Sex Ratio

The Sex Ratio in the country has shown an improvement. As per the Census, sex ratio has increased from 933 females per thousand males in 2001 to 943 females per thousand males in 2011. State/UT-wise details of sex ratio are annexed.

The Government has been exhorting the States and UTs to pay utmost attention for effective implementation of theprovisions of the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994. Recently, on 18.05.2013, the Union Health Minister requested all the Chief Ministers of States and Lt. Governors/ Administrators of UTs, to ensure effective implementation of the provisions of the Act. The Union Health Secretary has also urged the Chief Secretaries and Secretaries (Health & FW) of all States/ UTs, to establish mechanism for monitoring and to take deterrent follow up action for effective implementation of the PC & PNDT Act. In response to these initiatives, State/UT Governments while reaffirming commitment towards strict compliance of the provisions of the Act, have taken a number of initiatives in this direction.

Government has provided funds to the States & UTs for implementation of the Act. Setting up of PNDT cells to monitor implementation of the Act, is one of the activities for which funds are provided to the States/UTs. Details of funds allocated/released and utilized for PNDT activities during each of the last three years are as under:-

Rs. in Lakh

Financial year	Allocation	Utilisation
2010-11	11417.44*	733.98
2011-12	1411.20	597.58
2012-13	1984.97	1078.84

* Allocation includes Innovations/Public Private Partnership/Non-Governmental Organisation of PC & PNDT.

Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy devising schemes, programmes and awareness generation/advocacy measures to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation.

The measures include the following:-

·   The Government has intensified effective implementation of the said Act and amended various provisions of the Rules relating to sealing, seizure and confiscation of unregistered machines and punishment against unregistered clinics. Regulation of use of portable ultrasound equipment only within the registered premises has been notified. Restriction on medical practitioners to conduct ultrasonography at maximum of two ultrasound facilities within a district has been placed. Registration fees have been enhanced. Rules have been amended to provide for advance intimation in change in employees, place, address or equipment.

·  The Central Supervisory Board (CSB) under the PNDT Act has been reconstituted and regular meetings are being held. The 21^st meeting of the CSB has recently been held on 23.07.2013.

·  The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has been requested to block sex selection advertisements on websites.

·  The National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) has been reconstituted and inspections of ultrasound diagnostic facilities have been intensified. Inspections have been carried out in many States including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

·  The Government is rendering financial support to the States and UTs for operationalisation of PNDT Cells, Capacity Building, Orientation & Sensitisation Workshop, Information, Education and Communication campaigns and for strengthening structures for the implementation of the Act under the National Rural Health Mission(NRHM).

·   States have been advised to focus on Districts/Blocks/Villages with low Child Sex Ratio to ascertain the causes, plan appropriate behaviour change communication campaigns and effectively implement provisions of the PC & PNDT Act.

·  Religious leaders, women achievers etc. are also being involved in the campaign against skewed child sex ratio and discrimination of the girl child.

  

Annexure

State/UT-wise details of sex ratio

Sl. No.	State/UTs	2001	2011
	India	933	943
1	Jammu & Kashmir	892	889
2	Himachal Pradesh	968	972
3	Punjab	876	895
4	Chandigarh	777	818
5	Uttarakhand	962	963
6	Haryana	861	879
7	Delhi	821	868
8	Rajasthan	921	928
9	Uttar Pradesh	898	912
10	Bihar	919	918
11	Sikkim	875	890
12	Arunachal Pradesh	893	938
13	Nagaland	900	931
14	Manipur	978	992
15	Mizoram	935	976
16	Tripura	948	960
17	Meghalaya	972	989
18	Assam	935	958
19	West Bengal	934	950
20	Jharkhand	941	949
21	Odisha	972	979
22	Chhattisgarh	989	991
23	Madhya Pradesh	919	931
24	Gujarat	920	919
25	Daman & Diu	710	618
26	Dadra & Nagar Haveli	812	774
27	Maharashtra	922	929
28	Andhra Pradesh	978	993
29	Karnataka	965	973
30	Goa	961	973
31	Lakshadweep	948	947
32	Kerala	1059	1084
33	Tamil Nadu	987	996
34	Puducherry	1001	1037
35	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	846	876

Aadhar e-KYC : Fast, Secure & Cost Effective

The Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI has developed the e-KYC (Electronic – Know Your Customer) service, which promises to substantially improve customer services in the near future.  The new offering,  e-KYC allows an Aadhar number-holder to authorize UIDAI to release his personal details to any service provider to allow instant activation of services like bank account, mobile connection etc. 

Towards paperless transaction

Know Your Customer or KYC is a mandatory process that most financial institutions and mobile companies need to complete in regards to all their customers. Aadhar card is already a valid KYC instrument, still the KYC process takes much longer time and involves documentation.   The e-KYC service being offered by UIDAI will  enable to electronically verify identity and address proof of the residents, which will cut down time required on many things like getting a new mobile connection, opening a Bank account or a trading account etc.

“Not only will this service streamline the process of on-boarding new customers but it will also simplify the process of linking existing customer accounts to their respective Aadhaar numbers in an easy, yet secure manner. The eKYC service will extend the power and convenience of Aadhaar KYC to paperless transactions. Using the eKYC service, residents can authorise the UIDAI to release their KYC data to a service provider,” says UIDAI Chairperson Nandan Nilekani.

The authorization for release of personal data can either be done in person – through biometric authentication or it can be done online using OTP (One Time Password).  Upon successful authentication and consent of the resident, the UIDAI will provide the resident’s name, address, date of birth, gender, photograph, mobile number (if available), and email address (if available) to the service provider electronically.

As the service is paperless and fully electronic, document management can be eliminated. Also, the KYC data being consent based, it can only be provided upon authorisation by the resident through Aadhaar authentication, thus protecting resident’s privacy.

This process will eliminate the requirement of lengthy paperwork and facilitate quicker transactions. It is expected that the e-KYC will enhance customer convenience and greatly increase business efficiency across sectors. That apart, e-KYC  will also eliminate document forgery and reduces the risk of identity misuse.

Both end-points of the data transfer are secured through the use of encryption and digital signature as per the Information Technology Act, 2000 making e-KYC document legally equivalent to paper documents. In addition, the use of encryption and digital signature ensures that no unauthorized parties in the middle can tamper or steal the data. The Ministry of Finance, has already recognized e-KYC as a valid document for all financial services under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PML) Rules.

e-KYC is not only beneficial to consumers, but also to service providers because they do not have to store any kind of photo copies. Everything is centralized and stored digitally helping them save on paper costs. Since the entire data is machine readable, it is possible for the service provider to directly store it as the customer record in their database for purposes of service, audit, etc. without human intervention making the process low cost and error free. Additionally, e-KYC is instantaneous so service providers can start consumer service immediately, which will go a long way in enhancing customer satisfaction.

e-KYC impact on Aadhar enrolment

As per the latest figures put out by the UIDAI, 40.36 crore Aadhar cards have been generated and issued till the middle of August 2013. The progress has not been even across the country.  While Andhra Pradesh (6.74 crores) and Maharashtra (6.43 crores) lead in absolute numbers, the states of  Goa (88.7%) Delhi (87.5 %), Himachal Pradesh (86.4%)  Sikkim (85.9%) and  Kerala (81.94%) have achieved better coverage.

Though, the  process of issuing Aadhar cards began in September 2010, a large number of city dwellers are still fence sitters, not being able to see much of the perceived benefits accruing to them. The launch of e-KYC which promises to remove KYC hassles is expected to work as a motivator for large number of people to enrol for Aadhar in the near future. UIDAI Chairperson Nandan Nilekani expects to issue 60 crore Aadhar cards by 2014.  To facilitate issue of Aadhar cards, the UIDAI has announced setting up of permanent enrolment centres in various states.

Top 10 states by absolute numbers :

Rank	State	Population (2011 Census)	AADHAARs Issued	% of Population
	INDIA	121,05,93,422	40,36,50,286	33.34%
1	Andhra Pradesh	8,46,65,533	6,74,56,581	79.67%
2	Maharashtra	11,23,72,972	6,43,15,705	57.23%
3	Madhya Pradesh	7,25,97,565	2,83,08,980	38.99%
4	Kerala	3,33,87,677	2,73,58,063	81.94%
5	Karnataka	6,11,30,704	2,68,96,649	44.00%
6	Rajasthan	6,86,21,012	2,62,89,295	38.31%
7	Tamil Nadu	7,21,38,958	2,52,25,569	34.97%
8	West Bengal	9,13,47,736	2,01,74,821	22.09%
9	Jharkhand	3,29,66,238	1,93,20,345	58.61%
10	Punjab	2,77,04,236	1,86,11,732	67.18%

Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana

Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (RGUMY), launched in 2008, is aimed at providing financial assistance to the selected lead agencies i.e. Udyami Mitras for rendering assistance and handholding support to the potential first generation entrepreneurs. Till date 650 Udyami Mitras have been empanelled in 28 States and 3 Union Territories. The Udyami Mitras have so far registered 35154 beneficiaries for rendering handholding support. Through ‘UdyamiHelpline’ (a Toll free Call Centre for MSMEs on 1800-180-6763), support, guidance and assistance to first generation entrepreneurs as well as other existing entrepreneurs is also provided to guide them regarding various promotional schemes of the Government, procedural formalities required for setting up and running of the enterprise and help them in accessing Bank credit etc.

The Ministry of MSME does not provide any financial assistance to entrepreneurs under Rajiv Gandhi UdyamiMitra Yojana.  However, organizations empanelled as Udyami Mitra by the Ministry provide handholding support to first generation entrepreneurs and in return are paid handholding charges under the scheme.

Schemes for Handloom Weavers

 Up-gradation of handlooms is ongoing process and Integrated Handloom Development Scheme provides need based inputs to clusters of 300 – 500 handlooms and Groups of 10 –100 weavers by providing them financial assistance for new looms, dobbies, jacquards, accessories etc under basic input component. The scheme is applicable throughout the country, including rural areas. Further, financial assistance is also provided for up-gradation of looms and accessories etc. under Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. State-wise financial assistance released for up-gradation of handlooms, including State of Andhra Pradesh is given at Annexure-I.

         The Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) implemented by the Ministry of Textiles facilitates the modernization and up-gradation of the textiles industry, including handloom by providing credit at reduced rates to the entrepreneurs both in the organized and the unorganized sector. Thrust areas of the scheme are modernization of spinning, weaving, processing, technical textiles and garmenting segments, which have great potential for employment generation as well as value addition and are not specific to any State/area.

         The Government of India is implementing following schemes for development of handlooms and welfare of weavers and providing need based interventions for holistic and sustainable development of the handloom sector and to improve the condition of the weavers:-

(i)                            Integrated Handloom Development Scheme (IHDS)  provides need based inputs to clusters of 300 – 500 handlooms, Groups of 10 – 100 weavers for making them self sustainable by providing them financial assistance for margin money, new looms, dobbies, jacquards, accessories, skill up-gradation, construction of worksheds etc. 

(ii)                          Marketing and Export Promotion Scheme (MEPS) provides platform to the weavers and their organizations to participate in the domestic as well as international trade events and sell their products directly to the buyers. 

(iii)            Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS): This comprises of two separate sub-schemes viz. the Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) for providing Health Insurance to the Handloom weavers and Mahatma Gandhi BunkarBimaYojana (MGBBY) for providing Life Insurance Cover in case of natural/ accidental death, total/partial disability due to accident. 

(iv)            Mill Gate Price Scheme (MGPS): This scheme makes available all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price to the eligible handloom agencies and the transport and depot operating expenses are being borne by the Government of India. Further, to provide the subsidized yarn to handloom weavers in order to compete withpowerloom and mill sector, a new component of 10% price subsidy on cotton hank yarn and domestic silk yarn has been incorporated in the Mill Gate Price Scheme w.e.f. 6.1.2012.

(v)                          Diversified Handloom Development Scheme (DHDS): This scheme provides assistance for technological  and skill up-gradation of weavers for design and product development through 25 Weavers’ Service Centres and 05 Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology all over the country to improve the productivity and earnings of the handloom weavers.

(vi)            Revival Reform and Restructuring Package (RRR): In order to open the choked credit lines to enable access to fresh credit for handloom sector, GoI has approved RRR package for waiver of overdue loan as on 31/03/2010 for eligible apex and primary weaver cooperative societies and individual weavers.  The Government has also approved weaver credit card under institutional credit component,  providing margin money assistance @ Rs. 4200/- per weaver, 3% interest subvention for three years and credit guarantee for 3 years by Credit Guarantee Trust Fund for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

         Under IHDS & MEPS, State-wise financial allocations are not made and funds are released to the State Governments/implementing agencies, based on the viable proposals submitted by them. State-wise funds released and utilized under IHDS & MEPS during the last three years is given at Annexure-II. While under MGPS, DHDS, HWCWS and RRR Package, the funds are released to the implementing agencies like National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC), NABARD, ICICI Lombard, LIC etc. and not to the States.

         For effective implementation, the schemes are reviewed/monitored by the officers of the State Governments and Central Government through periodic reviews and field visits.

         In order to provide loans at concessional rate to handloom weavers,the Government of India has approved institutional credit componentunder IHDS on 18th December,2011 wherein the Government of India is providing margin money assistance @ Rs.4200/- per weaver; interest subvention @ 3% p.a. for 3 years from the date of the first disbursal and Credit Guarantee through Credit Guarantee Trust for Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).  Further, Finance Minister has announced loan to handloom sector at 6% interest rate in the budget of 2013-14.

         The Government of India has approved RRR package for waiver of overdue loan as on 31/03/2010 for eligible apex and primary weaver cooperative societies and individual weavers wherein 100% principal and 25% interest is borne by the GoI and remaining 75% interest is borne by the Banks. The state-wise details of number of handloom weavers and co-operatives benefitted under RRR package is given at Annexure-III.

         No such report of irregularities/misuse of funds has been received from the State Governments.

         The schemes implemented during 11th Plan have been evaluated through independent agencies and recommended for their continuation with modifications in XII Plan. These recommendations/observations have been incorporated in the schemes for  implementation in the 12th Plan. 

Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY)

An estimated 5 million Indian Nationals with ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports are working on temporary employment/contract visas in the Gulf Countries.

It is observed that a majority of the earnings periodically remitted by overseas Indian workers to their families in India are rarely accumulated as savings and often cause only a temporary improvement in the consumption expenditure of their families. As a result majority of overseas Indian workers face the risk of poverty when they return to India and when they are too old to work. Overseas Indian workers are largely excluded from formal social security benefits available to residents of ECR countries.

Overseas Indian workers are largely excluded from formal social security benefits available to residents of ECR countries.

Thus, to provide them social security, the Ministry has launched Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana(MGPSY) in May 2012. The objective of MGPSY is to encourage and enable overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports going to ECR countries, to (a) save for their return and resettlement and (b) save for their pension. They are also provided Life Insurance cover against natural death, during the period of coverage, without any additional payment by them.

Overseas Indian workers with ECR passports and aged between 18 and 50 years on an employment/contract visa are eligible to join the scheme.

The Ministry also contributes, for a period of five years, or till the return of workers to India, whichever is earlier, as under:

a) Rs.1,000 per subscriber who saves between Rs.1,000 and Rs.12,000 per annum in their National Pension Scheme(NPS) -Lite account;
b) An additional contribution of Rs.1,000 per annum for overseas Indian women workers who save between Rs.1,000 and Rs.12,000 per annum in National Pension Scheme(NPS)-Lite account;
c) An annual contribution of Rs. 900 per annum per subscriber who saves at least Rs. 4000 per annum towards Return and Resettlement fund;
d) Rs.100/- for life insurance cover of Rs.30,000 per year against natural death and Rs.75,000 against death by accident through the Janshree Bima Yojana of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

There is an integrated enrollment process for the subscribers who will be issued a unique MGPSY account number upon enrolment. On their return to India, the subscriber can withdraw the Return and Resettlement savings as a lump sum.

However, the subscriber would be able to continue savings for their old age in the NPS-Lite in line with the Swavalamban Scheme. Alternatively subscriber can withdraw pension corpus as per the guidelines prescribed by the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority (PFRDA).

What is ECR:

As per the Emigration Act, 1983, Emigration Check Required (ECR) categories of Indian passport holders, require to obtain "Emigration Clearance" from the office of Protector of Emigrants (POE), Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs for going to following 18 countries.

United Arab Emirates (UAE), The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Brunei, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand, Iraq (emigration banned). 

However , the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Emigration Policy Division) have allowed  ECR passport holders traveling abroad for purposes others than employment  to leave the country on production of valid passport, valid visa and return ticket at the immigration counters at international airports in India w.e.f. 1st October 2007.