Sahitya Akademi Awards 2022

Democratic Vision of Ambedkar

For Prelims: Ambedkar, Buddha, Kabir and Mahatma Phule

For Mains: Democratic Vision of Ambedkar

Why in News?

Several studies have examined Dr B.R. Ambedkar's concept of democracy, primarily through the lens of social, political, and economic philosophy.

What Constitutes Democracy in Ambedkar's Opinion?

• Morality:
  • A look at the Buddha and his Dhamma sheds light on how Ambedkar viewed democracy as an approach that affected every aspect of human existence.
    • Buddha, Kabir and Mahatma Phule’s philosophies played an important role in Ambedkar’s own engagement with democracy.
  • According to him, democracy must also be viewed morally despite its pillars of equality, liberty, and fraternity.
  • Use of Morality in Caste System:
    • Ambedkar used the lens of morality in investigating the caste system, the Hindu social system, the nature of religion and Indian history.
    • Since Ambedkar brought the most marginalized communities into democracy, it was difficult to place his framework of democracy within these rigid religious structures and socio-political systems.
    • Thus, Ambedkar attempts to construct a new structure based on the principles of Buddhism.
• Balancing Individualism and Fraternity:
  • He was critical of extreme individualism that was a possible outcome of Buddhism, as such characteristics failed to engage in activism that challenged social order.
    • Thus, he believed that there needed to be a balance between individualism and fraternity for a harmonious society.
• Importance to Practicality:
  • Ambedkar gave utmost importance to practicality.
  • For him, concepts and theories needed to be tested as they were supposed to be practised in society.
  • He used rationality and critical reasoning to analyse any subject matter, because he believed that a subject must first pass the test of rationality, failing which, it must be rejected, altered or modified.

What are the Types of Morality?

• Social Morality:
  • According to Ambedkar, social morality was built through interaction and such interaction was based on the mutual recognition of human beings.
  • Yet, under the rigid systems of caste and religion, such interaction was not possible as one did not accept another person as a respectable human being due to their religion or caste background.
  • Social morality was based on equality among human beings and a recognition of respect.
• Constitutional Morality:
  • Constitutional morality for Ambedkar was a prerequisite to maintaining a system of democracy in a country.
    • Constitutional morality means adherence to the core principles of constitutional democracy.
  • He believed that only through a negation of hereditary rule, laws that represented all people, with people’s representatives and a State which has the confidence of the people, can democracy be maintained.
  • One single person or political party could not represent the needs or will of all the people.
  • Ambedkar realised that the caste system did not go hand in hand with such an understanding of moral democracy.
    • This was because the traditional caste structure was of a hierarchical rule, with no mutual respect among individuals, and complete subjugation of one group by another.

What is Ambedkar's view of Indian society?

• Caste System:
  • According to his analysis of Indian society, the caste system is a particularistic value in Hinduism.
    • Particularism is a political theory where one group promotes its own interests without regard to the interests of larger groups.
  • The upper castes, according to Ambedkar, universalise the negative particularity (their dominance over the other groups) and particularise the negative universal morality (wherein the caste system and the subsequent alienation of certain groups is justified).
  • This negative social relation is essentially ‘undemocratic’.
  • It is to fight such separation that Ambedkar attempted to bring the democratic processes of Buddhism into the discourse of modern democracy.
• Role of Religion in Democracy:
  • In Ambedkar's view, democracy was born from religion, without which associated living was impossible.
  • Thus, instead of removing aspects of religion completely, he attempts to reconstruct a new version of democracy that accepts the democratic aspects of religions like Buddhism.
  • Finally, Ambedkar realises that in order to conceptualise democracy as a way of life, it was important to distinguish principles and rules in society.
  • In the Buddha and His Dhamma, Ambedkar elaborates how the concepts of Dhamma, which includes Prajna or thinking and understanding, Sila or good action and finally Karuna or kindness, emerge as a ‘morally transformative’ concept that dismantles regressive social relations.

What are the Conditions put forward by Ambedkar for Democracy to Function?

• Tackling Inequalities in Society:
  • There must not be any glaring inequalities in society and there must not be an oppressed class.
  • There must not be a class that has got all the privileges and a class that has got all the burdens to carry.
• Strong Opposition:
  • He emphasized on the existence of a strong opposition.
  • Democracy means veto power. Democracy is a contradiction of hereditary authority or autocratic authority, where elections act as a periodic veto in which people vote out a government and opposition in parliament act as an immediate veto that curbs the autocratic tendencies of the government in power.
• Liberty:
  • Additionally, he argued that parliamentary democracy instills a passion for freedom; freedom to express thoughts and opinions, freedom to live a respectful life, freedom to do what one values.
  • But we can see a parallel fall of India in the Human Freedom Index along with a weakened opposition and consequently falling democratic credentials.
• Equality in Law and Administration:
  • Ambedkar also upheld equality in law and administration.
  • Likes should be treated likely and there should be no discrimination based on class, caste, gender, race and so on.
  • He brought forward the idea of constitutional Morality.
    • For him, the constitution contains only the legal skeleton, but the flesh is what he calls constitutional morality.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar? (2012)

1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India
2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation
3. The Independent Labour Party

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

• The Peasants and Workers Party of India was formed by Keshavrao Jedhe of Pune, Shankarrao More and others in 1947. Hence, 1 is not correct.
• All India Scheduled Castes Association was established by B. R. Ambedkar in 1942 and this party participated in general elections in 1946. Hence, 2 is correct.
• Independent Labour Party (ILP) was also formed by B. R. Ambedkar in 1936, which participated in the provincial elections of Bombay. Hence, 3 is correct. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

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Mains

Q. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate. (2015)

Q. Constitutional Morality’ is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of ‘Constitutional Morality’ with the help of relevant judicial decisions. (2021)

Source: TH

Amendments to the Co-operative Societies Act

Prelims: Multistate Cooperatives, Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011, Constitutional Provisions Related to Cooperatives.

Mains: Amendments to the Co-operative Societies Act.

Why in News?

Recently, responding to the demands by the Opposition, the Lok Sabha has referred the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2022 to a joint committee of Parliament.

• The Bill is aimed at overhauling the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, which was enacted 20 years ago.

What is a Cooperative Society?

• About:
  • Cooperatives are organizations formed at the grassroots level by people to harness the power of collective bargaining in the marketplace.
    • This can mean different kinds of arrangements, such as using a common resource or sharing capital, to derive a common gain that would otherwise be difficult for an individual producer to get.
  • In agriculture, cooperative dairies, sugar mills, spinning mills etc. are formed with the pooled resources of farmers who wish to process their produce.
    • Amul is perhaps the best-known cooperative society in India.
• Jurisdiction:
  • Cooperatives are a state subject under the Constitution, meaning they come under the state governments’ jurisdiction, but there are many societies whose members and areas of operation are spread across more than one state.
    • For example, most sugar mills along the districts on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border procure cane from both states.
  • Cooperatives of more than one state are registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act (MSCS) of 2002 Act.
    • Their board of directors has representation from all states they operate in.
    • Administrative and financial control of these societies is with the central registrar, with the law making it clear that no state government official can wield any control over them.

What is the Need for Amendment?

• Since 2002, many changes have taken place in the field of cooperatives. At that time, Cooperation was a department under the Ministry of Agriculture. However, in July 2021, the government carved out a separate Cooperation Ministry.
• Part IXB was inserted in the Constitution via 97^th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011. In view of the insertion of Part IXB, it has become imperative to amend the Act.
  • Under 97^th Amendment:
    • The right to form cooperative societies was included as Right to Freedom (Article 19 (1)).
    • Promotion of Cooperation societies was inserted as one of the DPSPs (Article 43-B).
• Further, developments over the years also necessitated changes in the Act so as to strengthen the co-operative movement in the multi-State co-operative societies.

What are the Proposed Amendments?

• Merger of Cooperatives:
  • The Bill provides for the merger of “any co-operative society” into an existing MSCS by a resolution passed by majority (at least 2/3rd) of the members present and voting at a general meeting of such society.
  • At present, only MSCS can amalgamate themselves and form a new MSCS.
• Co-operative Election Authority:
  • The Bill seeks to establish a “Co-operative Election Authority”, with a view to bring “electoral reforms” in the co-operative sector.
  • The Authority shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a maximum of 3 more members to be appointed by the Centre.
    • All the members will hold office for 3 years or until they attain the age of 65 years (whichever is earlier) and shall be eligible for re-appointment.
• Stricter Punishments:
  • The Bill seeks to increase the amount of penalty for certain offences.
  • If the board of directors or officers receive any unlawful gains while transacting matters related to such society, they will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one month but which may extend to one year or with fine.
• Cooperative Ombudsman:
  • The government has proposed to appoint one or more “Co-operative Ombudsman” with a territorial jurisdiction for inquiring into the complaints made by the members.
  • The Co-operative Ombudsman will have the powers of civil court in summoning and examination.
• Rehabilitation and Development Fund:
  • The Bill also seeks the “establishment of the Co-operative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund” for revival of “sick MSCS”.
  • It also proposes to insert a new section 70A relating to “concurrent audit” for MSCSs having an annual turnover or deposit of more than the amount as determined by the Central Government.

What are the Criticisms of the Proposed Bill?

• The Opposition members in the Lok Sabha have argued that the bill seeks to “take away” state governments’ rights.
• Some of the objections are based on the fact that cooperative societies are a state subject. Entry 43 of the Union List (7^th Schedule) makes it clear that co-operative societies do not come in the Centre’s domain.
  • Entry 43 says - “Incorporation, regulation and winding up of trading corporations, including banking, insurance and financial corporations, but not including co-operative societies”.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ)

Mains

Q. “In the villages itself no form of credit organization will be suitable exceptthe cooperative society.” – All India Rural Credit Survey.

Discuss this statement in the background of agricultural finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finance face? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients? (2014)

Source: IE

India to Become Largest Populated Country

For Prelims: India’s demographic dividend, TFR, Under-five mortality rates, Maternal mortality ratio.

For Mains: Demographic Changes of India, Significance of Population Growth.

Why in News?

It is estimated that around April 2023, India’s 1.43 billion people will exceed China’s population.

• In 2022, China will for the first time register an absolute decline in its population.

What are the Drivers of these Shifts?

• Mortality and Fertility:
  • Crude Death Rate (CDR): The CDR — the number of persons dying per year per 1,000 population — was 23.2 for China and 22.2 for India in 1950.
    • It fell to single digits for China first in 1974 (to 9.5) and for India in 1994 (9.8), and further to 7.3-7.4 for both in 2020.
  • Life Expectancy at Birth: Another mortality indicator is life expectancy at birth. Between 1950 and 2020, it went up from 43.7 to 78.1 years for China and from 41.7 to 70.1 years for India.
  • Total Fertility Rate: The total fertility rate (TFR) — the number of babies an average woman bears over her lifetime — was as high as 5.8 for China and 5.7 for India in 1950.
    • India's TFR fell to 2 in 2019-2021, from 3.4 in 1992-93.
• Sustained Lows in TFR:
  • Populations can keep growing even with TFRs falling. De-growth requires TFRs to remain below replacement levels for extended periods.
  • The effects of that — fewer children today becoming parents tomorrow and procreating just as much or less — may reflect only after a couple of generations.
  • China’s TFR dipped below replacement first in 1991, which was almost 30 years before India’s.

What are the Challenges and Opportunities?

• Challenges:
  • Having the most people on the planet could prove to be a big negative for India unless it can provide food, education, housing, health services and jobs to its people.
  • The scale of this challenge is ­gigantic.
  • Across India, water scarcity is a chronic issue. All these needs are crucial but by far the single most important thing for India to do is to generate jobs. The scale of this ­particular challenge is truly daunting.
    • In 2020, India has 900 ­million people (67% of the total population) in the working age group of 15-64.
    • This is expected to expand by another 100 million by 2030.
• Opportunity:
  • Claim for permanent member at UNSC: If India becomes the largest country, it will give Indians a claim to be the permanent member of the Security Council.
    • New population will push its existing demand for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
    • The geopolitical reality has changed and new powers have emerged which deserve a place alongside the old – Russia, the UK, China, France and the United States.
  • Increase in Fiscal Space: Fiscal resources can be diverted from spending on children to investing in modern physical and human infrastructure that will increase economic sustainability of India.
  • Rise in Workforce: With more than 65% of the working age population, India can rise as an economic superpower, supplying more than half of Asia’s potential workforce over the coming decades.
    • Increase in the Labour Force that enhances the productivity of the economy.
    • Rise in Women’s Workforce that naturally accompanies a decline in fertility, and which can be a new source of growth.

What should be the Strategy of India?

• Mass Prosperity Strategy:
  • India’s large remittances from a small population overseas reinforce that our mass prosperity strategy should be human capital and formal jobs.
  • 0.8 % of software employment workers generate 8 % of GDP.
  • This case is reinforced by remittances from the overseas population of less than 2 % of our resident population crossing USD 100 billion last year.
• Qualitative Shift in Employement:
  • The qualitative shift during the previous five years from low-skilled, informal employment in Gulf countries to high-skilled formal jobs in high-income countries is significant.
    • In 2021, the US replaced the UAE as the single biggest source country with 23 % of remittances. Our rich forex remittance harvest — roughly 25 % higher than FDI and 25 % less than software exports — is fruit from the tree of human capital and formal jobs.
• Additional Jobs:
  • To absorb the influx of young people into the workplace, India would need to create close to 12 million additional, non-farm jobs every year, starting in 2023.
  • This was triple the four million non-farm jobs created annually between 2012 and 2018.
  • India would need a growth rate of 10% per annum to be able to invest in industry so that this army of young people can be absorbed.
• Investments in Education:
  • While India is expected to have a demographic dividend from this large workforce, reaping its potential benefits requires significant investments in education.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. To obtain full benefits of demographic dividend, what should India do? (2013)

(a) Promoting skill development 
(b) Introducing more social security schemes 
(c) Reducing infant mortality rate
(d) Privatization of higher education

Ans: (a)

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Mains

Q. Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India. (2015)

Source: IE

J&K Land Grant Rules 2022

For Prelims: J&K Land Grant Rules 2022

For Mains: Features of J&K Land Grant Rules, Concerns Regarding J&K Land Grant Rules

Why in News?

Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has notified “J&K Land Grant Rules 2022” which has ended the owners right to hold on to properties on lease in the Union Territory (U.T.) and plans to outsource these properties afresh online.

What are the Key Features of J&K Land Grant Rules 2022?

• The new laws replaced “J&K Land Grants Rules 1960”, which had liberal lease policy such as 99-year lease period and extendable.
  • Most hotels at famous tourist places in the Valley and prime commercial structures in twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar are on lease land.
• The new laws state that all leases, except the subsisting or expired residential leases, including lease granted under the J&K Land Grants Rules 1960, notified area (All Development Authorities set in tourism sector) Land Grants Rules, 2007 and leases expired or determined prior to the coming into force of these rules or issued under these rules shall not be renewed and shall stand determined.
  • The Lieutenant Governor administration plans to hold a fresh online auction to outsource these lease properties.
• All the outgoing lessees would immediately hand over the possession of the land taken on lease to the government, failing which the outgoing lessee shall be evicted.
• J&K’s land laws were regressive.

Why are the Rules being Opposed?

• Few Political Parties have argued that the newly-introduced Land Grant Rules-2022 will push six to seven lakh people into the unemployment bracket and will only pave the way for millionaires and capitalists from outside to buy hotels and commercial establishments in J&K.
  • The fresh Land Grant Rules-2022 will end the rights of present owners and sell it at market price. No local businessman has purchasing power compared to millionaires and billionaires from the rest of the country.
• The present owners with bank loans will be forced to sell their houses to repay their loans.
  • The current bank borrowing from the J&K Bank stands at ₹60,000 crore, an indicator of the loans raised by locals to survive the turbulent times since 1990s.

What are Administrations' Claims for the Rules?

• The J&K Administration has claimed that no poor will be impacted by the amendments to the land laws. Rule of law outside has to be implemented here too.
• There were properties worth ₹100 crore, which were being leased for ₹ 5 as payment. Only such people are worried by the amendments. New rules are to bring J&K at par with the rest of the country.
• Lieutenant Governor claimed that the land laws in J&K were regressive and were not framed keeping in view the interests of the common masses. Around 40% - 45% cases in various courts are due to land disputes only.

Source: TH

Dokra Metalcraft

Why in News?

West Bengal's Lalbazaar is not just an art hub, but is also becoming a center for dokra, a popular metalcraft.

• In 2018, Dokra craft from West Bengal was presented with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

What is Dokra?

• Dokra is a form of ancient bell metal craft practiced by the Ojha metalsmiths living in states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Telangana.
• However, the style and also the workmanship of this artisan community varies in different states.
• Dhokra or Dokra, is also known as bell metal craft.
• The name ‘Dhokra’ comes from the Dhokra Damar tribes, who are the traditional metal smiths of West Bengal.
  • Their technique of lost wax casting is named after their tribe, hence Dhokra metal casting.
    • The Dokra artifacts are made in brass and are unique in that the pieces do not have any joints. The method is combining metallurgical skills with wax techniques employing the lost wax technique, a unique form where mould is used only once and broken, making this art the only one-of-its-kind in the world.
  • The tribe extends from Jharkhand to Orissa to as far ahead to Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and even Kerala.
• Each figurine takes about a month to make.
• The dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro (Harrapan Civilization) is one of the earliest dhokra artefacts that is now known.
• Dokra Art is still used to craft artefacts, accessories, utensils and jewellery.

What are the Other Crafts?

• Bronze Crafts:
  • Rare Jain imagery and icons (Karnataka)
  • Pahaldar Lamps (Jaipur and parts of Uttar Pradesh)
  • Pembarthi craft (Telangana)
• Other Metal Crafts:
  • Marori work of Rajasthan
  • Tarkashi (Rajasthan)
  • Bidri Craft (Karnataka)

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ)

Q. Kalamkari painting refers to (2015)

(a) a hand-painted cotton textile in South India

(b) a handmade drawing on bamboo handicrafts in North-East India

(c) a block-painted woollen cloth in Western Himalayan region of India

(d) a hand-painted decorative silk cloth in North-Western India

Ans: (a)

Source: TH

iDEX and Defence India Start-Up Challenge

Why in News?

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, has reached a milestone with the signing of its 150^th contract.

• The contract relates to an Indian Navy project of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC 7) SPRINT edition.

What is iDEX?

• About:
  • iDEX, launched in 2018, is an ecosystem to foster innovation & technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging innovators & entrepreneurs to deliver technologically advanced solutions for modernizing the Indian Military.
  • It provides funding/grants to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia to carry out research and development.
  • The iDEX-Prime aims to support projects requiring support beyond Rs 1.5 crore up to Rs 10 crore, to help ever-growing start-ups in the defence sector.
  • iDEX portal was launched to provide wider publicity and better visibility of iDEX activities and enable more efficient running of future challenges through better information management.
• Core Objectives:
  • Indigenization: Rapid development of new, indigenized and innovative technology.
  • Innovation: Creates a culture of engagement with innovative startups to encourage co-creation.
• Funding:
  • iDEX is funded and managed by “Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO)”.
• Achievement:
  • iDEX has been awarded the prestigious Prime Minister Award for Public Policy in Innovation Category for the year 2021.

What is DIO?

• DIO is a not-for-profit organisation formed under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013.
• It is funded by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
• It provides high-level policy guidance to iDEX.

What is DISC?

• DISC aims at supporting Startups/MSMEs/Innovators to create prototypes and/or commercialize products/solutions in National Defence and Security.
• The First DISC was launched in 2018 at Bengaluru.
• It was launched by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
  • AIM is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.
• Under the program, the start-ups, Indian companies and individual innovators (including research & academic institutions) can participate.
• DISC 7 has been launched with 69 Problem Statements (PS) from Indian Navy for resolution by startups & innovators.

What are Government Initiatives Regarding Indigenisation?

• First Negative Indigenisation
• Positive Indigenisation List
• New FDI Policy in Defence Sector
• Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020
• Defence Industrial Corridors

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Years Question (PYQ)

Q. Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the (2019)

(a) Department of Science and Technology
(b) Ministry of Labour and Employment
(c) NITI Aayog
(d) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Ans: (c)

Exp:

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship based on a detailed study and deliberations on innovation and entrepreneurial needs of the country.
• AIM is envisaged as an umbrella innovation organization that would play an instrumental role in alignment of innovation policies between Central, State and sectoral innovation schemes incentivizing the establishment and promotion of an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at various levels – higher secondary schools; science, engineering and higher academic institutions; SME/MSME industry, corporate and NGO levels.
• Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

Source: PIB

HPV Vaccine for Cervical Cancer

Why in News?

India is expected to roll out the indigenously developed CERVAVAC vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer among girls aged 9-14 years through their schools by mid-2023.

• The decision was based on the National Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation (NTAGI) recommendation to introduce the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme.

What is CERVAVAC?

• About:
  • It is India’s first indigenously developed quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine that is said to be effective against four strains of the virus - Type 6, Type 11, Type 16 and Type 18.
    • A quadrivalent vaccine is a vaccine that works by stimulating an immune response against four different antigens, such as four different viruses or other microorganisms.
  • CERVAVAC is based on VLP (Virus-Like Particles), similar to the Hepatitis B vaccination.
• Approval:
  • The vaccine has received the Drugs Controller GeneraI of India’s approval and has been cleared by the government advisory panel NTAGI for use in the public health programme.
• Significance:
  • It has a significant potential to eliminate cervical cancer and it would be helpful if included in national HPV vaccination efforts and offered at a lower cost than existing vaccinations.
  • The vaccine is extremely effective only when it's administered before the first sexual intercourse.

What is Cervical Cancer?

• Cervical cancer develops in a woman's cervix. It is the 4^th most common type of cancer among women, globally and 2^nd most common among women in India.
  • India contributes the largest share of the global cervical cancer burden; nearly 1 in every 4 deaths globally due to cervical cancer (as per The Lancet study).
• Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk HPV, an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
  • Effective primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary prevention approaches (screening for and treating precancerous lesions) will prevent most cervical cancer cases.
• When diagnosed, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively.
  • Cancers diagnosed in late stages can also be controlled with appropriate treatment and palliative care.
  • With a comprehensive approach to prevent, screen and treat, cervical cancer can be eliminated as a public health problem within a generation.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. ‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to (2016)

(a)  immunization of children and pregnant women 
(b)  construction of smart cities across the country 
(c) India’s own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space 
(d) New Educational Policy 

Ans: (a) 

Exp:

• Mission Indradhanush is an immunization scheme launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI on 25th December, 2014. 
• Depicting seven colours of the rainbow, it aimed to cover all those children by 2020 who are either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B. 
•  The mission is technically supported by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and other donor partners.
• Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Source: TH