1. Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP)- The Integrated Rural Development Program is one of the largest micro-enterprise programs in the world, having reached 50 million borrowers since its inception in 1979. It seeks to raise the incomes of the poor beneficiaries to a level above the poverty line by requiring the banks to extend loans to them for the purchase of assets, and by subsidizing 25 to 50 percent of the cost of the assets. It is centrally sponsored scheme being implemented on a 50:50 basis by the Centre and the States.
2. Rationale for Rural Works Program- The NSS rates of under-employment appear to be under estimates. The whole family may do a certain quantum of work in three days which would actually require only one day for a person, if he had some other productive work. Measurement of employment without prescribing standard work norm is quite hazardous. Secondly, withdrawals from labor force of those who are usually/currently in the labor force during daily or weekly count are not always voluntary due to lack of perception of employment opportunities.
3. Subsidizing the rich and taxing the poor- The total number of cane, bamboo and basket weavers in 1981 in the country was 6.2 lakhs, out of which 6.9 are in the rural areas. For instance, The Government of Orissa has decided to assign bamboo forests to paper industry, who has been appointed in 1993 contractors and sub-agents in several of the OFDC (The Orissa Forest Development Corporation). Similar arrangements exist in several states where bamboo is supplied at a subsidized rate to paper industry and denied to the artisans. In Gujarat the industry pays only 5% of the market rate for the bamboo. Despite discouragement to subsidy in the New Forest Policy, 1988 and the prescription in the new Policy that the needs of the Forest Dwellers will be first charge on the forest produce, the poor in central Indian States have to meet their demand for bamboo by stealing, while the industry gets subsidized bamboo and has the first charge.
4. Sale of land by SC/ST farmers- Section 42(B) of the Rajasthan Land Tenancy Act bans the sale of land owned by SC/ST farmers to farmers of other castes, and declares such transactions null and void. This creates a problem for those SC/ST families living close to a town who wish to sell their land at the open market price for a housing colony etc. They are thus deprived the opportunity of changing their profession and migrating to towns in favor of a better provision. Similar restrictions exist in many state laws.
5. India’s Commitment to remove Poverty at International Level and increase Urbanization-  All member countries of the United Nations are committed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty and then to achieve sustainable development for all in the times to come. India has also been able to progress significantly in its poverty eradication goals and may achieve the poverty reduction target in speedy manner under Global Investment in India

Hence, there is urgent need of employment generation and skill development for poverty alleviation, minimum 10 percent growth requirement to eradicate poverty in India. Make in India initiative can be really boastful in this regard.

• ARTICLE 14 of the Indian Constitution (Equality before Law)- The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.
• ARTICLE 15 of the Indian Constitution (Prohibition of Discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth) – The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place.

 of birth or any of them.(2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place or any one of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to-

• Access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment; or
• The use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to use of general public.

(vii) ARTICLE 38 of the Constitution of India (State to secure a social order for the welfare of the people) – [(1)] the state shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political shall inform all the institutions of the national life. [(2)] the state shall, in particular, strive to minimize the inequalities in income, and endeavor to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations.]

(viii) ARTICLE 39A of the Constitution of India (Equal justice and free legal aid) – The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.]

Aishwarya Says:

I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.

If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.

Do follow me on Facebook, Twitter  Youtube and Instagram.

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If you would also like to contribute to my website, then do share your articles or poems at adv.aishwaryasandeep@gmail.com

We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs