Nov 28th 2024 Current Affairs

Index:

1. Efforts to Combat Child Marriages in India

Significant Decline: Child marriage rates in India have halved, dropping from 47.4% (2005-06) to 23.3% (2019-21) due to proactive legal and awareness campaigns like the Prevention of Child Marriage Act (2006).
In the past year, nearly 2 lakh child marriages have been prevented.

Key Features and Statistics

Global Context: UN reports highlight a significant decline in child marriages across South Asia, with India being a major contributor.
National Progress: One in five girls in India is married before the legal age of 18 despite declining trends.
High-Burden Regions:
- Focus is on 7 states: West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh, which have the highest rates of child marriages.
- Target: Reduce child marriage rates to below 5% by 2029.

Campaign and Strategies

Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyan:
- Aims to spread awareness and change attitudes at the grassroots level.
- Focuses on engaging stakeholders to prevent child marriages.
Key Initiatives:
- Launch of a Child Marriage Free Bharat portal for:
  - Awareness campaigns
  - Reporting cases
  - Monitoring progress
- Leveraging existing programs like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.

Challenges

Cultural and Social Barriers: Deep-rooted societal norms perpetuate child marriage.
Legal Enforcement: Despite laws, lack of awareness and enforcement hampers progress.

Economic Factors: Poverty drives families toward early marriages.

2. Fair Share - Compensation of News Publishers by Big Tech Platforms

Context

Address by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on National Press Day regarding fair compensation for news publishers by Big Tech platforms.
Highlights the growing power imbalance between news publishers and large online enterprises.

Key Issues

Power Imbalance:
- Big Tech platforms like Google and Meta dictate terms for the use of content created by others.
- This imbalance threatens the financial sustainability of news organizations.
International Context:
- Countries like Australia and France have implemented regulations requiring Big Tech to negotiate revenue-sharing agreements.
- These laws ensure compensation for the licensing of news content.
Artificial Intelligence:
- AI facilitates large-scale appropriation of content without fair compensation to original creators.

India’s Situation

Government’s Affirmation:
- Support for fair revenue sharing was first expressed in 2023.
- Urgent need for legislative action to address content appropriation and technological challenges.
Challenges:
- Resistance from Big Tech platforms.
- Requires robust, swift implementation to counteract the pushback.

Role of the Government

Building Trust:
- Establish itself as a fair broker, avoiding overreach in content regulation.
- Promote public media literacy through institutional measures.
Fact-Checking Debate:
- Government’s role as a potential “final authority” on misinformation, criticized as counterproductive.
- Current efforts for fact-checking are stalled by the judiciary.
Misuse of Misinformation Laws:
- Authorities often target opposition parties but ignore ruling-party violations.
- Even-handed application of laws is critical.

Media’s Challenges in India

Financial and Political Challenges: News organizations are under dual pressure, compounded by Big Tech’s influence.
Opportunity with the Internet Age: Digital platforms can be leveraged with effective regulations.

Way Forward

Fair Revenue-Sharing Agreements: Ensure financial vibrancy of media through a regulatory framework.
Balanced Government Interventions: Avoid partisan or heavy-handed regulations.

Strengthening Media Literacy: Empower the press to verify falsehoods and uphold accountability.

3. The Right to Work Deleted - MGNREGA and Job Card Deletions

Context

Issue: Surge in deletions of workers from job cards under MGNREGA, with a significant rise in 2022-23 (from 1.49 crore in 2021-22 to 5.3 crore).
Concerns: Potential link to mandatory Aadhaar-based Payment Systems (ABPS) and procedural challenges.

Key Features of MGNREGA

Objective: Legal guarantee of 100 days of wage employment per household annually.
Scope: Ensures right to work for rural households with provisions for unemployment allowances and work on demand.

Current Issue: Deletions of Job Cards

Reasons for Deletion:
- Not willing to work: Largest category (1.8 crore workers).
- Duplicate applicants: 12.67 lakh deletions.
- Migration/other reasons: 10.59 lakh deletions.
- Deaths: 8.59 lakh deletions.
Process for Deletion:
- Governed by the Master Circular (2022) from the Ministry of Rural Development.
- Criteria for Deletion:
  - Duplicate job cards (e.g., in cases of multiple cards per household).
  - Migration or absence of workers.
  - Death of the worker.
  - Voluntary non-participation.
- Administrative Role:
  - Gram Panchayats are empowered to recommend deletions but must ensure due process and transparency.

Issues and Concerns

Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS):
- Mandatory integration led to the exclusion of workers who could not align their bank accounts with Aadhaar.
- Disproportionate impact on rural workers, particularly marginalized sections.
Transparency Issues:
- Workers not being informed before deletions.
- Poor documentation and arbitrary deletions in some states.
Discrepancies Across States:
- Example: West Bengal witnessed no fund allocation by the Union Government, affecting workers’ engagement.
- Variations in deletions and irregularities in data.
Impact on Rural Employment:
- Decreased employment opportunities for affected households.
- Procedural flaws risk undermining the scheme’s purpose.

Recommendations and Way Forward

Improved Monitoring:
- Conduct regular and transparent audits of the deletion process.
- Mandate worker participation and provide advance notice.
Addressing ABPS Issues:
- Simplify procedures for Aadhaar and bank linkage.
- Ensure inclusive access to payment systems, especially in remote areas.
Strengthen Panchayat Role:
- Equip Gram Panchayats with adequate training and resources for proper verification.
- Avoid over-centralization of deletion decisions.
Policy Reforms:
- Enhance MGNREGA’s implementation to ensure that job cards are not arbitrarily deleted.
- Strengthen social audits and accountability mechanisms.

Empowering Workers: Increase awareness about their rights and the grievance redressal mechanisms under MGNREGA.