Page 23 - NIS English 16-31 August 2023

Empowering Rural India Cover Story

Development of tribal areas that would have come out of their pockets. About
From infrastructure to schools 20 thousand crore rupees have been saved by the
poor because of getting good and cheap medicines
from PM Jan Aushadhi Kendra. This is not the only
n In the last 9 years, the focus has been on the
plan that can come in handy during a crisis. Rather,
economic upliftment, education and respect of the
crores of families have also gotten the facility of
tribal society. In the current financial year, the budget
for Scheduled Tribes has been increased by 5 times free vaccination, free dialysis, accident insurance,
as compared to 2014.
and life insurance for the first time.
n With better modern infrastructure and increased PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is another safety net
connectivity in tribal areas, tourism and income
opportunities are also increasing. for the huge population of the country. During the
Corona crisis, this scheme ensured that the poor did
n Thousands of villages which were once affected by
Left Wing Extremism are now being connected with not go to bed hungry. The government is currently
4G connectivity. spending Rs 4 lakh crore on this food scheme. The
One Nation, One Ration Card, and Jam-Trinity are
n More than 3 thousand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras have
been built. Lakhs of tribal people are getting benefited all part of the security cover. Today, the poorest of
the poor have the assurance that they will definitely
through more than 50 thousand Van Dhan self-help
groups.
get what is due to them. This is social justice in its
truest sense. A working paper of the International
n Between 2004 and 2014, only 90 Eklavya residential
schools were opened. From 2014 to March 2023, 690
Eklavya model residential schools were approved in Monetary Fund stated some time ago that, despite
tribal areas, of which 401 have started. pandemics like Covid, India is on the verge of ending
extreme poverty because of such schemes. This
n There is a target of 740 Eklavya Model Residential
Schools across the country for which recruitment of tells the story of revolutionary change and reform.
teachers has started.
Villages handled the war against COVID
Labour empowerment The Prime Minister had specifically mentioned
Received social and economic security the importance of the village in the war against
COVID. He said that a country that has more than
6 lakh villages and 80–85 crore people living in
The reforms in labour policies in the last 9 years have
villages effectively prevented the spread of COVID.
ensured the empowerment of workers through minimum
This population is more even if the whole of
assured wages, job security, social security and health
Europe is merged. The Prime Minister said that if
protection.
America, Russia, and Australia are combined, then
n 29 labour laws have been amalgated into 4 simple
the number of villagers living in India is greater.
labour codes.
Every Indian can be proud of this. Our rural India's
n e-Shram Portal launched to create national data
awareness has contributed to this success; our
base of unorganized workers, 28.93 crore workers
democratic system up to the panchayat level, our
have registered in more than 400 occupations.
health facilities, medical centres and wellness
n There are 3.20 crore registered job seekers, 11.25 lakh
centres, and our cleanliness campaign have all
active employers and 6.42 lakh active vacancies on
played important roles. He stated that if this had
the National Career Service (NCS) platform as on 31
occurred in any other Western country, there would
May 2023.
have been much discussion about this success
on a global scale. However, some are hesitant
n More than 1.39 crore vacancies have been mobilized
on NCS. It has been integrated with e-Shram, Udyam
because if India is praised, what will they say to the
rest of the world? The Prime Minister praised the
and Skill India portals.
rural people and the Corona warriors for effectively
n Enrollment of 44.33 lakh beneficiaries till May 31, 2023
working in the fight against COVID.
under Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana.
n Integrated Shram Suvidha Portal (SSP) related to Prime Minister Modi's sensitivity and that time's
labour and employment was launched on 16 October effort surprised even the world. When the country
2014. went into lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
New India Samachar August 16-31, 2023 21