text:
Explainer: What is the Contribution of various Countries to the UN Budget?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 24, 2019
The United Nations
operations are sustained from the contributions received from member countries.
Contributions from member countries are assessed every 3 years and are fixed
based on a variety of factors. Here is a detailed explainer with the numbers.
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945.  It iscurrently made up of 193 Member States.  The mission and work of theUnited Nations are guided by the purposes and principles contained in itsfounding Charter.
Article 17 of the U.N. Charter specifies that the U.N. General Assembly will determine the basisfor payment of the expenses of the organization. The expenses shall be borne bythe members as decided by the General Assembly.
What is the basis for
deciding the quantum of contribution of each member?
Each member state of the UN is obligated tocontribute to the UN. The contribution is calculated on the basis of scale ofassessments. The Committee on Contributions is entrusted with the job ofdeciding the quantum of contribution.
To determine the scale of assessments, theCommittee on Contributions uses estimates ofeach member state’s gross national product (GNP) and a number of adjustments,including for external debt and for low per capita incomes. The assessment thustakes into account the country’s share of the global Gross National productwith discounts given for low per-capita income and the country’s external debt.This is with respect to the regular budget of the UN. Similar assessments aredone for other organizations of the UN including the peacekeeping operations.For deciding contribution to the peace keeping operations, adjustments are madefor average per capita GNP compared to global average GNP.
The General Assembly has directed that the percentage shares range from a minimum of 0.001% to amaximum of 22%, and a maximum of 0.01% for those nations designated as “leastdeveloped countries.”
The scale of assessments is normallyreviewed after every three years.  The current time period of assessmentsis for the years 2019-2021.
Who contributes the
most to the regular UN budget?
As expected, United States of Americacontributes the highest with a share of22%. USA’s GNP in 2018 isapproximately 24% of the total GNP of all the member countries of the UN andthus its highest share of contribution is justified.
China contributes the second highest with12.005%, followed by Japan (8.564%), Germany (6.09%), United Kingdom of GreatBritain and North Ireland (4.567%) and France (4.427%) in the top five afterUSA. Italy has surpassed Brazil (2.948%) in the list to become the seventhlargest contributor (3.307%).
18 Countries contribute more than 1% eachto the UN regular budget. 175 countries contribute less than 0.1% eachincluding India’s neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Of these 175countries, 29 countries contribute only 0.001% each.
Out of the 193 countries part of the UN,the top 20 countries contribute 83.83% while the other 173 countries contribute16.16% only. The top 10 contributors account for 69.047% of the totalcontributions. The total regular UN budget for the year 2018-19 is $5.56 billion. A total of 112 memberstates have paid their regular budget assessments for 2019in full as of August 20, 2019. India paid $23.253 million in January within the 30 day due period.
How much does India
Contribute?
According to the assessment made for theyears 2019-21, India has to contribute 0.834% to the UN regular budget, up from 0.737% during the 2016-18 period.  India’s share in global GNP is now around 2.772%.This has resulted in India becoming the 21stlargest contributor ascompared to 24th position in the previous assessment cycle. There is an 8.8%increase in India’s contribution. Based on the assessment by the contributionscommittee, India’s  contribution tothe UN regular budget was fixed at 0.534% for 2009-12 and 0.666% for 2013-2015.
India’s contribution to the UNregular budget was $16.97 million in 2012-13, $17.19 million in 2013-14, $18.07million in 2014-15 and $18.58 million in 2017. India’s actual share is $25.5 milliondollars in 2019, but is given a credit of $2.3 million for the income taxexemption extended by India for the UN staff working in India. Hence the netshare of India’s contribution is $23.25 million. There is a sharp increase in2019 because of the increase in the share of India’s contribution for 2019-21cycle.
India also contributed to the other UNagencies like the UNDP, UNICEF, UNEP etc. India’s contribution to UNpeacekeeping operations was fixed at 0.1068% for the period 2009-12 and at0.1332% for the period 2013-15 and 0.1474% for the period 2016-18. For theperiod 2019-21, it has been fixed at0.1668%. The total peacekeeping budget of the UN for 2019-20 is $6.51 billion.
Among the BRICS nations, India’scontribution is more than only South Africa. Brazil,  Russia and China contribute more than India tothe UN budget.
India’s total contribution to the UN (including for all UN agencies) was Rs. 138 crore in 2013-14,Rs. 157 crore in 2014-15,  Rs 244 crore in 2015-16, Rs. 170.28 crore in 2016-17 and Rs. 239.47 croresin 2017-18. This has been illustratedin the  following graph. It is clearlyvisible that India’s highest contribution was in the financial year 2015-16followed by 2017-18.
UN faces shortage of
funds
Despite the contributions made by themember states for regular and peacekeeping budget, the UN faces shortage in funds. In 2018, inorder to meet the expenses, the organisation had to make use of the funds fromclosed peacekeeping operations.
Peacekeeping budgets are allocated to newmissions undertaken by UN and for expansion of existing missions. The funds ofone mission cannot be used for another even if it faces a deficit. For thepeacekeeping missions, there are countries that supply the required troops andpolice personnel for which the UN pays. As of March 2019, the pending paymentis $265 million and might increase to $588 million by June 2019. These numberswere mentioned in the report of the Secretary General on ‘Improving the financial situation of UN’. The pending payment to India is $38 million from the UN forpeacekeeping operations as of March 2019.


text:
Explainer: What is the COTPA act?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 2, 2019
Starting 01 September 2019, a new warning message will be displayed on tobacco products like cigarette packets. But what about the law that governs the rules about warnings, advertisement of tobacco products? Here is an explainer of the COTPA act.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) passed resolutions in 1986 & 1990, urging the member states to take action for ensuring that non-smokers are protected from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. The resolutions especially talk of pregnant women, children and others who may fall into the risk group & also to prevent children and youngsters from getting addicted to tobacco. Following these resolutions, the Government of India introduced the Cigarettes-and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act in 2003. Abbreviated as COTPA, the act has provisions for restricting sale of tobacco products like banning sale near educational institutions etc. Among other things, the act places restrictions on smoking, sale, promotion/advertising, packaging of tobacco products. Here is a detailed explainer of the important provisions of the act.
Restrictions on
Smoking and Sale of Tobacco products
As per the COTPA act and subsequent rules made under this act, smoking in public places is prohibited. In addition, Hotels which have more than 30 rooms or a restaurant which has a seating capacity of at least 30 and in airports, provisions for separate smoking space have to be made.
Cigarettes and other tobacco products should not be sold/offered toany one below the age of eighteen years. Sale of such products within 100 yardsradius of any educational
institution is also an offence. Giving permission toperform the above acts is also considered an offence under this act.
The penalty for the violation of the above mentioned acts can go upto Rs. 200. The offences that fall under this category are compoundable andwill be tried as per the procedure provided for summary trials in the Code ofCriminal Procedure, 1973. (CrPC)
The Central or State government by notification in the official gazette can authorise one or more persons (who will be referred to as Public Servant as per IPC section 21) who are competent to act under the act. The accused can be detained by the competent authority if there is reasonable ground to believe that an offence has been committed. The detention will not take place if the accused provides name and address and if he/she satisfies the competent authority that they will answer any summons or proceedings against them.
The detained person will be presented before the Magistrate to be dealt with under the law.  If an institution violates these sections, then it is also liable to pay a maximum penalty of Rs. 200.
Restrictions on Promotion/Advertisement
of cigarettes and tobacco products
None of those who are involved in production, supply or distributionis allowed to promote tobacco or tobacco products. The act also prohibits mediafrom advertising tobacco and tobacco products and also disallows people fromtaking part in advertisements which may directly or indirectly promote the useof tobacco.
Further, nobody is allowed to display advertisements, distributepamphlets or documents or sell videos/tapes that contain promotional videos oftobacco products or cigarettes. Those who perform the above acts or evenauthorises/permits any of these will be held equally responsible for promotionof cigarettes and tobacco which is a punishable offence.
Erection of posters or hoardings visible to public is also treated an offence.  Advertising is permitted only on the packets of tobacco products and in the entrance of shops/ warehouses where such products are sold or distributed. Endorsement of cigarettes or other tobacco products or promoting its use through gifts, prizes or any similar form is also prohibited.
If any person is convicted for advertising these products for thefirst time, the person is liable for imprisonment up to two years and/or apenalty of Rs.1000. Subsequent conviction results in up to five yearimprisonment and/or fine which may be extended up to Rs.5000. In case a personhas contravened the provisions under this section, the advertisement and relevantmaterials may be confiscated by the government and the material will bedisposed as per the act.
Regulations on
Packaging of Cigarettes & Tobacco products
It is mandatory for every packet of cigarette or tobacco product tocontain the specified warning including skull and crossbones along with theother prescribed warning signs. Unless and until the warning is indicated, noone is allowed to distribute or trade or import such cigarettes and tobaccoproducts. The specified warning should be displayed on at least one of thelargest panels of the package in which these products are packed. Every packetof cigarette and tobacco product must contain a label indicating the details ofthe nicotine and tar contents along with the maximum permissible limits foreach cigarette or packet of the product.
The Health Ministry has notified that from 01 September 2019, a new image with the caption ‘TOBACCO CAUSES PAINFUL DEATH’ in white font on red background and the words, ‘QUIT TODAY  CALL 1800 11 2356’ in white font on black background should be added in the package of tobacco products.
The content of nicotine and tar should not exceed the permitted limit. The warning should be such that it is legible and prominent. The size and colour should be clearly visible and in contrast to the background colour, other fonts and colours used on the package. The warning on each of the package should be such that before opening the packet, it should be clearly visible to the consumer. English or/and Indian languages shall be used for the warning. If any foreign language is used, the specified warning should be given in English as well. Statements which are not consistent with the specified warning or belittles the warning should be refrained from using. The height of each figure and letter of the warning should strictly be of the prescribed size as mentioned under rules of this act.
Stringent punishment is prescribed for the producer/manufacturer whodoes not adhere to the warning rules and also does not mention the details ofcontents mentioned.  For the firstconviction, he/she has to face imprisonment up to two years and/or a fine up toRs.5000. For subsequent conviction, fine up to Rs.10,000 and imprisonment up tofive years is prescribed in the act.  Forselling or distribution of cigarettes or tobacco products without warning andcontent, punishment for first conviction is imprisonment up to one year and/orfine up to Rs.1000. Subsequent conviction will result in imprisonment up to twoyears and/or fine up to Rs.3000.
Authority to
search and seize tobacco products
Any police officer at least of the rank of Sub Inspector or anyofficer of State Food and Drug Administration or any other officer holding anequivalent rank authorised by either the Central or State government isauthorized under the act to carry out search & seize operations.
If the authorized authority has any reason to suspect that anyprovision of this act has been or is being breached, he/she may enter andsearch any building, office, factory, business premises or any other placewhere any trade related to cigarettes or tobacco products takes place or wherethe advertisement of the product is made or being made, in the prescribedmanner at a reasonable time.  Theprovisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973 are applicable to anysearch or seizure made under this act.
The aforementioned personnel also has the power to seize thepackets or advertisement materials in the prescribed manner if he/she has anyreason to believe that the rules of the act have been violated with respectedto package or advertisement of the products. The officer can retain the seized materialonly for a maximum period of ninety days unless the District court under whosejurisdiction the seizure took place approves.
Confiscation of
tobacco products and procedure to be followed
Any cigarette or tobacco packet or its advertisement, if found tohave violated the rules of this act, is liable to be confiscated. The court isallowed to give the owner of the confiscated products the option to pay in lieuof the confiscation, a cost which should be equal to the cost of theconfiscated products. Upon payment of the amount as per the court’s order, theseized products will be returned to the owner provided that before distributingit, the owner must ensure that the specified warning is mentioned along withthe details of nicotine and tar content. Payment of ordered amount orconfiscation of products does not prevent the offender from being subject tothe punishment he/she is liable under this act.  A written notice has to be given to the personfrom whom these items have been confiscated before any order is issued. In casesuch a notice is not issued within 90 days from the date of seizing, thepackages should be returned to the person from whom it was seized.
What if the
violations are by a company?
Like in the case of other offences, the accused shall have theoption make an appeal against the decision of a court. The appellant cannot gofor another appeal against the order of the court of appeal. All the offencesunder this Act are bailable.
In case any of the violations are been made by a company, thenevery person who was in charge of the company’s business and was responsible tothe company for the conduct of business as well as the company will beconsidered guilty for the offence unless anyone involved provides evidence thatthey weren’t aware of the act or tried to stop it. If the offence committed isthrough the consent of or carelessness of the director or any other officer,then proceedings and punishments will be dealt with accordingly.
Power of the
Central Government to make rules
The central government has the authority to add any tobacco productunder this act, provided this should be notified in the official gazette threemonths in advance. Once added, the product will be legally bound by this act. Inorder to test the tar and nicotine contents of the tobacco product, the CentralGovernment is allowed to grant recognition to testing laboratories by notifyingin the official gazette. Central government also has the authority to alter theform and manner of warning on tobacco products, specify the maximum permissiblelimit of nicotine and tar content and the height of letter and figures, themanner in which search and seizure will be conducted, manner of preparation oflist and delivery. The act is not applicable to those tobacco products whichare being exported provided the rules in those specific countries are followed.
Featured Image: COTPA act

source: news-factly

created: September 2, 2019

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


text:
Explainer: What is the COVID-19 containment strategy of the government?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 16, 2020
As we enter the 2nd phase of a nation-wide lockdown, certain relaxations have been announced from 20 April outside the containment zones. What are these containment zones? What is the strategy of the government? Here is a detailed explainer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of lockdown in the countrytill 03 May 2020 while addressing the nation for the fourth time amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. India has been underlockdown since 25 March 2020. While lockdown is aimed at containing the spread ofvirus & prevent community transmission, there are other containmentmeasures taken by Central and State governments at the local level depending onlevels of transmission & detection of positive cases in these areas. In hisspeech, the PM also added that from 20 April onwards, restrictions in somelow-risk areas will be eased.
It is possible that one may have come across the term Stage-IItransmission, community transmission, and other similar terms in news andsocial media. But what is community transmission? What are the different stagesof transmission? Which stage is India currently in?
Ministry of Health has adopted a scenario-based
approach for containing the virus
As per the containment plan of the Ministry of Health, India is following ascenario-based approach for containing the virus. These different possible scenarios,or the four stages of transmission are-
Stage I -Travel related cases reported in India
Stage II – Local transmission of COVID-19
Stage III – Large outbreaks amenable to containment
Stage IV – Wide-spread Community transmission
Stage V – India becomes an endemic for the disease.
As is evident, Stage I refers to travel related cases, meaning, thosewho have contacted the virus due to their travel to one of the centers/placesof the outbreak. Local transmission or stage II is said to have taken place when thesource of infection is within the reporting location. An example is contactwith an infected person. At this stage, tracing all those persons who came incontact with the infected person, isolating and testing them will be helpful incontaining the virus at this stage.
Community transmission is when the spread is such that source of viruscannot be traced as there are numerous cases in public. Stage V or India as anendemic is said to have taken place when the outbreak is so rampant that thereis stark increase in number of infections and number of deaths and the diseaseis considered an endemic in the country.
WHO has defined
four categories of transmission
Similarly, the World Health Organization has defined four different categories of transmission which is used at national andsub-national levels. These are
Many countries in the Americas & Europe are at the
stage of community transmission
WHO’s COVID Situation Report as on 14 April 2020, shows that countries like Turkey, Switzerland,Indonesia, Iran, Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, and more are at the CommunityTransmission Stage or the most affected stage. It can be observed that majorityof the countries in the Region of Americas (North America and South America)are also at the community transmission level along with many Europeancountries.
India falls under the category of ‘Clusters of cases’
Asian and Western Pacific Region have more countries falling in the‘Clusters of Cases’ category. This includes China, South Korea, India, SriLanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Singapore, Australia amongother countries. The data from some countries like UK, Germany, and Italy was pending.
New Zealand, Nepal, Bhutan, and some other countries are in the categoryof ‘sporadic cases’. Many countries in the African sub-continent fall underthis category. No country falls under the ‘No cases’ category indicating thevirus has spread to all countries.
As already seen, India falls in the category of ‘cluster of cases’. TheCentral Government has chalked out a cluster containment strategy to contain the virus and its spread in India as the number of cases is increasing.
What does a cluster mean?
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, a clusteris defined as ‘an unusual aggregation of health events that are groupedtogether in time and space and that are reported to a health agency.’ Insimpler terms, a cluster means the occurrence of a disease in a geographicalarea at some period. This is reported to the health departments.
What is the cluster containment strategy?
Cluster containment strategy aims to contain the disease within theparticular area through ‘early detection, breaking the chain and thuspreventing its spread to new areas’.
For this, containment zones will be identified. The cluster will beconsidered the epicentre. Listing and mapping of contacts will be carried outby the local Rapid Response Team. Around the containment zone, a buffer zone ofadditional 5 kilometres radius is also set up. Buffer zone is where there ispossibility for new cases to appear. Movement of people into and outside thezones will be highly regulated and vehicular movement is also restricted. Allroads connecting the zones will be blocked and guarded by police.
Based on the size and area of cluster, the buffer zone can vary-
The area will be quarantined with boundaries set up. Only essentialservices are permitted in these zones. There will be continuous activesurveillance in these areas. All suspected cases will be tested. Isolation ofcases, home quarantine of contacts, and social distancing measures will beensured. Testing for Influenza like Illnesses and Severe Acute RespiratorySyndrome (SARS) will also be carried out in such areas. Such a containmentmeasure was earlier used in Rajasthan to contain the Zika Virus.
Districts to be categorized into three depending on
cases reported
As a part of the containment strategy, in a high level review meetingheld on 15 April 2020 held by the Cabinet Secretary with all the ChiefSecretaries, Health Secretaries, DGPs, District Collectors, MunicipalCommissioners, SPs, CMOs and other officials of States/UTs, the Central Governmentannounced that each district in the country will be divided into one of the following categories–
In addition to classification of districts, government has also askeddistricts to classify hospitals into COVID Care Centres for mild cases, COVIDHealth Centres for clinical moderate cases which require oxygen support, andCOVID dedicated hospitals for severe and critical cases which require ventilatorsupport.
Certain activities to resume depending on intensity of
the disease & location
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued fresh guidelines on 15 April 2020 that included details on partial relaxationof lockdown from 20 April, as announced by the Prime Minister in his address.In this order, the government has announced that some economic activities can be resumed ifproper social distancing is followed by the officials and employees. It has tobe noted that such relaxations are only for areas in the non-containment zones.
Here are few important takeaways from the order:
Post April 20, based on intensity of outbreak in different areas, thefollowing activities will be allowed:
In case of private and commercial establishments, the following arepermitted
The following will continue to be restricted:
Featured Image: COVID-19 containment strategy


text:
Explainer: What is the COVID-19 discharge policy in India & Abroad?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 25, 2020
The government modified the discharge policy of COVID-19 positives and issued revised guidelines recently. Here is a look at those guidelines and discharge guidelines in a few other countries.
Post treatment discharge of COVID-19 infected patients is as important as identification of the infected ones. An effective discharge policy ensures that the infected persons are treated well and also helps in mitigating any scope of re-admission and further spread. Hence it is important that the discharge policy & the relevant strategies are comprehensive enough to cover all types of patients. The policies should also facilitate determination of the time when it is safe to discharge a particular case. Discharge of the treated & recovered patients also reduces the burden on the healthcare system freeing up the available beds for other needy ones.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) issued a revised discharge policy for COVID-19 cases on 11 May 2020. This policy replaces MOHFW’s earlier discharge policy.
Revised policy marks a shift from ‘Test-based’ discharge strategy
As per the press release on the revised discharge policy, the Health Ministry has stated that the policy was revised in line with revisions in several other countries who have changed their discharge criteria.
The earlier policy for discharging COVID-19 patients was based on a test-based strategy. As per this policy, a COVID-19 case was discharged when the person satisfies each of the following two criteria:
Most of the countries have changed discharge policy from a  ‘Test Based’ strategy to ‘Symptom Based’ or ‘Time Based one’, as mentioned by the MoHFW.  In the FAQs released by MoHFW about the revised policy, it is stated that a review of ICMR laboratory surveillance data indicates that after an initial RT-PCR positive results, the patients became negative after a median duration of about 10 days.
Speaking on the revised Discharge policy, experts at ICMR stated that as per studies, the virus is said to be deactivated in case the patient does not show symptoms for three days. It is also highlighted in the reasons backing up the revised discharge policy that there are chances where tests can detect the virus even after it becomes in-active.
Based on this, a revised discharge criterion is implemented which will do away with the need for conducting the tests before discharge. This would also help in saving valuable test kits, which could then be used for other identification of COVID-19 in suspects.
Revised discharge policy aligned with severity-based categorization of cases
The revised discharge policy uses ‘Time’ and ‘Symptoms’ as the criteria instead of testing to determine if particular COVID-19 case can be discharged. However, the time taken to recover from the infection and the symptoms vary depending on the severity of the infection. Hence the revised discharge policy provides for different criteria for different cases of severity.
MoHFW had earlier issued guidelines to categorize the COVID-19 cases based on the clinical severity into – mild, moderate & severe. The revised discharge policy is also based on this categorization.
The time frames to discharge and the symptoms to be looked for each of these three categories of patients have been specified.
Post discharge, the patients (those with mild and moderate severity) are required to be under self-isolation for period of 7 days. During this period, they are required to ensure:
No testing needed for Home isolation patients as well
Cases with clinical severity of mild/very mild or which are pre-symptomatic are also provided the option of being under home isolation right from the beginning without having to get admitted to a COVID facility. However, this is possible only if the facilities at home are in line with the specified criteria. Factly has written a story on these conditions and other criteria.
As per the revised discharge policy, even such patients under home isolation are not required to take any tests prior to being declared discharged (cured). The criteria remain the same as in the case of patients in COVID Care centres i.e. 10 days post the onset of symptoms & no fever for 3 days. They are also required to self-monitor further for a period for 7 days i.e. the criteria for home isolation would be:
For those who are under self-quarantine because of exposure to COVID-19 positive patients but are asymptomatic, the discharge policy does not apply. They continue to be in quarantine for a period of 14 day.
The approach of dealing with COVID-19 cases has varied across countries. This is also true in the case of discharge policies. There is still a debate  whether testing needs to be carried out to discharge COVID-19 patients. However, following a time-bound and symptomatic approach based on the studies and observations conducted so far seems like a better approach.
There are reports that point out to an increase in the recovery rate in India post the revised discharged policy. However, it would be early to draw any conclusion if the revised strategy is a better approach.
There are some important insights from the discharge policies of other countries. Here is a look at few of them.
South Korea: South Korea has one of the highest recovery rates across the globe. The aggressive approach followed by South Korea in tracing the COVID-19 patients and testing them for infection has been lauded and is attributed to be one of the reasons for containing the spread. Their approach in early detection of cases has also been seen as a reason for higher recovery rates.
In case of moderate and high-risk clinical severity, the infected patients are admitted into medical facilities for treatment of the symptoms. Such patients who recover are required to be tested negative twice to be discharged.
In case of mild and pre-symptomatic cases, the patients are required to be in self quarantine for a period of 14 days.  There have been reports of patients testing positive for COVID-19 after being recovered and discharged, however some latest studies indicate that such patients are not infectious.
European Union: The EU has laid out an advisory for its member countries regarding  discharge criteria for COVID-19 patients.
United States: Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has provided the discharge guidelines, for symptomatic and non-hospitalized patients. It has recommended for Test based strategy, time based as well as symptom-based strategies to be followed, which the medical practitioner needs to review and take a call on a case by case basis.
Featured Image: COVID-19 discharge policy


text:
Explainer: What is COVID-19 testing strategy for countries around world?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 28, 2020
Testing the right set of people seems to be one of the effective ways of identifying COVID-19 spread. However, different countries follow different testing strategies. Here is a look at the testing strategy of various countries.
As COVID-19 is spreads rapidly across the globe, scientists, healthcareworkers, and governments are working together to delay, contain, and stop thespread of the virus. Despite all these efforts, number of cases reportedglobally is getting closer to 29 lakhs. The number of lives claimed by the virus has also crossed the 2 lakhmark and this continues to rise. One of the key efforts of the global efforthas been effective testing. But what is the testing strategy being followedaround the world? Here is an explainer.
WHO has stressed on widespread testing in all
countries
The Director- General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly emphasised on the need for rigorous testing of persons. Everycountry must detect, test, isolate, and care for every case, and trace contacts.Increased testing will give insights into the extent of infection in thepopulation and how it is evolving. This will also help the governments  make decisions based on real evidence.
It is now known that the virus is highly contagious. Research is still ongoing to know more about the virus- its origin, nature, andstructure, which will aid in development of vaccine. (Factly has already written an article on the important research studiespertaining to COVID-19, undertaken in India.) Thus, the best way to confrontthe infection now identifying all active cases, their diagnosis, isolation, andtreatment.
Even though the WHO has chalked out recommendations on testing strategyto be followed by countries based on the level of transmission, the strategy adopted by different countries is varieddue to multiple factors such as trend within regions, availability ofresources, existent healthcare system, and availability of tests and kits. Thisstory explores the different strategies for testing adopted by some majorcountries.
WHO has categorized countries into four groups of
transmission level
Laboratory testing strategy recommendations for COVID
-19 released by WHOon 21 March 2020 has listed out recommendations depending on the level oftransmission in the region. The four categories of transmission described by WHO are:
On the basis of transmission level, WHO has recommended
appropriate testing strategy
In the following table, WHO’s recommendations regarding testing strategyhave been summarized.
In all the categories, testing of all suspect cases is mandatory. Suspect cases are defined by WHO as a patient with acuterespiratory illness such as fever and cough/difficulty in breathing/ any othersymptom of respiratory disease, who
The WHO has also mentioned that not having laboratory confirmed casesneed not suggest that the country is free from COVID-19. It can also be becauseof insufficient testing.
Latest situation report shows India is at the ‘Clusters
of Cases’ stage
As per the latest Situation Report on COVID-19 released by WHO on 26 April 2020, Indiais in the stage of ‘Clusters of Cases’. As of 8AM on 27 April 2020, India hadtested 6,65,819 samples and 27,891 individuals were found to be positive, asper data released by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW). TheWHO report of 26 April 2020 shows 26496 cases for India.
In the following section, the strategies adopted by different countrieshave been discussed.
India
ICMR’s testing strategy for India released on 09 April 2020 requires testing offollowing symptomatic individuals:
In addition, all patients with SARI should be tested ( with fever ANDcough and/or shortness of breath). Between 5 to 14 days of contact with aconfirmed case, all asymptomatic direct contacts and high-risk contacts must betested. Symptomatic ILI patients identified in clusters/hotspots should also betested.
China
China notified WHO about the epidemic on 03 January 2020. Since theinitial cases were reported in Wuhan and parts of Hubei provinces, efforts weremade to prevent the transmission of virus to other places. According to WHO’s study, in this first stage, China worked on controlling thesource of infection, block transmission and prevent it from spreading further. Duringthe second stage, China’s aim was to reduce the intensity of the epidemic andslow down the increase in cases. The infection was classified as Class Binfectious disease. In the third stage, China worked towards reducing clustersthrough epidemic prevention and control.
China’s testing strategy involved collection of samples from suspectedCOVID-19 cases and from those who require diagnosis/ differential diagnosis forthe virus. Specimens were collected from those admitted in hospitals and, fromtheir close contacts. As per WHO’s classification, China is still in the‘Clusters of Cases’ category.
United States of America
According to CDC, in USA, priority for testing has been given in three levels. Those with mild illnesses and can recover at homeneed not get themselves tested. WHO’s classification shows USA is in thecommunity transmission level.
Priority 1: Hospitalized patients and health care facilityworkers with symptoms
Priority 2: Symptomatic patients
Priority 3: Those individuals possessing symptoms but do notfall in the above categories including critical infrastructural workers withsymptoms, health care facility workers and first responders, and individualswith mild symptoms in hotspots.
Europe
In EU’s recommendations on testing strategies, the member states were instructed to prioritizetesting like in India and USA. The five levels of priority in the decreasingorder are:
Priority 1: Patients hospitalized with SARI
Priority 2: Any case of Acute Respiratory Infection in health carefacilities and symptomatic health care staff
Priority 3: Patients with Acute Respiratory Infection or ILI in sentineloutpatient clinics and patients admitted to sentinel hospitals with SARI.
Priority 4: Elderly people with underlying chronic healthconditions and vulnerable populations
Priority 5: All patients with respiratory infections, tracedcontacts, and asymptomatic patients
In UK, the government claimed that it had undertaken one of the highestnumber of tests in Europe. Germany has a higher testing rate than UK and hasbeen lauded for its efforts. UK had doubled testing from 5000 to 10,000 perday. Italy, which is an epicentre of the pandemic, between 24 February and 10April 2020, more than 9 lakh tests (around 25,000 to 35, 000 per day) wereconducted. Italy had around 1.5 lakh confirmed cases. Italy, Germany, and UK arein the community transmission level.
Australia
Like India, Australia mandatorily tests symptomatic individuals who have a travel history inlast 14 days, health care workers, or have lived in area of high risk. Thosehospitalized for respiratory symptoms or fever without any specific cause forsymptoms are also tested. Australia is also in the category of ‘Clusters ofCases’.
South Korea and New Zealand have managed to ‘flatten
the curve’
New Zealand, South Korea, Iceland, and Germany have been praised by media for their effective measures to contain the disease. New Zealand has announced that community transmission has stopped and is all set to ease the lockdown. Even South Korea has now started reporting only single digit number of new cases. Reports suggest that Germany has conducted more than 1 lakh tests per day. What is evident from these reports is that some countries have conducted widespread testing as an effort towards flattening the curve.
Featured Image: COVID-19 testing strategy


text:
Explainer: What is the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 18, 2020
Thousands of crores lie unclaimed in bank deposits. The RBI launched the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme in 2013 to make use of these unclaimed deposits. Here is a detailed explainer of the scheme.
The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme (DEAF Scheme) was established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2014 for the promotion of depositors’ interest and for any other related purposes deemed necessary by the RBI.
This fund was established pursuant to the Monetary Policy Statement 2013-14, announced by the Governor of RBI on  03 May 2013.
Accordingly, an amendment was made to Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and Section 26 A was inserted into the Act, authorising RBI to establish this fund.
Amount in Non-operative accounts to be transferred to the Fund
A specific account is maintained by RBI for Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF). RBI has directed the following types of amounts to be transferred to this fund.
These include :
RBI can specify any other accounts beyond those listed above, from time to time. The amount to be transferred also includes the accrued interests which the bank would have paid to the customer.
As per a RBI circular dated 02 February 2015, it is mandatory for banks to display on their websites,  the list of unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts which are inactive or inoperative for more than 10 years. This activity needs to be carried out every  month by the banks and the unclaimed amounts are to be transferred to RBI by the end of each month.
Respective banks are required to submit returns of these unclaimed amounts which are deposited in DEAF account. Form I & II are used by the banks to submit these returns.
Provision for refund of the amount, if claimed by the depositor
The DEAF scheme provides the option for depositors to reclaim the amount, even after it has been transferred to DEAF.
A Committee constituted to manage DEAF
RBI’s notification about the constitution of the DEAF Scheme, provides for formation of a committee to administer and manage the DEAF.
As per the RBI notification, the Committee comprises of :
More than Rs. 25 thousand crores deposited in DEAF
As per RBI’s Annual Report for 2018-19, DEAF has a total of Rs. 25,747 crores in its account. The amount being deposited into DEAF account has consistently increased over the years. In 2017-18, this amount was Rs. 19,567 crores.
In 2013-14, the total amount deposited in DEAF account was Rs. 2,795 crores i.e. in the six years since the establishment of the fund, there has been an almost 10-fold increase in the amount deposited in this fund. (It has to be noted that there was no deposit into DEAF at the end of 2012-13 although the fund was constituted during that Fiscal year ).
All this amount, as is the specification of deposits into DEAF , is unclaimed or derived from non-operative accounts. The initiatives to drive the banks to recognise non-operative accounts and transferring the funds to DEAF are a major reason for the increase in the amount deposited in DEAF. However, it needs to be noted that most of this amount  rightfully belongs to the depositors. This is an interest free deposit at the disposal of RBI, unless a claim is made.
There are multiple reasons cited for such a large amount in non-operative accounts. A single depositor may have multiple accounts and may not track all their accounts. It is also possible that depositors may not reveal the account details to family members or close kin. This becomes problematic in the wake of death or other emergency situation of the depositor making it impossible for the family members to withdraw amounts. There could be many other reasons for unclaimed deposits and inoperative accounts.
While KYC reforms have helped in better tracking of the depositors, special efforts are required in reaching out to beneficiaries of older deposits which lay unclaimed. Banks could look at proactively encouraging its customers to check for their accounts in the non-operative accounts list published on the website. Search option could be enabled on the bank websites to make this easier. Creating awareness among the depositors encouraging them to disclose the Bank account information to the nominees etc. can help in reducing the amount in unclaimed deposits.
Featured Image: Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme


text:
Explainer: What is the Epidemic Diseases act of 1897?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 27, 2020
Before a national lockdown was announced from 25 March 2020, several states announced state level lockdowns using powers in the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. But what is this 123-year-old legislation? Here is a detailed explainer.
The spread of COVID-19 is putting to test the healthcare systems of countries across the world as the numberof cases being reported is increasing exponentially. As on 25 March 2020, WHO’s dashboard reveals that 4.16 Lakh confirmed cases from 196nations have been reported since the onset of the disease. It has also resultedin more than 18,500 deaths across the world. Close to 700 cases are reported inIndia as of 26 March 2020. India has also reported 16
deaths till date.
Nationwide lockdown announced by PM on 24 March 2020
for 21 days
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a complete lockdown of India for 21 days starting 25 March 2020 as ameasure to contain the spread of the global pandemic. Prior to thisannouncement, different state governments including Delhi, Maharashtra, and Telangana had already announced state-wide regulations for the same reason. Thedecisions taken the state governments is by invoking the British-eralegislation known as The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
123-year-old Epidemic Diseases Act is being used in
India to deal with COVID-19
Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 was implemented by the British, 123 yearsago, to confront the plague epidemic which had significantly affected Bombay. Thelegislation is a simple two-page document with four sections that came intoeffect on 4 February 1897. The Act has only four sections.
While the first section of the act describes the title and scope, Section2 gives state governments the authority to take adequate measures throughpublic notice and impose temporary regulations on public in order to preventthe outbreak of the epidemic.
By invoking this law, state governments get the authority to inspectpeople and send them in quarantine, if necessary. Multiple states have invokedthis section to come up with their own regulations as listed below.
The Telangana Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19)
Regulations, 2020
Kerala Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020
Delhi Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020
The Maharashtra Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19)
Regulations, 2020
Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulations,
2020
Act gives authority to state and central governments
to inspect & take effective measures to prevent outbreak
Similar powers are also extended to the central government under thislaw. The Central Government can take measures and prescribe regulations to eveninspect people entering the country through the coastal borders. Inspection ofships and vessels in ports across the country and their detention can also beprescribed by the government.
Disobeying government’s orders under this act can lead
to punishment under section 188 of IPC
Section 3 of the Act states that persons violating the orders orregulations issued by centre/ state governments under this act will be bookedunder Section 188 of Indian Penal Code. The violation could lead to a simple imprisonmentwhich may extend up to a month and a penalty of Rs. 200 depending on theintensity of violation. The last section protects those persons/ officialsacting under this law.
The law has been criticized for being ‘draconian’ since it gives the governments exceptional power totake measures by just notifying the public. Further, the law does not definewhat an epidemic disease is. It does not provide any guidelines or protocols tobe followed at the time of an epidemic outbreak. The law is more than a centuryold and does not take into consideration the modern scenarios of urbanization,technology, transportation, etc. all of which might play an important role intackling the situation. The act has no mention of the rights of citizens duringthese times.
COVID-19 is being treated as a disaster by NDMA
All the state level orders made under the 1897 act are now superseded bythe order of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). COVID-19 outbreak hasbeen considered a national disaster as a result of which National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has invoked of Disaster Management Act, 2005 (DMA) to order states and union territories directingthem to take lockdown measures. Section 6 of the Act entrusts NDMA with theresponsibility to lay down policies, guidelines, and plans for disastermanagement so as to ensure timely and effective response. These rules are to befollowed at the state level and the national level by all state authorities,ministries and departments.
The DMA came into effect in December 2005, a year after the Tsunami hitthe Indian coasts causing extensive damage. This is the first time that thegovernment is invoking the law to such an extent after its formulation. NDMAhas also ordered state and central governments to take measures ensuring social distancing. Both national and state disaster relief funds can beused for fighting the disease.
India’s draft Public Health Bill introduced in 2017 is
yet to see daylight
A draft public health bill was prepared by the government in 2017 calledthe Public Health (Prevention, Control, and Management of
Epidemics, Bio-terrorism and Disasters) Bill to replace the century old Epidemic Diseases Act. Thegovernment also invited comments & suggestions for this draft public healthbill.  However, the bill has not seen thelight of the day since it is yet to be introduced in the parliament.
What are the various measures taken by the government
to deal with COVID-19?
Travel related action
From screening all international passengers to putting them in quarantine,the governments had taken multiple actions on the travel front. India hadinitially issued travel advisories and put in place visa restrictions. Gradually, as the number of cases increased, Indiabanned all international flights. Domestic air travel has also been stalled forthe moment. Only shipping services continue to be operational. Railways has alsosuspended of passenger train services to curb movement of people.
Telecom related action
The Health Ministry had also directed the Telecommunications Departmentto instruct all major telecom companies to play a 30-second long caller tune regardingpreventive steps for COVID-19.
Online and e-platforms action
Most government websites display a popup showing do’s and don’ts forpeople to follow in the case of COVID-19. Similarly, state governments in theirrespective regulations, have taken measures to arrest the circulation ofmisinformation on social media by making it an offence. Government of India hasalso released fact checks to curb misinformation spreading. The Ministry
of Human Resources and Development has also announced free download of bestsellers to promote reading andbooks during the lockdown period.
Relief fund allocation by Finance Ministry was
announced by Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 26 March 2020, announced Rs. 1.7 Lakh crore relief package under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana forthe poor. Through this, the government will be providing an insurance cover ofRs. 50 Lakh for each health worker fighting COVID-19. Further, the governmentwill be providing 5 kilograms of wheat or rice and a kilogram of preferredpulse for free to over 80 crore poor people in the coming three months. Governmenthas also announced that it will be depositing Rs. 500 per month for threemonths in 20 crore women Jan Dhan accounts. In addition to this, the governmenthas decided to raise the daily wage of MGNREGA workers by Rs. 20. During hisaddress to the nation, PM Modi had also announced a Rs. 15,000 crore package tostrengthen healthcare to fight COVID-19.
Detailed guidelines & protocols issued
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has also issued advisories,guidelines, SOP and protocols for home quarantine, testing, sample collection,dead body management etc.
Italy and China both have comprehensive health laws
Healthcare in Italy falls under the purview of National HealthService known as ServizioSanitario Nazionale (SSN). Both central and state governments in Italy have theresponsibility in implementing the service. In Italy, the Consolidated HealthLaws contain specific provisions which cover infectious diseases. Ministry ofHealth issues a list of infectious and communicable diseases on certainconditions. The act lists out reporting at various levels, preventive measuresto be taken, necessary assistance to be given by the government anddisinfection interventions to be taken by the government. Public health emergencies includingepidemics are to be dealt with by government officials at centre, state andmunicipal levels. Ministry of Health upon assessing the situation issues ordinances.
Similarly, in China where the SARS epidemic broke out 2003 and COVID-19 in 2019, the government enacted public health legislation to curb health emergencies. The law was brought in following the SARS outbreak in 2003. As per the current law on prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, diseases are classified into three categories- A, B and C based on the severity of diseases. COVID-19 has been classified as category B. Isolation, medical assistance, provision of daily necessities and medical expenses have all been covered under the law.
Featured Image: Epidemic Diseases Act


text:
What is the ‘Geneva Convention’ that lays down the rules of a War?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 11, 2022
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its tragic consequences are in news lately, we try to shed light on some of the issues surrounding international law in situations of war/armed conflicts and related conventions.
It is well-established by political researchers across the world that the field of international relations is dominated by power politics and self-interests rather than any law. The proliferation of supranational organizations adjudicating different aspects of disputes in the last few decades strongly indicates the failure of nations to co-operate amidst the growing complexities in international affairs. While the relatively weaker nations enjoy the advantage of protection against powerful nations, the powerful ones view it as a blow to their assertive tendency. International law is riddled with challenges- in interpretation, in an application and even in its enforcement, thereby questioning its legitimacy and efficiency in resolving international disputes.
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its tragic consequences are in news lately, in this article, we try to shed light on some of the issues surrounding international law in situations of war/armed conflicts.
Why international law for armed conflict?
Irrespective of the location, type and duration of the war, civilians always end up bearing the brunt. Armed conflicts cause destructions of property and disruptions in livelihoods and aspirations.  And when armed conflicts happen between nations, the issue of ‘territoriality’ and ‘sovereignty’ arises, which makes the adjudication of these crimes complex. The evolution of the field of ‘International Humanitarian Law’, referred to as IHL, aims to remove these complexities and hold the perpetrators accountable.
‘Rules of War’:
It is often perceived that wars have no rules. But ‘Wars do have rules’. These rules are mostly on the conduct or the operational modalities of the war rather than the reasons to resort to war itself. As mentioned earlier, there are serious disagreements on ‘who’ has the authority to enforce or interpret these rules. Despite all these disagreements, there is a consensus that wars must be governed and adequate limits of conduct during the war must be enforced.
The history of rules of war date back to the guiding principles of international humanitarian law – humanity, neutrality, and impartiality. The earlier models of rules of war are the code of Hammurabi of Babylonian King and the Lieber Code, promulgated during the civil war in the United States. But the impetus to this came with the establishment of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC; formerly Known as Committee of Five) in 1863 at Geneva. This paved the way for the creation and successful adoption of the Geneva Convention – a comprehensive document addressing different aspects of the war. The convention consists of four conventions adopted on 12 August 1949, and two additional protocols of 1977 and 2005, that complement the existing conventions.
Geneva Convention:
After witnessing the Battle of Solferino in 1859 and the hardships due to that battle, Henry Dunant of ICRC initiated measures for the protection of persons in situations of conflict. His focused efforts led to the formation of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). These initiatives are further codified in various conferences in 1864, 1899, 1906-07, 1929. With the breakout of the Second world war, the necessity for strengthening these provisions and initiatives is clearly demonstrated. Accordingly, the four Geneva conventions were adopted in 1949, with two additional protocols adopted in 1977 to supplement these conventions and the third protocol in 2005. The four conventions of 1949 are:
In addition to these, there are two protocols that supplement the above four conventions.
Support for Geneva Convention:
India:
India is the 5 country in the world to ratify the Geneva Convention in 1960. India is also the first country in the region to adopt this convention. However, India did not ratify the additional protocols 1 and 2 of 1977, but it ratified the third protocol of 2005. In response to a question in parliament in 2019, the government informed that no decision has not yet been taken to ratify protocols 1 and 2.
Worldwide, as of 2022
Ratifications grew in successive decades. 74 States ratified in the 1950s, 48 additional states in the 1960s, 20 in the 1970s and 20 in the 1980s, 25 states in the 1990s, and seven states since the 2000s, making the Geneva Convention universally applicable.
Recent Incidents
The recent clashes in the Galwan Valley that claimed the lives of 20 Indian Soldiers had invited the attention of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), which appealed to both India and China to adhere to the principles of the Geneva Convention. India had also asked Pakistan to follow Geneva Convention principles when wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was caught by Pakistan Army.
In response to a question in the Parliament from February 2022, the Government said that there were 83 Indian defence personnel including the Prisoners of War in the custody of Pakistan. However, their custody is not acknowledged by Pakistan.
International Criminal Justice
There are several tribunals established to deal with the war crimes happening across the world.
Ad-hoc tribunals:
The above two tribunals expired in 2014, and a new United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) was created to functions of both tribunals, as part of their closing strategy.
Mixed tribunals and special chambers
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Featured Image: By Kevin Quinn, Ohio, US, [CC BY 2.0]


text:
Explainer: What is the insurance cover on your bank deposits?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 18, 2020
The last few years have seen many banks going bust. Is there any insurance cover for one’s deposits in banks? If yes, what is the amount? Here is a detailed explainer.
The Reserve Bank of India released a notice on 04 February 2020 stating that the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, abbreviated as DICGC, has raised the limit of insurance cover for depositors in insured banks from the current limit of ₹ 1 Lakh to ₹ 5 Lakh per depositor with effect from the same day.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed the same in her budget speech this year on 01 February 2020.
But what is DICGC? What is the insurance coverage on deposits offered byRBI?
What is DICGC?
Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is a whollyowned subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which was set up to extendprotection to those depositors who may lose their money when a bank fails andhas no money to return to the depositors. DICGC was formed in July 1978 aftermerging Depositors Insurance Corporation (DIC) set up in 1968 and CreditGuarantee Corporation of India Ltd. (CGCI) set up in 1971. Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act
of 1961 provided forestablishing DICGC in order to insure deposits and guarantee credit facilitiesalong with other matters.
All commercial banks including the branches of foreign banks in India,local area banks and regional rural banks, and co-operative banks are insuredunder DICGC. Savings, fixed, recurring, and current deposits are covered byDICGC. In fact, all deposits except that of foreign governments, central/stategovernments, and interbank deposits are covered by DICGC. Deposits of stateland development banks with state co-operative banks are also not covered underthe scheme. The scheme is mandatory for all banks and cannot be withdrawn.
Insurance limit has been extended to ₹ 5 Lakhs
Each depositor is covered for ₹ 5 Lakh including principal and interest.This amount was initially ₹ 1 Lakh and with effect from 04 February 2020, thelimit was raised to ₹ 5 lakhs. This was notified by the RBI on the same day.
DICGC pays the amount to the liquidator who is responsible to pay thedepositors. Based on the list of depositor wise claims submitted by theliquidator, DICGC scrutinizes the list and makes payment to the liquidator, whomust then repay depositors. An individual or depositor can recover money onlyif the bank gets closed.
An individual who has deposited in a bank which has collapsed will be able to recover up to ₹ 5 Lakhs only even if they have more than ₹ 5 lakhs in the bank. This amount is calculated per depositor across all branches of the bank. Both individual and joint accounts are considered separate, thereby, insurance coverage is separate for both these accounts. The amount payable by the depositor to the bank is deducted.  However, the individual’s deposits in other banks are not considered in this calculation.
Based on total deposit with banks, premium amount must
be paid to DICGC
Banks are liable to pay a premium amount which is determined based on the total deposits with it as on the last day of the preceding half-year. That is, if a bank is supposed to pay the premium for the half year ending March 2019, amount is calculated as on 30 September 2018.
In order to make the payment to DICGC, banks are given two months’ time. In case of any delay, by even one day, banks will have to pay penal interest at 8% above the bank rate from the beginning of the financial year till the date of payment. In other words, banks should ensure that payment for half year ending in March should reach the corporation on or before 30 November and for the half year ending September, it should be before 31 May. Even if the payment reaches DICGC for the half year ending March on 01 December, then the bank will have to pay an interest of Bank rate + 8% for the period 01 October to  01 December.
Registration of banks can get cancelled on failure to
pay premium for three years
If a bank fails to pay premium for three consecutive years, then DICGCcan cancel the registration of the bank. This will be notified in newspapers.What this means is that the bank will not be able to receive fresh deposits.Its license can get cancelled and will no longer be recognized as a bankingcompany or co-operative bank as per Banking Regulation Act of 1949. If the bank’s registration is cancelled, thendeposits of the bank will be insured only till the date of cancellation.
Damodaran committee constituted by RBI in 2011 had
suggested increase in ceiling
The committee under the chairmanship of M Damodaran presented a report on banking services rendered to retail and small customers in 2011. Thiscommittee had recommended way back in 2011 that the insurance ceiling be raisedfive-fold from ₹ 1 Lakh to ₹ 5 Lakh. However, this ceiling was increased onlyafter the Mumbai based urban co-operative, PMC Bank (Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank Limited) collapsed. Thisincrease in the ceiling is aimed at giving more security and enhancing people’sconfidence on banks.
DICGC paid ₹ 296 crores to Depositors while it
collected ₹ 88,523 crores as premium
Since inception, DICGC has received premium payment of ₹ 88,523 crores. On the otherhand, it paid out ₹ 296 crores to depositors of failed commercial banks basedon claims,  as on 10 December 2019.
Moratorium has been imposed by RBI on Yes Bank Private
Limited
Recently, on 05 March 2020, Yes Bank Private Limited. made headlines as it was placed under moratorium by RBI because of the bank’s rapidly deteriorating financial position relating to liquidity, capital and other critical parameters. The absence of any credible plan for infusion of capital has necessitated the RBI to take immediate action.
What should you do – Keep track of bank’s activities
As a depositor, it is always good to keep an eye on the bank’sactivities so as to get an idea of the bank’s stability. Since insurance isdependent on the bank, holding accounts in multiple banks or diversifying one’ssavings will also be helpful. Further, insurance amount is based on type ofownership of account. Thus, depositing money in a bank in different types ofownership may also be considered.
For further details, click the links below.


text:
Explainer: What is the ‘Journalist Welfare Scheme’ & does it cover COVID-19 treatment expenses?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 13, 2020
Recently, news went viral that the Government of India has formulated a special scheme for journalists and that they are eligible for financial help if they are hospitalized due to COVID or in the case of death due to COVID. Is this true? Is there any such welfare scheme for Journalists?
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, multiple insurance & health related schemes have been launched by the government for various sections of society. Recently, news went viral that the Government of India has formulated a special scheme for journalists and that they are eligible for financial help if they are hospitalized due to COVID or in the case of death due to COVID. Is there any such dedicated new scheme for journalists? Here is an explainer of the ‘Journalist Welfare Scheme’ launched by the Government of India in 2013. We also explain if this scheme covers COVID.
Effective from 01 February 2013, Government of India launched a new scheme aimed at providing aid to journalists and their families, referred as ‘Journalist Welfare Scheme’.  The aid would be in the form of a one-time ex-gratia relief which is to be provided on an urgent basis in case of any dire need. As per the purpose highlighted in the notification for revisions to the Journalist Welfare Scheme issued on 28March 2018, the scheme is in line with the constitutional responsibility of the government to look after the vulnerable. Therefore, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has initiated this scheme to give timely and transparent support to Journalists and their families facing any extreme hardships.
PIB accredited journalists and non-accredited journalists who meet specific criteria are eligible
The guidelines of Journalist Welfare Scheme provides for the definition of the term ‘Journalist’ which is the following. It does not mean all those who meet this definition are eligible for relief under this scheme. A separate list of eligibility conditions is defined in the guidelines.
As mentioned earlier, all those who fall under the definition of ‘Journalist’ need to meet the following eligibility criteria to be eligible for relief under this scheme.
Journalists also made part of the Journalists Welfare Committee since March’2018
Journalist Welfare Scheme is formulated & implemented by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB). The administration of the scheme is taken up by a Committee that is formed for this purpose.
As per the initial guidelines issued in 2013, the Committee consisted of 5 members, with the Secretary of MIB as the Chairperson of this committee. The Government of India’s I&B Minister was made the Patron of the Committee.
However in 2018, Ministry of I&B has reconstituted the committee and made it leaner for functioning more efficiently.
Only the Secretary (I&B), Principal Director General, PIB and Joint Secretary (P&A) would be the official members of the committee. As part of the changes, six journalists were made as non-official members of the Committee. The term of these non-official members is set as 2 years.
The Committee is required to meet at-least once in a quarter to review and decide on the applications received. However, depending on the urgency , the Chairperson can call for more frequent meetings. In a few cases, the committee can make exceptions beyond the guidelines and send them for approval to the Minister of Information & Broadcasting.
The application can be made online or offline in prescribed format. The applications received are processed by Principal DG, PIB and forwarded to the committee for their review and approval. The committee can also suo moto take up cases of grant for financial assistance even if there is not application from the journalists or beneficiaries.
Different ‘Grant’ limits based on the severity of the situation
The scheme provides for grants of varying value depending on the need and severity of the hardship being faced by the journalist or their family.
As per changes made to the guidelines on 05 March, 2019, under case (3), the age limit of 65 years was eased for accredited journalists. Prior to this change, the age limit was applicable for everyone.
All the payments are made only to the Aadhar seeded Bank accounts of the beneficiary. The financial assistance provided to the journalists is not a matter of right  but is decided by the committee based on the merits of the application.
Budget for the ‘Journalist Welfare Scheme’ increased to ₹ 1 crore from 2018-19
All the payments are made from the budgetary allocations that are earmarked for the Journalist Welfare Scheme. Accordingly, the Ministry for Information and Broadcasting makes the requisition as part of Ministry’s Demand for Grants.
On 21 March 2018, the government increased the budgetary allocation to this welfare scheme. Until 2017-18, the allocation was ₹ 20 lakhs every year, which has been increased fivefold i.e. ₹ 1 Crore from 2018-19. This increase in allocation was made in view of the increase in requests and approval of the grants being more than the set limit of ₹ 20 lakhs over the past few years.
As per the details provided in an answer in Lok Sabha on 19  July 2019, the amount allocated in 2016-17 and 2017-18 was more than ₹ 20 lakh limit.
As per the details provided in an earlier answer in Lok Sabha on 06 August 2014, a total of ₹ 21 lakhs were provided in grants for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Is COVID-19 related death & illness covered under this scheme?
The Government of India has not made any changes to this scheme after the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence it is not explicitly covered. However, in case of an unfortunate death of a journalist (if eligible as per the given criteria), the victim’s family can apply under one of the provisions of this scheme. Secondly, as per officials of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) who FACTLY reached out to, COVID-19 has not been included in the list of major ailments as yet for a journalist to apply under the scheme. So, as it stands today, the family of the journalist, in case of an unfortunate death can apply under this scheme if the other criteria are satisfied. However, treatment expenses for COVID-19 are not yet covered.
Featured Image:


text:
Explainer: What is the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 14, 2020
Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana was launched in 2011 to help & extend support to women farmers who make up for one-third of the agricultural labour and almost a half of the self-employed farmers. Here is an explainer of the scheme.
Women empowerment is a key driver of development. Variousgovernments have over the years initiated different schemes aimed at improvingsocio-economic and health standards of women.
The case for intervention is acute in rural India, wherewomen face discrimination on various fronts and be a part of the workforce.
Agriculture is the largest employer of women with 80%of economically active women being engaged
in agriculture. Further, women comprise33% of the agricultural labour force and 48% of self-employed farmers.
A sizeable portion of farm households are femaleheaded (16%), especially in cases of widowhood, male-migration etc. In spite ofbeing a key part of the agriculture, women face discrimination in terms oflower wages than man, not having access to various agricultural support systemsetc.
It is in this context that the Government of India launchedthe Mahila
Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) in 2011 under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). It is currentlybeing run under Deendayal Antodaya Yojana – NRLM (DAY-NRLM). The primary
objective is to improve the statusof women in agriculture and to provide opportunities to enable her.
Sustainable Agriculture based livelihoods for rural
women is key objective of MKSP
MKSP aims to empower women in agriculture by makingsystematic investments which encourages their participation and increases theproductivity. It also focuses on creating and sustaining agriculture-basedlivelihoods for rural women. Another key objective of the MKSP is to providewomen involved in agriculture and related activities access to variousinformation sources and support mechanisms, to gain sustained longer-term benefits.
In addition to these objectives, certain expectedoutcomes are laid out to measure the success of any of the programmes orinterventions under MKSP.
Few of the important
outcomes include: increase in theincomes of the women, improving food and nutritional security, increasing areaunder cultivation, increase in the skills, reduction of drudgery throughenhanced tools & technologies, increasing the visibility of women, developentrepreneurship etc.
Sustainable Agriculture  & Value Chain Development among  key focus areas of MKSP
Various programmes and interventions are initiatedunder MKSP to assist women involved in Agriculture.  These programmes are categorized under thefollowing three components.
Interventions which are related to livestock areintegrated into both Sustainable Agriculture and NTFP projects. The followingare some of the key interventions under each of these programmes.
What is the implementation approach of Projects
under MKSP?
All the projects under MKSP are aimed at providing direct and indirect support to women involved in agriculture and related activities. Various programs are formulated in partnership with skills development organizations, NGOs etc who are working in this space.
The Project Implementing Agency (PIA) oversees theplanning and implantation of the various programmes under MKSP.  The strategy of PIA involves:
Any project which is to be implemented under MKSP goes through multiple stages , from the stage of identifying the need and developing a proposal to implementing the approved project and completing it.  Multiple government and private partners are involved during this process.
Government hascollaborated with multiple organizations for effective implementation andintervention. These organizations are involved in multiple stages includingplanning, intervention and implementation.
Responding to a question in Lok Sabha on 19 November 2019, Union Minister of Rural Development provided the list of organizations with whom the government is collaborating for the implementation of MKSP.
More than 36 lakh Mahila Kisans benefited
through various projects under MKSP
As per the information provided bythe government in the Lok Sabha on 19 November 2019, there are a total of 84projects sanctioned under MKSP across 24 states.
Out of the 273districts targeted, projects under MKSP have been implemented in 238 districts.
More than 33.81 lakh Mahila Kisans were targeted to benefit from the 84 projects sanctioned under MKSP. As per the information provided in Lok Sabha, the projects have overachieved the targets in terms of the number of women who benefitted from the project. A total of  36.06 lakh beneficiaries are covered under these projects. The central government has allocated Rs. 847.5 crores for the approved projects of which Rs. 579.8 is already released as on 30 September 2019.
The higher numbersare primarily due to Andhra Pradesh and Kerala where the achievement is fargreater than the target.
The States ofArunachal Pradesh, J&K, Nagaland etc did not implement any of the projectswith no Mahila Kisans benefitted from these projects.
Uneven
distribution of the projects across the country
Thedistribution of the projects and thus the districts and villages covered underthe scheme is uneven across the country. Out of the 84 sanctioned projects,Andhra Pradesh (14), Jharkhand (11), Telangana(10) and Odisha (9) have a majorshare. More than 50% of the projects under MKSP are being implemented in thesefour states.
Even from a target achieved perspective, the performance is not even across the country. Most of the states where the projects have been sanctioned have not met the specified targets.
AndhraPradesh, Kerala, Bihar and Telangana are the states which have managed toperform better with AP & Kerala achieving beyond the set target.
While the number of beneficiaries is available on the MKSP MIS portal, details of the project area, outcomes as against the project goals are not available.   Availability of such information in the public domain will allow for an objective evaluation of the scheme.
Featured Image: Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana

created: January 14, 2020


text:
What is the National Anti-Profiteering Authority and what has it done so far?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 9, 2020
The National Anti-Profiteering Authority was set up to ensure that the benefits of GST rate cut are passed on to the customers in the form of reduction in prices by various businesses. But what is this authority and what has it done so far?
Inan order passed on 12 March 2020, The National Anti-Profiteering Authority has directedPatanjali Ayurveda Ltd. to pay up Rs.75.08 crores for not passing the benefitof reduced Goods & Services Tax (GST) rates to its customers. As per thisorder, the company is required to deposit the amount along with 18% GST intothe consumer welfare funds of the Centre & States, within a period of threemonths.
So,what is the purpose of National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) and what is theirjurisdiction? Here is a detailed explainer. We also look at few prominentorders issued by the NAA.
NAA
constituted to ensure GST benefits are passed onto customers
TheNAA was established under Section
171 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.  As per the provisions, any reduction of GSTrates or the benefit of input tax credit needs to be passed on to the customersin the form of reduction in prices. The wilful
action of not passing the benefits to the recipients isconsidered as profiteering.
Theidea of setting up NAA, is to oversee and ensure that the registered personstransfer the benefits to the final recipients.
On 16 November, 2017, the Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the posts of Chairman & Technical members of NAA under GST.  This was done in the backdrop of the reduction in the GST rates across multiple items in November, post the introduction of GST in July’2017.
Fromthe midnight of 14 November 2017, the GST rates of around 178 items werereduced from 28% to 18%. Many other goods had the rates reduced from 18% to12%, while few others were completely exempted. The NAA was thus constituted toensure that the consumers benefit from this sharp fall in GST rates.
NAA
is authorized to take action against the violators
TheNational Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) comprises of a five-membercommittee. This includes a Chairman and four technical Members.
As per Rule 137, of CGST Rules, 2017 – Anti Profiteering Authority ceases to exist after a period of two years, unless recommended otherwise by GST council. However, the tenure of NAA was extended by GST council by two more years in its meeting on 21 June, 2019.
Thecomplaints by consumers can be registered online via NAA’s portal. Theredressal process of complaints is based on jurisdiction. Those that are localin nature are first sent to a State-level committee for screening, while theones at national level are sent directly to the Standing committee. An instanceof profiteering that relates to an item of mass consumption which hasramifications across the country are also sent directly to the Standingcommittee.
Basedon the merit of the complaint, the respective committees will refer the casefor further investigation to ‘Directorate General of Safeguards’, who conductthe investigation and submit the report with NAA. In case NAA finds that thecompany has not passed on the GST benefits, it would be directed to within astipulated timeline to either:
So
far, a total of 125 orders issued by NAA
Asper the list of orders provided on NAA
Portal, there are a total of 125 orders from the time it wasconstituted. In the current year i.e. 2020, 16 orders were issued including therecent one regarding Patanjali Ayurveda ltd. In 2018, 29 orders were issued whilein 2019, a total of 80 orders were issued.
Responding
to a question in Lok Sabha on 02 July 2019, the Minister ofFinance, has stated that as on 20 June 2019, a total of 67 orders were passed  by NAA. This figure tallies with the list oforders provided on NAA portal, as on that date.
Further,the Minister also stated that out of these 67 cases as on 20June2019, 26 cases were confirmed as instances of profiteering by businesses, withthe profiteering amounting to Rs. 600.51 crores. As on date, further 58 orderswere issued, after the response in Lok Sabha.
Asper a
response given by Minister of Finance on 22December2017, a total of 70 complaints were received by NAA.
Whereasin 2018, 360 complaints were received by NAA, as per the information provided in Lok Sabha on 08 January 2019. There is no information available onthe number of complaints received in 2019 and 2020.
Some of the prominent orders issued by NAA:
NAA
fines Hindustan Unilever for 223 crores for profiteering
Inone of its first high profile orders, NAA found India’s largest FMCG company,Hindustan Uniliver (HUL) guilty of profiteering from the revision in GST ratesand not transferring the benefits to the consumers.
As per the order issued on 24 December  2018, HUL is alleged to have profiteered to an extent of Rs. 383 crores after the rate cut in November 2017. The case was initially filed by an anonymous applicant via email and later other complaints were received by NAA. As per the applicant, the GST rate was reduced from 28% to 18% on a large number of products related to HUL’s product line. It was also alleged that HUL has increased the base price to counterbalance the fall in GST rates. During the investigation, HUL has contended the valuation of amount of profiteering as well as the actions it took in respect to pass on the benefits to the consumers across its wide range of products.
SinceHUL has proactively
deposited Rs.160 crores to Central Consumer Welfare fund, it has beenasked to deposit a further Rs. 223 crores in 50:50 ratio to central and stateconsumer welfare funds. The official copy of this order is not available on NAA portal.  Since then, HUL has filed a case against theorder in Delhi High Court but the high court has refused to stay the order.
Jubilant
Food Works found guilty of not passing GST cut benefit of Rs. 41.42 crores
Inan order issued on 31 January 2019, NAA has observed that Jubilant Food Works which isthe operator of Domino’s Pizza chain in India, is guilty of not passing theGST-cut benefit to the tune of Rs. 41.42 crores on the sale of certain Pizzaproducts. This is in response to an email complaint filed by a customer thatthe prices for two of its products i.e. ‘Domino’s Stuffed Garlic Bread’ and ‘MediumVeg. Pizza’ were not reduced, despite the reduction of GST to 5% from 18%.  The GST on restaurants was reduced to 5% in 2018.
NAAhas stated that Jubilant Food Works did not pass on the benefits of therate-cut and quantified the amount to Rs. 41.42 crores.
NAAhas ordered the below actions:
NAAhas also issued a show cause notice to Jubilant Food Works to explain whypenalty should not be imposed on the company.
Abbott
Healthcare found profiteering to the tune of Rs. 96.59 lakhs
On05 March 2019, NAA issued an order to Abbott Healthcare stating that is it guilty of not passing the benefits ofGST tax rate cuts to an amount totalling Rs. 96.59 lakhs.  This is about their product ‘Melaglow Rich(Nianamide) Depigmentation & Glow Restoration Cream’.
Aspart of the investigation, it was found that the tax rate on the product was30.06% in pre-GST regime, which was reduced to 28% in the initial GST rollout,and further reduced to 18% on 15 November 2017. During this period, the baseprice increased from Rs. 202.06 to Rs. 230.90, thereby resulting in an increasein selling price and hence not passing of the benefit of tax reduction to thecustomers.
Anamount of  Rs. 96.59 lakhs for the period01 July 2017 to 31 July 2018 is estimated to be the profit amount. This Mumbai basedcompany was directed by NAA to deposit the amount to the Consumer Welfare Fundof the Centre & states along with 18% interest. Abbott Healthcare haschallenged this order in the court and obtained a
stay from Delhi High Court.
McDonalds
franchisee Hardcastle Restaurants found guilty of profiteering Rs. 7.49 crores
HardcastleRestaurants is a franchisee of fast food chain McDonald’s and NAA has found itto be guilty of not passing the GST rate cut benefits of Rs.7.49 crores to thecustomers, as per its order on 16November 2018.
Acomplaint was filed accusing the restaurant of keeping the prices same in-spiteof a reduction in GST rate from 18% to 5% w.e.f. from 15November 2017.As part of the investigation, Directorate General of Anti-Profiteering (DGAP)has found out that the restaurant has not transferred the benefit of the rates cutand also did not pass on the benefits from Input Tax Credit availed by them.This comes up to a total of Rs. 7.49 crores. This includes the extra GST whichthe customers were forced to pay due to the increase in the basic prices.
Hencethe NAA has asked Hardcastle Restaurants to:
Thisorder was challenged in the court and the Bombay High Court set
aside the ruling of NAA. The contention of the company wasaround the fact that the NAA order was pronounced by four members of authority,while only 3 were hearing the case.
Patanjali
Ayurveda fined Rs. 75.08 crores by NAA
Inits latest order,the NAA fined Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd Rs.75.08 crores. The NAA stated that thebenefits from the rate change from 28% to 18% as well as that of 18% to 12% inNovember 2017 have not been passed on to the consumers. Patanjali has alsoincreased the price of their washing powder, after GST reduction.
Duringthe investigation, Patanjali has contested that they have borne the increase incost due to reduction of GST and have not increased their product pricesaccordingly. However, NAA did not accept this argument stating that it was thebusiness call of Patanjali not to increase the price of the product and thatcannot be used as an excuse for denying consumers the benefit of reduced GST.  It has instructed Patanjali Ayurveda todeposit the fine amount of Rs. 75.08 crores along with 18% GST to Central andState consumer welfare funds.
Pendency
of cases a key reason for extension, with litigations also a matter of concern
NAAwas initially set up for a period of two years. The initial presumption wasthat this period would be enough to check the implementation of passing on thebenefits of GST tax reductions. It was also initially thought that this wouldbe limited to few large companies. However, complaints were received fromnearly all the sectors which has resulted in a large number of pendingcomplaints. Hence NAA tenure was extended by two more years.
Thelack of a framework for compliance has resulted in many of the businesses notpassing on the rate cut benefit to the customers, resulting in increase in thenumber of cases.
Mostof the orders being issued by NAA are being challenged in different courts, andsome of them are currently pending in courts. The lack of an appellatemechanism within the executive, to file an on the orders of NAA, leaves thebusinesses the only option of approaching courts.
Thefollowing steps could help in reducing the number of pending cases as well asmitigate the scope of non-compliance.


text:
Explainer: What is National Employability Enhancement Mission (NEEM) ?
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 10, 2019
The Government of India launched National Employability Enhancement Mission (NEEM) in 2013. What is the mission about? What are its features? Here is an explainer.
As indicated byvarious agencies, India has a significant advantage of the growing economiesbecause of the demographic dividend. To serve the dual purposes of generatingemployment and meeting skilled labour shortage, the Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment launched the National
Employability Enhancement Mission (NEEM)in 2013.  Through this mission,opportunities are provided to the youth to gain practical job training whichwill help in developing skills, thereby increasing their employability.
The objective ofthe mission as per official notification is as follows;
‘To offer on the job practical training to
enhance employability of a person either pursuing his or her Post
Graduation/graduation/diploma in any technical or non-technical stream or has
discontinued studies after Class 10th to enhance his/her employability.’
In other words,NEEM is an apprenticeship program which helps those enrolled in educationalinstitutes gain first-hand experience of working in an industrial set-up.
The mission isbeing implemented through the All
India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the regulatory agency for technical & management education in thecountry.
Who
is a NEEM facilitator?
A NEEM
Facilitator is a medium between thecompany and students. The company/industry and the facilitators sign an MoU. Thefacilitator offers skill development programs to the students as per thecompany’s requirements. Based on the performance, the employer may or may nothire the candidates. The mission does not guarantee employment and no grant isprovided to the facilitator.
Any society or trust or company which is registered under Section 25 of Companies Act 2013 is eligible to apply for registration as facilitator. The company should have been in the field of business training for at least five years. Capacity to place students in registered companies and annual turnover in the previous three financial years as given below is an important criterion for any organization to become a NEEM facilitator.
If theorganization meets the above-mentioned criteria, the company or society canregister with AICTE and become an approved facilitator. At the time ofregistration, a fee of ₹5,000 is to be paid along with a processing fee of ₹ 50,000. If anymember of the company/trust is facing a criminal investigation by police, thecompany will not be eligible to apply.
The registrationis valid for three years from the date of issue. After three years, theperformance of the facilitator is reviewed. However, fresh registration as NEEMfacilitators is currently on hold.
Who
are eligible to be enrolled as a Trainee?
NEEM Trainee is astudent or any person who has registered themselves under NEEM. They shouldhave a minimum education up to Class X and between 16 to 40 years of age. Thefacilitators must pay trainees a stipend on par with the minimum wages fixedfor unskilled category. The enrolled trainees should be supervised by the facilitator.Their working hours leaves, and holidays should be as per the company’s policy.AICTE will issue certificates to the trainees on successful completion of thetraining. Monthly reports and attendance should be uploaded by the company inthe AICTE portal.
The list ofindustry trades in which trainees can be enrolled is also provided in the NEEM
regulations issued in 2017. Thesetrades range from automobile industry, pharmaceuticals to food processing andfinancial sector. A total of 23 industries have been listed in thenotification. Their details are below.
The training underNEEM should be for a minimum period of 3 months and can last as long as 3years. The training must be compliant with National Skills
Qualifications Framework (NSQF). Thisframework organises all qualifications in ten levels on the basis of knowledge,skill and aptitude.
What
is the status of implementation?
A total of 43facilitators across twelve states have been approved by the AICTE as on date. More than 4 Lakh trainees have enrolled under NEEM inthese twelve states. The maximum number of trainees and facilitators are in Maharashtra followed by Karnataka. Maharashtraaccounted for 56% of the total number of trainees and 44% of the facilitatorsapproved as per a Lok
Sabha answer in November 2019.
As per the sameanswer in the Lok Sabha, 21 NEEM facilitators were regularized, and 2574trainees were placed in their trainee company after completing their trainingunder the NEEM.
The mission issimilar to the apprenticeship since trainees get a platform to work and earnwhile learning. Undergoing such practical training will help the trainees to bein a better position than those who only come with theoretical knowledge.
However, the uneven number of facilitators & trainees across states indicates that the mission was not promoted adequately. Also, no other data than the broad numbers is available in the public domain for anyone to objectively analyse the mission. Since the mission allows for the trainees to be engaged for up to three years, there is a possibility of the trainees being exploited since they provide low-cost source of labour for the company.
Featured Image: National Employability Enhancement Mission

created: December 10, 2019