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A sixth-grade social science textbook that I read described India as a piece of fabric, with countless threads coloured in a myriad of majestic shades, woven together. This metaphor holds exceptionally well when put into the context of our <keyword id="22706215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-industry" source="keywords">handloom industry</keyword>. India has a rich history of handlooms and weaving cultures. The culture of handlooms is so intricately woven into Indian culture, that there are whole towns dedicated to the same: <keyword id="248532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chanderi" source="Orion">Chanderi</keyword> in Madhya Pradesh to Pochampally in Telangana and a dozen more! Unfortunately, the handloom industry in India is dying. The struggle is multi-faceted, ranging from a declining workforce to fierce competition from <keyword id="20496028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-looms" source="keywords">power looms</keyword>. Hence, five years ago, August 7 was proclaimed <keyword id="22677698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Handloom-Day" source="keywords">National Handloom Day</keyword> in response to this crisis and to heighten public awareness. This date holds special historical significance, commemorating the initiation of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905—a pivotal act of defiance against British colonial rule. <h2>When did this industry come into existence?</h2>According to archaeological findings, the origins of handloom in the Indian subcontinent may be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Mughal Empire was known to support and patronise <keyword id="20258864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weavers" source="keywords">weavers</keyword>. The support from the royal patrons resulted in the invention of new textiles such as ‘Mulmul’ and ‘Banarasi Brocade’ among others. This era witnessed a heightened worldwide demand for Indian textiles. In the 17th century, India produced 25% of the world’s textiles, with Bengal accounting for more than 50% of textiles and 80% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia. <h2>What led to the decline of the <keyword id="19934660" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-handloom" source="keywords">Indian handloom</keyword>?</h2>The East India Company's entry fuelled the industry's initial decline, which started in the 1830s. The weavers were obliged to sell only to the British, and that too at exceedingly cheap prices, virtually putting them out of business. On the other hand, Indian cloth was taxed excessively to promote machine-made British clothing. The Industrial Revolution in Britain strengthened their indigenous textile industry, giving rise to new markets for cheaper textiles. In India, the collapse of the Mughal aristocracies meant no access to royal patronage. As a result, textiles like Khadi and muslin had little demand in the market. Circling back to the present, the industry is facing both similar and new challenges. Fabrics made on power looms are cheaper and faster to produce, in comparison to handloom fabrics. The industry is largely unorganised, and the wages are shockingly low. 67% of <keyword id="22706216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-workers" source="keywords">handloom workers</keyword> are earning less than the minimum wage every month. Faced with economic challenges, the older artisans are thus forced to encourage the newer generation to choose an alternative career path. This migration of the workforce from a traditional sector is evident from the fall in the number of weavers less than 35 years of age- from 26.13 lakh in 2009-10 to 16.07 lakh in 2019-20. The majority of weavers do not have access to banking facilities, let alone institutional credit. Furthermore, if one manages to accumulate credit, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand forces due to the lack of awareness about handwoven textiles in the current generation. <h2>Initiatives for revival</h2>The cultural significance of the Indian handloom isn’t just limited to its beauty and extravagance, but it extends to our independence struggle as well. The Swadeshi movement immortalised the charkha and advocated for the use of indigenous goods. Following independence, the Indian government took many measures to revive the handloom industry. In 1953, India’s Parliament approved the Khadi and Other Handloom Industries Development Act. In 1955, the All India Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society was formed to promote the sale of fabrics produced by handloom cooperatives across India. The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) aimed to provide financial assistance for marketing and production. The Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme offers health and life insurance to weavers, to ensure social security. The organisation commenced a fortnight-long exhibition, “VIRAASAT” dedicated to celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, and will conclude on 16th August 2024. The Handloom Mark scheme was introduced to authenticate handloom products, thus enabling weavers to gain better market access and ensuring that consumers get genuine products. Moreover, the India Trade Portal also mentions that the GOI plans to provide financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore to at least 10,000 handlooms. Various state governments also regularly conduct handloom expos and fairs, providing platforms for weavers to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers. <h2>Contemporary Brands and their love for Indian handloom</h2>Modern, popular designers such as <keyword id="8264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sabyasachi" source="Orion">Sabyasachi</keyword> and <keyword id="21493890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritu-kumar" source="keywords">Ritu Kumar</keyword> are known to work closely with weavers and have been doing their part by bringing worldwide attention to the handloom industries. Recently, <keyword id="1472101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajrakh" source="Orion">Ajrakh</keyword> was brought into the limelight when Alia Bhatt wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Ajrakh saree to Joy Awards in Riyadh. However, it’s not just the fashion moguls who are working towards the revival of this industry. Contemporary indie brands are partnering with local weavers, and creating awareness about their work. The emergence of such indie brands and their association with local artisans is beneficial for both entities. For instance, Joskai Studio derives its name from ‘Joskai’, a woven piece of cloth worn as a part of the traditional costume of the Tiwa community of Assam. They work with artisans in northeast India, specifically from the weaving village of Saualkuchi in Assam. Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan is a Kerala-based brand that works strictly with weavers from Kerala, specifically Chendamangalam and Kuthampally. <h2>Employment and Exports</h2>According to the Indian Trade Portal, the Indian handloom sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture in rural areas. The Handloom Census 2019-20 mentions that the industry employs about 35,22,512 workers across the country, with women forming 77.29% of the workforce. India is the second largest exporter of handloom products in the world, with exports valued at $ 353.9 million in 2017- 18, as per EXIM bank's working papers. The major handloom export centres are Karur, Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur where handloom products like bed linen, table linen, toilet linen, floor coverings, and embroidered textile materials and curtains etc. are produced for export markets. During April 2021-February 2022, India exported handloom products worth 1693 crore, as per Indian Trade Portal. Indian silk scarves also form a sizable chunk of total handloom exports, in addition to home textiles like carpets, rugs and mats, which constitute over 13.6% of India’s total handloom exports. <h2>The Path Forward</h2>The mere existence of organisations and allocation of funds isn’t enough to sustain the legacy of India’s rich handloom industry. Big corporations working with local weavers ensure employment but don't protect them from exploitation and meagre wages, leaving them vulnerable. The people in power ought to come up with strategies that ensure the trickle-down effect of the schemes and funds. The new generation of buyers has a greater purchasing power than the one before them. Marketing focused on bringing Indian handloom practices into the limelight can do wonders in this case.

Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

Chennai, Tamil Nadu's ruling <keyword id="19897149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dmk" source="keywords">DMK</keyword>, a key constituent of the INDIA bloc, in its manifesto released on Wednesday promised to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 if the opposition alliance wins the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> polls. Restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and holding polls there, scrapping the New Education Policy 2020, slashing fuel prices, annulling Article 361 of the Constitution that provides protection to governors from legal action and appointment of Governors following consultation with Chief Ministers, were among the key promises made by the DMK. The recommendations of the M S Swaminathan committee will be adopted to ensure that MSP for agricultural products "is set at total production cost plus 50 per cent," the DMK said. Also, it announced that if voted to power, the INDIA bloc will withdraw the Agnipath scheme and reintroduce "permanent recruitment service" in the Indian Armed forces. "From now on, population census, including caste-wise census and census concerning people below the poverty line, will be conducted by the Union government once every five years simultaneously." The DMK will firmly insist on the removal of Article 356, which allows the dismissal of duly elected state governments and imposition of President's rule. The Congress party's ally in Tamil Nadu said that "new constraints" on States' borrowing capacity, imposed by the union government beyond the limits in each state's FRBM-equivalent Act will be eliminated. "A recommendation to share cess revenues with states will be made. It will be proposed that the Finance Commission increase the horizontal devolution of tax revenue (to all States together) from 42 per cent to 50 per cent." The Union government's financial contributions to states will be based on the income tax and GST collected in those states. Thus, financial contributions will be assured based on the taxes collected within each state. The finance provided to states will be permanently determined based on the 1971 population. A 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and legislative assemblies will be implemented immediately. "DMK will insist that the Union government enact a law providing menstrual leave to women, emphasizing the journey towards gender equality." Petrol and diesel prices "will be set at Rs 75, Rs 65 (per litre)" and cooking gas cylinders shall be made available at Rs 500 (per cylinder). "The introduction of the Uniform Civil Code will be strictly prevented" to preserve India's secular nature as stated in the Constitution's preamble. "The 2019 CAA law will be repealed, and all minorities will be treated equally without any discrimination. The recommendations of the Sachar Committee for the improvement of the lives of Muslims and other minority communities will be implemented." Facilitation will be provided for <keyword id="21027983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sri-lankan-tamil" source="keywords">Sri Lankan Tamil</keyword> refugees to get Indian citizenship. Assistance will be provided to those who wish to return to Sri Lanka. Also, the manifesto said efforts will be made to implement reservation for minorities at the all-India level, similar to Tamil Nadu. "The financial assistance previously provided to minority educational institutions has now been stopped. Action will be taken to resume this assistance." For "political" reasons, funding from foreign countries to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has currently been stopped. "The Foreign Exchange Regulation Act will be properly amended, and measures will be taken to ensure these financial aids continue to reach NGOs without any problems." The proposal of 'One Nation, One Election' will be abandoned, and for the allocation of Lok Sabha seats to states, the current practice, based on the 1971 census will continue. All "people-unfriendly" laws introduced by the BJP government over the last 10 years will be reviewed immediately by the INDIA alliance government. The "labour-hostile laws" introduced by the BJP government will be "reformed." Through the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), the Union government will ensure a minimum pension of Rs 5,000 per month. The number of working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act will be increased from 100 to 150 days. "A wage of Rs 400 will be provided across states/ union territories nationwide." Disbanding the current NITI Aayog, set up by the BJP regime and establishing again the Planning Commission to draft plans based on the requests of state governments is another assurance the DMK has made. "Measures will be taken to reclaim Kachchatheevu to ensure India's security and to protect the welfare of the fishermen." A mandatory "cooling-off period" of 2 years will be introduced for retired judges and secretaries before they could join private companies or political parties, the manifesto said. Waiving loans and interests for farmers in nationalised and scheduled banks, waiver of educational loans for students, monthly entitlement of Rs 1,000 for all women in every state and formation of <keyword id="21027984" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-development-council" source="keywords">State Development Council</keyword> by including Chief Ministers were among the promises made by the DMK. Exemption for Tamil Nadu from the NEET exam and complete removal of toll booths on national highways, forms part of poll promises of the Dravidian party. Further, the DMK said amendments will be made to relevant laws to ensure that state governments, elected by the people, appoint Vice-Chancellors to state-run universities, rather than Governors. Stopping government's divestment from public sector enterprises, implementing the Sethusamudram project, law to ban online gambling, setting up a <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> branch in Chennai, providing statehood for <keyword id="19901639" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puducherry" source="keywords">Puducherry</keyword>, equal funding for all state languages including Tamil, were among the host of other promises made by the DMK. Establishment of Tamil departments in varsities and stopping construction of <keyword id="19950851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mekedatu" source="keywords">Mekedatu</keyword> dam were also promised by the DMK. "The <keyword id="19996334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vishwakarma-scheme" source="keywords">Vishwakarma Scheme</keyword>, introduced by the BJP government to encourage caste-based occupations, will be restructured on the basis of social justice."

DMK vows to repeal CAA if INDIA bloc is voted to power

The government is all set to carry out two mega exercises -- the Census and the update of the <keyword id="101292" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Population-Register">National Population Register</keyword> (NPR) across the country involving every resident next year. Below are the objectives, characteristics and differences between the NPR and the Census. The National Population Register (NPR):
 The NPR is a register of usual residents of the country. It is being prepared at the local (village/sub-town), subdistrict, district, state and national level under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
 A usual resident is defined, for the purposes of the NPR, as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months. The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card.
 The NPR exercise will be carried out between April and September 2020 in all states and UTs, except Assam, along with the house listing phase of the census exercise.
 Assam has been excluded because the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise has already been conducted in the state.
 The objective of the NPR, being carried out under the aegis of the Registrar General and ex-Officio Census Commissioner, India, is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic as well as biometric particulars.
 The demographic details of every individual are required for every usual resident: name, relationship to head of household, father's name, mother's name, spouse's name (if married), sex, date of birth, marital status, place of birth, nationality (as declared), present address of usual residence, duration of stay at present address, permanent residential address, occupation, educational qualification.
 The data for NPR was last collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the Census 2011. Updating of this data was done during 2015 by conducting door to door survey.
 A gazette notification for the forthcoming NPR has been published by the central government in August.
 On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet approved funds to the tune of over Rs 8,500 crore for the NPR exercise. 
 The Census:
 The decennial census is the largest single source of a variety of statistical information on different characteristics of the people of India conducted on the basis of the Census Act enacted in 1948.
 The census, 2021 will be done in two phases. In the first phase, the work of house-listing or housing census will be conducted from April to September, 2020. In the second phase, the enumeration of population will be done from February 9 to February 28, 2021 with reference moment as 00:00 hours of March 1, 2021.
 For snow-bound areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2020.
 The census is the basis for reviewing the country's progress in the past decade, monitoring the ongoing schemes of the government and plan for the future.
 The census provides detailed and authentic information on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, fertility and mortality, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, language, religion, migration, disability besides others.
 The enumerators also collect data related to cultivators and agricultural labourers, their sex, occupational classification of workers in non-households industry, trade, business, profession or service by class of worker and sex.
 There will be detailed survey on gender and literacy rate, number of towns, slum households and their population.
 Information is also collected on sources of potable water, energy, irrigation, method of farming, whether a house is concrete, thatched or others.
 With a history of more than 130 years, this reliable, time tested exercise has been bringing out a veritable wealth of statistics every 10 years, beginning from 1872 when the first census was conducted in India non-synchronously in different parts.
 The government of India decided in May 1949 to initiate steps for developing systematic collection of statistics on the size of population, its growth, etc., and established an organisation in the Ministry of Home Affairs under Registrar General and ex-Officio Census Commissioner, India.
 This organisation was made responsible for generating data on population statistics including vital statistics and census. Later, this office was also entrusted with the responsibility of implementation of Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 in the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-will-spend-rs-8500-crore-for-updating-the-national-population-register/articleshow/72952994.cms">India will spend ₹8,500 crore for updating the national population register</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/assam-national-register-of-citizens-excludes-1-9-million/articleshow/70920758.cms">1.9 million people left out of Assam's National Register of Citizens</a> <a href="http://businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-government-releases-five-clauses-to-acquire-indian-citizenship/articleshow/72908709.cms">Indian government outlines conditions for Indian citizenship -- depending on when you were born</a>

Everything you need to know about the Census and National Population Register update

<keyword id="6355572" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sri-lanka" source="Orion">Sri Lanka</keyword> has declared an <keyword id="3242629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-emergency" source="Orion">economic emergency</keyword>, after a steep fall in the value of the South Asian country's currency caused a spike in food prices. Authorities say they will take control of the supply of basic food items, including rice and sugar, and set prices in an attempt to control rising inflation, the BBC reported. The Sri Lankan rupee has fallen by 7.5 per cent against the US dollar this year. The wide-ranging emergency measures came into effect on Tuesday. A former <keyword id="70842" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="army-general" source="Orion">army general</keyword> has been appointed by the government as the commissioner of essential services, with the power to seize stocks held by traders and retailers. "The authorised officers will be able to take steps to provide essential food items at a concessionary rate to the public by purchasing stocks of essential food items," the president of the island nation, <keyword id="214050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gotabaya-rajapaksa" source="Orion">Gotabaya Rajapaksa</keyword>, said in a statement. "These items will be provided at government guaranteed prices or based on the customs value on imported goods to prevent market irregularities," the statement added. The announcement came after a surge in the cost of basic foodstuffs such as sugar, onions and potatoes, BBC reported. There have also been long queues outside shops due to shortages of other goods including milk powder, kerosene and cooking gas. The Country's Department of Census and Statistics said the increase in the foreign exchange rate was one of the reasons behind rising prices of many essential items over the last year. Month-on-month inflation rose to 6 per cent in August, mainly due to high food prices, the department said. The country, which is a net importer of food and other commodities, is witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths which has hit tourism, one of the country's main foreign currency earners, the report said. Partly as a result of the slump in tourist numbers, Sri Lanka's economy shrank by a record 3.6 per cent last year. In March last year, the government imposed an import ban on vehicles and other items as it tried to stem the outflow of foreign currencies. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/angry-tweets-with-sebiagainstretail-spike-as-indias-market-regulators-new-rules-on-intraday-trading-kick-in-today/articleshow/85826369.cms">Angry tweets with #SEBIAgainstRetail spike as India’s market regulator’s new rules on intraday trading kick in today</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/americas-20-year-war-on-terror-has-killed-up-to-929000-people-and-cost-over-8-trillion-report/articleshow/85824903.cms">America’s 20-year war on terror has killed up to 929,000 people and cost over $8 trillion: report</a>

Sri Lanka declares economic emergency as food items go out of reach

<ul><li>The population of the endangered Bengal tigers in India has increased by 33% from 2,226 in 2014 to 2,967 in 2018. </li><li>India counts its tigers every four years through a comprehensive survey. The latest <keyword id="91788" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tiger-census">tiger census</keyword> was carried out on 3,81,400 sq km in 20 tiger-occupied states. </li><li>The government official had to set up camera traps at 26,838 locations to capture pictures of wild tigers.</li></ul> After many years of rapid decline, the <keyword id="7927910" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="number-of-tigers-in-india">number of tigers in India</keyword> has gone up. The population of the endangered Bengal tigers rose by 33% to 2,967 in 2018 from 2014, the <a href="https://projecttiger.nic.in/WriteReadData/PublicationFile/Tiger%20Status%20Report_XPS220719032%20%20new%20layout(1).pdf">government said. </a> Prime Minister Narendra Modi too proudly proclaimed on July 29, that India is now home to almost 75% of the global tiger population. If all goes well, Indian tiger <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/world/asia/india-tiger.html">count can go up to 4,000 like it was in the 1980s</a>, said Valdmik Thapar, a prominent naturalist and conservationist in the country. A good picture A few experts however believe that the ‘good picture’ is because of better counting techniques, using cameras and improved placements. India counts its tigers every four years through a comprehensive survey. The latest tiger census was carried out across 3,81,400 sq km in 20 states. Government officials had set up camera traps at 26,838 locations to capture pictures of wild tigers. "There are a plethora of factors that have resulted in good numbers, including efficient management inputs, the density of camera, and supportive government efforts. Out of the 50 tiger habitats in India, 47 have shown positive numbers, said N Sunil Kumar, CEO of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Foundation <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/29/world/asia/india-tiger.html">told</a> Business Insider India. He further added, "We should strive to keep improving the habitats because that is the objective." The c<a href="https://www.scmp.com/video/asia/3020592/wild-tigers-clashing-people-animal-population-rises-nearly-3000-india">ameras captured 3.5 crore pictures</a>, and using Capture-Mark-Recapture methodology, 76,651 pictures of tigers were identified. The authorities then used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect the presence of 3,000 tigers in 2018. Still endangered While the numbers have risen, India has also lost many tigers rapidly, due to increased urbanisation which cut into forest cover. In 1900, India <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/narendra-modi-on-international-tiger-day-says-population-doubled/articleshow/70428071.cms">was believed to be a home to 100,000 tigers</a>. By 2006, it went down to a fraction of it, at 1,411. To save their declining population, India along with 12 other countries, signed an agreement to double the number by 2022. According to Modi, India achieved this target four years earlier. "The results of the just declared tiger census would make every Indian, every nature lover happy," <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1155694808519680000?s=20">he said.</a> But, there is a lot more work to be done to save tigers. "It is about carrying capacity of the reserves. The challenge now is to look beyond protected areas and be ready with measures to address conflicts," said Rajesh Gopal, former head of National Tiger Conservation Authority. (With IANS) See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/narendra-modi-on-international-tiger-day-says-population-doubled/articleshow/70428071.cms">Prime Minister Modi says India has doubled its tiger population four years ahead of target</a>

India's tiger population is rising and it is not just because we can now count better

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>'s gross domestic product may rebound to 8.5% in 2022 before suffering a "deep contraction" in this fiscal year, according to <keyword id="30287" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="SP">S&amp;P</keyword> Global Ratings.</li><li>Despite India's $264 billion economic <keyword id="45304" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stimulus">stimulus</keyword>, or about 10% of its GDP, the country's migrant laborers and struggling communities are enduring critical troubles.</li><li>A direct cash-transfer benefit reform enabled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to deliver stimulus funds to the needy, but tens of thousands amongst those deprived do not have access to digital payments accounts.</li><li>Meanwhile, a forgotten social community has been wiped off of India's <keyword id="48933" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="population">population</keyword> data and has failed to secure a government representative on the presumption that their numbers have dwindled to a mere 296.</li></ul>India's economy is likely to rebound by 8.5% in 2022 after suffering a deep contraction in the current fiscal year, according to S&amp;P Global. However, the world's fifth-largest economy is faced with both a migrant crisis of epic proportions and community distress as tens of thousands struggle to persevere during the pandemic in one of the world's most populous nations. The credit ratings agency affirmed a "BBB-" rating on India which represents a relatively low-risk investment and held its "stable" outlook.Real gross domestic product will shrink 5% by the end of fiscal 2021, S&amp;P said. In 2020, GDP fell to an 11-year low of less than 5%. Aspects that will support India's economic rebound include the country's "wide range of structural trends, including healthy demographics and competitive unit labor costs," S&amp;P said. If implemented efficiently, economic reforms could support the rebound.<h2>Downside risks</h2>On the other hand, India's recovery could be hampered by "a serious local epidemic, enduring financial and corporate distress in India, and long-lasting global economic malaise." A sharp rise in national debt is expected this year as the government reels out more stimulus to address the pandemic while dealing with weak revenue generation, but S&amp;P expects its fiscal position to return once a global recovery stabilizes.<h2>Focus on containment and mitigation </h2>In May 2020, the Indian government announced a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-india-economy-recession-gdp-decline-45-percent-q2-2020-5">$264 billion stimulus package</a>. Out of that, S&amp;P said direct government spending will be less than 1% of GDP, while maximum relief will be directed by India's banking sector through loan guarantees and credit support.S&amp;P expects India's trade position to remain unchanged in the next 12 months as the economy sees a collapse in exports, a steep fall in the central bank's foreign exchange reserves, and a sustained rise in the current account deficit. A direct benefit transfer reform enabled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to deliver stimulus funds to over 300 million at-risk individuals, but many more still struggle to avail of the benefits. Particularly so for migrant laborers who do not own digital payments accounts. Many villagers who migrated to cities for higher-paid jobs were <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-52672764">forced to travel back home to rural areas</a> once the nationwide lockdown rendered their daily jobs redundant. More recent governmental measures are aimed at supporting non-bank financial institutions and small-and-medium enterprises, S&amp;P has said.<div type="image" title="GettyImages 1220015157" height="683" width="1024" msid="76492591" hostid="261"></div><h2>Social conditions dependent on labor <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword></h2>S&amp;P says prominent incidents of social unrest related to "high-profile legislative decisions" in the past two years have not "materially" dented support for the ruling national political party.Laborers in the economy live and work in dense networks of people. For this reason, the government has addressed the threat of a widespread outbreak amongst these workers, but even if that's achieved, S&amp;P says both the informal and formal labor markets will find it arduous to restore swiftly. S&amp;P projects that if unemployment remains elevated for a long time, "pockets of social unrest could emerge" and dampen India's investment and growth. <h2>Crises persist for a social community left in the lurch</h2>In another troubling sign for India's employment numbers, one considerably-large social group in the country is noticeably unidentifiable on its population data: the Anglo-Indian community.With its distinct line of ancestry built during the time of colonial rule, the minority Anglo community is eliminated on paper and stripped of its identity within India's demographics.A sizable number of Anglos in North East India have been significant contributors to the oil, railways, and tea industries of the region. They also helped set up well-recognized academic institutions across the country.Over the decades, those who could afford to migrate to other countries did so and left behind thin numbers, leading to an almost hidden presence.Consequently, many remain homeless and rely on sundry charity for survival. A lack of government attention has made Anglo families perish. To make sure the community did not suffer harsh neglect post-independence, the government made a provision to nominate two members of the Anglo community to parliament. That came to an <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/no-more-anglo-indian-to-be-nominated-to-ls-assemblies-784146.html">end in January 2020</a>. <div type="image" title="GettyImages 1216711988" height="681" width="1024" msid="76492592" hostid="261"></div><h2>Lack of political representation for the lost group</h2>Representing a mix of British and Indian heritage, the Anglo Indians no longer have a government representative on the assumption that their <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/anglo-indian-appeal-on-nominated-members/cid/1725605">numbers have dwindled to a mere 296</a>. Owing to their geographic dispersion all over the country and since the community has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/16/the-two-mps-of-british-descent-who-do-not-have-to-stand-in-indian-election">never been counted separately</a> under the <keyword id="6372870" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="census">census</keyword>, no one is certain of the true number. A plea to count members of the Anglo community separately was earlier made, and ignored by a bureaucratic quirk. Census information is handy for when governments and health providers need to trace people that require help when disasters such as the coronavirus hit the economy.Anglo-Indian families have been uprooted and are left out of the "New India," according to Geoffrey Farnham, a member of a local Anglo community group in north-east India. Relief meant for welfare and upliftment never reached their community in the north-east region, he said.Their alienation by the central government is so complete, that members of the Anglo community in the North East had no idea they had political representation at all, said Farnham, whose grandfather fought in the 1916 Battle of the Somme as a major in the British Army.Although a bill for the extension of political representation exists, the plea has been held off on grounds of other pressing matters to be dealt with.<h2>Road ahead</h2>With the pandemic still in the early stages, the scale and duration of the crisis remain uncertain, S&amp;P said. Similarly, India's social, health, and economic progress is unpredictable. If containment measures against the virus prove successful, the country could solidify its political and social stability, according to the ratings agency. "In our view, India's economic outlook remains bright, so long as emerging weaknesses are addressed before growth rates fall much further," Andrew Wood, director of S&amp;P's Asia Pacific sovereign ratings said. "The course of India's pandemic will play an important role in determining the strength of its economic recovery."

India's GDP is likely to rebound to 8.5% in 2022, S&P says, but a forgotten community struggles to find any glimmer of hope

New Delhi, Feb 1 () The Home Ministry was allocated Rs 1,05,244.34 crore for the next fiscal with a special emphasis on police forces and works related to the Census 2021.
In comparison to Rs 1,03,202.23 crore given in 2019-20, the Home Ministry got Rs 1,05,244.34 crore for 2020-21, a modest increase of around Rs 2,042 crore, according to the Union Budget presented in Lok Sabha on Saturday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. 
 As the works for the Census 2021 has begun, the government has allocated Rs 4,278 crore under the Census Surveys and Statistics head.
 The budget allocated Rs 1,126.62 crore for relief on account of natural calamities and Rs 842.45 crore for social security and welfare schemes.
 The lion's share of the Home Ministry budget has gone to the paramilitary forces with the total allocation of Rs 92054.53 crore for 2020-21.

₹4,278 crore for census and ₹92,054 crore for paramilitary forces: Budget 2020

<ul><li>The data collected during the 2021 Census will be stored electronically for the first time since the <keyword id="1659551" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Decennial-census">decennial census</keyword> began in Independent <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> in 1951. </li><li>The decision for saving data electronically was notified by the <keyword id="391888" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Registrar-General-of-India">Registrar General of India</keyword> (RGI) on 19 June. </li><li>Tampering with any information will be punished under the <keyword id="6379296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="IT-act">IT Act</keyword> this time onwards since it is now being electronically saved. </li></ul>According to a rule amended by the Registrar General of India (RGI) on 19 June, the data collected during the 2021 Census will be<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/2021-census-data-to-be-stored-electronically/article24314758.ece?homepage=true"> stored electronically </a>for the first time since the decennial census began in Independent India in 1951. The schedules that are in tabular forms with details of citizens, and other connected papers shall be disposed off totally or in part by the Director of Census Operations, after creating an electronic record of the documents. Even though the <keyword id="15510" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Survey">survey</keyword> is beginning to employ technology, the process is not expected to turn completely paperless any time soon. Even the developed countries have not reached that stage yet. For example, the US Census scheduled for 2020 will also involve paper. The schedules are carried out by enumerators from household to household for the purpose of the survey. Once all the information is collected, the papers are stored at the government’s storehouse in Delhi. The officials earlier had to scan through the pages to obtain and publish relevant statistical information on population, language and occupation. These amounted to millions of pages and took up a lot of space in the office. The information could not be easily accessed and had chances of being lost if the papers got damaged. The data is used to publish the tables on the <a href="http://censusindia.gov.in/">Census website</a> and the papers had to be destroyed after 10 years in order to free up space for the next census. However, the information can now be stored forever electronically and will be easily accessible. The <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/YZCB5UwJE9K0YaWFOVrSLM/Work-related-to-2021-census-to-begin-this-year-says-home-mi.html">work related to the 2021 Census</a> will begin this year itself, said the home ministry. The Census Commissioner, Sailesh, said that this is a <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/04X1G5qikIWynGdtIxyAuO/We-have-to-factor-in-data-privacy-in-census-design-and-meth.html">unique chance</a> to measure many new things like how ‘literate’ people are regarding technology that has reached almost every corner of the country in the last 10 years. Since the right to <keyword id="6355135" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Privacy">privacy</keyword> is now a fundamental one, the privacy of the information collected in the Census remains the vital focus. Tampering with any information will be punished under the IT Act this time onwards.

India will store decennial census data electronically for the first time in 2021

<ul><li>India’s lower house of <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, the <keyword id="6355187" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword>, has 543 seats. </li><li>This might seem like a lot of seats, but considering India’s population is 1.34 billion, each seat accounts for nearly 1.6 million Indians. </li><li>In fact, a seat in the UK Parliament accounts for 44,000 members of the general populace. Meanwhile, a seat in Indonesia and Brazil account for 366,000 and 341,000 citizens each. </li><li>The number of seats in the Lok Sabha hasn’t changed since 1976, when an amendment to the Constitution Act imposed a hold on the readjustment of seats as per population figures from the latest <keyword id="6372870" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="census">Census</keyword>. </li></ul> The first phase of polling for elections to India’s lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, gets underway this week. Over the course of seven weeks, around 900 million people will vote to fill 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. This might seem like a lot of seats, but considering India’s population is 1.34 billion, each seat accounts for nearly 1.6 million Indians - a staggering figure when compared to other countries, developing and developed. 
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 As per figures compiled by the State Bank of India’s research arm, a parliamentary seat in India represents the most number of people in the world. For the sake of comparison, at 650 seats, the UK has 107 more Parliamentary constituencies than India but a fraction of the population. In fact, a seat in the UK Parliament accounts for 44,000 members of the general populace. Meanwhile, a seat in Indonesia and Brazil account for 366,000 and 341,000 citizens each. The number of seats in the Lok Sabha hasn’t changed <a href="http://legislative.gov.in/constitution-forty-second-amendment-act-1976">since 1976,</a> when an amendment to the Constitution Act imposed a hold on the readjustment of seats as per figures from the latest Census. At the time, the number of seats was decided upon according to the population total from the 1971 Census, which was 548 million. In fact, as per an amendment in 2001, the freeze on Parliamentary seats and allocations to states has been imposed <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Freeze-on-LS-seats-till-2026/articleshow/1712525869.cms">till 2026</a>. The most recent Census in 2011 pegged the Indian population at 1.21 billion. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bjp-manifesto-released-for-2019-lok-sabha-elections/articleshow/68774925.cms">Narendra Modi's election manifesto packs larger doles and a rosy narrative</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/facebook-ai-wipes-1-million-accounts-ahead-of-lok-sabha-election/articleshow/68778975.cms">Facebook's AI is deleting one million accounts every day as the Indian election heats up</a>

The number of seats in India’s Parliament hasn't increased in 43 years — but the population has more than doubled

<ul><li>Over 100 British lawmakers, including several of Indian origin, have suggested that authorities list Sikhs as a distinct ethnicity in the <keyword id="6735351" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="2021-UK-Census">2021 UK Census</keyword>. </li><li>This might be a great step towards giving the community a fair access to all public services in the country. </li><li>More than 83,000 Sikhs chose to write “Sikh” next to the option of ‘any other ethnic group’ rather than ticking any of the choices under the question on ethnicity.</li></ul> The numerically strong Sikh community in the UK will now be listed in the 2021 British census as a distinctive ethnicity, different from Indian or British Indian identity. The <keyword id="6735350" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="UK-State-Authority">UK State Authority</keyword> has acknowledged it as a major step towards giving the community a fair access to all public services in the country. The data is used for <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/british-sikhs-to-get-ethnicity-status-in-2021-census-says-report/1254900/">resource allocation</a> by the central and local government to inform policy development and help organisations meet and monitor their statutory obligations. Over 100 British lawmakers, including several of Indian origin, have asked authorities to allow Sikhs to be a whole different ethnicity. In the most recent Census of 2011, more than 83,000 refused to tick any of the choices given under the question on ethnicity. They rather chose to write Sikh next to the option of ‘any other ethnic group’. However, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is a little <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/sikh-to-be-recognised-as-ethnic-category-in-2021-uk-census-report-1888048">sceptical </a>about how the public will react to this change and about whether all the 430,000 Sikhs in the country will approve of it. The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs, chaired by Preet Kaur Gill, the UK’s first female Sikh MP, has offered to write to gurudwaras to assist the ONS with its public consultation regarding this decision. <div type="image" title="04-01" tempid="508686" msid="65117651" hostid="261"></div>
 As far as unique identification is concerned, this is not a first for the community. Sikhs were identified as a separate religion back, in 2001. They had also been legally recognised as an ethnic group in <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/74/pdfs/ukpga_19760074_en.pdf">UK's Race Relations Act 1976</a> under British law to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin in the fields of employment, provision of goods and services, education and public functions. Using this as the basis of their demands, the campaigners believe that being recognised by the Act gives them the right to identify themselves separately. While preparing for the 2021 census, which is largely expected to be an online affair, the ONS ran a test on the 2017 census with 'Sikh' included as an option under the question about ethnicity. This was mostly done in areas with large Sikh populations - Hounslow in West London and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region of England. The test found that almost a quarter of those who specified Sikhism as their religion also chose Sikh as their separate ethnic identity.

Sikhs will be listed as separate distinctive ethnicity in 2021 UK census

<ul><li>The body plans to use population data from the 2011 Census to allocate funds to states. So the higher a state’s population, the more funding it gets.</li><li>This reverses a decades-long practice of using data from the <keyword id="6434522" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="1971-Census">1971 Census</keyword>. In 1976, the government started actively encouraging states to curb their <keyword id="512277" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="population-growth">population growth</keyword>.</li><li>The move hurts South Indian states since their population growth rates have been lower than the rest of the country. </li></ul> The 15th <keyword id="74136" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-commission">Finance Commission</keyword> said late last year, in <a href="http://fincomindia.nic.in/ShowPDFContent.aspx">its terms of reference</a>, that it would use data from the 2011 Census on population to determine the allocation of resources to India’s states. This means that the higher a state’s population as per the estimates in 2011, the higher the amount of funds it will get from the central government to support its spending requirements. In effect, the Finance Commission, which is constituted every five years to distribute funds from the central government to states, is reversing a decades-long practice of using data from the 1971 Census for the distribution of funds, at the behest of the Centre. As a result of the proposal, less populous states in India stand to lose a significant portion of their funding from the Exchequer, for the sole fact that they have been effective at family planning. North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar whose populations have expanded rapidly since 1971 will get disproportionately larger share of funds under the proposal. This has not gone down well with states in <keyword id="6355466" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="south-india">South India</keyword>, which have some of the lowest population growth rates in the country. According to the <a href="http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/data_files/india/Final_PPT_2011_chapter3.pdf">2011 Census</a>, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan all grew at rates that were well in excess of 25% between 1991 and 2001, compared to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala - all of which had a growth rate of less than 15%. Between 2001 and 2011, the discrepancy in the growth rates between Southern and Northern states was similar. Furthermore, based on data from 2008, the total fertility rates (average number of children born to a woman) of four Southern states – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu – have consistently been less than two, which is lower than the rest the country. Even in the 1970s, the fertility rate of these states was significantly lower than the national average of 5.2. Earlier this week, the finance ministers of Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh, all of which are non-BJP states, gathered in Thiruvananthapuram to declare their disapproval of the commission’s terms of reference and accuse the Centre of being biased against the South. “This is a threat to the federal system,” Thomas Isaac, the finance minister of Kerala, told media outlets. Arun Jaitley, the country’s finance minister, has sought to downplay the issue, calling it a “needless controversy”. Without giving any details, he said that the Finance Commission would recognise states that had scored well on population control and that other factors like income levels would also determine the allocation of funds. In citing income levels as a key consideration, Jaitley has likely reinforced these ministers’ fears that the development of India’s Northern states will come at the expense of their states. All six of India’s <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2016/05/26/india-states-briefs">least developed states</a>, according to the World Bank - Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh - are in North India. The Finance Commission’s use of data from the 2011 Census is not unprecedented. In 2013, the 14th Finance Commission allocated a 10% weightage to 2011 population data when determining fund allocation. Tamil Nadu was the biggest casualty of the move, as it was to have estimated to have <a href="https://thewire.in/economy/fifteenth-finance-commission-threatens-split-open-demographic-fault-lines-south-north-india">lost ₹60 billion </a>in funding. The 15th Finance Commission proposes to do away with the 1971 Census altogether in making recommendations. But why did its predecessors use census data from 44 years ago in the first place? The 42nd Amendment In accordance with the Constitution, data from the most recent census is used to determine the number of seats a state has in the Lok Sabha, the number of seats in a state legislative assembly and even the value that each vote by a state’s representative bears in the Presidential election. Hence, the higher the population of the state, the greater number of seats and the greater the value of votes. This gave state governments the incentive to let their population growth go unchecked. During the Emergency in 1976, the Congress administration imposed the 42nd amendment, which said that no changes were to be made to the total number of seats until the figures from the first census after the year 2000 were released. This was meant to encourage states to stabilise their populations without having to worry about their seats in the Lok Sabha decreasing. It made political sense to freeze allocation ratios. Hence, the 1971 Census, which was the most recent census at the time, became the default census that dictated the relationship of each state to the Centre. In 2001, the BJP-led government extended the use of the 1971 Census to 2026 in order to protect states that had effectively reduced their population growth rates. As a result, the first census after 2026, which will likely be in 2031, will finally lead to the alteration of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies and a change in the value of votes for the Presidential election. One hopes that the deadline won’t be postponed again. India’s population was 548 million according to the 1971 Census. It currently stands at 1.35 billion. It is rather disconcerting that the government has been using such antiquated population data to determine how many funds each state government should get and how much influence each state should have in the running of the country. However, at the same time, it seems unfair to deprive South Indian states of a significant amount of their funding just because they have been effective in achieving development outcomes and population control. No sign of a mutually acceptable solution The representatives of South Indian states are set to meet again in the port city of Visakhapatnam next month. Northern states that aren’t aligned to the BJP like Punjab and West Bengal as well as other South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Telangana will be invited to the conclave. With enough support, they could pressure the central government into reframing the Finance Commission’s terms of reference. Ironically, in absence of a better option, the way forward for them would mean a regression to 1971. This would make sure that their success isn’t used against them. However, if the 15th Finance Commission continues to allocate more weightage to data from 1971 instead of 2011, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to predict a backlash from Northern Indian states, who can just as easily say that they aren’t being adequately supported given how much their populations have expanded in the last five decades. Unfortunately, like most issues in Indian politics, there doesn’t seem to be a solution that can make everyone happy.

You Searched For "India census" and got 11 results

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