Infrastructure Expansion

 With increased public investment over the last five years, India has witnessed significant expansion in physical and digital connectivity and social infrastructure including sanitation and water supply helping to improve quality of life of the people, states the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today. The Survey notes that the foremost among the responses initiated by the Union Government to overcome the pandemic-driven slowdown in the economy was increase in capital expenditure, aimed particularly at the creation of high quality physical and social infrastructure facilities. Keeping the momentum going over the last five years, the Survey says, capital expenditure of the Government has seen an almost three-fold increase in FY24, relative to FY20 levels. It added that the major beneficiaries of this step-up are key foundational assets like roads and railways.

ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE:

The Economic Survey observes that strategic planning and step-up in public investment have resulted in the upgradation of the road network system into a resilient and efficient infrastructure. The capital investment by the Government and private sector rose from 0.4 per cent in FY15 to about 1.0 per cent of GDP (around ₹3.01 lakh crore) in FY24. The sector has attracted its highest-ever private investment in FY24 as the private sector capitalises on a conducive policy environment, mentions the Survey.

Referring to the significant progress in the development of national highways, the Survey says that the development of national highways, over the last ten years, has increased by 1.6 times from 2014 to 2024. It states that the Bharatmala Pariyojana has significantly expanded the national highway network, increasing the length of high-speed corridors by 12 times and 4-lane roads by 2.6 times between 2014 and 2024. Further, the Survey notes that the efficiency of highway construction has improved due to the systematic push through the corridor-based National Highway development approach. The average pace of NH construction increased by 3 times from 11.7 km per day in FY14 to 34 km per day by FY24, it states. The survey observes that the remarkable improvement of the NH network has brought about substantial advancements in logistics efficiency which  is evidenced by the consistently rising India’s ranking in the World Bank’s ‘Logistics Performance Index, from 54 in 2014 and 44 in 2018, to 38 in 2023.

To further enhance logistic efficiency, the Economic Survey has mentioned that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H) has dedicated Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLP). It says that a total of six multimodal logistics parks (MMLPs) have been awarded until FY24, and ₹2,505 crore have been awarded for dedicated multimodal logistics parks (MMLPs) in FY24. Further, it stated, seven MMLPs are planned to be awarded in FY25.

RAILWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE

According to Economic Survey 2023-24, Indian Railways, with over 68,584 route km (as of 31st March 2024) and 12.54 lakh employees (as of 1st April 2024), is the fourth largest network in the world under single management. Survey states that the capital expenditure on Railways has increased by 77 per cent over the past 5 years (₹2.62 lakh crore in FY24) with significant investments in the construction of new lines, gauge conversion, and doubling.

The Survey notes that the Railways has  achieved its highest-ever production for both locomotives and wagons in FY24. Survey states that 51 pairs of Vande Bharat have been introduced until March 2024. The fast pace of infrastructure augmentation has been the result of a substantial increase in financial allocation along with close project monitoring and regular follow-up with stakeholders for expeditious land acquisition and clearances, the Survey observes.

The Survey has also mentioned about the initiatives undertaken by Railways for providing clean environment in and around railway stations and trains, such as replacement of conventional toilets with bio-toilets on coaches leading to clean tracks, segregation of bio-degradable/non bio-degradable waste, solid waste management and discouraging use of single use plastic.

The key focus areas for Railways, according to Economic Survey 2023-24 include fast capacity augmentation, modernisation of rolling stock and maintenance, improving quality of services and energy efficiency. In line with this, the Survey states that the  investments are prioritised in areas like dedicated freight corridors, high-speed rail, modern passenger services like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat Express, Aastha Special Trains, high-capacity rolling stock and last-mile rail linkages. Projects for three major corridors viz. (1) High-traffic density corridors, (2) Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridors and (3) Rail Sagar (port connectivity) corridors are also planned to reduce logistics cost and carbon footprint, the Survey said. As per the Survey,  Railways has also planned to reduce its carbon footprint primarily through sourcing of its energy requirements through renewable energy sources and the expected requirement of installation of renewable capacity by 2029-30 is around 30 Giga Watts. Other strategies mentioned by Survey  include shifting from diesel to electric traction, promotion of energy efficiency and afforestation.

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India’s real GDP is projected to grow between 6.5–7 per cent in 2024-25

 India’s real GDP is projected to grow between 6.5–7 per cent in 2024-25. The Indian economy recovered swiftly from the pandemic, with its real GDP in FY24 being 20 per cent higher than the pre-COVID, FY20 levels. This was stated by the Economic Survey 2023-24 presented in Parliament today by the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman.

The Survey points out that the domestic growth drivers have supported economic growth in FY24 despite uncertain global economic performance. It also adds that during the decade ending FY20, India grew at an average annual rate of 6.6 per cent, more or less reflecting the long-run growth prospects of the economy.

The Survey, however cautions that any escalation of geopolitical conflicts in 2024 may lead to supply dislocations, higher commodity prices, reviving inflationary pressures and stalling monetary policy easing with potential repercussions for capital flows. This can also influence RBI’s monetary policy stance. The global trade outlook for 2024 remains positive, with merchandise trade expected to pick up after registering a contraction in volumes in 2023.

The Survey highlights that leveraging the initiatives taken by the government and capturing the untapped potential in emerging markets; exports of business, consultancy and IT-enabled services can expand. Despite the core inflation rate being around 3 per cent, the RBI, with one eye on the withdrawal of accommodation and another on the US Fed, has kept interest rates unchanged for quite some time, and the anticipated easing has been delayed.

The Economic Survey says that India’s economy showed resilience to a gamut of global and external challenges as real GDP grew by 8.2 percent in FY 24, exceeding 8 percent mark in three out of four quarters of FY 24, driven by stable consumption demand and steadily improving investment demand.

The Survey underlines that the shares of the agriculture, industry and services sectors in overall GVA at current prices were 17.7 per cent, 27.6 per cent and 54.7 per cent respectively in FY24. GVA in the agriculture sector continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace, as the erratic weather patterns during the year and an uneven spatial distribution of the monsoon in 2023 impacted overall output.

Within the industrial sector, manufacturing GVA shrugged off a disappointing FY23 and grew by 9.9 per cent in FY24, as manufacturing activities benefitted from reduced input prices while catering to stable domestic demand. Similarly, construction activities displayed increased momentum and registered a growth of 9.9 per cent in FY24 due to the infrastructure build out and buoyant commercial and residential real estate demand.

Various high-frequency indicators reflect the growth in the services sector. Both Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections and the issuance of e-way bills, reflecting wholesale and retail trade, demonstrated double-digit growth in FY24. Financial and professional services have been a major driver of growth post the pandemic, the survey added.

Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) continues to emerge as an important driver of growth. GFCF by private non-financial corporations increased by 19.8 per cent in FY23. There are early signs that the momentum in private capital formation has been sustained in FY24. As per data provided by Axis Bank Research, private investment across a consistent set of over 3,200 listed and unlisted non-financial firms has grown by 19.8 per cent in FY24.

Apart from private corporations, households have also been at the forefront of the capital formation process. In 2023, residential real estate sales in India were at their highest since 2013, witnessing a 33 per cent YoY growth, with a total sale of 4.1 lakh units in the top eight cities.

With cleaner balance sheets and adequate capital buffers, the banking and financial sector is well-positioned to cater to the growing financing needs of investment demand. Credit disbursal by scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) to industrial micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and services continues to grow in double digits despite a higher base. Similarly, personal loans for housing have surged, corresponding to the increase in housing demand.

The Survey states that despite global supply chain disruptions and adverse weather conditions, domestic inflationary pressures moderated in FY24. After averaging 6.7 per cent in FY23, retail inflation declined to 5.4 per cent in FY24. This has been due to the combination of measures undertaken by the Government and the RBI. The Union Government undertook prompt measures such as open market sales, retailing in specified outlets, timely imports, reduced the prices of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders and implemented a cut in petrol and diesel prices. The RBI raised policy rates by a cumulative 250 bps between May 2022 and February 2023.

The Survey says, against the global trend of widening fiscal deficit and increasing debt burden, India has remained on the course of fiscal consolidation. The fiscal deficit of the Union Government has been brought down from 6.4 per cent of GDP in FY23 to 5.6 per cent of GDP in FY24, according to provisional actuals (PA) data released by the Office of Controller General of Accounts (CGA).

The growth in gross tax revenue (GTR) was estimated to be 13.4 per cent in FY24, translating into tax revenue buoyancy of 1.4. The growth was led by a 15.8 per cent growth in direct taxes and a 10.6 per cent increase in indirect taxes over FY23.

The Survey adds that broadly, 55 per cent of GTR accrued from direct taxes and the remaining 45 per cent from indirect taxes. The increase in indirect taxes in FY24 was mainly driven by a 12.7 per cent growth in GST collection. The increase in GST collection and E-way bill generation reflects increased compliance over time.

The capital expenditure for FY24 stood at ₹9.5 lakh crore, an increase of 28.2 per cent on a YoY basis, and was 2.8 times the level of FY20. The Government’s thrust on capex has been a critical driver of economic growth amidst an uncertain and challenging global environment. Spending in sectors such as road transport and highways, railways, defence services, and telecommunications delivers higher and longer impetuses to growth by addressing logistical bottlenecks and expanding productive capacities.

The Survey says, it is also incumbent upon the private sector to take forward the momentum in capital formation on its own and in partnership with the Government. Their share in addition to the capital stock in terms of machinery and equipment, started growing robustly only since FY22, a trend that needs to be sustained on the strength of their improving bottom-line and balance sheets in order to generate high-quality jobs.

The Survey points out that the State governments continued to improve their finances in FY24. Preliminary unaudited estimates of finances for a set of 23 states, published by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, suggest that the gross fiscal deficit of these 23 states was 8.6 per cent lower than the budgeted figure of ₹9.1 lakh crore. This implies that fiscal deficit as a per cent of GDP for these states came in at 2.8 per cent as against a budgeted 3.1 per cent. The quality of spending by state governments improved, too, with state governments focusing on Capex as well.

The Union Government’s transfers to the states are highly progressive, with states with lower Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) per capita receiving higher transfers relative to their GSDP.

The Survey highlights that the RBI’s vigil over the banking and financial system and its prompt regulatory actions ensure that the system can withstand any macroeconomic or systemic shock. Data from the RBI’s Financial Stability Report of June 2024 show that the asset quality of Scheduled commercials banks has improved, with the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio declining to 2.8 per cent in March 2024, a 12-year low.

 The profitability of SCBs remained steady, with the return on equity and return on assets ratios at 13.8 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively, as of March 2024. Macro stress tests also reveal that SCBs would be able to comply with minimum capital requirements even under severe stress scenarios. The soundness of the banking system will facilitate the financing of productive opportunities and lengthen the financial cycle, both of which are necessary to sustain economic growth.

The Survey highlights that on the external front, moderation in merchandise exports continued during FY24, mainly on account of weaker global demand and persistent geopolitical tensions. Despite that India’s service exports have remained robust, reaching a new high of USD 341.1 billion in FY24. The exports (merchandise and services) in FY24 grew by 0.15 per cent, while the total imports declined by 4.9 per cent stated the survey.

Net private transfers, mostly comprising remittances from abroad, grew to USD 106.6 billion in FY24. As a result, the Current Account Deficit (CAD) stood at 0.7 per cent of the GDP during the year, an improvement from the deficit of 2.0 per cent of GDP in FY23. The net FPI inflows stood at USD 44.1 billion during FY24 against net outflows in the preceding two years.

Overall, India’s external sector is being deftly managed with comfortable foreign exchange reserves and a stable exchange rate. Forex reserves as of the end of March 2024 were sufficient to cover 11 months of projected imports.

The Survey underscores that the Indian Rupee has also been one of the least volatile currencies among its emerging market peers in FY24. India’s external debt vulnerability indicators also continued to be benign. External debt as a ratio to GDP stood at a low level of 18.7 per cent as of end-March 2024. The ratio of foreign exchange reserves to total debt stood at 97.4 per cent as of March 2024 as per the Economic Survey 2023- 24.

The Survey points out that India’s social welfare approach has undergone a shift from an input-based approach to outcome-based empowerment. Government initiatives like providing free-of-cost gas connections under PM Ujjwala Yojana, building toilets under the Swacch Bharat Mission, opening bank accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana, building pucca houses under PM-AWAS Yojana have improved capabilities and enhanced opportunities for the underprivileged sections. The approach also involves the targeted implementation of reforms for last-mile service delivery to truly realise the maxim of “no person left behind”, the Survey added.

The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme and Jan Dhan Yojana-Aadhaar-Mobile trinity have been boosters of fiscal efficiency and minimization of leakages, with ₹36.9 lakh crore having been transferred via DBT since its inception in 2013.

The Survey says, the all-India annual unemployment rate (persons aged 15 years and above, as per usual status) has been declining since the pandemic and this has been accompanied by a rise in the labour force participation rate and worker-to-population ratio. From the gender perspective, the female labour force participation rate has been rising for six years, i.e., from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 37 per cent in 2022-23, driven mainly by the rising participation of rural women.

On the global economic scenario the Survey says that after a year marked by global uncertainties and volatilities, the economy achieved greater stability in 2023. While uncertainty stemming from adverse geopolitical developments remained elevated, global economic growth was surprisingly robust.

The Survey states as per the World Economic Outlook (WEO), April 2024 of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) , the global economy registered a growth of 3.2 per cent in 2023.

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Atal Innovation Mission and World Intellectual Property Organization

 Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, today in New Delhi, presided over the signing of the ‘Letter of Intent’ between Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations agency that serves the world’s innovators and creators.

 

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Executive Director, WIPO Academy, Mr. Sherif Sadallah; Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Shri Suman Bery; Member, Science & Technology, NITI Aayog, Dr. V.K Saraswat; Head WIPO Academy, Ms. Altaye Tedla; and Mission Director, AIM, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav and other officials were also present at the event.

 

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Speaking at the event Shri Pradhan said that an Innovation-based knowledge economy will lead India to Viksit Bharat 2047. He said that the initiative will drive innovation, entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property programs for the benefit of all, particularly the Global South. He also mentioned that innovation is India’s strength and this path-breaking partnership between AIM and WIPO will take the best of India’s innovation models to countries that are on similar development trajectories, work to enhance understanding and awareness about IPR right from the school level, unlock the innovation potential of the world, and further inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Shri Pradhan expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for the vision to witness record growth in the country’s innovation ecosystem. The country has registered steady progress in the Global Innovation Index, reflecting the commitment to nurturing creativity and entrepreneurship, he added.

Scope/ Objectives of the Indo-WIPO Joint Program

•     Taking the key AIM programs (ATL, AIC models) to the nations of the global south and those in transition; this would include structuring country-specific programs basis, as the country needs.

•     Enhancing the understanding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) among various stakeholders, particularly students, teachers, innovators and entrepreneurs of India.

•     Enhancing the understanding of the importance of IPR for development and economic growth, considering the educational and training needs of students, teachers, innovators and entrepreneurs of India.

•     Establishing a network of trainers of innovation, creativity, and Intellectual Property (IP) and

•     Familiarizing the target beneficiaries and learners with the theories of innovation and creativity.

 

Both WIPO and AIM-NITI Aayog intend to jointly work on structuring programs to take India’s Innovation Model (ATL & AIC) to other countries. Both organizations shall also closely collaborate in the designing and implementation of various IP training and capacity-building program(s), taking into consideration the specific requirements of the ecosystem and doing preliminary needs assessments of the target beneficiaries.

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PROMOTION AND PRESERVING OF ART AND CULTURE

 The Ministry of Culture administers various Central Sector Schemes under which financial assistance is provided to eligible cultural organizations / individuals working for promotion and preservation of art and culture across the country including Palghar district of Maharashtra and tribal areas of the country. The brief of these scheme is given at Annexure – I.

 The year-wise details of funds released to various cultural organizations / individuals under various schemes in the state of Maharashtra including Palghar district during the last five years are given at Annexure – II.

This information was given by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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Beena Yadav

Annexure– I

Annexure referred to in reply of part (a) and (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 166 for 22.07.2024

  1. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTION OF GURU-SHISHYA PARAMPARA (REPERTORY GRANT)

The objective of this scheme is to provide financial support for all genres of performing arts activities like dramatic groups, theatre groups, music ensembles, children theatre etc. and imparting training of artists by their respective Guru on regular basis in line with Guru–Shishya Parampara. As per the scheme, support is provided to 1 Guru and maximum 18 Shishyas in the field of theatre and 1 Guru and maximum 10 Shishyas in the field of music & dance. The Amount of Assistance for Guru is Rs.15000/- p.m. and for the Shishya, the same is Rs.2000-10000/-p.m depending upon the age of artist.

 

  1. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTION OF ART AND CULTURE: This scheme has following sub-components :
  2. Financial Assistance to Cultural organizations with National Presence

To promote and support cultural organisations with national presence involved in promotion of art and culture throughout the country, this grant is given to such organisations that have a properly constituted managing body, registered in India; having a pan-India character with national presence in its operation; adequate working strength; and have spent 1 crore or more during 3 of the last 5 years on cultural activities. The quantum of grant under this scheme is Rs.1 crore which can be increased to Rs. 5 crore in exceptional cases.

  1. Cultural Function & Production Grant (CFPG)

The objective of this scheme component is to provide financial support to NGOs/ Societies/ Trusts/ Universities etc. for Seminars, Conference, Research, Workshops, Festivals, Exhibitions, Symposia, Production of Dance, Drama-Theatre, Music etc. The maximum grants provided under CFPG is Rs.5 Lakh for an organization which can be increased to Rs. 20.00 lakhs in exceptional cases

  1. Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas

            The objective of this scheme component is to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of the Himalayas through research, training and dissemination through audio visual programmes. The financial support is provided to the organizations in the States falling under the Himalayan Region i.e. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.  The quantum of funding is Rs. 10.00 lakhs per year for an organization which can be increased to Rs. 30.00 lakhs in exceptional cases.

  1. Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Organization

Under this scheme component financial assistance is provided to the voluntary Buddhist/Tibetan organizations including Monasteries engaged in the propagation and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan Cultural and tradition and research in related fields. The quantum of funding under scheme component is Rs. 30.00 lakhs per year for an organization which can be increased to 1.00 crore in exceptional cases

  1. Financial Assistance for Building Grants including Studio Theatres

The objective of this scheme component is to provide financial support to NGO, Trust, Societies, Govt. Sponsored bodies, University, College etc. for creation of Cultural infrastructure (i.e. studio theatre, auditorium, rehearsal hall, classroom etc.) and provision of facilities like electrical, air conditioning, acoustics, light and sound systems etc. Under this scheme component, the maximum amount of grant is up to Rs.50 Lakh in metro cities and up to Rs.25 Lakh in non- metro cities.

  1. Financial Assistance for Allied Cultural Activities

The objective of this scheme component is to provide financial assistance to all eligible organizations for creation of assets for enhancing the audio-visual spectacle for allied cultural activities to give firsthand experience of live performances on regular basis and during festivals in open/closed areas/spaces. Maximum assistance under the scheme component, including applicable duties & taxes and also Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costing for five years, will be as under:- (i) Audio: Rs.1.00 crore; (ii) Audio+Video: Rs. 1.50 crore.

  • vii. Domestic Festivals and Fairs

The objective of this scheme is to provide assistance for holding the ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsavs’ organized by Ministry of Culture.

3. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TAGORE CULTURAL COMPLEXES (TCC)

The aim of the scheme component is to provide financial support to NGO, Trust, Societies, Govt. Sponsored bodies, State / UT Govt. University, Central/State Govt. agencies/bodies, Municipal Corporations, reputed not-for-profit organizations etc. for creation of new Large Cultural Spaces such as Auditorium with facilities and infrastructure for stage performances (dance, drama and music), exhibitions, seminars, literary activities, green rooms, etc. The Scheme component also provides support for restoration, renovation, extension, alteration, up-gradation, modernization of existing cultural facilities (Rabindra Bhawans, Rangshalas) etc. Under this scheme component, the financial assistance for any project will normally be up to a maximum of Rs. 15.00 crore. Central financial assistance would be 90% of the total approved project cost and remaining 10% of the total approved project cost will be borne by the recipient State Govt./NGO or concerned organization for NER Projects and except NER, there is 60:40 ratio for central assistant and state share (matching share).

4. SCHEME OF SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP FOR PROMOTION OF ART AND CULTURE: The scheme consists of following three components:

  1. Scheme for the Award of Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the field of Culture

Upto 400 fellowships (200 Junior and 200 Senior) are awarded in a batch year to outstanding persons in the age group of 25 to 40 years (Jr.) and above 40 years (Sr.) in different cultural fields @ of Rs. 10,000/- p.m. and 20,000/-p.m. for the period of 2 years for cultural research. The Fellowship is released in four equal six monthly installments.

  1. Scheme for Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields

Upto 400 Scholarships are awarded in a batch year. Under this scheme financial assistance is given to young artistes of outstanding promise in the age group of 18-25 years for advanced training within India in the field of Indian Classical Music, Indian Classical Dance, Theatre, Mime, Visual art, Folk, Traditional and Indigenous Arts and Light Classical Music etc. @ Rs. 5,000/- p.m. for 2 years. The Scholarship is released in four equal six monthly installments.

  1. Tagore National Fellowship for Cultural Research

The purpose of the Scheme Component is to invigorate and revitalize the various institutions under the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and other identified cultural institutions in the country, by encouraging scholars/ academicians to affiliate themselves with these institutions to work on projects of mutual interest. Upto 15 Fellowships (Rs.80,000/- p.m. + Contingency Allowance) and 25 Scholarships (Rs.50,000/- p.m. + Contingency Allowance) for a maximum period of 2 Years. The Fellowship is released in four equal six monthly installments.

 

  1. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERAN ARTISTS

The objective of this Scheme is to provide financial assistance of Rs.6.000/- p.m. to the old artistes and scholars aged 60 years above having annual income not exceeding Rs.72,000/- who have contributed significantly in their specialized fields of arts, letters etc. In the event of death of the beneficiary, the financial assistance is transferred to his/her spouse.

  1. SEVA BHOJ YOJANA

Under the Scheme of ‘Seva Bhoj Yojna’ Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and Central Government’s share of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) paid on purchase of specific raw food items by Charitable/Religious Institutions for distributing free food to public shall be reimbursed as Financial Assistance by the Government of India. Free ‘prasad’ or free food or free ‘langar’ / ‘bhandara’ (community kitchen) offered by charitable/religious institutions like Gurudwara, Temples, Dharmik Ashram, Mosques, Dargah, Church, Math, Monasteries etc. are covered under Seva Bhoj Yojana.

 

Annexure – II

Annexure referred to in reply of part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 166 for 22.07.2024

 

Details of the funds released under various Schemes during the last five years in the state of Maharashtra

Sl. No.

Name of Scheme

Financial Year

2019-20

(Rs. in lakhs)

Financial Year

2020-21

(Rs. in lakhs)

Financial Year

2021-22

(Rs. in lakhs)

Financial Year

2022-23

(Rs. in lakhs)

Financial Year

2023-24

(Rs. in lakhs)
  1.  

Financial Assistance for Promotion of Guru-Shishya Parampara (Repertory Grant)

197.76

156.04

237.36

900.72

625.70
  1.  

Financial Assistance to Cultural Organization with National Presence (including R.K. Mission)

5.81

–

–

–

15.00
  1.  

Cultural Function & Production Grant (CFPG)

38.97

56.27

63.63

104.12

24.64
  1.  

Financial Assistance for the Development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture & Art

–

20

15

38.25

26
  1.  

Building Grant including Studio Theatre

–

8.8

5.4

–

8.00
  1.  

Allied Cultural Activities

35.48

–

–

–

–
  1.  

Scheme for the Award of Fellowship to Outstanding Persons in the Field of Culture

59.40

66.00

121.80

118.80

84.00
  1.  

Scheme for Scholarships to Young Artistes in Different Cultural Fields

33.30

39.00

39.60

12.00

38.10
  1.  

Tagore National Fellowship for Cultural Research

17.13

3.60

30.10

–

33.60
  1.  

Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists

85.86

106.61

190.49

273.49

795.97

 

Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty

 India is hosting the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the first time. It takes place from 21 to 31 July 2024, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The World Heritage Committee meets annually and is responsible for managing all matters on World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.

The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2024 will examine 27 nominations from around the world, including 19 Cultural, 4 Natural, 2 Mixed sites and 2 Significant modifications to the boundaries. Out of which, India’s Moidams – The Mound – Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty is set to be examined under the category of Cultural Property.

Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty

  

The Tai-Ahom clan, migrating from China, established their capital in various parts of the Brahmaputra River Valley from the 12th to the 18th century CE. One of the most revered sites among them was Choraideo, where the Tai-Ahoms established their first capital under Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha at the foothills of the Patkai hills. This sacred site, known as Che-rai-doi or Che-tam-doi, was consecrated with rituals that reflected the deep spiritual beliefs of the Tai-Ahoms. Over centuries, Choraideo retained its significance as a burial ground where the departed souls of the Tai-Ahom royals transcended into the afterlife.

Historical Context

The Tai-Ahom people believed their kings were divine, leading to the establishment of a unique funerary tradition: the construction of Moidams, or vaulted mounds, for royal burials. This tradition spanned 600 years, marked by the use of various materials and architectural techniques evolving over time. Initially using wood, and later stone and burnt bricks, the construction of Moidams was a meticulous process detailed in the Changrung Phukan, a canonical text of the Ahoms. Rituals accompanying royal cremations were conducted with great grandeur, reflecting the hierarchical structure of Tai-Ahom society.

Excavation shows that each vaulted chamber has a centrally raised platform where the body was laid. Several objects used by the deceased during his life, like royal insignia, objects made in wood or ivory or iron, gold pendants, ceramic ware, weapons, clothes to the extent of human beings (only from the Luk-kha-khun clan) were buried with their king.

   

Architectural Features

Moidams are characterized by vaulted chambers, often double-storied, accessed through arched passages. The chambers housed centrally raised platforms where the deceased were laid to rest along with their royal insignia, weapons, and personal belongings. The construction of these mounds involved layers of bricks, earth, and vegetation, transforming the landscape into undulating hillocks reminiscent of celestial mountains.

Cultural Significance

The continuity of the Moidam tradition at Choraideo underscores its Outstanding Universal Value under UNESCO criteria. This funerary landscape not only reflects Tai-Ahom beliefs about life, death, and the afterlife but also served as a testament to their cultural identity amidst shifts towards Buddhism and Hinduism among the population. The concentration of Moidams at Choraideo distinguishes it as the largest and most significant cluster, preserving the grand royal burial practices unique to the Tai-Ahoms.

Conservation Efforts

Despite challenges such as vandalism by treasure seekers in the early 20th century, concerted efforts by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Assam State Department of Archaeology have restored and preserved the integrity of Choraideo. Protected under national and state laws, the site continues to be managed to safeguard its structural and cultural authenticity.

 

Comparisons with Similar Properties

The Moidams of Choraideo can be compared to royal tombs in ancient China and the pyramids of Egyptian pharaohs, illustrating universal themes of honoring and preserving royal lineage through monumental architecture. Within the broader Tai-Ahom cultural region spanning parts of Southeast Asia and Northeast India, Choraideo stands out for its scale, concentration, and spiritual significance.

Choraideo at the foothills of the Patkai range remains a profound symbol of Tai-Ahom heritage, encapsulating their beliefs, rituals, and architectural prowess. As a landscape shaped by centuries of royal burials, it continues to inspire awe and reverence, offering insights into the cultural evolution and spiritual worldview of the Tai-Ahoms. Preserved through careful conservation efforts, Choraideo stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Tai-Ahom civilization in the Brahmaputra River Valley. In conclusion, the Moidams of Choraideo not only embody architectural and cultural significance but also serve as a poignant reminder of the Tai-Ahom people’s deep spiritual connection to their land and their departed kings.

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References

Self-Reliant India, Eco-Friendly Future

 India is effectively managing the delicate balance between increasing its coal mining output and strategically phasing down the polluting processes associated with coal mining. This approach aims to boost energy production while mitigating environmental impacts.

Chhattisgarh-based Coal India subsidiary Southeastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Gevra and Kusmunda coal mines have secured the 2nd and 4th spot in the list of the worlds 10 largest coal mines released by WorldAtlas.com.

These two mines, each producing over 100 million tons of coal annually and accounting for around 10% of India’s total coal production, utilize some of the world’s largest and most advanced mining machines. Notably, they employ the “Surface Miner,” a cutting-edge technology that extracts and processes coal without blasting, promoting eco-friendly mining operations.

Coal Mining a Big Booster for Economic Growth

Through ongoing investment and a strong focus on modern technologies, India’s coal production reached 893.19 million tonnes in 2022-23. For 2023-24, production increased to 997.25 million tonnes, achieving an 11.65% growth. It is anticipated through comprehensive studies that coal demand in 2030 will likely reach 1462 MT and 1755 MT by 2047.

Coal mining sector has proved to be a big booster for economic growth of the coal producing States in the Country. State Governments are entitled to receive 14% of Royalty on sale price of coal. In case of captive/ commercial mines State Government are also entitled to receive the revenue share offered by the auction holder in transparent bidding process.

Apart from this, State Governments also benefit from increased employment, land compensation, increased investment in allied infrastructure like railways, roads and several other economic benefits.

The focus of the Central Government for enhancing coal production to meet the growing economy has directly helped the State Govts in realisation of additional revenue, which in turn has infused capital expenditure in the coal producing regions thereby bringing in development, both in infrastructure and social sector.

SUSTAINABILITY IN COAL MINES

The mining industry has long been associated with significant environmental degradation and resource depletion. However, in recent years, the concept of green mining has emerged as a beacon of hope for a sustainable future

Green Mining Led to a Sustainable Future

Green mining refers to the implementation of eco-friendly practices and technologies in the mining industry to reduce its environmental impact. It involves using renewable energy sources, recycling mine waste, minimizing water consumption, and employing sustainable extraction techniques.

The goal of adopting green mining is to mitigate the industry’s carbon footprint and promote responsible mining. To achieve environmental sustainability, the following is a brief explanation of the environmental protection measures being adopted by coal/lignite PSUs in coal mining areas

1. Air Quality Management

Effective air quality management in coal mines is essential for safeguarding the health of workers, protecting the environment, and ensuring sustainable mining operations. Coal mining activities often generate dust and emissions that can impact air quality both within the mine and in surrounding areas.

Implementing robust air quality management practices helps mitigate these impacts by controlling dust levels, monitoring emissions, and employing technologies to minimize pollution.

Wet drilling is used to reduce dust generation. Dust suppression systems are also included with drill machines. Surface miners and BWEs are being used more frequently, which reduces the need for drilling and blasting and, thus, the pollution load. Vehicles get routine maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.

Fig. Mist Gun operation to control dust

Fig. PM 10 Analyser in CCL

Fig. Surface Miner with water jets, Gevra OCP, SECL

Fig. Mobile sprinklers in operation for suppression of dust

 

         2. Mine Closure, Bio-reclamation & Land Use Management

Mine closure, bio-reclamation, and land use management are critical components of responsible coal mining practices aimed at minimizing environmental impacts and promoting sustainable land use. When a coal mine reaches the end of its operational life, a systematic approach to closure ensures that the site is safely and effectively rehabilitated.

Bio-reclamation involves restoring the ecological balance by reintroducing native flora and fauna, while land use management focuses on repurposing the land for beneficial uses, such as agriculture or recreational areas. Together, these practices help mitigate the environmental footprint of mining activities, support ecosystem recovery, and enhance the long-term usability of former mining sites.

 

 

 

Economic Significance of the Coal Sector Extends Beyond Energy Production

Single largest contributor to Railway Freight: Coal stands as the single largest contributor to railway freight, with an average share of nearly 49% of total freight income amounting to Rs. 82,275 Crore in the fiscal year 2022-23 alone. This revenue contribution has surpassed 33% of total railway earnings, showcasing the sector’s substantial influence on India’s transportation network.

Government Revenue: The coal sector contributes over Rs. 70,000 Crore annually to the central and state governments through royalties, GST, and other levies. These funds play a crucial role in fostering socio-economic development and infrastructure enhancement in coal-producing regions. Coal production generates substantial revenue for both Central and State Governments, with royalty collections reaching Rs. 23,184.86 Crore in the fiscal year 2022-23.

Employment: The coal sector provides enormous employment opportunities, particularly in coal-producing districts of Eastern States. With over 239,210 employees in Coal India Ltd and its subsidiaries, supplemented by contractual workers and outsourcing engagements, the sector sustains livelihoods for thousands of families. Additionally, over 65,000 contractual workers are engaged in mining operations with CIL and 37,000 workers are engaged through outsourcing for security, driver and housekeeping.  With an average 24,000 trucks are engaged in coal transportation supporting 50,000 people and 30000, workers are engaged in captive/commercial coal mining companies contributing to job creation.

Dividend Payments: Coal India Ltd consistently contributes substantial dividends to the Central Government and has paid an average of Rs. 6,487 Crore annually over the past five years. The FY 2022-23 has seen a significant dividend payment of Rs. 9,475.85 Crore, highlighting the sector’s financial stability and contribution to government revenues.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Coal sector PSUs prioritize CSR initiatives, with an average annual expenditure of Rs. 608 Crore over the past five years. Notably, Coal India Ltd alone has allocated an average of Rs. 517 Crore annually for CSR activities. Over 90% of the expenditure has been incurred on, socio- economic development focusing on healthcare, education, water supply and skill development in coal-producing regions.

Capital Expenditure: Substantial investments in capital expenditure, averaging Rs. 18,255 Crore annually over the past five years, have facilitated infrastructure development and resource optimization within coal sector PSUs. This capital infusion stimulates economic growth and fosters a conducive environment for sustainable development.

As India continues its trajectory of growth and development, the coal sector remains a cornerstone of the nation’s progress, driving economic prosperity, employment generation, and social well-being.

Conclusion

India’s approach to balancing increased coal mining output with a strategic phase-down of pollution reflects a commitment to both economic growth and environmental stewardship. By enhancing coal production to meet rising energy demands while simultaneously implementing measures to reduce pollution, India is working towards a more sustainable and responsible mining industry. This dual focus on maximizing output and minimizing environmental impact demonstrates a forward-thinking strategy that aims to support economic development, improve air quality, and contribute to long-term sustainability in the coal sector.

References:

pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1941340

chap7AnnualReport2023en.pdf (coal.nic.in)

Sustainable Development for Coal Sector (pib.gov.in)

pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2009196

chap7AnnualReport2023en.pdf (coal.nic.in)

Press Information Bureau (pib.gov.in)

Click here to see in PDF

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Placing of the Budget by a third term government is being seen as a glorious event by the nation

 The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave a statement to the media before the start of the Budget Session.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister reiterated the pride in the fact that after a gap of 60 years a government has come for the third consecutive year. Placing of the Budget by a third term government is being seen by the nation as a glorious event, said the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said that the Budget is a milestone budget of the Amrit Kaal and the government is working to realize the guarantees given over a period on the ground. “This Budget will set the direction of the next five years of the current government and will lay a strong foundation for the dream of Viksit Bharat by 2047”, he added. 

He highlighted that India is the fastest growing country among the major economies with about 8 percent growth in the last three consecutive years. Today, opportunities are at the peak due to positive outlook, investment and performance, he said. 

Noting that all the battles have now been fought among political parties and that the citizens have elected the government after the conclusion of the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister urged all Members of Parliament to come together and fight for the country for the next 5 years. He also urged all political parties to rise up above their organizations and commit to the nation by making use of  the dignified platform of the Parliament for the next four and a half years. “Go to the battlefields of election in January 2029. Till then, the only priority should be the country, its poor, farmers, women and the youth”, he exhorted. He added that no stone will be left unturned to realize the dreams and resolutions of a Viksit Bharat in 2047.  

The Prime Minister lamented that due to the negative approach of some political parties, many Parliamentarians could not get any opportunity to put forward their views and the issues pertaining to their constituencies. He appealed to all the parties to give opportunities to all members, especially the first time members, to present their views. Shri Modi reminded the people about the efforts to muzzle the elected government and the Prime Minister’s speech in the Parliament. “This has no place in democratic traditions’, PM Modi asserted.  

The Prime Minister reminded the Parliamentarians that the people of the country have given their mandate to serve the county and not the agendas of political parties.“This House is not meant for political parties, this House is meant for the country. It is not meant to serve the Parliamentarians but 140 crore citizens of India”, he emphasized. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed the belief that all Members of Parliament will contribute towards fruitful discussions. He added that the country requires positive views that take it forward. “Views that oppose are not bad, instead it is negative views that hamper development”, he added, concluding with confidence that this temple of democracy will be used to fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the common citizens. 

 

 

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DS/TS

Top Tourist Places in Bhopal

Here are the top tourist locations in and around Bhopal 
– Upper Lake (Bhojtal): A beautiful man-made lake built in the 11th century to cure skin diseases.
– Van Vihar: A zoological space adjacent to the Upper Lake in Bhopal, near Shymala Hills.
– IGRMS (Museum of Humankind): A museum that depicts the evolution of man and humankind.
– Lower Lake (Chhota Talaab): The Lower Lake is separated from the Upper Lake by an over bridge called Pul Pukhta or Lower Lake Bridge.
– Bhimbetka: A world heritage site housing one of the oldest cave paintings in the world.
– Gohar Begum’s Building: A beautiful structure built in 1820 by the first woman ruler of Bhopal.
– Birla Museum: A museum that perfectly preserves the remnants of Madhya Pradesh’s glorious pre-historic era.
– Shaukat Mahal: A building with a blend of Indo-Islamic and European styles of architecture.
– Jama Masjid: A mosque with a beautiful shrine and two tall minarets, boasting of classic Islamic architecture.
– Moti Masjid: A mosque built in the year 1860 by Sikander Begum with impressive architectural design.

National Youth Awardees and National Service Scheme Awardees

 Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya held an insightful interaction with the National Youth Awardees and National Service Scheme (NSS) Awardees in New Delhi today. The session aimed to celebrate the achievements of these young leaders and discuss strategies to enhance the MY Bharat platform, ensuring it becomes more accessible and beneficial to the youth of India.

Dr. Mandaviya commenced the interaction by acknowledging the extraordinary contributions of the awardees, who hail from different States across India and have made significant impacts in diverse areas such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Climate Change, Urban Planning, Youth Empowerment, Drug Abuse prevention, among others. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and nurturing young talent to build a robust future for the nation.

Addressing the participants, Dr, Mandaviya said, “The youth of India are our future decision-makers, and I am excited about our collective journey towards empowering them”.

A significant part of the discussion focused on innovative and collaborative ideas for constructive youth engagement on the MY Bharat platform. Dr. Mandaviya invited suggestions from the awardees on how to make the platform more interactive, informative, and engaging. The awardees proposed ideas such as incorporating more digital tools, making it a one stop solution for all youth-related initiatives, and creating mentorship and internship programs to guide aspiring young leaders.

Dr. Mandaviya encouraged continuous dialogue between the youth and the Ministry to ensure that the needs and aspirations of young Indians are adequately addressed.

Dr. Mandaviya reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering the youth through various schemes and programs. The interaction concluded with a collective vision to make the MY Bharat platform a cornerstone for youth engagement and development. Dr. Mandaviya expressed his optimism about the future and his belief in the transformative power of the youth in driving India towards progress and innovation.

The interaction was also attended by Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs and senior officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

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Schemes and key Initiatives under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the next 100 days

 In a daylong meeting in New Delhi today, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Jual Oram and Minister of State, Shri Durgadas Uikey reviewed the progress of schemes and strategized on key initiatives of the Ministry for the next 100 days.

The meeting commenced with a comprehensive presentation on the Ministry’s schemes and initiatives, followed by an overview of the budget.

Key schemes and initiatives discussed in the meeting were:

  • Scholarships schemes for tribal students
  • Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha AbhiyaN (PM-JANMAN)
  • Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)
  • Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
  • Livelihood Schemes
  • Grants under Proviso to Article 275 (1) of the Constitution
  • Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs)
  • Support to voluntary organisations (NGOs)
  • Major initiatives taken in the health sector, and
  • Other ancillary matters handled by various divisions of the Ministry

Shri Oram emphasised the importance of these initiatives in fostering an inclusive and equitable society. Shri Uikey echoed these sentiments, highlighting the collaborative efforts needed to drive these initiatives forward. Secretary (Tribal Affairs), Sh. Vibhu Nayar,  along with senior officers, provided valuable insights and detailed plans to ensure timely and effective implementation.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous commitment of the Ministry to work tirelessly for the outlined goals for empowering tribal community.

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‘Healthcare Summit’; emphasises use of latest technology for accessible, affordable healthcare

Addressing the 2nd “Healthcare Summit” of “American Chamber of India” (AMCHAM) at Hotel Taj here, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised the use of latest technology  for accessible, affordable healthcare. 

The Minister also described  India among the top 6 Bio-manufacturers of the world with one of the most cost-effective and efficacy-based Bio-manufacturing as well as cost-effective healthcare destination.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said in his opening remarks, “I would like to extend my gratitude to AMCHAM for organizing this pivotal healthcare summit and inviting me to articulate the Government’s vision for healthcare in India.” He expressed his happiness at being a part of the fraternity gathering and discussing the subject of health, which is his area of interest.

Incidentally, the Minister is  himself a renowned endocrinologist with a three-decade long career in medicine. He pressed on the new burden of metabolic disorders and the challenges it posed with a wide spectrum of diseases and an increased life span bringing novel diseases.

The Minister appreciated the theme of the summit, i.e., ‘Accelerating Innovative and Accessible Healthcare: Technology Transformation.’ He said the theme is quite relevant to India’s contemporary health issues and government efforts to ensure affordable healthcare f toor all.

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that summits of this nature are instrumental in convening key stakeholders-healthcare professionals, technology experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to deliberate on fortifying the U.S.-India partnership in healthcare.

Speaking on the transformation in healthcare brought about in recent times, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision for a healthy India with the elimination of communicable diseases and reduction in non-communicable diseases, developing health indices and making steady progress.” He said, “India carried out the world’s largest vaccination drive in COVID pandemic; this reaffirms that Modi Govt. 3.0 firmly believes that accessible healthcare is a right for every citizen.

“Gone are the days when people used to visit other developed nations to access medical facilities; now India has become a hub and is the most sought-after destination for medical tourism and among the frontline nations in preventive healthcare.” According to the Science and Technology Minister, in the last decade, healthcare has been a priority sector for the government. He recalled the achievements such as the Ayushman Card which ensured cashless medical treatment to the citizens. The Digital healthcare mission, PM Jan Aaushadi and its integration with other medical streams such as Ayush.

Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that technology plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to healthcare. Technology is revolutionizing the healthcare sector, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools can significantly enhance our capabilities by leveraging technology, we can enhance efficiency, reduce wait times, and improve overall healthcare delivery. Sharing his experience with Telemedicine, the minister shared how it has transformed healthcare and made services accessible even to the remotest villages in Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the increased cooperation in the public and private sectors. It is important to understand that public health is not just the responsibility of the government; private participation is equally important and we as a society as a whole have to take steps in the right direction. The Minister said opening up of the Space sector had ushered a private investment of more than Rs 1,000 crore within a few months and boosted the Startup numbers from one startup in 2022 to 200 plus startups currently and having global capacity.

The Minister also recalled the efforts of the Department of Biotechnology and their achievements for fostering research and development in translational health sciences. He said the Bio- manufacturing and bio-foundry has grown 10 times from $13 billion in 2014 to $130 billion in 2024.

Highlighting the vitality of the pharmaceutical sector the minister said, “India supplies four out of every ten prescriptions filled in the U.S, highlighting our pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities.” Going further he highlighted that partnership between India and the United States is critical.

Ms. Ranjana Khanna Director General, CEO AMCHAM; Mr Som Satsangi, Chairman, AMCHAM & Sr Vice President and MD, India Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India; Mr. Madan Krishnan, Vice President and Managing Director India Subcontinent, Boston Scientific and Mr Chaitanya Sarawate, Managing Director Wipro GE Healthcare also participated in the Summit.

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A High-Level Brainstorming Session on Avian Influenza Under One Health Approach

 The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying convened a high-level brainstorming session on Avian Influenza, focusing on surveillance and vaccination under the One Health approach. The session took place at Krishi Bhawan on yesterday and was chaired by Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying Ms. Alka Upadhyaya. The event was attended by a diverse group of officers and experts.

Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), set the context of the One Health Mission. Participants included senior experts from ICMR Headquarters, ICMR-NIV Pune, CSIR-Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology (CCMB), the National Centre for Disease Control, ICAR-NIHSAD Bhopal, ICAR-NIVEDI Bangalore, and representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Biotechnology, DM Cell, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD).

The poultry sector in India plays a crucial role in food security by providing a reliable source of high-quality protein. It significantly contributes to nutritional security and supports livelihoods, particularly in rural areas. The sector, which has grown steadily at a rate of 7-10% over the past decade, also boosts trade and exports, contributing to the country’s economic growth. However, recurrent Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks hinder its potential and impact exports.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 subtype virus is evolving biologically and expanding geographically, with the emergence of well-established genetic lineages. The recent HPAI outbreak in dairy cattle in the USA, with spill over to other mammals, underscores the pandemic potential of HPAI. Addressing this threat requires the One Health approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health with enhanced coordination and comprehensive strategies. The session featured comprehensive presentations from the Human Health, Animal Husbandry, and Wildlife sectors, highlighting current surveillance protocols and response mechanisms for Avian Influenza outbreaks. The need for enhanced environmental surveillance and updating existing protocols was emphasized.

Experts concurred on the necessity of proactive One Health Coordination to prepare for exotic and emergent zoonotic diseases like Avian Influenza. Discussions focused on strengthening surveillance at the interface areas between humans, animals, and wildlife, augmenting active surveillance, and deploying cross-sectoral Joint Response Teams (RRTs).

The Influenza A/H5 virus is spreading through poultry and wild birds along well-defined migratory routes. Given India’s position along the migratory bird flyway, developing an effective strategy for migratory bird surveillance at water bodies during the winter season is emphasized for early warnings and disease control. Special emphasis is placed on developing SOPs for environmental surveillance using low-cost methods at sites like wet markets, water bodies, wastewater, slaughterhouses, and poultry farms. Following the lead from wastewater screening for COVID and polio virus, CCMB, ICMR, and NIV have initiated research in this area, yielding significant and promising results.

The globally available HPAI vaccines typically neither provide sterile immunity nor are 100% effective against all strains. vaccines offer partial immunity, reducing disease severity and viral shedding but not entirely preventing infection. Vaccinated birds can still carry and transmit the virus without exhibiting symptoms, complicating surveillance and outbreak detection. This partial immunity can lead to the emergence of vaccine-resistant strains. Considering these scenarios and the difficulties in ensuring stringent biosecurity and movement restrictions, particularly in the backyard poultry sectors, experts advocate continuing the present strategy of surveillance and culling with no vaccination. However, the need for advanced research for vaccines for both humans and poultry birds is emphasized. ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal, which has already commercialized the vaccine technology against Low-Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI-H9N2), has taken a significant lead in developing an indigenous vaccine against HPAI. ICMR is also planning to initiate cell-culture-based vaccines against Avian flu for human use.

This brainstorming session marked a significant step towards a coordinated and comprehensive approach to managing Avian Influenza. By leveraging the One Health approach, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying aims to enhance surveillance, response mechanisms, and vaccine development, thereby mitigating the impact of Avian Influenza and similar zoonotic diseases.

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Regulation of Drugs, Cosmetics and Medical Devices

 “For India to become the global leader in drugs regulation to match our global reputation of ‘Pharmacy of the World’, we need to have world class regulatory framework matching our scale of operations and international expectations”. This was stated by Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda, as he reviewed the regulation of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices, here today. Union Health Secretary Shri Apurva Chandra, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi and senior officers of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and Union Health Ministry were present at the high level review meeting.

Highlighting the global position of India as the leading producer and exporter of drugs, Shri J P Nadda stressed on CDSCO to draw a roadmap with timelines of achieving global standards in its mandated activities. He stated that the upscaling needs to be systems-based focusing on highest standards of uniformity, technical upgradation and futuristic approach. For export of drugs and pharmaceuticals, the system should be designed for proper intervention to maintain the quality of drugs being exported, he emphasized.

Shri Nadda underscored the importance of transparency in the working of CDSCO. He stated that “In order to achieve global standards, our focus needs to be on transparency of procedures at CDCSO and within the drugs and medical devices industry”. Both the Drugs Regulatory body and the industry should work on highest principles of transparency to ensure that the products manufactured and sold by India meet the highest indices of global quality standards, he said.

The Union Health Minister stated that it is important for CDSCO to be in continuous dialogue with the drugs and medical devices industry to understand their issues and support them to fulfill the quality expectations and standards of CDSCO. “Our focus should be on developing mechanisms that ensure easy of doing business for the drugs industry within the regulatory requirements. For this, CDSCO needs to be a user-friendly organization with state-of-the-art facilities matching global standards”, he stated.    

On the topic of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in drugs manufacturing and the issues faced by the small scale industries to meet quality standards, the Union Health Minister “Let us understand the issues faced by MSME sector and support them to strengthen their capacity and quality of products on the one hand, and encourage them to meet the regulatory requirements on the other.”

Shri Nadda was briefed about the mandated activities of CDSCO, its achievements, future plans and various issues and challenges faced by CDSCO. The Minister was also updated on the progress of the Scheme for strengthening state drug regulatory system with a budget of Rs.850 crores which was launched in 2016 during his earlier tenure.

The Union Minister was briefed on the roles and responsibilities of the central and state drugs regulatory bodies, and some of the challenges faced in alignment between them. Noting that the States are integral part of our regulatory value chain, Shri Nadda underscored the importance of working in tandem with the States so as to enhance their skills and capacities, and also encourage them to align with quality standards of the Central Government. “This is especially important in view of upgradation of Good Manufacturing Practices to global level embarked upon by CDSCO”, he added.

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Lakshadweep, Daman Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli

 Administrator of Lakshadweep, Daman Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Sh Praful Patel called on Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh here today to express gratification for initiatives such as installing world’s first of its kind “Desalination Plant” for drinking water by National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai under the aegis of Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Sh Patel thanked Minister Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh for the World’s first Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant which has brought huge relief by providing clean drinking water to people of the Union Territory. Total 9 Desalination plants are approved of which are 7 operational and one more will be operationalized in the coming weeks. The capacity of each of these LTTD units is around 1 Lakh litre of potable water per day which will be increased to 1.5 lakh litres per day in the coming time.

 The LTTD technology uses the naturally available temperature difference in oceans, evaporating the surface water at low pressure and condensing the resultant vapour with deep sea cold water at 12oC, obtained from about 400 m depth. The technology is indigenous, environmentally friendly and easy to operate. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union government for approving Two Airports.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said “Two airports will prove to be a boon for Eco-tourism and development in Lakshadweep.” He highlighted the development journey since 2014 of the Union Territory and reforms brought in schools, colleges and other social sectors such as Hospitals and Local self Governing bodies.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh informed Sh Praful Patel that two re-mineralization plants are being made operational which will add the essential salts evaporated during the desalination process. Other desalination units/plants will also be provided with similar re-mineralization facility in course of time, he added.

Dr. Jitendra Singh shared that a team of doctors from SRM Institute, based on local health records 6 months before and after installation of Kavaratti plant observed that the incidence of water borne diseases reduced by 90% (200 to 8) highlighting the health benefits and impact of provision of potable water. He also assured that these indigenous technological developments will prove to be a landmark and increased the pace of development and promote tourism in the Union Territory.

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted Prime Minister’s vision for the development of Lakshadweep and said “In the coming years It will become a major hub for Domestic as well as international tourists generating employment and boosting economy. He also informed Sh Patel that almost all the Ministries under Dr. Jitendra Singh are working in tandem to bring more projects and development to the region. On the sidelines both discussed various developmental activities and projects in the UT. 

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DG India Index 2023-24

 

  • Significant progress in goals on eliminating poverty, providing decent work, economic growth, climate action and life on land.
  • Targeted interventions by the Government such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, Swachh Bharat, Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY, Ayushman Arogya  Mandir, PM-Mudra Yojana, Saubhgaya, Start-up India etc. had impact and led to rapid improvement.
  • All States have shown an improvement in overall score
  • Overall SDG score for the country is 71 for 2023-24, significant improvement from 66 in 2020-21 and 57 in 2018 (Baseline report).
  • Scores for States range from 57 to 79 in 2023-24, marking a substantial improvement from  the  year  2018  range  of  42  to  69.
  • Significant  progress  in Goals 1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate  Action) and 15 (Life  on  Land)
  • Goal 13 (Climate Action) records highest increase in score from 54 in 2020-21 to 67 in 2023-24 followed by Goal 1 (No Poverty) from 60 to 72
  • A graph showing the number of the country's scoreDescription automatically generated32 States and UTs in the front-runner category with 10 new entrants -Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

 

  • Between 2018 and 2023-24, fastest moving States are Uttar Pradesh (increase in score by 25), followed by J&K (21), Uttarakhand (19), Sikkim (18), Haryana (17), Assam, Tripura and Punjab (16 each), Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (15 each)

 

SDG India Index 2023-24, the fourth edition of the country’s principal tool for measuring national and subnational progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) was released today by NITI Aayog. The Index was launched by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog in the presence of Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog; Shri Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India; Dr. Yogesh Suri, Senior Advisr, NITI Aayog and Ms. Isabelle Tschan Harada, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP.

 

  

 

SDG India Index 2023-24 measures and tracks national progress of all States and UTs on 113 indicators aligned to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s (MoSPI) National Indicator Framework (NIF). The SDG India Index computes goal-wise scores on the 16 SDGs for each State and UT. Overall State and UT scores or Composite Scores are generated from goal-wise scores to measure the aggregate performance of the sub-national unit based on its performance across the 16 SDGs. These scores range between 0–100, and if a State/UT achieves a score of 100, it signifies it has achieved the targets. The higher the score of a State/UT, the greater the distance covered to the target.

India’s commitment to the SDGs since adopting the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development is reflected in concerted efforts on SDG localisation spearheaded by NITI Aayog, which works closely with States and UTs. NITI Aayog has the twin mandate to oversee the adoption and monitoring of the SDGs in the country and promote competitive and cooperative federalism among States and UTs. Together with States and UTs, NITI Aayog has focused on the institutionalisation of the SDGs – not only to look at sustainable development as a standalone or parallel framework, but also to make them an integral part of national and subnational thinking about development through institutional ownership, collaborative competition, capacity development, and following a whole-of- society approach.

The launch of the SDG India Index in 2018 provided the impetus for the localisation push, reaffirming States and UTs as key stakeholders in this transformative journey. The SDG India Index has been consistently improved over the years to provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of progress on the goals. By fostering collaborative competition, the Index not only highlights achievements, but also encourages States and UTs to learn from each other to close outcome-based gaps. Grounded in the globally accepted SDSN methodology, the development of the Index followed extensive consultations with the States and UTs (the primary stakeholders); MoSPI; Union Ministries; and UN agencies. The Index represents the articulation of the comprehensive nature of the Global Goals under the 2030 Agenda while being attuned to the national priorities.

 

Key highlights and results from the fourth edition of the SDG India Index:

  • The composite score for India improved from 57 in 2018 to 66 in 2020-21 to further to 71 in 2023-24

 

  • India has taken significant strides in accelerating progress on the SDGs between the 2020-21 and 2023-24 editions of the Index. Noteworthy advancements have been A graph showing the number of the country's scoreDescription automatically generatedobserved in Goals 1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate Action). These are now in the ‘Front Runner’ category (a score between 65–99).

 

  • Among these, Goal 13 (Climate Action) has shown the most substantial improvement, with its score increasing from 54 to 67. Goal 1 (No Poverty) follows closely, with its score rising significantly from 60 to 72. The progress underscores the effects of the focused programmatic interventions and schemes of the Union and State Governments in improving the lives of citizens.

 

  • Since 2018, India has witnessed substantial progress in several key SDGs. Significant progress has been made in Goals 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

 

  • Government’s focus on ensuring food & nutrition security, health, education, electrification, housing for all, sanitation, clean cooking fuel & energy has significantly contributed to the improvements. 

 

  • Key interventions facilitating SDG achievements include:
    • Over 4 crore houses under the PM Awas Yojana (PMAY),
    • 11 crore Toilets & 2.23 lakh Community Sanitary Complexes in rural areas
    • 10 crore LPG connections under PM Ujjwala Yojana,
    • Tap water connections in over 14.9 crore households under  Jal Jeevan Mission
    • Over 30 crore beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
    • Coverage of over 80 crore people under the National Food Security Act (NFSA)
    • Access to 150,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandir which offer primary medical care and provide affordable generic medicines
    • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of ₹34 lakh crore made through PM-Jan Dhan accounts.
    • The Skill India Mission has led to over 1.4 crore youth being trained and upskilled and has reskilled 54 lakh youth
    • PM Mudra Yojana sanctioned 43 crore loans aggregating to ₹22.5 lakh crore for entrepreneurial aspirations of the youth besides Funds of Funds
    • Start Up India and Start Up Guarantee schemes assisting the youth
    • The Saubhagya scheme for access to electricity
    • Emphasis on renewable energy resulted in an increase in solar power capacity from 2.82 GW to 73.32 GW in the past decade.
    • Between 2017 and 2023, India has added around 100 GW of installed electric capacity, of which around 80% is attributed to non-fossil fuel-based resource.
    • Improvement in digital infrastructure with reduced internet data costs by 97% which has in turn positively affected and fostered financial inclusion

State and UT results

  • The SDG India Index 2023-24 reports a positive trend in the performance of States and UTs in their SDG journey. The scores for States now range from 57 to 79, while UTs score between 65 and 77. This represents an improvement over the 2020-21 scores, where the range was 52 to 75 for States and 62 to 79 for UTs.

 

 The performance of State and UTs in terms of their overall score is given below:

 

  • The Index records a significant increase in the number of States and UTs achieving Front Runner status. This year, 32 States/UTs have scored between 65 and 99, up from 22 in the 2020-21 edition. Notably, there are 10 new States and UTs in the Front Runner category. These include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

 

  • The SDG India Index 2023-24 demonstrates the increase in composite scores across all States, with improvements ranging from 1 to 8 points. Leading the way in terms of score improvement are Assam, Manipur, Punjab, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir, each achieving a positive change of 8 points since the 2020-21 edition.

 

  • Progress on the SDGs over the last four editions of the Index:

 

 

  • Index methodology:
    • The methodology of the Index involves a series of steps. The first step consists of compiling raw data for the selected indicators and identifying data gaps (if any). Subsequently, target values for 2030 are established for each indicator, providing clear benchmarks for evaluating progress. The raw data is then normalised, transforming it into a score ranging from 0 to 100. The Goal score for each SDG is computed by taking the arithmetic mean of the normalized scores of its relevant indicators. The composite SDG India Index score is derived as an average of all Goal scores. The index and indicators are updated incorporating the latest developments in data availability.
    • Goal 14 has not been included in the calculation of the Composite Score for the Index as it solely pertains to the nine coastal States.

 

  • The SDG India Index 2023–24 is also live on an online dashboard. The dashboard provides user friendly visualizations to identify crucial development outcome based gaps at the national and subnational levels.

 

  • NITI Aayog has the mandate for coordinating the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national levels.           

 

  • The results demonstrated in the Index are not only significant at the national and subnational levels, but have the potential to inform other countries in their pursuit of accelerating progress on the SDGs. This is due to the sheer scale of transformation brought forth through focused interventions and schemes in India which provide valuable lessons for the rest of the world.

 

  • NITI Aayog is committed to supporting all the States and UTs in the localisation and acceleration of SDGs, an important barometer to measure progress towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The SDG India Index stands as a key milestone for measuring our progress and will help steer discussions, deliberations, and decisions in the journey ahead.

 

  • The Goal wise progress of states since the baseline is given in the Annexure.

 

Annexure

GOAL-WISE RESULTS

Goal 1 – No Poverty

 

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Goal-1 (No Poverty) improved by 12 points from 2020-21 (Index 3) to 2023-24 (Index 4), advancing from Performer to Front Runner category.

  • Multidimensional poverty nearly halved from 24.8% to 14.96% between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
  • Multidimensional poverty for 2022-23 further likely dropped to 11.28%, with 24.8 crore people moving out of multidimensional poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23.
  • 99.7% were offered employment of the persons demanding employment under MGNREGA in 2023–2024.
  • 95.4% households live in pucca/ semi-pucca houses as per NFHS-5 (2019-21).
  • 41% of households have at least one member covered under health insurance or health scheme as per NFHS-5 (2019-21), an improvement from 28.7% in NFHS -4 (2015-16).

 

Goal 2 – Zero Hunger

 

 

Improvement in overall composite score of Goal 2 moving from Aspirant category in SDG India Index 3 (2020-21) to Performer category in the SDG India Index 4 (2023-24)

  • 99.01% of beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
  • Improvement in productivity of rice and wheat from 2995.21 kg/ha in 2018-19 to 3052.25 kg/ha in TE 2021-22
  • Increase in Gross Value Added (GVA) (constant prices) in agriculture per worker from ₹ 0.71 lakhs in 2018-19 to ₹ 0.86 lakhs in 2022-23

 

Goal 3- Good Health and Well-being

 

 

  • Overall score improved substantially from 52 in 2018 to 77 in 2023-24
  • Maternal Mortality Rate per 1,00,000 live births stand at 97
  • Reduced under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) from 36 in 2016-18 to 32 in 2018-20. 
  • 93.23% children aged 9-11 months are fully immunized
  • 87.13% tuberculosis cases notified against target
  • 97.18% of total deliveries reported in health institutions

SDG 4 – Quality Education

 

  • Adjusted Net Enrolment Rate (ANER) for elementary education is 96.5% for 2021-22, up from 87.26% in 2018-19, with 14 States and UTs achieving 100%.
  • Pupil Teacher Ratio is 18 for 2021-22, thus achieving the target of 30. 
  • 88.65% of schools have access to both electricity and drinking water.
  • 100% parity between females and males in Higher Education (18-23 years)

 

Goal 5 – Gender Equality

 

 

  • Overall score improved significantly from 36 in 2018 to 49 in 203-24.
  • Sex ratio at birth (females per 1,000 males) stands at 929
  • Improved ratio of female to male earnings (regular waged salaried employees) from 0.74 in 2018-19 to 0.76 in 2022-23
  • Improved ratio of female to male Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) (15-59 years) from 0.33 in 2018-19 to 0.48 in 2022-23
  • 74.1% of married women have their demand for family planning met by any modern method as per NHFS -5.
  • 53.90% of women own a mobile phone that they themselves use (aged 15-59 years) as per NHFS -5.
  • 88.70% of married women participate in three household decisions as per NHFS -5.

 

SDG 6 -Clean Water and Sanitation

 

  • Significant improvement in score from 63 in 2018 to 89 in 2023-24
  • All individual household toilets have been constructed against target and all districts have verified to be ODF under SBM(G).
  • 99.29% of rural households have improved their source of drinking water. 
  • 94.7% of schools have functional toilets for girls.
  • Overexploitation in blocks/mandals/taluks has reduced from 17.24% in 2017 to 11.23% in 2022.

 

Goal 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy 

 

  • Highest score amongst all SDGs also significant improvement from 51 in 2018 to 96 in 2023-24
  • 100% households have access to electricity under Saubhagya Scheme.
  • Significant improvement in households have clean cooking fuel (LPG + PNG) connections from 92.02% (2020) to 96.35% (2024)

 

Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

  • 5.88% of annual growth rate of India’s GDP per capita at constant prices in 2022–2023
  • Reduction in unemployment rate (15-59 years) from 6.2% in 2018-19 to 3.40% in 2022-23
  • Increased Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) (%) (15-59 years) from 53.6% in 2018-19 to 61.60% in 2022-23
  • 95.70% of households have one member with a bank or post office account
  • 55.63% of accounts in Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) are held by women

 

SDG 9  – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

 

  • Improvement in score from 41 in 2018 to 61 in 2023-24
  • 99.70% of all targeted habitations are now connected with all-weather roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, an improvement from 47.38% in 2017-18.
  • 93.3% of households own atleast one mobile phone.
  • 95.08% of villages have 3G/4G mobile internet coverage.

 

Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities

 

 

  • 45.61% seats of Panchayati Raj Institutions held by women.
  • 28.57% representation of SC/ST persons in state legislative assemblies.

 

SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

  • Significant improvement in score from 39 in 2018 to 83 in 2023-24
  • Installed sewage treatment capacity as a percentage of sewage generated in urban areas has increased from 38.86% in 2018 to 51% in 2020-21. 
  • The percentage of municipal solid waste processed has increased from 68% in 2020 to 78.46% in 2024.
  • 97% of wards have 100% door to door waste collection.
  • 90% of wards have 100% source segregation under SBM (U).

 

Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

  • 91.5% of biomedical waste generated is treated in 2022.
  • 54.99% hazardous waste recycled/utilized of total hazardous waste generated in 2022-23– an increase compared to 44.89% in 2018-19.

 

Goal 13 – Climate Action

 

 

  • Drastic improvement of 13 points in overall composite score of Goal 13 from 54 (Performer category) in SDG India Index 3 (2020-21) to 67 (Front Runner category) in the SDG India Index 4 (2023-24)
  • Disaster preparedness score as per Disaster Resilience Index stands at 19.20
  • Improvement in electricity generation from renewable energy from 36.37% in 2020 to 43.28% in 2024
  • 94.86% of industries comply with environmental standards

 

Goal 15 – Life on Land

 

 

The score increased from 66 in Index 3 (2020-21) to 75 in Index 4 (2023-24). The number of States/UTs in Front Runner category increased from 17 in 2020-21 to 32 in 2023-24.

  • Nearly 25% geographical area under forests and tree cover – as per India State of Forest Report 2021.
  • 1.11% increase in carbon stock in forest cover – as per India State of Forest Report 2021.

 

Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

  • 95.5% of the population is under Aadhaar coverage as of March 2024.
  • 89% of births registered of children under five years as per NFHS-5 (2019-21)
  • 71.3% charge sheeting rate of IPC crimes as per NCRB 2022.

Report is available online (https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-07/SDA_INDIA.pdf)

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