NEXUSDemocracy and Development

September 2016 www.swaniti.in

A Monthly Compendium

1

face

Disclaimer: The content of this compendium is for information purposes only. No legal liability or other responsibility is accepted by or on behalf of Swaniti Initiative for any errors, omissions, or statements in the compendium. Swaniti Initiative accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of reliance on such information.

2

Dear Readers,

NEXUS is a monthly compilation of briefs, research insights, visualizations, and papers released by Swaniti. Our mission

is to provide information insights on developmental issues that will be catalytic in initiating ground level change.

Swaniti’s research insights are developed through a two-pronged approach: either elected officials request us for

research support on key policy pieces or Swaniti sees contextual value in developing certain research insights. We

currently work with Parliamentarians, policy makers and government enthusiasts on providing research insights on

cross-cutting issues. While we make all of our content available online, our intent through this publication is to create

a one-stop location for all Swaniti information.

Since our primary objective is to support the vision and work in development being done by elected representatives, we

also present the experience of our Associates working on different projects pertaining to health, education, gender and

livelihood across the country with the intention of highlighting the challenges and the action initiated on the ground.

Moreover, aligned with our belief that data-driven policy discourse will ensure that decision making is more evidence

based, we have launched our online portal, Jigyasa, which aims to provide quantitative evidence regarding the

performance of governments and policies and their impact on developmental outcomes Through this platform, we

present our analysis on critical and contextual issues to the public and we have also included these visualizations in

NEXUS. The key policy level actions taken by the Government on a weekly basis are also a part of this compendium

under the Weekly Policy Updates section.

It is our sincere effort to disseminate our work through this compendium and we seek your inputs and feedback to

further innovate and improve as we move forward.

In case you would like to know more about our monthly compendiums, please feel free to contact the below signed:

Aishwarya Ayushmaan

Associate, Swaniti Initiative

Email: ayushmaan.a@swaniti.in

About Swaniti: Swaniti is a non-profit, non-partisan group which works with elected representatives and senior policy

makers to deliver development solutions across the country. The vision of the organization is to create a vibrant, better

and inclusive India. In line with this, Swaniti provides knowledge support and human resource support to elected

representatives in order to catalyze development at the grassroots.

About NEXUS

3

Parliamentarians Speak

"Swaniti gives parliamentarians like me a great opportunity to harness the talent of professionals

in the governance of our respective constituencies, and I can tell you from my personal experience

that I have started to benefit hugely from this initiative.”

- Dinesh Trivedi, Lok Sabha MP (Barrakpore)

“The Swaniti Fellows that worked with me were well qualified individuals with a sense of social

responsibility. They analyzed government data, understood local challenges and provided

solutions specific to my constituency. I strongly encourage young individuals to understand our

system of governance and engage with policy makers through fellowships as well as internships.

It’s good to have a new perspective to things and work together to bring about change!”

- Anurag Thakur, Lok Sabha MP (Hamirpur)

"More than anything else, the focus on human capital is what I wanted for my constituency. Swaniti

is rightly pursuing interventions to that effect. The partnership has been very fruitful as they

customize their initiatives in accordance with the requirements of the communities as well as the

elected representatives."

- Mr. Jitendra Choudhary, Lok Sabha MP, Tripura

East

"The Swaniti Team has shown exemplary effort and commitment towards developing an Adarsh

Gram in Nandurbar. With their support, I am more confident of realizing my vision of a Model

Village."

- Dr. Heena Gavit, Lok Sabha MP, Nandurbar

“Swaniti has added real value to my constituency work and policy approaches. They have a team

of passionate and committed Fellows who have worked closely and tirelessly with my office and

me to provide high quality deliverables. I am very happy and satisfied with their amazing work.”

- PD Rai, Lok Sabha MP (Sikkim)

4

Table of Contents

About NEXUS ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 2

Parliamentarians Speak ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Tamra Patra .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Tribal Welfare in North-East India ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 ......................................................................................................................................... 18

Data and Democracy .............................................................................................................................................................................. 23

Posting Benefits: State and Future of India Post .............................................................................................................................. 25

Research Support and Engagement with Elected Officials ................................................................................................................. 27

Supporting Parliamentarians on Analysis and Research in Constituency (SPARC) ...................................................................... 29

A Step towards an Adarsh Gram: Kathalbari VC (Tripura East Constitutency) ............................................................................. 30

Weekly Policy Updates ........................................................................................................................................................................... 33

September 3rd – September 9th, 2016 (Week 1) ............................................................................................................................... 35

September 10th – September 16th, 2016 (Week 2) .......................................................................................................................... 36

September 17th - September 23rd, 2016 (Week 3) ........................................................................................................................... 38

September 24th – September 30th, 2016 (Week 4) ........................................................................................................................ 39

5

Tamra Patra

6

Tamra Patra is Swaniti's knowledge repository through which we summarize briefs on government schemes and

programmes. We research implementation strategies and best practices that can be emulated across constituencies.

We also analyze programme approaches that can be beneficial for policy makers and development specialists. This

information is consolidated and disseminated in the form of brief to all the MPs, and is also uploaded on our website.

For the September issue of NEXUS, we worked on the following briefs:

Tribal Welfare in North-East India: North-east India is characterized by a rich cultural heritage and natural wealth,

boasting of a large number of ethnic tribal groups. The Government of India has recognized 75 Particularly Vulnerable

Tribal Groups (PVTGs), earlier known as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) who need special attention due to their

exceptionally low level of development. This brief outlines the key government schemes and provisions which may be

utilized specifically for the benefit of the tribal population in the north-east region of India.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016: The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 aims to amend the existing

Citizenship Act, 1955 which provides for acquisition and determination of citizenship. This brief provides an overview

of the legislation and examines its key provisions.

About Tamra Patra

7

Tribal Welfare in North-East India

Existing Scenario and the Way Forward

1. Introduction

The Northeastern states of India account for about 8% of the country’s land area and are inhabited by 3.8%1 of India’s

total population. The 8 states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and

Sikkim form the North Eastern Region (NER) and govern India’s gateway to South East Asia. The NER is of

considerable economic importance and geopolitically sensitive given their strategic location. The area is also

characterized by a rich cultural heritage and natural wealth, boasting of a large number of ethnic tribal groups.

The Constitution recognizes the Scheduled Tribes (STs) under Article 342 of the Constitution of India. Of the 619

Scheduled Tribes, nearly 200 reside in the North Eastern Region (NER) and differ substantially in their way of life

from the tribal groups of the mainland. Level of acculturation and social and economic development varies across

different tribal groups. The Government of India has also recognized 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

(PVTGs), earlier known as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) who need special attention due to their exceptionally low

level of development. These groups are characterized by primitive levels of technology, declining population and

very low literacy rates. Marram Nagas from Manipur and Reangs from Tripura have been categorized as PVTGs in

the NER. Moreover, more than 80% of the population of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland is tribal. The abundance

of these groups in the NER and the geopolitical importance of the region make it essential to focus attention towards

their development.

2. Need for Greater Focus on Tribal Development

STs form 8.6% of India’s population, with nearly 2.1 crore tribal households

residing across the country. STs, along with the Scheduled Castes, are

constitutionally entitled to special protections against social injustice and

discrimination. Nearly 22 lakh ST households inhabit the NER and three of

the 8 states in the region have more than 80% tribal population, followed

by the remaining states with tribal population within a range of 15-70%.

Nearly 90% of this stratum in India resides in the rural areas across wide-

ranging ethnic groups, making it difficult to extend outreach of

developmental methods to them. They generally face behavioral prejudices

from the non-tribal population, which reduces their access to social and

communal services. Historically, they belong to an economically weaker

section of the society, due to which penetration of policy is hindered as a

result of information asymmetry, internal community conflicts and lack of

connectivity.

1 Census of India 2011

Rural90%

Urban10%

Tribal Population in India

8

The same trend is also observed in the NER, with 85% tribals inhabiting the rural areas. As shown in the figure above,

a large proportion of the ST population in NER states resides in the designated tribal areas. Meghalaya, Mizoram and

Nagaland house more than 85% ST population, all living in their respective designated tribal areas of the states.

Tribes in the Northeast can broadly be classified into hill-dwelling and valley-dwelling groups, each with their own

set of developmental challenges. Due to the location of their habitation, valley-dwelling tribes have a greater

interaction with the under-privileged non-tribal population, making their lifestyle and challenges similar to this

group. They are characterized by lack of infrastructural facilities, landlessness, and primitive agricultural methods

and so on. The hill-dwellers, on the other hand, face issues of inaccessibility to services and benefits, largely due to

the arduous terrain of their habitation. Moreover, the Northeast is generally plagued by regional connectivity issues,

which worsen during bad weather conditions and as a result of frequent natural disasters. Such conditions further

reduce accessibility for the tribal community, affecting their livelihoods and social development.

Access to health and education facilities is also highly affected for this section due to social, economic and

geographical constraints. STs exhibit higher school dropout rates2 as compared to other sections of the society. From

Class I-X, STs demonstrate a dropout rate of 70.9%, which is nearly double the percentage for all over the country

(49.3%). Despite the NER being generally characterized by high literacy rates, surpassing the Indian average, it

experiences dropout rates comparable to the ST average in the country.

2 Statistical Profile of Scheduled Tribes in India 2013, Ministry of tribal Affairs Statistic Division

68.8

12.4

40.9

86.194.4

86.5

33.8 31.8

86.6

17.8

93.7100 100 100

13.918

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

ArunachalPradesh

Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim Tripura

Tribal Population in the North Eastern Region

ST Population (%) ST Population in Tribal Areas (%)

9

The aforementioned challenges pertaining to geographical and cultural differences amongst tribes make it necessary

to work towards their upliftment, both socially and economically.

3. Existing Provisions for Tribal Welfare

Since Independence, India has been taking measures to ensure the development of tribals in its quest to bring the

tribal population on par with other communities. Tribal welfare has been a national goal for the country, securing

social equity, economic stability and political freedom for these groups. The Directive Principles of State Policy

(Article 46 of the Indian Constitution) also calls upon the State to promote the educational and economic interests

of the weaker sections of the society with special care, and to protect them from social injustice and all forms of

exploitation.

3.1 Constitutional Provisions for Scheduled Tribes

According to Article 342 of the Indian Constitution, tribes, tribal communities and groups within such communities

are deemed as Scheduled Tribes. They are entitled to various constitutional safeguards ensuring social, economic

and political protection. Article 15 prohibits any discrimination against citizens based on race, caste, religion, sex or

place of birth to ensure unhindered access to public goods, community provisions and services. Article 16, on the

other hand, ensures equality of public employment opportunities to all sections of the society, including STs. In

addition, they are also provided with reservation in elected bodies across different levels of the Government.

Moreover, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes is constituted under Article 338A to oversee the effective use

of existing provisions for STs. The Commission is responsible for investigating and inquiring about complaints

pertaining to deprivation of rights of STs and for guiding the planning process for their holistic development.

2735.6 40.6

55 49.3

70.9

0

20

40

60

80

All ST All ST All ST

Class I to V Class I to VIII Class I to X

School Dropout Rates (2010-11) in India

0102030405060708090

School Dropout Rates (2010-11) in NER

Class I to V Class I to VIII Class I to X

10

Article 244(1) of the Constitution of India specifies the Fifth Schedule to define Scheduled Areas as those declared

by the President by Order across 9 states of India. The selection of these areas is primarily based upon the

predominance of tribal population, geographical size and economic backwardness. However, the fifth schedule

excludes Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. In order to address the tribal population in these areas, Article

244(2) of the Indian Constitution provides for the administration of these states through Autonomous District

Councils (ADCs), under the Sixth Schedule. Here, tribal areas are categorized by the preponderance of tribal

population, including tribes in Part I, II, II (A) and III as mentioned in the sixth schedule.

Grants from the Union are also provided to some states under Article 275(1), for welfare of tribals and improvement

of the administrative setup of the Scheduled Areas of the state. These grants are allocated from the Consolidated

Fund of India each year and the amount of the grant varies across States, depending on their requirements. The

provision covers 26 states, including states of the NER. These grants are apportioned based on the proportion of ST

population in the state, compared to the total tribal population in India. States receive these funds for pre-defined

projects aimed at the welfare of STs and are provided in addition to the regular Central Assistance to State Plans. A

total sum of Rs.1400 Crore has been allocated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as grants under Article 275(1) for the

year 2016-17.

3.1.1 Autonomous District Councils

Hill-dwelling tribes of the NER have deep rooted cultures and traditions and are highly integrated with their

respective social groups. Their customs and traditions differ greatly from valley-dwelling tribes, making their need

for internal autonomy even more pronounced. The ADCs, formed under the mandate of the Sixth Schedule, have been

institutionalized to provide an effective and autonomous administrative setup to these tribes living in Northeast

India. The ADC for each district consists of a maximum of 30 elected representatives, four of whom are

nominated by the Governor and the remaining elected on the basis of adult suffrage. A separate Regional

Council also needs to be constituted for every area of an autonomous region. In addition to the councils mentioned

in the sixth schedule, 6 ADCs have been set up in Manipur under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act, 1971.

Part I (Assam)

• North Cachar Hills District

• Karbi-Anglong District

• Bodoland Territorial Area District

Part II (Meghalaya)

• Khasi Hills District• Jaintia Hills District• Garo Hills District

Part II (A) (Tripura)

• Tripura Tribal Areas District

Part III (Mizoram)

• Chakma District• Mara District• Lai District

Tribal Population Included in the Sixth Schedule

11

These councils administer trainings on

efficient local self-governance methods and

ensure protection of their customs and

lifestyle. They are empowered to form rules

and regulations pertaining to local matters

like construction or management of primary

schools, dispensaries, fisheries, roads,

waterways and so on. However, these rules

are contingent upon approval of the

Governor. Additionally, they can conduct

trials in certain criminal cases and collect

revenue for effective management of their

area. ADCs of North Cachar Hills and Karbi

Anglong of Assam have been given

additional autonomy to design laws on matters such

as secondary education, public health concerns and

sanitation. Similarly, Bodoland Territorial Council can also exercise their power to form laws on animal husbandry,

agricultural education, flood control, tourism etc.

3.1.2 Recognition of Forest Rights Act (2006)

Ministry of Tribal Affairs implemented the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of

Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The act aims to recognize and realize the traditional and inter-generational rights of tribal

and other social groups dependent on the forest areas of the country. It was introduced in order to protect the

traditional methods of living and livelihoods of these groups which were under threat due to lack of formal

recognition of land rights. The legislation formalizes the right to live on forestland and grants control over selected

forest resources to these communities. It further enables them to use minor forest produce, conserve traditionally

protected resources, obtain community and habitat rights etc. Moreover, the Act enables diversion of forestland for

social infrastructural facilities such as schools, fair price shops, electricity lines, water tanks etc. It is implemented at

the State Government level and the Ministry is responsible to ensure the flow of funds and other benefits across

various welfare schemes reaches the forest dwelling beneficiaries. Section 3(1)(h) of the Act notifies all forest

villages, including older habitations, unrecorded villages and others to be regarded as revenue villages, arbitrated

by the Gram Sabha, District Level Committee and Sub-Divisional Level Committee. A State-wise analysis of the status

of implementation of the Act for the NER is as follows:

Arunachal Pradesh: The department of Social Welfare serves as the nodal department for the implementation of

the Act for this state. The required committees, namely, State Level Monitoring Committee (SLMC), District Level

Committee (DLC) and Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) have been formed in the state. However, it is largely

domiciled by different ethnic groups of tribal population with natural hillock, river or tributary boundaries. Scope

for any land dispute over possession is highly minimized in the area since most of the land is regarded as community

land, reducing the relevance of the Act in this state. Similar issues have been faced by states like Meghalaya,

50

30

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

BodolandTerritorial Council

Karbi AnglongTerritorial Council

Dima HasaoTerritorial Council

Special Development Package Budget (in Rs. Cr.) (2016-17)

Source: Ministry of Development of NER Budget (2016-17)

12

Nagaland (land holding system in the state already regards traditional settlers as the owners of that land, making

the Act inoperative in the state). However, a committee has been formulated to understand the applicability of the

Act in light of the special provisions for Nagaland under Article 371A).

Mizoram and Sikkim do not have tribes or forest dwelling communities that depend solely on forest for their

livelihood; instead they hold revenue land in individual names.

Assam: Up to 2016, Assam received 1.31 lakh total claims, of which, 36,267 titles have been distributed for more

than 77,000 acres of forestland3. The state has formed all the required committees, is creating awareness of the Act

and its benefits and is training officials on the working of the Act. The Assam Government has reported successful

disposal of 56% of the claims received by them. However, the state has also reported disputes over claim settlement

leading to law and order situations in the state. In addition, the demand for false claims has also contributed to the

overall reduction in the pace of implementation of the Act, causing the percentage of distributed titles over number

of claims received to stand at only 27.5% in the state.

Tripura: Up to 2016, Tripura received 1.94 lakh total claims, of which, 1.24 lakh titles have been distributed for

more than 4.3 lakh acres of forestland. The three required committees have been formed by the state and steps to

create awareness of the Act have also been taken through newspaper articles, daily news alerts, and booklets in local

languages etc. Tripura has also reported to organise workshops to train concerned officials and has constituted 1040

Gram Sabhas. Moreover it has claimed to dispose off more than 98% of the claims and distributed 64% titles over

the number of claims received.

3.2 Schemes and Policies for Scheduled Tribes

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal agency responsible for policy planning, implementation and coordination for

the development of STs in India. The schemes and policies of this Ministry aim to provide financial and operative

support to the tribal population in the country. Both Central and State Governments have formulated various

schemes and made repeated efforts to ensure welfare of tribals. Few of the available schemes for their development

have been discussed below.

3.2.2 Tribal Sub Plan (TSP)

The TSP was formulated with the objective to ensure targeted planning for tribal areas of the country. It is

administered as a part of the overall state plan, with an enhanced focus on the tribal population. The TSP thus aims

to improve the standard of living of tribals and ensure that they are guarded against exploitation.

3 Ministry of Tribal Affairs

13

It has been implemented in 22 Indian states and 2 Union Territories, including Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Sikkim

amongst the NER states. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are excluded from the TSP

strategy since tribal population is more than 80% in these states. The effectiveness of the TSP is dependent on

efforts across different sectors, including improvement in irrigational facilities to boost agriculture, enhanced access

to credit, targeted marketing for agricultural produce, appropriate forestry programs etc. It also focuses on

generating employment and promoting small-scale enterprises in these areas4.

4 Working of Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs)/ Integrated Tribal Development

Agencies (ITDAs)

In order to ensure the efficient working and smooth coordination of TSP, ITDPs were set up during the

Fifth Five Year Plan. ITDPs are formed at the block or tehsil level comprising of more than 50% ST

population. Like the TSP, they have been implemented in the areas defined by the Fifth Schedule. However,

the ITDPs in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa work on an Agency model, with implementing agencies registered

under the Registration of Societies Act, and are referred to as ITDAs. 194 ITDPs/ITDAs have been set up so

far and stand functional in parallel to the TSP concept.

Tribal Development Structures

Role and Finances of TSP Strategy

Reducing poverty and unemployment.

Attaining sustainable development and growth by creating productive assets

for the community

Addressing the Human Resource gap in these areas to improve access to

education and health services

Ensuring security against financial and physical oppression

Finance of TSP

Flow State Plan

Special Central

Assistance (SCA)

Centrally Sponsored

Schemes (CSS)

Institutional Finance

14

It is implemented through 194 Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs)/ Integrated Tribal Development

Agencies (ITDAs). There are 19 ITDPs in Assam, 5 in Manipur and 4 in Sikkim. The TSP, implemented since 1974-

75, has led to some definitive

improvements in tribal

development regarding

tribal literacy, Infant

Mortality Rates (IMR) etc.

However, there is still a

substantial disparity

amongst development

indicators of tribals

compared to the rest of the

population. The funds

allocated to the states under

Special Category Assistance

(SCA) to TSP are not always

utilized appropriately,

causing leakages within the

system and compromising

the benefits to this population. The estimated per capita availability of funds per year to TSP covered population is

Rs. 80005. Moreover, there is a clear discrepancy in the total funds released and those reported to be utilized. This

incongruity highlights the need for their judicious utilization and effective management of the working of the plan.

There is also a grave need for impact monitoring of these funds to ensure proper targeting to the tribal population.

3.2.3 Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY)

Against the backdrop of the TSP’s need for monitoring and the vision for including the entire tribal population across

the country, the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana was launched as a Central Sector Scheme in 2014. The VKY is an outcome-

oriented approach to ensure targeted reach of benefits from existing State and Central Government schemes to STs

through effective convergence of resources. It also aims to bridge the infrastructural gaps in human development

indicators between STs and other groups.

5 Revised Operational Guidelines for Implementation and Monitoring of Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana, Ministry of Tribal Affairs

17.912.6

58.4

0

11.2 9.2 118.4

5.2 4.5 3.50

11.8 11.8

24

7.8

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

Total Release UtlilisationReported

Total Release UtlilisationReported

2014-15 2015-16

Funds Under Special Central Assistance to TSP (in Rs. Crores)

Assam Manipur Sikkim Tripura

15

VKY, implemented as an umbrella scheme for tribal development, aims to strengthen ITDPs/ITDAs by providing

adequate infrastructure and human resources and engaging people with sectoral expertise in geographically

important sectors such as fisheries, horticulture, animal husbandry etc. It also safeguards greater administrative and

financial powers to Tribal Welfare Departments and defines clear socio-economic outcomes intended to be

generated by its implementation. Moreover, the policy demands Annual Action Plans based on outcomes and

tangible targets at the village level with active involvement of local community leaders and experts, simultaneously

encouraging community engagement. Further, it stresses on the importance of research on tribal welfare and

development and documentation of their rich culture, heritage and ethnic diversities.

VKY is implemented by the State Governments with supervision from the Centre. The Tribal Welfare Departments

are regarded as the nodal departments driving development and Project Implementation Cell (PIC), created by

the Ministry of Tribal Affairs; ensures effective implementation and financial resource mobilization of the scheme.

Improvement of the standard of living in tribal areas and the quality of education provided

Development of sustainable employment opportunities for the tribal population

Protection of traditions, customs and heritage of the tribal population

Bridging infrastructural gaps and ensuring convergence and benefits from existing tribal welfare schemes

QualityEducation

Sustainable Employment

Economic Development of Tribal

Areas

Health

Safe Drinking

WaterHousing

Weather-resistant

Roads

Irrigation Facilities

UniversalEletrificatio

n

Urban Developmen

t

Promotionof Tribal Culture

and Heritage

Sport Promotion

Strengthened Institutional Mechanism

Socio-economic Outcomes under Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana

16

The PIC also carries out monitoring of expenditure across schemes at the Centre while Tribal Development

Departments monitor costs incurred on tribal welfare, TSP component, Centrally Sponsored Scheme funds and

research and academics at the state level.

3.2.4 Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR)

The Union Budget of 1998-99 announced to earmark at least 10% of all Central Ministry funds for specific programs

for the development of the NER. The unutilized amount

from this fund was proposed to be transferred to a

reserve fund called the Central Resource Pool for

development of NER and the NLCPR was constituted.

The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

(DoNER) is responsible for the management of this fund.

The fund aims to ensure continued flow of finances for

prompt infrastructural development in the region. They

can be used for physical as well as social infrastructural

development. The states are advised to submit a priority

list of projects and their vision at the beginning of the

year to ensure appropriate channeling of the funds. The

Planning and Development Department of the State

Government serves as the nodal department for the

management of these funds. The reserve is administered

by NLCPR Committee consisting of members from

Ministry of DoNER, NITI Aayog among others. The

committee is responsible for equitable distribution of

these resources across the Northeastern states, taking

into account the various disparities in social, economic

and demographic indicators. It oversees the project priorities submitted by the states, allocates appropriate funds

and monitors the impact and implementation of the schemes on the ground.

The funds approved under NLCPR for financial year 2016-17 are Rs. 900 Crore6. As in the year 2016, 1581 projects

have been sanctioned under NLCPR, of which 919 projects have been completed and 662 are ongoing at different

stages of completion. Additionally, 247 projects, at a cost of Rs. 3,867.9 Crore, have been retained over the last three

years to be funded under the NLCPR. Across the NER, 85 projects have been recollected and 45 sanctioned since

2014. NLCPR funds have been used to address social as well as physical infrastructural gaps over the years. The NER,

due to its geographical location has an arduous terrain, causing connectivity issues. As a result, construction of roads

stands as an important area for development in this region. The initiatives taken by the Ministry of DoNER for road

development under NLCPR are as follows:

6 Ministry of DoNER Budget 2016-17

1581 Total Projects : Cost Rs.

14,516,64

919 Completed Projects : Cost Rs. 6111.83

Crore

662 Ongoing Projects : Cost Rs. 8404.82

Crore

17

The graphs show a declining trend in number of road projects taken up over the years from 2013 to 2015.

4. Way Forward

The Government of India has taken multiple policy measures to ensure support and protection to tribals. However,

these efforts have experienced various issues in terms of reach, execution and monitoring. Most of the tribal

welfare schemes exclude the Sixth Schedule states due to their large proportion of tribal population. This

reduces the pool of targeted tribal population in the country, largely neglecting the NER. Moreover, the

implementation of schemes and the flow of benefits to the tribals is severely compromised due to lack of supervision.

Regular checks, review meetings of the concerned officials and monitoring of impact and reach are essential to

ensure effective working of schemes. Further, the available schemes should consider qualitative needs of the STs

living across different states, instead of the proportion of their population in the state.

The schemes, along with support for physical infrastructural facilities to tribal areas and social infrastructure

enhancement to the tribal population, should lay emphasis on empowerment of this group. In order to provide

sustainable development solutions, the emphasis on capacity building should be increased. Tribals should be trained

to build local skills, specific to the region, to secure long term livelihood options. An amalgamation of need-based

targeted actions, effective implementation and strict monitoring would carve the path towards holistic tribal

development in the country.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

ArunachalPradesh

Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim Tripura

Cost of Road Projects Under NLCPR

2012-13 Value (in Rs. Crore) 2013-14 Value (in Rs. Crore) 2014-15 Value (in Rs. Crore)

Economy and Employment Boosting Areas for Development in the NER

Tourism Handicrafts Connectivity Forest Produce

18

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016

1. The Context

The Citizenship (amendment) Bill, 2016 was introduced by Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Rajnath Singh on 19th July

2016 in the Lok Sabha. The objective of the bill is to make amendments in the existing Citizenship Act, 1955. The

existing act provides for acquisition and determination of citizenship.

2. An overview of the Citizenship Act, 1955

The Act outlines different modes of acquiring Indian Citizenship; by birth, by descent, by registration, by

naturalization and by incorporation of territory. It also specifies the conditions and restrictions for attaining Indian

citizenship, termination of Indian citizenship and deprivation of Indian citizenship. The act has been amended over

the years.

2.1 Modes for Acquiring Indian Citizenship

The following section outlines the key features of the different modes for acquiring Indian citizenship:

2.1.1 Birth

Born in India on or after 26th January 1950 but prior to 1st July 1987 is considered Indian citizen by birth

irrespective of his/her parent’s nationality.

Born in India on or after 1st July 1987 is considered Indian Citizen only when either of his/parents was Indian

citizen at the time of his/her birth

Born after 7th January 2004 is considered Indian citizens if both parents are Indian citizens or one parent is

Indian citizen and other not an illegal migrant at the time of his/her birth.

2.1.2 Descent

Born outside India on or after 26th Jan 1950 but before December 1992 is Indian citizen if his/her father was

a citizen of India at the time of his/her Birth.

Born outside India post 10th December 1992 is considered Indian citizen if either of his/her parents is Indian

citizen at time of his/her birth.

Born outside India post 7th January 2004 will b considered Indian citizen if his/her birth is registered at an

Indian consulate within a year of the DOB or with the permission of the Central Govt. Or either of his/her

parents is in service under The Govt. Of India.

Citizenship (Amendment)

Act 1986

Citizenship (Amendment)

Act 1992

Citizenship (Amendment)

Act 2003

Citizenship (Amendment)

Act, 2005

Citizenship (Amendment)

Act, 2015

19

2.1.3 Registration

Been a resident of India for 7 years, of Indian origin and who or either of whose parents were born in India

before independence.

Indian origin who are residents in any other country outside undivided India

Person married to an Indian citizen and been a resident in India for seven years before making an application

Minor children of Indian Citizens

Person registered as an overseas citizen of India for five years and has been residing in India for “one

year”(amended in 2005)

2.1.4 Naturalization:

Under the provisions of the Third schedule, the central Govt. grants a certificate of naturalization to any foreigner

who is not an illegal migrant and has resided in India for an aggregate of 11 years.

2.1.5 Incorporation of territory:

People who are connected/part of a territory that becomes a part of India as per notified in the Official Gazette, those

are considered Indian citizens as from the date of the specified order.

2.2 Cancellation of Indian Citizenship

The following section highlights the conditions under which the citizenship is terminated or renounced or cancelled.

2.2.1 Renunciation of Indian citizenship

Any Indian citizen, also a citizen of another country, if voluntarily renounces his citizenship in a prescribed manner;

in that case, he/she is no longer Indian citizen.

A minor child of any person (as amended on 1992) who ceases to be an Indian citizen will also be considered to cease

Indian citizenship. However, if the minor within one year of attaining full age makes the declaration (as per the

amendments made in the form on 3/12/2004), he/she can be considered for Indian Citizenship.

2.2.2 Termination of Indian citizenship

Any citizen who has acquired Indian citizenship and then has voluntarily acquired citizenship of another country, in

the period of 26th January, 1950 to 30th December, 1955 will not be considered Indian citizen. The only exception to

this is if the citizenship of another country was acquired due to India’s engagement in a war, as directed by the

Central Government.

2.2.3 Deprivation of the Overseas Indian citizenship

Any Overseas citizen of India (OCI) is deprived of the citizenship by an order of the central Government as per the

following conditions

20

3. The Citizenship (amendment) Bill, 2016

3.1 Provisions for Illegal Migrants

As per the Act, Illegal migrant means a foreigner who has entered into India without any valid passport or travel

documents as authorized or prescribed by or under any law. It also includes people with valid passport or other valid

documents but exceeding their stay beyond the permitted period of time. The act prohibits any illegal migrant from

acquiring citizenship.

The Citizenship (amendment) Bill, 2016 seeks to amend this act by providing for certain group of people; minority

communities namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and

Bangladesh to not be considered as illegal migrants for the following cases:

i) Exempted from provisions of passport (entry into India) Act, 1920. An act, which mandates

foreigners to carry passports

ii) Exempted from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946, by the Central

Government. An act, which regulates the entry and departure of foreigners in India.

3.2 Amendment of Overseas citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder

There are certain conditions under which the Central Government can deprive an overseas citizen of India of their

citizenship (refer to section 2.2.3). The Citizenship (amendment) Bill, 2016 amends the act by adding another

condition for depriving the OCI of their citizenship; on violation of any law or provisions of the act that is in

force for the time being in the country.

3.3 Amendment of Third schedule: Acquiring citizenship by Naturalization

As mentioned in the previous section of acquiring citizenship, one of the criteria for the applying for citizenship by

naturalization, is the time period for which the person has resided in India or has been in service of Government of

India. The act states this time period for qualification to be an aggregate of at least 11 years.

•Registration by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of material facts

•Disloyalty or disaffection towards the constitution of India as per law

•During any war in which India is engaged has unlawfully traded or communicated or involved in business in any manner with the enemy in that war.

•Imprisonment in any country within 5 years for a term of 2 years or more after registration or naturalization.

•Resided outside India for a continuous period of 7 years

21

The Citizenship (amendment) Bill, 2016 amends this act by providing an exception for minority communities,

namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh in

this qualification criterion by reducing the time period from 11 years to 6 years.

4. Steps towards Illegal Minorities

The government of India often takes up the issue of illegal immigrants from various countries. There has been

increased coordinated patrolling, identification of vulnerable gaps and strengthening of riverine patrolling as

measure to control illegal immigration (Lok Sabha Question 1966, 11/05/2016)

The Central Government can deport a foreign national who is staying illegally in India as per the Foreigners act

(Section 3(2)(c). Even the State Government and Union Territory Administrations have the same power to deport

illegal immigrants under the same act. A revised procedure has been adopted in case of Bangladeshi Immigrants in

2009 (Nov) and then amended in 2011 (Feb). This involves sending the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants back who are

intercepted at the border while entering India illegally (Rajya Sabha, Question213, 22/07/2015)

India does not have any provision of awarding refugee status to migrants. Currently, there is no specific law

governing the Government’s stance for dealing with the refugees. Moreover, India is not signatory to the 1951 UN

convention of the status of refuges and the 1967 Protocol. However, under the provisions in the Citizenship Act,

the Government under certain set of instructions can grant Long term Visa (LTV) to migrants. In the last two

years the Central govt. has proposed to extend certain facilities to persons belonging to minority communities of

Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, namely Hindu, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians staying on Long

Term Visa. This is done mainly to provide them fair opportunities towards a more comfortable livelihood and an

ease of movement within the country.

22

The citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 when passed would definitely be of immense benefit to the minorities (as

mentioned in the above sections) who fled from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. However there has been

some criticism from academicians regarding the bill not being completely inclusive. Mr Suryanarayan , prominent

academician stated that instead of listing out non-Muslim minorities in the three countries, the bill could have used

“persecuted minorities” (The Hindu, 25th Aug 2016). In other words, the bill should look at not specific minorities

but persecuted minorities of all denominations who have made India their home.

23

Data and Democracy

24

About Data and Democracy

Data brings objectivity and efficiency in the delivery and assessment of development. There lies immense scope to

leverage the data available in public domain to understand the state of development across sectors. At Swaniti, we

analyze raw data to seek trends and present it to our audience in a streamlined format. The page can be viewed at

www.swaniti.com/jigyasa-features.

Keeping in mind recently occurred events, we analyzed the following in the month of September:

Posting Benefits: State and Future of India Post: India has the world’s largest postal network with over 154,939

Post Offices across the country. This section examines the current status of India’s postal network and its growth

potential in the coming years.

25

Posting Benefits: State and Future of India Post

India Post: World’s Largest Postal Network

Did you know that India has the world’s largest postal network with over 154,939 Post Office across the country?

India Post operates 139,222 post offices in the rural areas and 15,717 in the urban areas. Out of the total Post Offices,

129,379 are Gramin Dak Sewak Post Offices while 25560 are Departmental Post Offices. The Department of Posts

employs nearly 460,457 employees, which includes 261,162 Gramin Dak Sewaks. A post office is available for every

8354 citizens which makes the postal departments much larger than any single central government agency. In spite

of heavy competition from private courier companies, India Post retains almost 1/5th of the postal delivery market.

One Post Office for Every

In spite of operating in a competitive ecosystem, India Post has managed to grow some of its business segments through innovation in product design and new product offerings. The Business Parcel segment has shown incredible growth (253% YoY) due to new tie-ups with e-commerce companies and logistics handling. In terms of volume, India Post still carries about 602 Crore articles annually and also provides last-mile delivery for major financial and social schemes.

Articles delivered annually by India Post

Urban139222

90%

Rural1571710%

The Reach of Post Offices

Gramin Dak

Sevak261162

Other Employe

es199295

Gramin DakSevak

OtherEmployees

The Strength

8354 Citizens

602 Crore Rs. 7688 Crore

₹

12

Social and Financial schemes delivered by India

Post

26

India Post and Financial Inclusion: The Future

India Posts acquired, in-principle approval for establishing a payment bank and the India Post Payment Bank was incorporated in August 2016. The IPPB is expected to roll out its operations by September 2016. While the bank is expected to operate about 650 branches in the first year, the extension through the immense network of Gramin Dak Sewaks would make IPPB the bank with the maximum reach in the first year itself. India Post has the highest number of branches than each group of based on ownership. It also has a higher number of branches than the cumulative total of all bank branches.

2130154478

6288 16001

154939

State Bank andAssociates

NationalizedBanks

Old PrivateSector Banks

New PrivateBanks

India Post

Total Branches

11

-14

253

-20-25

16

Business Segment-wise YoY Growth (% for 2015-16)

Speed Post

Business Post

Business Parcel

Sale of Stamps

Commission on Money Order

Others

27

Research Support and Engagement with Elected Officials

28

About Research Support and Engagement with Honorable MPs

Swaniti Initiative aims to inform MPs about development issues through dissemination of information on development

topics like health, education, gender or livelihood in the form of analysis of schemes, briefs, research insights etc. Our

research content is developed through consistent feedback and discussion with MPs. Additionally, Swaniti also provides

on-ground support and grassroots-level development insight at the constituency level in certain cases. The areas of

intervention are focused on our 4 core sectors (health, education, gender and livelihood). As part of engagements,

members from the Swaniti team travel to the constituency to study the issue at hand, interact with the different

stakeholders and subsequently draw a plan of action to address the issue. The Swaniti team also follows up with the

stakeholders at regular intervals to ensure that the project is completed in a time-bound manner.

In the month of September, our Engagement Associate visited Kathalbari, in Tripura to work on the Saansad Adarsh

Gram or Model Village Program. This section highlights the activities undertaken in the constituency and stories from

the field.

The month of September also saw the launch of the SPARC program, which intends to provide legislators with

constituency level support. This section also features a note on the SPARC program.

29

Supporting Parliamentarians on Analysis and Research in

Constituency (SPARC)

In mid-2015, a cohort of MPs, led by Parliamentarian Kalikesh Singh Deo, came together to brainstorm ways

though which Parliamentarians can become more effective leaders. After several weeks of discussion they concluded

that a MP spends a significant amount of time on constituency related issues. They noted that unfortunately there is

little or no help for constituency development at that level, though significant support is needed. Thus, the

SPARC program was born.

The cohort of MPs reached out to Swaniti Initiative and they jointly came up with the SPARC program. Given the

focus on development issues, the MPs along with Swaniti approached Tata Trusts for knowledge and financial

support. In April 2016, the three partners came together to launch the SPARC program

The SPARC Program assigns a Member of Parliament with an Associate for a period of one year. As part of the

program, the Associate will work on supporting the MP in catalyzing development in his/her constituency. We

believe that having an experienced professional, whose sole focus will be to bring development in the areas of health,

education, gender and livelihood through the office of the MP, can fill the much needed gap and directly improve the

lives of the most vulnerable population. The program is funded by the Tata Trusts.

SPARC Associates will be young professionals from top universities with strong academic background and preferably

2-4 years of work experience in diversified fields. SPARC Associates will be problem solvers who can successfully

handle challenging situations, strong communicators who can build relationships with officials and community, and

A SPARC Associate will work on multiple aspects of development while focusing on programs in the area of health,

gender, education, water & sanitation and livelihood. The specific deliverable of the Associate will be focused on:

Catalyzing Constituency Level Programs: At the start of the SPARC program, MPs will be requested to

share projects and developmental sectors that they feel are the most deserving of attention in their

constituency. The Associate through the office of the MP will then be responsible for designing a program

that will overcome the specific issue, mobilizing funding for the program and piloting solution(s) that can

be scaled up across the constituency. In order to create the most impact within a short amount of time, the

program will focus on areas of health, education, gender, water & sanitation and livelihood.

Bridging the knowledge gap: The Associate will be responsible for providing information that can be

pivotal to bringing development to the constituency. For example, knowing how to use, apply and receive

government schemes can be helpful in a constituency and the MPs office can be catalytic in this process. In

this instance, the Associate will provide details of various government schemes. The role of an Associate

would include providing MPs with briefs and information insights that can help in directly bringing

development to the constituency.

30

A Step towards an Adarsh Gram: Kathalbari VC (Tripura East

Constitutency)

Michael Palin famously said, “I am restless and I

don’t mind leaving this comfortable, static life. I could

live a year on my own in a remote village”. Between

densely forested areas and breath-taking natural

landscape of Ambassa, lies Kathalbari Village

Committee/ Council. Dominated by a wide schedule

tribe population, Kathalbari Village

Committee/Council is the first among gram

panchayats/VC in Tripura East Constituency to be

launched under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

Development Programme (SDP). The Hon’ble

Member of Parliament, Mr. Jitendra Chaudhury

under Tripura East Constituency launched

Kathalbari VC on 14th November. Since then various

projects have been undertaken to convert

Kathalbari VC to Model Village or what we would call an ‘Adarsh Gram’. To work in alignment with vision of Mr.

Jitendra Chaudhury who wanted Kathalbari VC to be an example of ‘Adarsh Gram’ in Tripura and entire North East

region, the Swaniti team set out to support his vision for the same.

Kathalbari VC, which is one of the 35 Village

Committees (VCs)7 in Ambassa RD Block in Dhalai

District, comes under the Tripura Tribal Areas

Autonomous District Council. It consists of seven

hamlets/habitations with a total population of

2229. Swaniti team began their visit to

understand and observe the issues pertaining in

the habitations. The common observation was

lack of water availability across habitations. Also,

in term of infrastructure, coverage of toilets and

houses under Swachh Bharat Mission and

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana were yet to be

complete. At present, out of 525 HHs, 199 HHs are

involved in hard-core Jhum cultivation 8 and

MGNREGA is primary source of income for more

7 Under the TTAADC area, the VC operates as the institution of local self-governance, similar to Gram Panchayat in non-ADC area 8 Jhum Cultivation also known as the slash and burn agriculture, is the process of growing crops by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation and burning them thereafter.

31

than 85 percent of the population in Kathalbari VC. Apart from understanding the infrastructure gaps, the aim of the

visit was to interact with the community to understand the gaps existing in human resources and community

mobilisation.

Focus group discussions were conducted with Self Help Groups and Jhumia cultivators to understand the scope of

livelihood pattern in the village. A key finding during one of the FGD with SHG members in the Panchayat Office was

a persistent increase in confidence level among member through business ventures. It was observed that weekly

saving habit has been inculcated among the members. The members have utilized the Revolving Fund and

Community Investment Fund towards starting their business ventures such as practicing animal husbandry, starting

a tea stall, piggery and poultry and buying strings to weave Pachra (Handloom). Mr. Jayanta, the Cluster Coordinator

of TRLM, informed that he has seen a transformation among these members. Their willingness to regularly save and

start up their own business ventures reflects the start of women empowerment and development in the community

and decreases their reliance on moneylender for loans. However, as these SHGs have been newly formed, most of

them haven’t started availing loans from banks.

32

During the visit, the team got an opportunity to meet Pachra Artists and visit Pachra Handloom centre situated in

nearby Panchayat (i.e. Kachimchoro). A tradition carried generation after generation by the Reang community and

Tripuri community women. The raw material i.e. the cotton strings costs Rs 550-600 per kg and the artists can cover

the cost by selling it in a range of Rs 1000-2000. Normally, women weave the Pachra at their home with equipment

called ‘Kamar Tatah’. It takes them around one week or two to finish weaving a pachra. It was amazing to see these

women keep their cultural ethos alive in their daily chores with their smiles.

“The money that I received from the group was very beneficial for me. I received Rs. 2000 as a loan from the

group. I utilised the amount and borrowed some money from my husband to buy strings to weave ‘Pachra’. It is

our traditional attire and has good market value in Agartala. I can sell them in range of Rs. 500- Rs. 2000 each. If

I save regularly and utilise the money to weave Pachra, I might start a small shop soon.”

- Romawati Reang, member, Mahila SHG, Singun Para

33

Weekly Policy Updates

34

About Weekly Policy Updates

Weekly Policy Updates aim to keep the elected officials updated on policy development by providing them crisp

information. This initiative of ours has been recognized by many MPs during our interactions with them.

This section includes the key policy initiatives which were announced in the month of September. These included

developments in Budget Process, Smart Cities and Paris Agreement, amongst others. This month, the Union Cabinet

approved the merger of Railway budget with the General budget, the advancement of the date of Budget presentation

from the last day of February and the merger of the Plan and the Non-Plan classification in the Budget and Accounts.

The cabinet also gave approval to ratify the Paris Agreement COP 21 (on Climate Change). Twenty-seven new cities

were also added under the Smart Cities Mission by the government this month.

Weekly policy updates sent out to elected representatives have been summarized in subsequent pages.

35

September 3rd – September 9th, 2016 (Week 1)

1. #Gas4India Campaign to Promote Natural Gas

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched the #Gas4India campaign, aimed at promoting the

use of gas in the country. Public and private sector companies working in the sector have joined hands to

promote the natural gas sector. #Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign to

communicate the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice

to every citizen who uses, or will use in the near future, gas in any way- cook, travel, light their homes, and

power their business.

The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and its official blogsite,

as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers through discussions, workshops and

cultural events. The country is moving towards the gas-based economy, and the Government is working to

increase the share of gas in the country’s energy basket from the present 6.5%.

Government is going to take steps to harness synthetic gas from Coal Bed Methane, and also promoting Bio-

CNG and Bio-PNG. 3 New LNG terminals are also coming up. India has entered into long term contracts and

acquired assets abroad to ensure unhindered supply of gas at reasonable prices.

2. DST commits 500 Crores for Startup India

In order to realize the Prime Minister’s ambitious Initiative on Startup India, DST aims to bring both speed

and scale to transform the Startup Ecosystem in the country and has committed 500 crores to implement

these new programs in next few years. NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and Harnessing

Innovations), an umbrella program is pioneered by the Department of Science & Technology(DST),

Government of India, for nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into

successful startups.

There are 8 components of NIDHI that support each stage of a budding startup from idea to market. The first

component PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators & Startups), launched on

2nd September, 2016, aims to support innovators to build prototypes of their ideas by providing a grant up

to Rs.10 lakhs and an access to Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab).

The final component is the Seed Support System which provides up to One Crore rupees per start-up and is

implemented through Technology Business Incubators. During the current financial year with a view to drive

the innovation and startup centric new initiatives in a scaled up manner for its wider outreach across the

country, a 450% increase in allocation (Rs. 180 crores) has been made in the Department’s budget.

36

3. Rs.20,000 Crore Long Term Irrigation Fund to be Raised

In a move that aims to address the perennial irrigation water crisis affecting rural India, Ministry of Water

Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and NABARD signed an agreement to operationalise

the Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) to be instituted in NABARD as part of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee

Yojana (PMKSY).

The Fund, with an initial corpus of about Rs 20,000 crore, was announced in the Union Budget 2016-17 by

Finance Minister. Corpus would be raised by way of budgetary resources and market borrowings to fund fast

tracking of implementation of incomplete major & medium irrigation projects. An MoA was signed to this

effect as an arrangement between Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation

and NABARD to complete the 99 prioritized irrigation projects as part of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee

Yojana (PMKSY).

A phenomenal 76.03 lakh hectares of land is estimated to be brought under irrigation through 99 identified

projects under this initiative which has a total estimated allocation of Rs. 77,595 crore. The project which is

spread over a period of four years between 2016-20 will have approximate Central and state Government

shares of Rs. 31,342 crore and Rs.46,253 crore respectively to be entirely funded from the LTIF for Central

Share and on demand basis in respect of respective state shares.

September 10th – September 16th, 2016 (Week 2)

1. Creation of GST Council and its Secretariat

The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of the GST Council as per Article 279A of the amended

Constitution, with GST Council Secretariat, with its office at New Delhi; and appointment of the Secretary

(Revenue) as the Ex-officio Secretary to the GST Council; Inclusion of the Chairperson, Central Board of

Excise and Customs (CBEC), as a permanent invitee (non-voting) to all proceedings of the GST Council and

creation of one post of Additional Secretary to the GST Council in GST Council Secretariat (at the level of

Additional Secretary to the Government of India), and four posts of Commissioner in the GST Council

Secretariat (at the level of Joint Secretary to the Government of India).

The Cabinet also decided to provide for adequate funds for meeting the recurring and non-recurring

expenses of the GST Council Secretariat, the entire cost for which shall be borne by the Central Government.

The GST Council Secretariat shall be manned by officers taken on deputation from both the Central and State

Governments.

The steps required in the direction of implementation of GST are being taken ahead of the schedule so far.The

Finance Minister has also decided to call the first meeting of the GST Council on 22nd and 23rdSeptember 2016

in New Delhi. As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council has to be constituted by

the President within 60 days of the commencement of Article 279A. The notification for bringing into force

Article 279A with effect from 12thSeptember, 2016 was issued on 10th September, 2016.

37

2. Cabinet approves enhancing the buffer stock of pulses up to 20 lakh tones

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of Department of Consumer Affairs

on enhancing the buffer stock for pulses up to 20 lakh tonnes. The buffer stock will be built through domestic

procurement and imports of 10 lakh tonnes each.

The specific variety of pulses and their respective quantities for the buffer stock, their phasing/procurement

will be decided based on price and availability position, both domestic and global, and changes, if any, in the

procurement plan for the current and subsequent seasons will be with due approvals. Releases from the

stock and procurement in subsequent year would be based on the prevailing pulse scenario as well as buffer

stock position. Requisite funds for this operation would be provided to the 'Price Stabilisation Fund' Scheme

of the Department.

For creating the buffer stock, the domestic procurement operations will be undertaken by the Central

Agencies namely FCI, NAFED and SFAC or any other agency as decided by PSFMC at the prevailing market

prices if the prevailing market prices are above Minimum Support Prices (MSP), and at MSP, if otherwise. In

addition, State Governments may also be authorized, wherever possible, to undertake the procurement in a

manner similar to decentralized procurement of food-grains. Import of pulses under PSF to meet the buffer

stock requirements would be undertaken through G2G contract and/or spot purchase from the global market

through designated Public Sector Enterprise of Department of Commerce or any other agency designated by

PSFMC.

3. Third Phase of Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal for initiation of the Third Phase of

Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP). The Project will be implemented as a

'Central Sector Scheme' with total project outlay of Rs. 3600 crore. However, the project would be initiated

with a cost of Rs. 2660 crore, with the possibility of additional financing of Rs. 940 crore at later stage. Out of

the Rs.2660 crore, the Central share will be Rs.1330 crore and external assistance from the World Bank

through International Development Association (IDA) Credit of Rs. 1330 crore ($ 201.50 million as first

tranche).

The project will cover all Government / Government aided engineering institutes, ATUs and CFTIs from

Focus States/UT. High-performing TEQIP-I/ TEQIP-II Government / Government aided institutes/ATUs

across the country would be eligible to participate in twinning arrangements for knowledge transfer,

exchange of experience, optimizing the use of resources and developing long-term strategic partnerships.

The Focus States are 7 Low Income States (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and

Uttar Pradesh), 3 Hill States (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand), 8 North-Eastern States

(Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) and Union

Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

38

September 17th - September 23rd, 2016 (Week 3)

1. Cabinet Approves Changes to Budget Process

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposals of Ministry of Finance on certain landmark budgetary reforms

relating to (i) the merger of Railway budget with the General budget, (ii) the advancement of the date of

Budget presentation from the last day of February and (iii) the merger of the Plan and the Non-Plan

classification in the Budget and Accounts. All these changes will be put into effect simultaneously from the

Budget 2017-18.

The Railways will continue to maintain its distinct entity -as a departmentally run commercial undertaking

as at present. The existing financial arrangements will continue wherein Railways will meet all their revenue

expenditure, including ordinary working expenses, pay and allowances and pensions etc. from their revenue

receipts. There will be no dividend liability for Railways from 2017-18 and Ministry of Railways will get Gross

Budgetary support.

The Cabinet has also approved, in principle, another reform relating to budgetary process, for advancement

of the date of Budget presentation from the last day of February to a suitable date. The third proposal

approved by the Cabinet relates to the merger of Plan and Non Plan classification in Budget and Accounts

from 2017-18, with continuance of earmarking of funds for Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan/Tribal Sub-Plan.

Similarly, the allocations for North Eastern States will also continue.

2. Cabinet approves raising Extra Budgetary Resources to augment infrastructure spending

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for raising a total of Rs. 31,300 crore in the financial year 2016-17

and to service the principal and interest against the Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) of Rs. 16,300 crore by

Government of India to augment infrastructure spending.

The move is intended to supplement the efforts of the Government to improve infrastructure spending and

to improve the revenue-capital mix of the expenditure for a more sustainable growth.

Infrastructure spending is one of the key parameters to judge the sustainability of growth in a country. The

proportion of Capital expenditure to the total expenditure is the yardstick to measure this. In order to

augment infrastructure spending further, Government will permit mobilisation of additional finances to the

extent of 31,300 crore by NHAI, PFC, REC, IREDA, NABARD and Inland Water Authority through raising of

Bonds during 2016-17.

3. 27 new cities added under the Smart City Mission

The Golden Temple city of Amritsar topped the list of 27 new smart cities announced by the Ministry of Urban

Development. Eight other cities of pilgrim and tourism importance that made to the third list of smart cities

39

are; Ujjain, Tirupati, Agra, Nashik, Madurai, Thanjavur, Ajmer and Varanasi. With this the number of cities

selected under Smart City Mission for financing implementation of smart city plans has gone up to 60.

The new 27 smart cities have proposed an investment of Rs.66,883 cr under smart city plans including

Rs.42,524 cr under Area Based Development and another Rs.11,379 cr for technology based Pan-city

solutions that benefits all the citizens of respective cities.

Implementation of smart city plans is now spread over 27 States and UTs. 9 States/UTs still to enter

implementation phase are; Uttarakhand, J & K, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh,

Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra, Nagar & Haveli.

September 24th – September 30th, 2016 (Week 4)

1. Cabinet approves ratification of the Paris Agreement COP 21

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to ratify the Paris Agreement COP 21 (on Climate Change) on 2nd

October, 2016. Paris Agreement was adopted by 185 nations last year on 12th December, 2015 and India

signed the Paris Agreement in New York early this year on 22nd April, 2016. A total of 191 countries have

signed the Paris Agreement so far.

As per the provisions of the Paris Agreement, the treaty will come into force as and when the 55 countries

contributing to 55 % of total global emission ratify the agreement. India’s decision to ratify the agreement

will take the number of cumulative level of emission of countries that have ratified the agreement so far to

51.89%. With the gathering momentum and willingness expressed by several other countries to ratify the

agreement before the end of this year, it is expected that the Agreement will enter into force soon and give a

thrust to the global actions to address climate change.

While agreeing to ratify the Paris Agreement, the Cabinet has also decided that India should declare that it

will treat its national laws, its development agenda, and availability of means of implementation, its

assessment of global commitment to combating climate change, and predictable and affordable access to

cleaner source of energy as the context in which the Agreement is being ratified.

2. Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to Varistha Pension Bima Yojana, 2003 and Varistha Pension Bima

Yojana, 2014

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY), 2003

launched on 14th July, 2003 and Varistha Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY), 2014 launched on 14th August, 2014.

Both are pension schemes intended to give an assured minimum pension to the Senior Citizens based on an

assured minimum return on the subscription amount. The pension is envisaged until death from the date of

subscription, with payback of the subscription amount on death of the subscriber to the nominee.

40

The Schemes are implemented through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India, and the difference between

the actual yield earned by LIC on the funds invested under the Scheme and the assured return committed by

the Government is paid as subsidy to LIC.

Both the schemes VPBY - 2003 and VPBY - 2014 are closed for future subscriptions. However, policies sold

during the currency of policy are being serviced as per the commitment of guaranteed 9% return assured by

the Government under the schemes. VPBY-2014 was open from 14th August, 2014 to 14th August, 2015.

3. Cabinet approves the implementation of the Project SAKSHAM

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, has approved ‘Project SAKSHAM’, a New Indirect Tax Network

(Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).

The Project will help in implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), extension of the Indian Customs

Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) and other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital

India and Ease of Doing Business of Central Board of Excise and Customs.

The implementation strategy for the project will be to ensure readiness of CBEC's IT systems by April, 1,

2017, when GST is to be introduced. The upgrade of the IT systems will be carried out while keeping the

existing Tax-payer services running.

41

Swaniti Initiative

11/11, Sarv Priya Vihar, New Delhi-110016

Phone: +91 8130092262

Email: swaniti@swaniti.com

Website: www.swaniti.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanitiinitiative

Twitter: @Swaniti

Copyright © 2016 Swaniti Initiative. All Rights Reserved.