Irma GK 2010

ISSUES IN DEMOGRAPHY : rural and urban population, sex ratio, etc.
Related Information:
India Demographics
Scientific study of human population, their size, their structure, their development is regarded
as Demography. According to Van Mayer, sociologist, Demography can be defined as 'the
numerical analysis of the state and movement of human population inclusive of census
enumeration and registration of vital processes and of whatever quantitative statistical analysis
can be made of the state and movement of population on the fundamental census and
registration data'.
Census
Census is the process of collecting, compiling, evaluating analyzing and publishing
demographic, social and economic data pertaining to specific point of time to all persons in a
country. This process was first of all started by British in 1871, since then it is conducted every
10 years. The last census in India was conducted in 2001. A broad questionnaire is prepared for
it which generally consists of mainly three parts; The House List, The Household Schedule and
The Individual Slip
Population
India, land of unity in diversity, is situated roughly between 8 n and 37n latitude. This vast land
occupying 2.4% of total area of world, is the second largest nation in terms of population size.
India has population of 1.1 billion, which is 16% of total world population. With current rate of
population growth(2.11% appx) India will soon replace China as a most populous nation of the
world. According to the Census conducted in 2001, India had total population of 1,028,610,328
out of which population of males was 532,156,772 as against 496,453,556 number of females
with overall sex ratio of 933 i.e. 933 females per 1000 males.
Population Growth Trend In India, 1901-1991

CENSUS YEAR POPULATION (in ABSOLUTE AVERAGE ANNUAL
millions) CHANGE (in EXPONENTIAL
millions) GROWTH RATE
1891 236.7
1901 238.4 1.69
1911 252.09 14.7 0.56
1921 251.32 -6.77 -0.03
1931 278.98 27.66 1.04
1941 318.66 36.68 1.33
1951 361.09 42.43 1.25
http://www.mbatutes.com
1961 439.23 78.14 1.96
1971 548.16 108.93 2.2
1981 683.33 135.17 2.22
1991 843.93 160.6 2.11
Rural and Urban Population

It is said that India lies in villages. Around 70% population of India lives in villages and is
employed in primary sector. But in recent times this ratio of Rural/Urban population is changing
fast. There are many factors most important of them is Migration. Due to unemployment and
lack of facilities in rural set up people are immigrating into the cities in search of work and better
living conditions. This migration has put a lot of strain on basic infrastructure of cities. The
increasing population pressure on cities has resulted in coming up of slums. According to 2001
Census Delhi alone has slum population of 1,851,231, which is 18.7% of total population of
Delhi.
Religion
India is a secular democracy almost all the religions of world find representation in this country.
If on one hand majority of its population(appx 80%) is Hindu on the other it also boasts of having
the third largest Muslim population in the world. As per the last census conducted, out of the
total population of 1028,610,328; 8275879 are Hindus, 138188 (13%) Muslims, 24080 (2.34%)
Christians, 19216 (1.8%) Sikhs,7955 (.7%) Buddhist, 4225(.4%) Jains and 6640 (.6%) Others.
Literacy Rate
Literacy can be defined as the ability to read and write with understanding in any one language.
The percentage of literate people out of the total population of the country is known as the
literacy rate of that nation. In India literacy rate is 65.38% as per 2001 census. But this rate is
not uniform and may vary according to region, religion and gender. Urban literacy rate is much
more than rural, male literacy rate is higher than the female literacy rate. The following table
illustrates the point:
PROGRESS OF LITERACY IN INDIA, 1901 TO 2001

Percent Literate In Population
CENSUS YEAR TOTAL MALE FEMALE
1901 5.53 9.83 0.69
1911 5.92 10.56 1.05
1921 7.16 12.21 1.81
1931 9.5 15.59 2.93
1951 18.33 27.16 8.86
1961 28.3 40.4 15.35
1971 34.45 45.96 21.98
1981 42.57 56.38 29.76
1991 52.21 64.13 39.29
2001 65.38 75.85 54.16
Language
India is home to approximately 1652 languages among them 350 are major ones. There are
22 officially recognized languages, it include Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi,
Kannad, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Santhali,
Sanskrit, Sindhi, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali and Urdu. Hindi is the most widely spoken language
closely followed by English, which is the second official language of the nation.
Gender Empowerment Measure

The Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) is a measure of inequalities between men's and
women's opportunities in a country. It combines inequalities in three areas: political participation
and decision making, economic participation and decision making, and power over economic
resources. It is one of the five indicators used by the United Nations Development Programme
in its annual Human Development Report. According to the Gender Empowerment Measure
(GEM) 2007-08, Sweden has been provided the 1st rank.
For UNDP’s Human Development Report 2009, visit the following page:
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/125.html
http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/indices/gdi_gem/
Issues arising from the social and economic exclusion of the large sections from the
benefits of development such as poverty and inequality; poverty level; poverty line;
disparities in income, employment and literacy by rural-urban background, and gender
and social groups like caste and religion.
WOMEN & CHILD WELFARE

The department of Women & Child Development has been set up to assist the women in
improving their socio-economic status by associating them with different developmental
activities, particularly rural women. The primary aim of this department is to provide necessary
infrastructure for comprehensive development of women’s potential and thus help them to play
a significant role in the development process as participants and beneficiaries.
The policy for women aims at making them economically independent and self-reliant. Focus is
on the following areas, as per the policy.
1. Steps to eliminate violence against women;
2. Ensuring equality in view of legal rights
3. Improving the economic status of women;
4. Appropriate use of media;
5. Increased participation of women in local self-Government
6. Enhancing community participation in Government activities (involvement of Non-
Governmental Organizations)
To know more go to:
http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/tenthPlan/Chapter34.pdf
POVERTY
This write up very briefly looks at one of the new dimensions of the poor in India, which has
always been ignored by the public authorities. This is concerned with plight of the poor including
the marginal farmers (the poorest of the poor) especially in terms of the prices they pay for
essential commodities of daily use, and the prices they are paid for their end products, if they
have any. Apart from adding to the intensity of poverty, this leads to many serious implications
for the whole economy.
It is hypothesized that poor pay higher prices for (non-branded) commodities of daily use like
vegetables, pulses, legumes, and this applies equally to marginal farmers with the smallest
possible land holdings, because they are as poor as others. This is so because they have less
income (liquidity/cash) than others, and hence lesser buying power, and, as such, they cannot
buy in bulk. This is strongly supported by a recent research conducted by Vijayendra Rao in
three Karnataka villages. This is one side of the story. The other part relates to the low prices
(almost five times less) that the poor (marginal) farmers receive for their limited end products
they sell, if any to the intermediaries between them and the ultimate demanders.
The essence of this argument is that the poor (including the marginal farmers) finally end up
paying higher prices as consumers and receiving lower prices as primary producers. They are,
therefore, at a double disadvantage and their net well being gets tremendously reduced. This
twin hypothesis of ‘lower-income and higher consumer-prices’, and ‘lower-income and lower
producer-prices’ eventually immiserises the poor in a highly crucial way, and leads to many
serious implications for the economy as a whole, some of which are briefly described below:
Child labour:
Despite the fact that child labour is socially undesirable, and violates the precept of human
rights in all respects, it continues to be an important segment of the Indian labour force. There
are startling facts about child labour in India that are highly baffling:
● The number of full time child labour workers increased from 13.4 million in 1951 to 14.5
million in 1961, and then later decreased to 12.7 million;
● Marginal child labour increased from 2.4 million in 1981 to 10.5 million in 1991;
● A massive group of children referred to as ‘nowhere children’ (appearing neither in
official labour statistics nor in the education statistics) in the age-group of 5 to 14 years,
who are neither in school nor in labour force, number about 74 million;
● The combined total of full-time child workers, marginal child workers, and ‘nowhere
children’ amounts to over 97 million or about 40 per cent of the 5 to 14 years child
population;
The twin hypothesis of ‘lower-income and higher consumer-prices’ and ‘lower-income and lower
producer-prices’ adds to this already worsening situation of child labour because child labour
generates extra income and extra output, both of which are badly required by the poor families,
essentially the marginal farmers, to buy enough so that they also pay like others just the normal
prices, and sell enough so that they also charge like others higher prices than they charge
otherwise.
Poverty level
If the already discussed twin hypothesis of ‘lower-income and higher consumer-prices’
and ‘lower-income and lower producer-prices’ is included in estimating the absolute poverty
level, it can easily be seen that the poverty level will become higher than what is indicated by
official data, because of the fact that the majority of the poor (including marginal farmers) end
up paying more and receiving less than the normal. In other words, absolute poverty line, being
a direct function of the general price index, shifts upwards as the general price index moves up
with higher prices paid by the majority of the poor, especially the farmers in this context.
Again, if both the variables (higher income and lower prices) of the reverse hypothesis
of ‘higher-income and lower prices’ are also included in poverty line calculations, it can be seen
that the poverty over time becomes more dramatic than shown otherwise in the sense that the
fall in poverty over time will be much more than shown officially. In fact official data only talk of
higher incomes, and this reduces poverty over time, and ignores the effect of higher incomes in
lowering prices.
We may, therefore, conclude by saying that the inclusion of the hypothesis of ‘lower-income and
higher-prices’, and its reverse ‘higher-income and lower-prices’ in the poverty line calculations
will surely project an extremely different poverty scenario as compared to what is shown
otherwise by official data.
Population
The twin hypothesis, as analyzed above, also encourages the poor households (including
the marginal farmers) to go for larger families to be able to attain scale economies by buying
enough of each commodity, and by (producing and) selling enough of farm products, if any
to qualify for normal prices. This perhaps is an additional reason as to why poor households
tend to have larger families. The twin hypothesis, therefore, in the long run works against the
population control policy.
The twin hypothesis as propounded and analyzed in this paper is perhaps well grounded on
reality and casual observation. But it requires to be probed further qualitatively (on the basis
of interviews), and quantitatively (on the basis of administered questionnaires). And, once
the dataset becomes available, it needs to be analyzed and verified statistically with cross-
site analytical case studies, and also in terms of the econometrics of the poor people covering
determinants of their livelihood and survival, unemployment, and other miseries they face,
and also in terms of the political economy of the poor covering the role of the government to
ameliorate the lot of the poor.
POVERTY
India has many distinctions of being in the statistical list under several categories. However,
this distinction is a bit awestruck. Recent trends in the world have suggested that the Indian
economy is on the resurrection mode and many sectors such as Information Technology, health
care and some other domains are making waves in the country. The recent distinction bestowed
by World Bank is a curtain raiser for many who believe that India is joining the league of
developed nations. The question now arises as to how would India carry the burden of World’s
one-third poor and what would it do to alleviate poverty.
World Bank’s latest estimates on global poverty state that the rate of decline of poverty in India
was faster between 1981 and 1990 than between 1990 and 2005. This is likely to give a fresh
impetus to those who maintain that economic reforms that started in 1991 and has failed to
reduce poverty at a faster rate.
According to the new estimates, India had 456 million people or about 42 per cent of the
population living below the new international poverty line of earning income less than $1.25 per
day. The number of poor in India constitutes 33 per cent of the global poor, which is pegged
at 1.4 billion people. There are 828 million people or 75.6 per cent of the Indian population
earning less than $2 a day. Even Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the world’s poorest regions, is
better than India. It has 72.2 per cent of its population (551m people) below the earning of $2 a
day level. The estimates are based on the recently recalculated purchasing power parity (PPP)
exchange rates that make comparisons across countries possible. The dollar exchange rates
being referred to as the criteria.
The full report has not yet been released, however, a briefing note sent by the Bank had some
of the data. The data depicted that the poverty rate, those earning below $1.25 per day, for India
had come down from 59.8 per cent in 1981 to 51.3 per cent by 1990 8.5 percentage points
over nine years. Between 1990 and 2005, it declined to 41.6 per cent, a drop of 9.7 percentage
points over 15 years. This clearly shows a much slower rate of decline.
According to the estimates, it is understood that more than four out of 10 Indians live below
what the world’s poorest countries consider the poverty line. The new estimates are sobering
not just for India but also for the developing world as a whole. They have revealed a higher level
of poverty than earlier estimated.
In fact, East Asia is the region that has shown the sharpest reductions in poverty from about 79
per cent of the population in 1981 to 18 percent in 2005. Contrary to this, Eastern Europe and
central Asia has seen poverty rates go up from 1.6 per cent to five per cent. What is noticeable
in this region is the decline in poverty till 1987, when it was down to just one per cent of the
population, and the subsequent sharp rise. The Bank also states that raising people above the
poverty line is a relatively achievable task. It also believes that poverty levels of 1990 can be
halved by 2015, although, it is proving very difficult to raise them above the earning of $2 per
day mark
PLANNING IN INDIA, 11th Five Year Plan
Planning in India
The Planning Commission was set up by a Resolution of the Government of India in March
1950 in pursuance of declared objectives of the Government to promote a rapid rise in the
standard of living of the people by efficient exploitation of the resources of the country,
increasing production and offering opportunities to all for employment in the service of
the community. The Planning Commission was charged with the responsibility of making
assessment of all resources of the country, augmenting deficient resources, formulating
plans for the most effective and balanced utilization of resources and determining priorities.
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Chairman of the Planning Commission.
The first Five-year Plan was launched in 1951 and two subsequent five-year plans were
formulated till 1965, when there was a break because of the Indo-Pakistan Conflict. Two
successive years of drought, devaluation of the currency, a general rise in prices and erosion of
resources disrupted the planning process and after three Annual Plans between 1966 and 1969,
the fourth Five-year plan was started in 1969.
The Eighth Plan could not take off in 1990 due to the fast changing political situation at the
Centre and the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 were treated as Annual Plans. The Eighth Plan was
finally launched in 1992 after the initiation of structural adjustment policies.
For the first eight Plans the emphasis was on a growing public sector with massive investments
in basic and heavy industries, but since the launch of the Ninth Plan in 1997, the emphasis
on the public sector has become less pronounced and the current thinking on planning in the
country, in general, is that it should increasingly be of an indicative nature.
* The first Five Year Plan was presented on December 8, 1951 by the then Prime Minister
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
* With the Prime Minister as the ex officio Chairman, the commission has a nominated Deputy
Chairman, who has rank of a Cabinet Minister. Montek Singh Ahluwalia is currently the Deputy
Chairman of the Commission. The tenth plan completed its term in March 2007 and the
eleventh plan is currently underway.
For more information, visit the official site:
http://planningcommission.gov.in/welcome.html
The 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012)
The following are the main objectives:
The following are the main objectives:
1 Income &
. Poverty
l Accelerate GDP growth from 8% to 10% and then maintain at 10% in

the 12th Plan in order to double per capita income by 2016-17
l Increase agricultural GDP growth rate to 4% per year to ensure a

broader spread of benefits
l Create 70 million new work opportunities.
l Reduce educated unemployment to below 5%.
l Raise real wage rate of unskilled workers by 20 percent.
l Reduce the headcount ratio of consumption poverty by 10 percentage

points.
2 Education
.
l Reduce dropout rates of children from elementary school from 52.2%

in 2003-04 to 20% by 2011-12
l Develop minimum standards of educational attainment in elementary

school, and by regular testing monitor effectiveness of education to
ensure quality
l Increase literacy rate for persons of age 7 years or above to 85%
l Lower gender gap in literacy to 10 percentage points
l Increase the percentage of each cohort going to higher education

from the present 10% to 15% by the end of the plan
3 Health
.
l Reduce infant mortality rate to 28 and maternal mortality ratio to 1 per

1000 live births
l Reduce Total Fertility Rate to 2.1
l Provide clean drinking water for all by 2009 and ensure that there are
no slip-backs
l Reduce malnutrition among children of age group 0-3 to half its

present level
l Reduce anemia among women and girls by 50% by the end of the
plan
4 Women and
. Children
l Raise the sex ratio for age group 0-6 to 935 by 2011-12 and to 950 by
2016-17
l Ensure that at least 33 percent of the direct and indirect beneficiaries

of all government schemes are women and girl children
5 Infrastructure
.
l Ensure electricity connection to all villages and BPL households by

2009 and round-the-clock power.
l Ensure all-weather road connection to all habitation with population

1000 and above (500 in hilly and tribal areas) by 2009, and ensure
coverage of all significant habitation by 2015
l Connect every village by telephone by November 2007 and provide

broadband connectivity to all villages by 2012
l Provide homestead sites to all by 2012 and step up the pace of house
construction for rural poor to cover all the poor by 2016-17
Agriculture in India, crop and livestock production systems
Agriculture in India
Agriculture in India has a long history dating back to ten thousand years.
Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry
and logging accounted for 16.6% of the GDP in 2007, employed 60% of the total workforce and
despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic sector and plays a
significant role in the overall socio-economic development of India.
India is the largest producer in the world of milk, cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric
and black pepper. It also has the world's largest cattle population (281 million). It is the second
largest producer of wheat, rice, sugar, groundnut and inland fish. It is the third largest producer
of tobacco. India accounts for 10% of the world fruit production with first rank in the production
of banana and sapota.
India's population is growing faster than its ability to produce rice and wheat.
The government has implemented various schemes to raise investment in marketing

infrastructure. Among these schemes are Construction of Rural Go downs, Market Research
and Information Network, and Development / Strengthening of Agricultural Marketing
Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization.
The low productivity in India is a result of the following factors:

● According to World Bank's "India: Priorities for Agriculture and Rural Development",
India's large agricultural subsidies are hampering productivity-enhancing investment.
Overregulation of agriculture has increased costs, price risks and uncertainty.
Government intervenes in labor, land, and credit markets. India has inadequate
infrastructure and services. World Bank also says that the allocation of water is
inefficient, unsustainable and inequitable. The irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating.
● Illiteracy, general socio-economic backwardness, slow progress in implementing land
reforms and inadequate or inefficient finance and marketing services for farm produce.
● The average size of land holdings is very small (less than 20,000 m²) and is subject
to fragmentation, due to land ceiling acts and in some cases, family disputes. Such
small holdings are often over-manned, resulting in disguised unemployment and low
productivity of labour.
● Adoption of modern agricultural practices and use of technology is inadequate,
hampered by ignorance of such practices, high costs and impracticality in the case of
small land holdings.
● Irrigation facilities are inadequate, as revealed by the fact that only 52.6% of the land
was irrigated in 2003–04, which result in farmers still being dependent on rainfall,
specifically the Monsoon season. A good monsoon results in a robust growth for the
economy as a whole, while a poor monsoon leads to a sluggish growth. Farm credit
is regulated by NABARD, which is the statutory apex agent for rural development in
the subcontinent. At the same time overpumping made possible by subsidized electric
power is leading to an alarming drop in aquifer levels.
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), established in 1905, was responsible for
the research leading to the "Indian Green Revolution" of the 1970s. The Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body in agriculture and related allied fields, including
research and education. The Union Minister of Agriculture is the President of the ICAR. The
Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute develops new techniques for the design of
agricultural experiments, analyses data in agriculture, and specializes in statistical techniques
for animal and plant breeding. Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is known as "Father of the Green
Revolution" and heads the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. He is known for his
advocacy of environmentally sustainable agriculture and sustainable food security.
Official website:
http://www.iari.res.in/about.php
The Agricultural Prices Commission
The Agricultural Prices Commission was set up in January, 1965 to advise the Government on
price policy of major agricultural commodities with a view to evolving a balance and integrated
price structure in the perspective of the overall needs of the economy and with due regard to
the interests of the producer and the consumer. Since March 1985, the Commission has been
known as Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.
The Commission is composed of a Chairman, a Member Secretary, two official members

and three non-official members. The non-official members are representatives of the farming
community. They are usually persons with long field experience and active association with the
farming community.
Assurance of a remunerative and stable price environment is considered very important for
increasing agricultural production and productivity since the market place for agricultural
produce tends to be inherently unstable, which often inflict undue losses on the growers, even
when they adopt the best available technology package and produce efficiently. Towards this
end, minimum support prices (MSP) for major agricultural products are fixed by the government,
each year, after taking into account the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural
Costs and Prices (CACP).
Official link:
http://dacnet.nic.in/cacp/
Agricultural Census
Agricultural Census is conducted to meet the information needs of planning for the development
of agriculture in India. This Census has been conducted at five yearly intervals, commencing
from 1970-71. The Census is followed by an Input Survey. So far, this Department has
completed five Agricultural Censuses. The results of the Sixth Agricultural Census with
reference year 1995-96, have been finalised. The Seventh Agricultural Census with reference
year 2000-01, followed by an Input Survey with reference year 2001-02, is about to be
completed. The preparatory work for the next Agricultural Census with reference year 2005-06,
has also been initiated.
Through the Agricultural Census, data is generated using ‘Operational Holding’ as the unit of
study. The data is compiled according to size-classes and size-groups (marginal, small, semi-
medium, medium and large) of holdings, social-group (SC, ST
and Others) of the holder, type (Individual, Joint and Institutional) and gender of holder (Male
and Female). The data collected through the Agricultural Census throws light on the structural
changes in Indian agriculture brought about by socio-economic and
technological factors. The data includes information on number and area of operational
holdings, land utilization, tenancy pattern, cropping pattern and irrigation status. Through the
Input Survey, data is collected on the use of vital agricultural inputs like use of
fertilizers, manures, pesticides, agricultural machinery and equipment, livestock and agricultural
credit.
Official website:
http://agcensus.nic.in/
Livestock in India
A large number of farmers depend on livestock for their livelihood. In addition to supplying milk,
meat, eggs, and hides, animals, mainly bullocks, are the major source of power for both farmers
and dryers. Thus, animal husbandry plays an important role in the rural economy. The gross
value of output from this sector was Rs358 billion in FY 1989, an amount that constituted about
25 percent of the total agricultural output of Rs1.4 trillion.
In FY 1992, India had approximately 25 percent of the world's cattle, with a collective herd of
193 million head. India also had 110 million goats, 75 million water buffalo, 44 million sheep,
and 10 million pigs. Milk production in FY 1990 was estimated to have reached 53.5 million
tons, and egg production had reached a level of 23.3 billion eggs. Dairy farming provided
supplementary employment and an additional source of income to many small and marginal
farmers. The National Dairy Development Board was established in 1965 under the auspices
of Operation Flood at Anand, in Gujarat, to promote, plan, and organize dairy development
through cooperatives; to provide consultations; and to set up dairy plants, which were then
turned over to the cooperatives. There were more than 63,000 Anand-style dairy cooperative
societies with some 7.5 million members in the early 1990s. The milk produced and sold by
these farmers brought Rs320 million a day, or more than Rs10 trillion a year. The increase in
milk production permitted India to end imports of powdered milk and milk-related products. In
addition, 30,000 tons of powdered milk was exported annually to neighboring countries.
As high as 70% of livestock market in India is owned by 67% of small and marginal farmers and
by the land less. Women provide 60% of livestock farming labor and more than 90% of work
related to care of animals is rendered by womenfolk of the family. Indian Livestock is reared
in close human proximity where they form component of the life system of the people. Cows,
buffaloes, bullocks, mule and donkeys are not just utility animals, but also companions at work
for the toiling poor who rear them along side their own dwelling. India has 53% of world Buffalo
population and 15% of world Cattle population. In terms of sheep population, India ranks fifth
after Australia, China, Iran and New Zealand.
Production area
Rajasthan, Jammu, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, hilly regions of North and Eastern
Himalayas are the Indian regions with maximum livestock population.
Growth promotional activities
The Indian government has collaboration and policies to provide guidance for a more holistic
planning, implementation and monitoring of animal husbandry projects. Following plans have
also been made:
● Also, the government has planned to assure a sound Natural Resource Management
(NRM) Sphere co-ordination and implementation at country level for SDC.
● Create / enhance synergy between the activities of the Livestock production and
Dairying (LPD) and Sustainable Land Use (SLU) sectors
● Enlarge the scope for new and innovative interventions and for support to technical
development and technology transfer.
● Promote and support validation, documentation and dissemination of experiences
in order to contribute to the process of knowledge management in SDC and Inter
cooperation (IC) and to strengthen inputs for policy and strategic dialogue with partners
and actors in the NRM Sphere.
Prominent among livestock supply from India are cows, buffaloes, camel, goats, sheep, pigs
etc. New Livestock Policy developed by the Indian Government in collaboration with the Swiss
Development Corporation is a policy of ecocide of indigenous cattle breeds and a policy of
genocide for India's small farmers.
RURAL POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

(Green Revolution, Operation Flood, land reforms, NREGA, ICDS, IAY, SSA and NRHM)
Green Revolution
The world's worst recorded food disaster happened in 1943 in British-ruled India. Known as the
Bengal Famine, an estimated four million people died of hunger that year alone in eastern India
(that included today's Bangladesh). The initial theory put forward to 'explain' that catastrophe
was that there as an acute shortfall in food production in the area. However, Indian economist
Amartya Sen (recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics, 1998) has established that while
food shortage was a contributor to the problem, a more potent factor was the result of hysteria
related to World War II that made food supplies a low priority for the British rulers. Indian traders
who hoarded food further exploited the hysteria in order to sell at higher prices.
Nevertheless, when the British left India four years later in 1947, India continued to be haunted
by memories of the Bengal Famine. It was therefore natural that food security was a paramount
item on free India's agenda. This awareness led, on one hand, to the Green Revolution in India
and, on the other, legislative measures to ensure that businessmen would never again be able
to hoard food for reasons of profit.
However, the term "Green Revolution" is applied to the period from 1967 to 1978. Between
1947 and 1967, efforts at achieving food self-sufficiency were not entirely successful. Efforts
until 1967 largely concentrated on expanding the farming areas. But starvation deaths were still
being reported in the newspapers. In a perfect case of Malthusian economics, population was
growing at a much faster rate than food production. This called for drastic action to increase
yield. The action came in the form of the Green Revolution.
The term "Green Revolution" is a general one that is applied to successful agricultural
experiments in many Third World countries. It is NOT specific to India. But it was most
successful in India.
What was the Green Revolution in India?
There were three basic elements in the method of the Green Revolution:
(1) Continued expansion of farming areas;
(2) Double-cropping existing farmland;
(3) Using seeds with improved genetics.
Continued expansion of farming areas

As mentioned above, the area of land under cultivation was being increased right from 1947.
But this was not enough in meeting with rising demand. Other methods were required. Yet,
the expansion of cultivable land also had to continue. So, the Green Revolution continued with
this quantitative expansion of farmlands. However, this is NOT the most striking feature of the
Revolution.
Double-cropping existing farmland

Double-cropping was a primary feature of the Green Revolution. Instead of one crop season
per year, the decision was made to have two crop seasons per year. The one-season-per-year
practice was based on the fact that there is only natural monsoon per year. This was correct.
So, there had to be two "monsoons" per year. One would be the natural monsoon and the other
an artificial 'monsoon.'
The artificial monsoon came in the form of huge irrigation facilities. Dams were built to arrest
large volumes of natural monsoon water that were earlier being wasted. Simple irrigation
techniques were also adopted.
Using seeds with superior genetics

This was the scientific aspect of the Green Revolution. The Indian Council for Agricultural
Research (which was established by the British in 1929 but was not known to have done any
significant research) was re-organized in 1965 and then again in 1973. It developed new strains
of high yield value (HYV) seeds, mainly wheat and rice but also millet and corn. The most
noteworthy HYV seed was the K68 variety for wheat. The credit for developing this strain goes
to Dr. M.P. Singh who is also regarded as the hero of India's Green revolution.
Statistical Results of the Green Revolution
● The Green Revolution resulted in a record grain output of 131 million tons in 1978-79.
This established India as one of the world's biggest agricultural producers. No other
country in the world, which attempted the Green Revolution, recorded such level of
success. India also became an exporter of food grains around that time.
● Yield per unit of farmland improved by more than 30 per cent between 1947 (when India
gained political independence) and 1979 when the Green Revolution was considered to
have delivered its goods.
● The crop area under HYV varieties grew from seven per cent to 22 per cent of the total
cultivated area during the 10 years of the Green Revolution. More than 70 per cent of
the wheat crop area, 35 per cent of the rice crop area and 20 per cent of the millet and
corn crop area used the HYV seeds.
Economic results of the Green Revolution

● Crop areas under high-yield varieties needed more water, more fertilizer, more
pesticides, fungicides and certain other chemicals. This spurred the growth of the local
manufacturing sector. Such industrial growth created new jobs and contributed to the
country's GDP.
● The increase in irrigation created need for new dams to harness monsoon water. The
water stored was used to create hydroelectric power. This in turn boosted industrial
growth, created jobs and improved the quality of life of the people in villages.
● India paid back all loans it had taken from the World Bank and its affiliates for the
purpose of the Green Revolution. This improved India's creditworthiness in the eyes of
the lending agencies.
● Some developed countries, especially Canada, which were facing a shortage in
agricultural labour, were so impressed by the results of India's Green Revolution that
they asked the Indian government to supply them with farmers experienced in the
methods of the Green Revolution. Many farmers from Punjab and Haryana states in
northern India were thus sent to Canada where they settled (That's why Canada today
has many Punjabi-speaking citizens of Indian origin). These people remitted part of their
incomes to their relatives in India. This not only helped the relatives but also added,
albeit modestly, to India's foreign exchange earnings.
Sociological results of the Green
Revolution
The Green Revolution created plenty of jobs not only for agricultural workers but also industrial
workers by the creation of lateral facilities such as factories and hydro-electric power stations as
explained above.
Political results of the Green Revolution

● India transformed itself from a starving nation to an exporter of food. This earned
admiration for India in the comity of nations, especially in the Third World.
● The Green Revolution was one factor that made Mrs. Indira Gandhi (1917-84) and her
party, the Indian National Congress, a very powerful political force in India (it would
however be wrong to say that it was the only reason).
Limitations of the Green Revolution

● Even today, India's agricultural output sometimes falls short of demand. The Green
Revolution, howsoever impressive, has thus NOT succeeded in making India totally
and permanently self-sufficient in food. In 1979 and 1987, India faced severe drought
conditions due to poor monsoon; this raised questions about the whether the Green
Revolution was really a long-term achievement. In 1998, India had to import onions. Last
year, India imported sugar
However, in today's globalize economic scenario, 100 per cent self-sufficiency is not considered
as vital a target as it was when the world political climate was more dangerous due to the Cold
War.
● India has failed to extend the concept of high-yield value seeds to all crops or all regions.
In terms of crops, it remains largely confined to food grains only, not to all kinds of
agricultural produce. In regional terms, only Punjab and Haryana states showed the best
results of the Green Revolution. The eastern plains of the River Ganges in West Bengal
state also showed reasonably good results. But results were less impressive in other
parts of India.
● Nothing like the Bengal Famine can happen in India again. But it is disturbing to note
that even today, there are places like Kalahandi (in India's eastern state of Orissa)
where famine-like conditions have existed for many years and where some starvation
deaths have also been reported. Of course, this is due to reasons other than availability
of food in India, but the very fact that some people are still starving in India (whatever
the reason may be), brings into question whether the Green Revolution has failed in its
overall social objectives though it has been a resounding success in terms of agricultural
production.
● The Green Revolution cannot therefore be considered to be a 100 percent success.
For more information, visit:
http://www.indiaonestop.com/Greenrevolution.htm
Operation Flood
One of the world's largest rural development programmes: A National Milk Grid
Launched in 1970, Operation Flood has helped dairy farmers direct their own development,
placing control of the resources they create in their own hands. National Milk Grid links milk
producers throughout India with consumers in over 700 towns and cities, reducing seasonal and
regional price variations while ensuring that the producer gets fair market prices in a transparent
manner on a regular basis.
The bedrock of Operation Flood has been village milk producers’ cooperatives, which procure
milk and provide inputs and services, making modern management and technology available to
members. Operation Flood's objectives included:
● Increase milk production ("a flood of milk")
● Augment rural incomes
● Reasonable prices for consumers
Programme Implementation
Operation Flood was implemented in three phases.
● Phase I
Phase I (1970-1980) was financed by the sale of skimmed milk powder and butter oil gifted
by the European Union then EEC through the World Food Programme. NDDB planned the
programme and negotiated the details of EEC assistance.
During its first phase, Operation Flood linked 18 of India's premier milk sheds with consumers in
India’s four major metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
● Phase II
Operation Flood's Phase II (1981-85) increased the milk sheds from 18 to 136; 290 urban
markets expanded the outlets for milk. By the end of 1985, a self-sustaining system of 43,000
village cooperatives covering 4.25 million milk producers had become a reality. Domestic milk
powder production increased from 22,000 tons in the pre-project year to 140,000 tons by 1989,
all of the increase coming from dairies set up under Operation Flood. In this way EEC gifts
and World Bank loan helped to promote self-reliance. Direct marketing of milk by producers'
cooperatives increased by several million liters a day.
● Phase III
Phase III (1985-1996) enabled dairy cooperatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure
required to procure and market increasing volumes of milk. Veterinary first-aid health care
services, feed and artificial insemination services for cooperative members were extended,
along with intensified member education.
Operation Flood's Phase III consolidated India's dairy cooperative movement, adding 30,000
new dairy cooperatives to the 42,000 existing societies organized during Phase II. Milk
sheds peaked to 173 in 1988-89 with the numbers of women members and Women's Dairy
Cooperative Societies increasing significantly.
Phase III gave increased emphasis to research and development in animal health and animal
nutrition. Innovations like vaccine for Theileriosis, bypass protein feed and urea-molasses
mineral blocks, all contributed to the enhanced productivity of milk animals.
From the outset, Operation Flood was conceived and implemented as much more than a
dairy programme. Rather, dairying was seen as an instrument of development, generating
employment and regular incomes for millions of rural people. "Operation Flood can be viewed
as a twenty year experiment confirming the Rural Development Vision" (World Bank Report
1997c.)
Visit the following websites for more information:
http://www.indiadairy.com/ind_operationflood.html
http://www.nddb.org/aboutnddb/operationflood.html
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (NREGA)
NREGA is a path breaking legislation and a flagship programme for promoting inclusive growth
by ensuring a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment to rural poor. Its Rights based
framework creates a paradigm shift from earlier wage employment programmes. The Acts’
objective is to generate employment opportunities, and regenerate the natural resource basic
of rural livelihood through an implementation process that strengthens grass root democratic
processes. NREGA.
NREGA GOALS
a. Strong social safety net for the vulnerable groups by providing a fall-back employment
source, when other employment alternatives are scarce or inadequate
b. Growth engine for sustainable development of an agricultural economy. Through the

process of providing employment on works that address causes of chronic poverty
such as drought, deforestation and soil erosion, the Act seeks to strengthen the natural
resource base of rural livelihood and create durable assets in rural areas.Effectively
implemented, NREGA has the potential to transform the geography of poverty.
c. Empowerment of rural poor through the processes of a rights-based Law
d. New ways of doing business, as a model of governance reform anchored on the principles
of transparency and grass root democracy
Thus, NREGA fosters conditions for inclusive growth ranging from basic wage security and
recharging rural economy to a transformative empowerment process of democracy
COVERAGE
The Act was notified in 200 districts in the first phase with effect from February 2nd 2006 and
then extended to additional 130 districts in the financial year 2007-2008 (113 districts were
notified with effect from April 1st 2007, and 17 districts in UP were notified with effect from
May 15th 2007). The remaining districts have been notified under the NREGA with effect from
April 1, 2008. Thus NREGA covers the entire country with the exception of districts that have a
hundred percent urban population.
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT
i. Adult members of a rural household, willing to do unskilled manual work, may apply for
registration in writing or orally to the local Gram Panchayat
ii. The Gram Panchayat after due verification will issue a Job Card. The Job Card will bear
the photograph of all adult members of the household willing to work under NREGA and is
free of cost
iii The Job Card should be issued within 15 days of application.

.
iv A Job Card holder may submit a written application for employment to the Gram
. Panchayat, stating the time and duration for which work is sought. The minimum days of
employment have to be at least fourteen.
v. The Gram Panchayat will issue a dated receipt of the written application for employment,
against which the guarantee of providing employment within 15 days operates
vi Employment will be given within 15 days of application for work, if it is not then
. daily unemployment allowance as per the Act, has to be paid liability of payment of
unemployment allowance is of the States.
vi Work should ordinarily be provided within 5 km radius of the village. In case work is
i. provided beyond 5 km, extra wages of 10% are payable to meet additional transportation
and living expenses
vi Wages are to be paid according to the Minimum Wages Act 1948 for agricultural
ii. labourers in the State, unless the Centre notifies a wage rate which will not be less than
Rs. 60/ per day. Equal wages will be provided to both men and women.
ix Wages are to be paid according to piece rate or daily rate. Disbursement of wages has to
. be done on weekly basis and not beyond a fortnight in any case
x. At least one-third beneficiaries shall be women who have registered and requested work
under the scheme.
xi Work site facilities such as crèche, drinking water, shade have to be provided
.
xi The shelf of projects for a village will be recommended by the gram sabha and approved
i. by the zilla panchayat.
xi At least 50% of works will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for execution

ii.
xi Permissible works predominantly include water and soil conservation, afforestation and
v. land development works
x A 60:40 wage and material ratio has to be maintained. No contractors and machinery is
v. allowed
x The Central Government bears the 100 percent wage cost of unskilled manual labour and
vi 75 percent of the material cost including the wages of skilled and semi skilled workers
.
x Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha

vi
i.
x Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place for ensuring a responsive

vi implementation process
ii.
xi All accounts and records relating to the Scheme should be available for public scrutiny
x.
For more information, visit the following websites:

http://nrega.nic.in/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rural_Employment_Guarantee_Act
Integrated Child Development Scheme, 1975 (ICDS)
India is the home to the largest child population in the world. “The development of children is the
first priority on the country’s development agenda, not because they are the most vulnerable,
but because they are our supreme assets and also the future human resources of the country”.
In these words, our Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-07) underlines the fact that the future of India
lies in the future of Indian children – across income groups, geographical locations, gender and
communities.
Launched on 2nd October 1975 in 33 Community Development Blocks, ICDS today

represents one of the world’s largest programmes for early childhood development. ICDS is
the foremost symbol of India’s commitment to her children – India’s response to the challenge
of providing pre-school education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition,
morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality, on the other.
It is an inter-sectoral programme which seeks to directly reach out to children, below six years,
especially from vulnerable and remote areas and give them a head-start by providing an
integrated programme of early childhood education, health and nutrition. No programme on
Early Childhood Care and Education can succeed unless mothers are also brought within it
ambit as it is in the lap of the mother that human beings learn the first lessons in life.
Objectives of ICDS:
* Lay the foundation for proper psychological development of the child

* Improve nutritional & health status of children 0-6 years
* Reduce incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop-outs
* Enhance the capability of the mother and family to look after the health, nutritional and
development needs of the child
* Achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to
promote child development
For more information, visit the official website:

http://wcd.nic.in/icds.htm
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY)
Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) was launched during 1985-86 as a sub-scheme of Rural Landless
Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) and continued as a sub-scheme of Jawahar
Rozgar Yojana (JRY) since its launching from April, 1989. It has been delinked from the
JRY and has been made an independent scheme with effect from January 1, 1996.
The objective of IAY is primarily to help construction of dwelling units by members of Scheduled
Castes and also Non-Scheduled Castes rural poor living below the poverty line. From the year
1999-2000, it has been decided to earmark 80% to total allocated funds for construction of new
houses and 20% funds for up gradation of Kachha unserviceable houses. As per guidelines,
tallest 60% of assistance should go in favour of Scheduled Castes beneficiaries under this
schemes.
Target Group
The target groups for houses under the IAY are below poverty line households living in the rural
areas belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and non-SC/
ST BPL rural households, widows and next of-kin to defence personnel/paramilitary forces killed
in action residing in rural areas (irrespective of their income criteria), ex-servicemen and retired
member of paramilitary forces fulfilling the other conditions.
The Gram Sabha will select the beneficiaries form the list of eligible house holds. They have
complete freedom as to the manner of construction of the house .no contractor is to be engaged
for construction of the houses under I.A.Y. . ceiling on construction assistance under I.A.Y. is
Rs.20,000 /-per unit for plane areas and rs.22,000 /- for hilly difficult areas .sanitary latrines and
smokeless chullahs are an integral part of the I.A.Y. houses.
Under I.A.Y. the Gram Sabha is empowered to select the beneficiaries under the scheme.
Whether the allotment of the dwelling units should be in the name of the female member of the
house hold , alternatively it can be allocated in the name of both husband and wife.
Funding Pattern
The Indira Awaas Yojana is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme funded on cost-sharing basis
between the Government of India and the State Governments in the ratio of 75:25. In the case
of Union Territories, the entire funds under this Scheme are provided by the Government of
India.
For more information, visit:
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/flagship/faq_iay.pdf
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA)
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India's flagship programme for achievement of
Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86th
amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children
of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right.
The scheme of SSA was launched in 2001.SSA is being implemented in partnership with State
Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1
million habitations.
Salient Features of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

● A programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary education.
● A response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.
● An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic education.
● An effort at effectively involving the Panchayati Raj Institutions, School Management
Committees, Village and Urban Slum level Education Committees, Parents' Teachers'
Associations, Mother Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous Councils and other
grass root level structures in the management of elementary schools.
● An expression of political will for universal elementary education across the country.
● A partnership between the Central, State and the local government.
● An opportunity for States to develop their own vision of elementary education
The programme seeks to open new schools in those habitations which do not have schooling
facilities and strengthen existing school infrastructure through provision of additional class
rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant and school improvement grants.
Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with additional teachers,
while the capacity of existing teachers is being strengthened by extensive training, grants for
developing teaching-learning materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a
cluster, block and district level.
SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA has a special
focus on girl's education and children with special needs. SSA also seeks to provide computer
education to bridge the digital divide.
The objectives of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan can be summed as:

● All children in school, Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ' Back-to-School'
camp by 2003;
● All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007
● All children complete eight years of elementary schooling by 2010
● Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life
● Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary
education level by 2010
● Universal retention by 2010
For more information, visit the following link:
http://www.education.nic.in/ssa/ssa_1.asp
National Rural Health Mission –2005-2012 (NRHM)

• The National Rural Health Mission (2005-12) seeks to provide effective healthcare to rural
population throughout the country with special focus on 18 states, which have weak public
health indicators and/or weak infrastructure.
• These 18 States are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh,
Nagaland, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Mission is an articulation of the commitment of the Government to raise public

spending on Health from 0.9% of GDP to 2-3% of GDP.
• It aims to undertake architectural correction of the health system to enable it to effectively

handle increased allocations as promised under the National Common Minimum
Programme and promote policies that strengthen public health management and service
delivery in the country.
• It has as its key components provision of a female health activist in each village; a village
health plan prepared through a local team headed by the Health & Sanitation Committee
of the Panchayat; strengthening of the rural hospital for effective curative care and made
measurable and accountable to the community through Indian Public Health Standards
(IPHS); and integration of vertical Health & Family Welfare Programmes and Funds
for optimal utilization of funds and infrastructure and strengthening delivery of primary
healthcare.
• It seeks to revitalize local health traditions and mainstream AYUSH into the public health
system.
• It aims at effective integration of health concerns with determinants of health like

sanitation & hygiene, nutrition, and safe drinking water through a District Plan for Health.
• It seeks decentralization of programmes for district management of health.
• It seeks to address the inter-State and inter-district disparities, especially among the 18
high focus States, including unmet needs for public health infrastructure.
• It shall define time-bound goals and report publicly on their progress.
• It seeks to improve access of rural people, especially poor women and children, to
equitable, affordable, accountable and effective primary healthcare.
GOALS
• Reduction in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
• Universal access to public health services such as Women’s health, child health, water,
sanitation & hygiene, immunization, and Nutrition.
• Prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, including

locally endemic diseases
• Access to integrated comprehensive primary healthcare
• Population stabilization, gender and demographic balance.
• Revitalize local health traditions and mainstream AYUSH
• Promotion of healthy life styles
For more information, visit the following:

http://mohfw.nic.in/NRHM.htm
http://jknrhm.com/Guideline/Frequently_Asked_Question.pdf
Antodaya Anna Yojana

Antyodaya Anna yojana has been launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India on the
25th December,2000. This scheme reflects the commitment of the Government of India to
ensure food security for all create a hunger free India in the next five years and to reform and
improve the Public Distribution System so as to serve the poorest of the poor in rural and urban
areas. It is for the poorest of poor that the Antyodya Anna Yojana has been conserved. It
is estimated that 5% of population are unable to get two square meals a day on a sub stained
basis through out the year. Their purchasing power is so low that they are not in a position
to buy food grains round the year even at BPL rates. It is this 5% of out population (5 crores
of people or 1 crore families), which constitutes the target group of Antyodaya Anna Yojana.
The scale of issue that was initially 25 kg per family per month has been increased to 35 kg per
family per month with effect from 1st April 2002.
The most crucial element for ensuring the success of Antyodaya Anna Yojana is the correct
identification of Antyodaya families. It is estimated that there are 6.52 crore families below
poverty line in the country as on 01-03-2000.
First Expansion of AAY
The AAY Scheme has been expanded in 2003–2004 by adding another 50 lakh BPL
households headed by widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons aged 60
years or more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support. With this increase, 1.5
crore (i.e. 23% of BPL) families have been covered under the AAY.
Second Expansion of AAY
As announced in the Union Budget 2004–2005, the AAY has been further expanded by another
50 lakh BPL families by including, inter alia, all households at the risk of hunger. Orders to
this effect have been issued on 3rd August 2004. In order to identify these households, the
guidelines stipulate the following criteria:
• Landless agriculture labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans, craftsmen such as
potters, tanners, weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters, slum dwellers, and persons earning
their livelihood, on daily basis in the informal sector like porters, coolies, rickshaw pullers,
hand cart pullers, fruit and flower sellers, snake charmers, rag pickers, cobblers, destitutes
and other similar categories irrespective of rural or urban areas.
• Households headed by widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons
aged 60 years or more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.
• Widows or terminally ill persons or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or more
or single women or single men with no family or societal support or assured means of
subsistence.
• All primitive tribal households. With this increase, the number of AAY families has been
increased to 2 crore (i.e. 30.66% of BPL) families.
Third Expansion of AAY
As announced in the Union Budget 2005-06, the AAY has further been expanded to cover
another 50 lakh BPL households thus increasing its overage to 2.5 crore households.(i.e. 38%
of BPL)
The status of identification of households under AAY (Normal, 1st expansion, 2nd expansion
and 3rd expansion) is given in Annexure. The defaulting States/UTs are reminded regularly as a
part of monitoring.
Identification of Antyodaya Families and Allocation of Foodgrains
The identification of the Antyodaya families and issuing of distinctive Ration Cards to these
families is the responsibility of the concerned State Governments. Detailed guidelines were
issued to the States/UTs for identification of the Antyodaya families under the AAY and
additional Antyodaya families under the expanded AAY. Allocation of food grains under the
scheme is being released to the States/UTs on the basis of issue of distinctive AAY Ration
Cards to the identified Antyodaya families. The present monthly allocation of food grains under
AAY is around 7.27 lakh tonnes per month.
Visit the following link for more information:

http://www.sccommissioners.org/schemes/aay
Institutions in Rural Development-policy, role, and characteristics; rural banks, NGOs,

co-operatives, PRIs, corporate social responsibility
NABARD
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is an apex development bank
in India. It has been accredited with "matters concerning policy, planning and operations in
the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India". NABARD
was established by an act of Parliament on 12 July 1982 to implement the National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development Act 1981. It replaced the Agricultural Credit Department
(ACD) and Rural Planning and Credit Cell (RPCC) of Reserve Bank of India, and Agricultural
Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC). It is one of the premeire agency to provide
credit in rural areas. NABARD has its head office at Mumbai, India
Role
1. Serves as an apex financing agency for the institutions providing investment and
production credit for promoting the various developmental activities in rural areas
2. Takes measures towards institution building for improving absorptive capacity of the
credit delivery system, including monitoring, formulation of rehabilitation schemes,
restructuring of credit institutions, training of personnel, etc.
3. Co-ordinates the rural financing activities of all institutions engaged in developmental
work at the field level and maintains liaison with Government of India, State
Governments, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other national level institutions
concerned with policy formulation
4. Undertakes monitoring and evaluation of projects refinanced by it.
NABARD's refinance is available to State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development
Banks (SCARDBs), State Co-operative Banks (SCBs), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs),
Commercial Banks (CBs) and other financial institutions approved by RBI. While the ultimate
beneficiaries of investment credit can be individuals, partnership concerns, companies, State-
owned corporations or co-operative societies, production credit is generally given to individuals.
NABARD operates throughout the country through its 28 Regional Offices and one Sub-office,
located in the capitals of all the states/union territories.Each Regional Office[RO] has a Chief
General Manager [CGMs] as its head, and the Head office has several Top executives like
the Executive Directors[ED], Managing Directors[MD], and the Chairperson.It has 336 District
Offices across the country, one Sub-office at Port Blair and one special cell at Srinagar. It also
has 6 training establishments.
NABARD is also known for its 'SHG Bank Linkage Programme’ that encourages India's banks
to lend to self-help groups (SHGs). Because SHGs are composed mainly of poor women, this
has evolved into an important Indian tool for microfinance. As of March 2006 2.2 million SHGs
representing 33 million members had to been linked to credit through this programme.
E CHOUPAL
E Choupal is an initiative of ITC Limited (a large multi business conglomerate in India) to link
directly with rural farmers for procurement of agricultural / aquaculture produce like soybeans,
wheat, coffee, and prawns. e Choupal was conceived to tackle the challenges posed by the
unique features of Indian agriculture, characterized by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure
and the involvement of numerous intermediaries.
Traditionally, these commodities were procured in "mandis" (major agricultural marketing
centers in rural areas of India), where the middleman used to make most of the profit. These
middlemen used unscientific and sometimes outright unfair means to judge the quality of
the product to set the price. Difference in price for good quality and inferior quality was less,
and hence there was no incentive for the farmers to invest and produce good quality output.
With eChoupal, the farmers have a choice and the exploitative power of the middleman is
neutralized.
Effects of eChoupal
ITC Limited has now established computers and Internet access in rural areas across several
agricultural regions of the country, where the farmers can directly negotiate the sale of their
produce with ITC Limited. The PCs and Internet access at these centers enable the farmers
to obtain information on mandi prices, good farming practices and place orders for agricultural
inputs like seeds and fertilizers. This helps farmers in improving the quality of produce, and also
helps in realizing a better price. Each ITC Limited kiosk having an access to Internet is run by
a sanchalak — a trained farmer. The computer housed in the sanchalak’s house is linked to
the Internet via phone lines or by a VSAT connection and serves an average of 600 farmers in
the surrounding ten villages within about a 5 km radius. The sanchalak bears some operating
cost but in return earns service fee for the e-transactions done through his eChoupal. The
warehouse hub is managed by the same traditional middlemen, now called samyojaks, but with
no exploitative power due to the reorganized role. Indeed these middlemen make up for the
lack of infrastructure and fulfill critical jobs like cash disbursement, quantity aggregation and
transportation.
Due to the eChoupal services, farmers have seen a rise in their income levels because of rise
in yields, improvement in quality of output and a fall in transaction costs. Even small farmers
have gained from the initiative. Customized and relevant knowledge is offered to the farmers
despite heterogeneous cultures, climates and scales of production. Farmers can get real-time
information despite their physical distance from the "mandis". The system saves procurement
costs for ITC Limited. The model is quite different from the other models, as the farmers do not
pay for the information and knowledge they get from eChoupals. The principle of the eChoupals
is to inform, empower and compete. At the same time ITC Limited also has extracted value in
four steps to make the model sustainable and scaleable:
1. Elimination of non-value added activities
2. Differentiated product through identity preserved supply chains
3. Value added products traceable to farm practices
4. e-market place for spot transactions and support services to futures exchange
One of the factors leading to eChoupal's success is ITC's managerial expertise in executing
complex projects and managing costs. ITC Limited adopted a flexible project management
approach called "roll out, fix it, and scale up" to deal with uncertainties in a pioneering model.
There are 6,500 eChoupals today. ITC Limited plans to scale up to 20,000 eChoupals by 2012
covering 100,000 villages in 15 states, servicing 15 million farmers.
The National Dairy Development Board
The National Dairy Development Board is an institution of national importance setup by an
Act of Parliament of India. The main office is located in Anand, Gujarat with regional offices
throughout the country. NDDB's subsidiaries include Mother Dairy, Delhi. Dr. Verghese Kurien
founded it and Dr. Amrita Patel is the current Chairman of the National Dairy Development
Board, Anand.
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created in 1965, fulfilling the desire of the
then Prime Minister of India - the late Lal Bahadur Shastri - to extend the success of the Kaira
Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Amul) to other parts of India.
That success combined the wisdom and energy of farmers with professional management to
successfully capture liquid milk and milk product markets while supporting farmer investment
with inputs and services. The major success of this mission was achieved through the
World Bank financed Operation Flood, which lasted for 26 years from 1970 to 1996 and was
responsible for making India the world's largest producer's of milk. This operation was started
with the objective of increasing milk production, augmenting farmer income and providing fair
prices for consumers.
NDDB has now integrated 96,000 dairy co-operatives in what it calls the Anand Pattern,
linking the village society to the state federations in a three-tier structure. NDDB launched its
Perspective Plan 2010 with four thrust areas: Quality Assurance, Productivity Enhancement,
Institution Building and National Information Network.
Indian Agri Trade Junction Portal of APEDA
The Agri Trade Junction Portal of APEDA has been developed to provide all relevant
information in a single place on Indian products to International buyers and international market
intelligence to Indian exporters, in the agriculture sector. Apart from this, it shall serve as a
single point meeting place for exporters and importers online. Exporters can receive offers and
trade enquiries online. Importers can float their demand and queries online.
APEDA is the apex body for promotion of agricultural products from India, under the Ministry
of Commerce, Government of India. This portal has been a major initiative by APEDA to make
information about Indian agriculture products and exporters available in an easily accessible
form for importers of the world
Health issues including the management of public health, health education, and ethical
concerns regarding health care
The recently launched Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) - a health insurance scheme
provides cover to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. RSBY is an idea that has its origins in
the Ministry of Labour, and is designed as yet another way to provide social security to people
below the poverty line. Under the scheme, BPL families (up to a total of 5 members per family),
will get insurance cover of up to Rs.30,000 per person per year.
It is well recorded that in India, those people who are economically below the poverty line or are
at the margins need just one prolonged illness or hospitalisation to be pushed to the verge of
bankruptcy. But a little more thinking about RSBY and our health sector, made me ask some
questions: Why do we need an insurance scheme for BPL families?
Is it because we do not have adequate government medical facilities or trained doctors that
people can access? Or is it because many government-run health care centres simply do not
run the way they are supposed to? Or, could it be that, people have so little faith in our public
health facilities that they simply do not go there even though they might become bankrupt
paying for private health care? Or is it because there is an explicit policy statement in which we
have said that we must encourage private provision of health care, because we have come to
the conclusion that government facilities are beyond redemption?
Our opinions on the role of RSBY will vary, depending on the answers and explanations to
these and other similar questions. In any event, the scheme is symptomatic of a larger problem.
The health ministry has failed to deliver essential health care services to the population through
the government health care system, and to overcome this failure, a different ministry wants to
provide insurance to a section of the population so that they can access private health care.
How fruitful will the Ministry of Labour's labours on this front be? That remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear - for the first time, the government has signalled to a large percentage
of the population (over 20 percent) that they should access health care offered by private
providers and that the government would be willing to work with insurance companies to finance
this arrangement. Already, around 85 million people are covered under schemes such as
Employees State Insurance Corporation, Central Government Health Scheme, etc. That number
is a relatively small fraction of the total population. With RSBY, the push towards privately
provided care will receive a much bigger boost.

Irma GK 2010

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ISSUES IN DEMOGRAPHY : rural and urban population, sex ratio, etc.

Population Growth Trend In India, 1901-1991

1901 238.4 1.69

1911 252.09 14.7 0.56

1921 251.32 -6.77 -0.03

1931 278.98 27.66 1.04

1941 318.66 36.68 1.33

1951 361.09 42.43 1.25

1971 548.16 108.93 2.2

1981 683.33 135.17 2.22

1991 843.93 160.6 2.11

Rural and Urban Population

PROGRESS OF LITERACY IN INDIA, 1901 TO 2001

1901 5.53 9.83 0.69

1911 5.92 10.56 1.05

1921 7.16 12.21 1.81

1931 9.5 15.59 2.93

1951 18.33 27.16 8.86

1971 34.45 45.96 21.98

1981 42.57 56.38 29.76

1991 52.21 64.13 39.29

2001 65.38 75.85 54.16

Gender Empowerment Measure

WOMEN & CHILD WELFARE

PLANNING IN INDIA, 11th Five Year Plan

l Accelerate GDP growth from 8% to 10% and then maintain at 10% in

l Increase agricultural GDP growth rate to 4% per year to ensure a

l Create 70 million new work opportunities.

l Reduce educated unemployment to below 5%.

l Reduce the headcount ratio of consumption poverty by 10 percentage

l Reduce dropout rates of children from elementary school from 52.2%

l Develop minimum standards of educational attainment in elementary

l Increase literacy rate for persons of age 7 years or above to 85%

l Lower gender gap in literacy to 10 percentage points

l Increase the percentage of each cohort going to higher education

l Reduce infant mortality rate to 28 and maternal mortality ratio to 1 per

l Reduce Total Fertility Rate to 2.1

l Reduce malnutrition among children of age group 0-3 to half its

l Ensure that at least 33 percent of the direct and indirect beneficiaries

l Ensure electricity connection to all villages and BPL households by

l Ensure all-weather road connection to all habitation with population

l Connect every village by telephone by November 2007 and provide

Agriculture in India, crop and livestock production systems

The government has implemented various schemes to raise investment in marketing

The low productivity in India is a result of the following factors:

The Commission is composed of a Chairman, a Member Secretary, two official members

Growth promotional activities

RURAL POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

Continued expansion of farming areas

Double-cropping existing farmland

Using seeds with superior genetics

Economic results of the Green Revolution

Political results of the Green Revolution

Limitations of the Green Revolution

National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (NREGA)

b. Growth engine for sustainable development of an agricultural economy. Through the

c. Empowerment of rural poor through the processes of a rights-based Law

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE ACT

iii The Job Card should be issued within 15 days of application.

xi At least 50% of works will be allotted to Gram Panchayats for execution

x Social Audit has to be done by the Gram Sabha

x Grievance redressal mechanisms have to be put in place for ensuring a responsive