Namaste - National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem is a joint venture of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
In August this year, 500 cities across India declared themselves as ‘Safai Mitra Surakshit Shehar’. This implies transformation of every ‘manhole’ into a ‘machine hole’ and showcases the success of the decisive drive towards discarding the inhuman practise of manual scavenging.
The SafaiMitra Suraksha Challenge launched on 19th November 2020 is a leap forward towards achieving zero fatality and a mechanised design in place and practice to deal with human waste.
The Indian Census has been delayed. While some sources claim that it is now to be conducted in 2023, it appears on the whole that the planning and preparation that is a prerequisite for the initiative has been put off indefinitely. While the Government of India posted in its notices that the reason for the delay was the Covid-19 pandemic, this article explores why such a reason might be a purely ostensible one. The article argues for immediate course correction, for reasons more than just having a “headcount”.
The Asian Century, with China's emergence as a great power, has raised concern, excitement, and debates. Not only does China seek to have greater influence in the first chain islands but also develops the capability to push the US Navy beyond it. Time and again China has shown its willingness to use force, the Chinese Foreign Ministry for instance has stated that options other than peaceful negotiations were on the table. In this climate, recent developments have drawn the world's attention to Taiwan and its deterrence strategy.
"Gati Shakti" envisions a digital platform that will bring sixteen ministries together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects for industrial clusters and economic nodes. Creating a common platform for ministries whose work often overlaps makes way for faster, seamless and meticulous construction of infrastructure.
Vision loss and impairment affects more than how people see; it has implications for inequities in employment, healthcare access, and income. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted India’s progress in the provision of eye care over the past two years.