PIB ANALYSIS FOR UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAM
Topics Covered
- Maternity leave incentive Scheme
- National Commission for women
- Nirbhaya Fund
- Asian Development Bank
1 . Maternity Leave Incentive Scheme
Background
- The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 applies to establishments employing 10 or more than 10 persons in Factories, Mines, Plantation, Shops & Establishments and other entities.
- The main purpose of this Act is to regulate the employment of women in certain establishments for certain period before and after child birth and to provide maternity benefit and certain other benefits.
- The Act was amended through the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 which, inter alia, has increased the paid maternity leave to women employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.
Analysis
- While the implementation of the provision is good in Public Sector, there are reports that it is not good in Private Sector and in contract jobs.
- There is also a wide perception that private entities are not encouraging women employees because if they are employed, they may have to provide maternity benefit to them, particularly 26 weeks of paid holiday.
- In addition, the Ministry of Labour & Employment is also getting complaints from various quarters that when the employers come to know that their women employee is in the family way or applies for maternity leave, the contracts are terminated on some flimsy grounds.
- There have been several representations before the Labour Ministry on how the extended maternity leave has become a deterrent for female employees who are asked to quit or retrenched on flimsy grounds before they go on maternity leave.
Maternity Leave Incentive Scheme
- Considering the above issues, the Ministry of Labour & Employment is working on an incentive scheme wherein 7 weeks’ wages would be reimbursed to employers who employ women workers with wage ceiling upto Rs. 15000/- and provide the maternity benefit of 26 weeks paid leave, subject to certain conditions.
- It is estimated that approximately an amount of Rs. 400 crores would be the financial implication for Government of India, Ministry of Labour & Employment for implementing the proposed incentive scheme.
Major Impact
- The proposed Scheme, if approved and implemented shall ensure the women in this country an equal access to employment and other approved benefits alongwith adequate safety and secure environment.
- Also, the women shall continue to bear the major share of household work as well as child care. The work places will be more and more responsive to the family needs of the working women.
2 . National Commission for Women
WCD Ministry nominates three Members of NCW
About National Commission for Women
- The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 ( Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt.of India ) to :
- review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women ;
- recommend remedial legislative measures ;
- facilitate redressal of grievances and
- advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.
Composition
- The Central Government shall constitute a body to be known as the National Commission for Women to exercise the powers conferred on and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act.
- The Commission shall consist of :-
(a) A Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Central Government.
(b) five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organisations ( including women activist ), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare;
Provided that at least one Member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively;
(c) a Member-Secretary to be nominated by the Central Government who shall be :-
i. an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement, or
ii. an officer who is a member of a civil service of the Union or of an all-India service or holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience.
3 . Nirbhaya Fund
Women & Child Development Ministry approves 3 Fresh proposals for Expenditure under Nirbhaya Fund
- Nirbhaya Fund’ has been created to ensure dignity and safety of girl children and women.
- Nirbhaya Fund was set up with a corpus of Rs. 1000 Cr. during 2013-14. Further, an amount of Rs 1000 Cr. was provided in 2014-15 and for the financial years 2016-17 and 2017-18, an amount of Rs. 550 cr. (each financial year) was provided under the Nirbhaya Fund. The corpus transferred to the Public Account for the Nirbhaya fund upto 2017-18 is Rs. 3100 Cr.
- As and when the schemes from Ministries/Departments are approved to be funded from ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ suitable allocations are done in their respective Demands and the corpus in DEA is reduced by that amount.
- Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal authority for appraisal of the schemes/proposals received under Nirbhaya Fund.
- Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing three schemes under Nirbhaya Fund, namely, One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline(WHL) and Mahila Police Volunteer.
- One Stop Centres have been set up to facilitate access to an integrated range of services including medical, legal, and psychological support to women affected by violence to be funded through Nirbhaya Fund. The One Stop Centres will be integrated with 181 and other existing helplines.
- The Scheme of Universalisation of Women Helpline is intended to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence through referral and information about women related government schemes programs across the country through a single uniform number.
- The MWCD in collaboration with MHA has envisaged engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers in State/UTs who will act as a link between Police and Community and facilitate women in distress.
4 . Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Sign $105 Million Loan to Support Hydropower Transmission in Himachal Pradesh
Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sign $300 Million Loan to support India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL)in India
Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (Adb) Sign $ 169 Million Loan to Provide Water and Sanitation Services in Tamil Nadu
About Asian Development Bank
- The Asian Development Bank was conceived in the early 1960s as a financial institution that would be Asian in character and foster economic growth and cooperation in one of the poorest regions in the world.
- ADB assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development
- ADB in partnership with member governments, independent specialists and other financial institutions is focused on delivering projects in developing member countries that create economic and development impact.
As a multilateral development finance institution, ADB provides:
- loans
- technical assistance
- grants
Operational Priorities
- addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequality
- accelerating progress in gender equality
- tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability
- making cities more livable
- promoting rural development and food security
- strengthening governance and institutional capacity
- fostering regional cooperation and integration
Where does ADB get its funding?
- ADB raises funds through bond issues on the world’s capital markets. We also rely on our members’ contributions, retained earnings from our lending operations, and the repayment of loans. We also provide loans and grants from a number of special funds