Current Affairs – 19/12/2019
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
According to activists working at the grassroots level, The Maternity scheme namely the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is exclusionary. Thus there is a growing louder demand for a scheme that is truly universal.
Key Highlights
- Registration for the scheme requires an applicant to provide her husband’s Aadhaar details along with her own, affecting single women which include unwed mothers, deserted wives and widows.
- A mother seeking benefits needs to provide proof of address of her marital home, which proves challenging for a newlywed expecting a child and often residing in her natal home during pregnancy.
- While the scheme is solely for the first living child, it ironically leaves out those who are most likely to give birth to one — a newlywed woman. A mother is unable to get the compensation when she needs it the most, i.e. during the nine months of her pregnancy.
- The requirement that the applicant has to be at least 19 years old also leaves out younger brides, who hesitate in getting their marriages registered as the legal age of marriage is 18 years.
- Documentation work is likely to result in many women living on the margins, such as sex workers, women in custody, migrant and those living in post-conflict situations.
Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY)
The World Bank has approved Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY), a Rs.6,000 Crore Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of ground water resources with community participation.
Key Highlights
- The scheme envisages active participation of the communities in various activities such as formation of Water User Associations, monitoring and disseminating ground water data, water budgeting, preparation and implementation of Gram-Panchayat wise water security plans and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities related to sustainable ground water management.
- The funding pattern is 50:50 between Government of India and World Bank.
- The identified over-exploited and water stressed areas for the implementation of the scheme fall in the States of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
- The States have been selected according to a number of criteria, including degree of groundwater exploitation and degradation, established legal and regulatory instruments, institutional readiness, and experience in implementing initiatives related to groundwater management.
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