Mandal Commission?

• About:
  • Mandal politics refers to a political movement that emerged in the 1980s, advocating for the inclusion of socially and economically disadvantaged communities, particularly the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), in government jobs and educational institutions.
  • The movement was named after the Mandal Commission.
• Mandal Commission:
  • The Mandal Commission or the second Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission, was established in India in 1979 with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward classes" of India.
  • It was headed by B. P. Mandal and submitted its report in 1980 and was implemented in 1990.
  • The Commission reported that 52% of the country’s population was comprised of OBCs. Initially, the commission argued that the percentage of reservations in government service should match this percentage.
  • However, this would have gone against the Supreme Court ruling in M.R. Balaji vs State of Mysore case (1963) which had laid down a limit of 50% on. There was already a 22.5% reservation for SCs and STs.
  • Therefore, the figure of reservation for OBCs was capped at 27% which when added to keep the reservation below the 50% mark.
  • The Commission also identified backward classes among non-Hindus.
• Recommendations of Mandal Commission:
  • OBCs must be provided a reservation of 27% in public sector and government jobs.
  • They should be provided with the same 27% reservation in promotions at all levels of public services.
  • The reserved quota, if unfilled, should be carried forward for a period of 3 years.
  • OBCs should be provided age relaxation similar to SCs and STs.
  • Reservations to be made in PSUs, banks, private sector undertakings receiving government grants, colleges, and universities.
  • The government to make the necessary legal provisions to implement these recommendations.
• Impact of Mandal Commission:
  • Implementation of Mandal Commission by the government resulted in a widespread protest where students committed self-immolation in protest when the government showed its intent to implement it.
  • The implementation was finally challenged in Indra Sawhney vs Union of India case.

What are the Merits of Mandal Commission?

• Increased Representation: The Mandal Commission helped in increasing the representation of SEBCs in government jobs and educational institutions.
• According to Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, OBC representation against total appointment through direct recruitment was consistently above 27% during 2014-2021.
• Access to Education: The reservation policy enabled many OBC students to gain access to higher education. This resulted in a significant increase in the number of OBC students in universities and colleges.
• According to the Ministry of Social Justice during the period of 2014-2021, the enrolment of OBCs in Higher Educational Institutions has been consistently increasing since 2014-15.
• Social Justice: The Mandal Commission's recommendations were based on the principles of social justice and aimed at providing equal opportunities to all sections of society, especially those who have been historically disadvantaged.

What are the Demerits of Mandal Commission?

• Limited Impact on Upliftment: The impact has been limited to a very few communities. According to the Justice Rohini G. Commission, out of almost 6,000 castes and communities in the OBCs, only 40 such communities had gotten 50% of reservation benefits for admission in central educational institutions and recruitment to the civil services.
• Politicisation: The politicians have often used the Reservation as their vote bank politics. During 1980s, the Mandal Commission was highly politicized giving a new form of Politics- Mandal politics.
• Even today, it is used as a political tool. Recently, a politician while campaigning in Karnataka has demanded to lift 50% limit on SC/ST/OBC reservation.
• Negative Impact on Merit: The reservation policy led to a negative impact on merit as many deserving candidates were left out, and the seats were filled by candidates with lesser merit.

Way Forward

• Periodic Review of Reservation Policy: The policy must be reviewed periodically to assess its impact as directed by the Supreme Court in Indira Sawhney vs Union of India case (1992).
• Improve Early Level of Education: The government must improve education at earlier levels so that the reservations at higher levels could easily be phased out.
• Increase Job Opportunities in Private Sector: The government should thrive to increase job opportunities in private sector to reduce dependence on public sector and reservation for employment.

Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement

Why in News?

Recently, a village in Maharashtra moved to the Bombay High Court, demanding the implementation of the Gramdan Act.

What is Gramdan?

Bhoodan Movement

• Background:
  • It was a socio-political movement started by Vinoba Bhave in 1951 in India.
  • Vinoba Bhave was a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi who chose him as the first individual Satyagrahi and had actively participated in India's Freedom Struggle.
  • After independence, he realized that the issue of landlessness was a major problem faced by rural India and in 1951, he started the Bhoodan Movement or the land gift movement.
• Objectives:
  • It aimed to persuade wealthy landowners to donate a portion of their land to landless peasants.
  • The movement gained momentum when Bhave walked from village to village, requesting landowners to donate their land.
  • Bhave's approach was rooted in the philosophy of non-violence and the idea that the landowners should donate their land out of compassion and empathy for the poor.
• Gramdan Movement:
  • The next phase of the Bhoodan movement was the Gramdan Movement or the village gift movement.
  • It aimed to create self-sufficient villages by bringing about collective ownership of land.
  • The Gramdan movement urged villagers to donate their land to a village council, which would then manage and distribute the land to the villagers.
  • This movement gained support from many political leaders and was seen as a solution to the problem of unequal distribution of land in rural India.
• Significance of the Movement:
  • The movement was successful in many parts of India, with thousands of acres of land being donated by landowners.
  • The Bhoodan-Gramdan Movement had a significant impact on Indian society and politics; it helped in reducing landlessness, bringing about a more equitable distribution of land and empowerment of rural communities along with promoting self-sufficiency.
  • It paved the way for the protection of natural resources by giving everyone in the community equal rights and responsibilities towards them and empowering the communities to move towards self-governance.
• Drawbacks:
  • Sometimes, the land donated was either unfertile or under litigation.
  • Hence, large areas of land were collected but little was distributed among the landless.
  • It was not successful in areas where there was disparity in landholdings.
  • Also, the movement also failed to realize its revolutionary potential.

What is the Current Scenario of the Gramdan Act?

• Gramdan Act in Different States:
  • Today, seven states in India have 3,660 Gramdan villages, the highest being in Odisha (1309).
  • The other six are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
  • In September 2022, the Assam government repealed the Assam Gramdan Act, 1961 and Assam Bhoodan Act, 1965, by passing The Assam Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to counter encroachment on donated lands in the state.
  • Till that time, Assam had 312 Gramdan villages.
• Some Common Features of Gramdan Act:
  • At least 75% of the landowners in the village should surrender land ownership to the village community. Such land should be at least 60% of the village land.
  • 5% of the surrendered land is distributed to the landless in the village for cultivation.
  • Recipients of such land cannot transfer the same without the permission of the community.
  • The rest remains with the donors; they and their descendants can work on it and reap the benefits.
  • However, they cannot sell it outside the village or to one in the village who has not joined Gramdan.
  • All the cultivators who have joined Gramdan should contribute 2.5% of their income to the community.
• Concerns:
  • The act has lost its relevance in many villages mainly due to poor implementation of the law.
  • In some villages, the descendants of those who had given their land under Gramdan are frustrated that they cannot sell their land outside the village and call the act ‘anti-development’.

How is the Act Significant for Forest Conservation?

• The Gramdan Act can help ensure community forest rights by empowering local communities to take control of their natural resources, including forests.
• Under the Gramdan Act, land and other resources are vested in the community, which means that the community has the power to make decisions about how these resources are used and managed thus giving them a say in forests management and the benefits from their sustainable use.
• In the context of community forest rights, the Gramdan Act can provide a legal framework for communities to assert their rights over forest land and resources.