17 Aug 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Yamuna par Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
2. Chintan Shivir
3. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

1. Yamuna par Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Syllabus – GS-2, Social Justice; Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population. 

Prelims – NAMASTE Scheme.

Mains – Important initiatives by the government to ensure the welfare of sanitation workers

Context – NAMASTE for safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India.

Details –

• NAMASTE – a central sector scheme, is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• NAMASTE scheme aims to enhance the occupational safety of the sanitation workers through capacity building and providing access to safety gear and machines.
• The following are the aims of the scheme-

1. Zero fatalities.
2. Skilled workers to perform the sanitation work.
3. No direct contact of workers with the faecal matter.
4. Sanitation workers are collectivised into SHGs and are empowered to run sanitation enterprises.
5. All Sewer and Septic tank sanitation workers (SSWs) have access to alternative livelihoods.
6. Strengthened supervisory and monitoring systems at national, state and ULB levels to ensure enforcement and monitoring of safe sanitation work.
7. Increased awareness amongst sanitation services seekers (individuals and institutions) to seek services from registered and skilled sanitation workers.

• Five hundred cities (converging with AMRUT cities) will be taken up under this phase of the scheme.
• The survey to identify and reach the sewer/septic tank workers (SSWs) would be conducted by the city NAMASTE managers and validated by the concerned ULB. The scheme will provide the necessary support for collectivisation, skill building and linking with social and financial benefits. 
• For providing a safety net for identified SSWs and their families they will be covered under the Ayushyaman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The premium for AB-PMJAY for those identified SSWs families who are not covered earlier shall be borne under NAMASTE.
• The Action Plan will promote mechanisation and enterprise development. NSKFDC (National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation) will provide funding support and subsidy (capital +interest) to the sanitation workers, SHGs of SSWs and private sanitation service organisations (PSSOs) to procure sanitation-related equipment and vehicles under SUY for total mechanisation of cleaning operations. Identified SSWs and their dependents will be given counselling on available livelihood choices and an opportunity to acquire alternative skills if they so desire.
• The identified sanitation workers and their family members will be extended benefits of all the social security schemes being implemented by various departments in the area.
• The scheme has been approved for four years from 2022 – 23 to 2025 – 26.
• At the apex of the structure will be the National NAMASTE Monitoring Unit (NNMU) under Managing Director, NSKFDC, the states will have State NAMASTE Monitoring Unit (SNMU) and at the city level – City NAMASTE Monitoring Unit (CNMU).

2. Chintan Shivir

Syllabus – GS-2, Human Resources; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services Human Resources.

Prelims – Chintan Shivir at Surajkund, Haryana. 

Context – ESIC organises Chintan Shivir.

Details – 

• The Ministry of Labour and Employment’s ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) organised a two-day Chintan Shivir, a first of its kind in the history of ESIC organisation, at Surajkund, Haryana.
• The Union Labour and Employment Minister, Shri Bhupendra Yadav said that the reforms in the ESIC service delivery mechanism have started through a series of pro-worker initiatives and ESIC is committed to serving the poor in a big way. He urged ESIC to focus on fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Swasthya Se Samridhi’ by bridging the gap between policy and execution, working towards the collective goal of welfare of the poor and through capacity building at individual and institutional levels.
• The topics of discussion at the ESIC ‘Chintan Shivir’ include-

1. Expansion in ESI Coverage
2. Expansion of Medical Education
3. Capacity Building and Motivation
4. Key to Healthcare Improvement
5. ESIC-ESIS Coordination and Co-operation and
6. Preventive Health and Occupational Diseases.

• ESIC provides medical benefits and social security benefits. To improve its reach amongst all its beneficiaries, ESIC is working for pan-India implementation by December 2022. ESIC is also collaborating with Ayushman Bharat – PM-JAY for providing Secondary and Tertiary Medical care services in Partially implemented, Non-implemented and Fully implemented Districts having limited ESI Medical facilities.

3. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS)

Syllabus – GS 2, Welfare Schemes and Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Human Resources.

Prelims – ECLGS, its enhancement.

Context – Approval of the enhancement in the limit of ECLGS, from Rs. 4.5 lakh crore to Rs. 5 lakh crore.

Details –

• The enhancement in the limit of ECLGS by Rs 50,000 cr would be made applicable to enterprises in hospitality and related sectors. The scheme is valid till 31-03-2023.
• The enhancement has been done on account of severe disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in hospitality and related sectors.
• The additional credit of up to Rs. 50,000 cr at a low cost will provide much-needed relief to enterprises in these sectors and is expected to support the recovery of these sectors

Read previous PIB here.

August 17th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here