UPSC Prelims 2012 Analysis

Explanation

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

• It is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) being implemented to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

• JSY is a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme and it integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care. Hence statement 2 is correct.

The Yojana has identified ASHA, the accredited social health activist as an effective the link between the Government and poor pregnant women.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana To provide compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Explanation

ASHA workers (Accredited Social Health Activists) play a vital role in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by acting as a bridge between the community and healthcare services.

Correct options

• Accompanying women to the health facility for antenatal care checkups ASHA workers provide support and encouragement to pregnant women, ensuring they attend essential checkups and access healthcare services.
• Providing information on nutrition and immunization Educating families about proper nutrition and the importance of immunization for children is a key responsibility of ASHA workers.
• Using pregnancy test kits for early detection of pregnancy While not always the case, some ASHA workers might be trained and equipped to use pregnancy test kits for basic health screening.

Incorrect option Conducting the delivery of the baby Delivering babies is a task typically performed by skilled medical professionals like doctors or midwives at healthcare facilities. While ASHA workers might play a supportive role during pregnancy, childbirth is not within their scope of practice.

Therefore, the correct answer is a combination of 1, 2, and 3.

Explanation

The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) aims to improve the livelihood options of the rural poor in India.

It does not focus on setting up new manufacturing industries or agribusiness centres in rural areas as mentioned in option 1. Instead, the mission focuses on strengthening "self-help groups" (SHGs) and providing skill development to help rural households access financial and other resources.

This is aimed at improving the livelihoods of the rural poor by promoting sustainable livelihood opportunities through access to financial resources, technical knowledge, and market linkages. Option 2 correctly mentions this aspect.

Option 3 mentions the provision of inputs like seeds, fertilizers, diesel pump-sets, and micro-irrigation equipment, but it is not provided free of cost. The mission promotes their access and availability to the rural poor through credit linkages and financial inclusion.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 2 only.

Explanation

The DRDAs take the necessary step to improve the awareness regarding rural development and poverty alleviation, particularly among the rural poor. The DRDAs strive to promote transparency in the implementation of different anti-poverty programmes.

They have a role ofcoordinator among departments and as a supervisor of fund use rather than an executive of implementation body.

Therefore only Statements 3 and 4 are correct.

Explanation

The Employees' State Insurance Act, of 1948 is social security legislation that provides for medical care and cash benefits in the contingencies of sickness, maternity, disablement, and death due to employment injury to workers

Coverage

• The Act applies, in the first instance to non-seasonal factories employing 10 or more persons. The provisions of the Act are being extended area-wise by stages.
• The Act contains an enabling provision under which the "appropriate government is empowered to extend the provisions of the Act to other classes of establishments - industrial, commercial, agricultural or otherwise.
• Under these provisions most of the State Govts. have extended the provisions of the Act to new classes of establishments namely shops, hotels, restaurants, cinemas including preview theatres, road-motor transport undertakings, and newspaper establishments employing 20 or more coverable employees.

Hence, 1, 2, 3 and 4 all are correct.

Explanation

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) focuses on identifying poverty beyond just income. It considers various deprivations that a household might experience in different dimensions of well-being.

Education, health, assets, and services are core aspects of a household's well-being. The MPI looks at factors like access to education, quality healthcare, essential assets (like clean water and sanitation), and basic services needed for a decent standard of living.

Purchasing power parity (PPP) is an economic concept used to compare living standards across countries. It's not directly measured in the MPI.

Budget deficit and GDP growth rate are macroeconomic indicators that reflect the health of a nation's economy. While poverty reduction is often a national goal, the MPI focuses on identifying poverty at the household level.

Hence, only statement 1 is incorrect.