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In a major move aimed at bringing domain expertise to policy making, the government has decided to open its doors for private sector specialists in select departments, a senior personnel ministry official told PTI. A proposal is being worked out to induct 50 such specialists from the private sector in government departments at the level of director and joint secretary, he said. Many of these posts are manned by civil service officials. A presentation giving details of the proposal was shown to Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> recently by the personnel ministry, the official said. Private sector talent can be brought in on fixed- term contracts to supplement the government's effort of providing good and effective governance, he said. About 48 lakh employees work in various central government departments. Over 4.2 lakh posts were vacant as on March 1, 2015, according to latest data. The move to induct private sector specialists comes following a suggestion from the government's policy think tank Niti Aayog. "Today, rising complexity of the economy has meant that policy making is a specialised activity. Therefore, it is essential that specialists be inducted into the system through lateral entry. "Such entry will also have the beneficial side effect of bringing competition to the established career bureaucracy," a draft agenda report on civil services reform by the Aayog had said. In areas requiring specialised knowledge, it is important to develop expertise among internal staff and induct lateral entry, the report said. "This specialisation by the internal staff needs to be complemented by lateral entry of highly specialised staff on fixed-term contracts. Specialists could be brought on three to five year contracts. Such a system will bring top talent and energy into the government and will lend new dynamism to the ministries," it said. The government has already been appointing private persons in some departments. Last month, an ayurveda physician, 'Vaidya' Rajesh Kotecha, was appointed as special secretary in <keyword id="2687455" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="AYUSH-Ministry">Ayush Ministry</keyword>. Usually a senior bureaucrat, preferably an IAS officer, is appointed to such a post. Last year, former IAS officer and renowned sanitation specialist <keyword id="3245163" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parameswaran-Iyer">Parameswaran Iyer</keyword> was appointed secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Iyer, who had taken voluntary retirement from <keyword id="106848" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Administrative-Service">Indian Administrative Service</keyword> (IAS), was appointed on contract basis for two years. The Centre recently also opened banking sector and central public sector enterprises for private sector specialists.

Government to open lateral entry door for private sector specialists

<ul><li>COVID-19 has brought us back to the basics <keyword id="240176" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanitization">sanitization</keyword>, hygiene and social distancing are our best bet at staying away from the virus. </li><li>Doctors and medical experts agree that the pandemic, while it has been an unprecedented crisis, has also been a blessing in disguise for awareness both in the public and private sector. </li><li>But as we look at sanitization, there needs to be a broader view. It's not just your hands but also the objects that come into your house that need to be cleaned.</li></ul>From the mother reminding the child to wash hands before eating to the factory worker signing off after a long day with clean hands and a splash of water on the face – washing hands and face has been a part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. Yet when the coronavirus pandemic began, it once again reminded us just how important hygiene and sanitization is. When the pandemic began, sanitizers became scarce as well as the demand for hand wash soap and liquids shot up. Cut to almost seven months into the pandemic, with the supply now stocked up, the demand continues to remain high. COVID-19 has once again brought us back to the basics as until a vaccine is tested and ready for supply, sanitization, hygiene and social distancing are our best bet at staying away from the virus. COVID-19 catapulted us into a journey of awareness Doctors and medical experts agree that the pandemic, while it has been an unprecedented crisis, has also been a blessing in disguise for awareness both in the public and private sector. During a recent chat with Business Insider, experts spoke about how we can #SimplifySafety and focus on sanitization and good hygiene practices to stay safe. <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="12" retweetcount="5" status="#SimplifySafety | @thrive_india's @docmranney in conversation with @godrejsecure’s @meher1512, Dr. @AnantBhan, Dr.… https://t.co/HMm8nVPUQE" createdat="1599123850000" id="1301445875005153281"></div> “The COVID pandemic has changed the way we look at public health. From buildings with multiple entries and thousands of people walking in together, now you see buildings with single entry and an automated sanitizer dispenser,” said Dr Naresh Kumar Mani, Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology. Dr Marcus Ranney from Thrive India, reminisces the time when during his medical studies from years ago, washing hands was something even they were reminded of time and again before they saw a patient. And other experts too agreed that the awareness for sanitization has also been revisited in the public health department as well. And one of the most important steps in the awareness has been community participation. Societies and residents coming together to ensure public health safety. “As we start seeing better hygiene in communities and public health, the number of diseases will go down. Better nutrition outcomes lead to better health outcomes which results in a good economic outcome. As far as the pandemic goes, we have seen a clear linkage between health security and economic security,” said Dr Anant Bhan, researcher and trainer, Public Health and Bioethics. The experts agreed that it has now become important that a public communication campaign with the involvement of role models has to go even beyond COVID-19 to keep the need for <keyword id="2208659" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-and-hygiene">health and hygiene</keyword> alive in the society. So, a sustained usage of masks and sanitizers is key. “Instead of fining people, the places where you see effective local participation and community led ownership of public health there has been a better response. We as a society need to work on the behavioural science aspect,” said Dr Bhan. Changing perspectives The Indian Health Ministry has announced that until a COVID-19 vaccine hits the stands sanitization and social distancing are the only cure/prevention we have from the virus. Interestingly, Mehernosh Pithawalla, Vice President of <keyword id="6369697" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="godrej">Godrej</keyword> Security Solutions, very rightly said that the line between health and health security has been blurred by the pandemic. “People are looking at security in a holistic fashion – there is a shift now with people coupling home and health security,” said Pithawalla. We as a society have moved from an outside-in perspective (where the government, organizations and societies are first responsible for hygiene and then an individual) to an inside-out perspective, where an individual is first responsible for their own health. As much as we know about the coronavirus, there’s a lot that still remains uncertain. While public transmission has been seen to be the fastest possible way the virus spreads, airborne transmission hasn’t been ruled out. In such a scenario, Dr Bhan advises that it’s best to keep following proper hygiene practices. <keyword id="3194793" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanitize">Sanitize</keyword>, Sanitize, Sanitize Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, the demand for sanitizers has just shot up. “There has been an 81% increase in the use of hand sanitizers and 29X jump in the search of sanitizers in Google. And this is just data from April, imagine how much higher it is now,” said Dr Marcus Ranney. But as we look at sanitization, there needs to be a broader view. It's not just your hands but also the objects that come into your house. People have been drying out groceries in the sun, leaving them aside for 14 hours, while some have been soaking them in soap water. But there’s a growing popularity of sanitization boxes. From startups to corporates, everyone has been bringing out sanitization boxes that help you clean your groceries and other belongings. And one of the latest products to hit the market is the <keyword id="9906356" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="godrej-uv-case">Godrej UV case</keyword>. UV-C light has been used extensively for more than 40 years in disinfecting drinking water, waste water, air, pharmaceutical products, and surfaces against a whole suite of human pathogens. And Godrej’s latest product uses UV-C technology to sanitize products. “Shaped like a microwave and even easier to use, the CSIO-CSIR certified product can be used to sanitize groceries, PPE kits, masks and even mobile phones as they have encased batteries. The device is safe to use even with kids around, if someone does open the door while it's sanitizing products, it will shut off. So, usability-wise there are no challenges,” said tech reviewer Ashwin Raghunath. But as these products flood the market, Pithawalla says that one must ensure that the product they buy is CSIR certified – which ensures three things. One, that the right dosage of UV light falls from all directions on the product kept in the box, second, that the case is leak proof as UV light can be harmful too and third, that the box has aluminium reflected panels on the inside which once again ensure the right dosage of UV light falling on the object. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Godrej Security Solutions

How COVID-19 has brought health and hygiene to the forefront of discussions everywhere – from the corporate world to our homes

<ul><li>The central government is set to launch <keyword id="7815662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti-Abhiyan">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</keyword> to fight water crisis problems in the country. </li><li>The campaign will work out measures for <keyword id="6354898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rainwater-harvesting">rainwater harvesting</keyword> and <keyword id="6362691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-conservation">water conservation</keyword> efforts in 255 districts from July 1 to September 15, in its first phase and would be coordinated by central government IAS officers as decisions relating to water is a state issue. </li><li>The second phase will run from October 1 to November 30 in states that receive rains from the north-east monsoon. </li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 22, wrote letters to village panchayat heads and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in rural India. </li></ul>The new finance minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> will present the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Parliament on July 5. Just days before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the big announcement likely on Friday by initiating the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, a project to conserve water through rainwater harvesting and other efforts to save water. Amid the high temperatures and severe water crisis, the country is going through, it would be among government’s main agenda to tackle the rapidly increasing water issues throughout the country, The major cities of India like Chennai and Bengaluru were recently in the news due to severe water crisis. The story of rural India is more frightening where 80% of rural homes does not have piped water supply. Only 18% of 17.9 million rural homes have tap water. The central government in efforts to deal with water related issues had merged the water resources and drinking water and sanitation ministries and formed the Jal Shakti Ministry. The new ministry, which has the decision making power over all international and interstate water disputes, the Clean Ganga project, and making drinking water accessible, will be hopeful of a handsome budget to deal with the The government is also set to launch the Jal Shakti Abhiyan to workout measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation from July 1 in a phased manner, under the supervision of central government IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-level in 255 districts. It seeks to work out measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in 255 districts of the country starting July 1, 2019. The campaign is planned in a phased manner, where the first phase starts on July 1 and would run till September 15 in states receiving rainfall during the south-west monsoon, and would be coordinated by the IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-rank from the 255 districts. The next phase will kickstart from October 1 and run till November 30 and will cover states that receive rainfall during the north-east monsoon. As water is not central government issue and state governments are free to decide upon policies for usage and water conservation, the officers will be drawn from various ministries of Government of India, including the Department of Space, Petroleum and Defence, <a href="https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/31-16-2019-EOMM-I.pdf">according to the Department of Personnel and Training</a>. Prior to the launch of the campaign, high level teams were constituted in the 255 districts, and engineers and technical staff was designated in 1,539 blocks across the country to measure ground water levels, the state of aquifers, and ponds and water bodies under encroachment. India’s population is 17.74% of the total world population, whereas the water resources account for a mere 4%. This combined with ever increasing demand and depleting water sources due to encroachment, contamination and reduced rainfall, puts India in a grave situation. “As of today, India only conserves 8% of all rainfall, which is among the lowest in the world,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">a senior Jal Shakti official said</a>.”we need to change this.” In line with Gram Swaraj Abhiyan The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is in line with last year’s Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, where central government officials monitored the implementation of seven flagship development schemes in 117 districts across the country. To further achieve its target, the ministry will draft block and district level water conservation plans and the Kisan Vigyan Kendras would organise fests to promote better crop choices and more efficient usage of water for irrigation. To spread awareness about the campaign, major communications campaign on TV, radio, social media would be carried out, for which celebrities will also be roped in. The prime minister, on June 22, wrote letters to all village panchayat heads, and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation activities in rural India, <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190639">as per PIB release</a>. “In the last four years, nearly 50,000 villages have used MGNREGA [rural income guarantee act] and other state funds to successfully conserve rain water in a big way,” rural development secretary <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">Amarjeet Sinha was quoted saying</a>. The government is also likely to announce a national water conservation policy along with a conservation programme for the 226 highly water stressed districts of the country, an official said. Plans with the MPs to prioritise water storage works under their local area development fund are also underway. “Any national policy on water has to pivot around ground water because “ground water is India’s water lifeline”. Secondly, he said there is a complete policy vacuum on the urban water sector and India urgently needs a programme to regulate its urban-water footprint,” said Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget on Friday may push for water conservation

The appointment of ex-IAS officer and World Bank expert <keyword id="3245163" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Parameswaran-Iyer">Parameswaran Iyer</keyword> as secretary in the ministry of drinking water and sanitation, which pilots the <keyword id="6361202" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Swachh-Bharat">Swachh Bharat</keyword> Mission, may be seen as unconventional but lateral entry of private-sector technocrats has for long been the norm in key government positions requiring a certain skill. 
 Iyer joins the league of experts technocrats like Mantosh Sondhi, a Bokaro Steel import who went on to become steel secretary in seventies; Lovraj who was brought from Burmah Shell and was petroleum secretary between 1981and 1983; BEST's R V Shahi who was hired as power secretary by then power minister Suresh Prabhu; economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia who was hand-picked by then PM Manmohan Singh to serve as deputy chairman of Planning Commission; economist Raghuram Rajan who is now RBI governor; chief economic adviser to government of India Arvind Subramanian who comes from Peterson Institute for International Economics; and Infosys <keyword id="44604" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nandan-Nilekani">Nandan Nilekani</keyword> who piloted the Unique Identification Authority of India, to name a few. 
 
Even though lateral recruitment of private sector experts and technocrats in top secretary-level government posts, especially those demanding a given set of skills and expertise, has been upheld by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission as well as in the 7th Pay Commission report, the regular refrain form the civil services associations is that it saps the morale of IAS officers. 
 
"But, ultimately , it is up to the government and UPSC to decide who to hire...if a certain private-sector candidate is very good and has the right type of qualification and skills for that post, they have every right to recruit him," Former cabinet secretary Naresh Chandra said. However, the general feeling is that lateral recruitment should be an exception rather than the rule.The government, incidentally , is on board with this. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Parameswaran Iyer, new Swachh head joins long list 'outsiders' in the government

Looking beyond the bureaucratic culture, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has appointed <keyword id="6354424" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Bank">World Bank</keyword> expert <keyword id="2910548" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parameshwaran-Iyer">Parameshwaran Iyer</keyword> to lead his Swachh Bharat mission. 
 
Iyer, who is World Bank's Practice Manager for Water for the South Asian region, will lead the mission as Secretary of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department. 
 
Iyer, 55, formed the framework of $1,500 million proposed loan from World Bank for the mission, which awaits Cabinet approval. 
 
Iyer who had quit Indian government in 2009 has worked with the UN World Food Programme (UNWFP) for nearly a decade till 2006 as a Senior Rural Water Sanitation specialist on foreign assignment. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Modi gets top man for his Swachh Bharat Mission

He’s been a Member of Parliament, and held key ministerial posts from 2006-2014. He’s handled <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rural+Development">Rural Development</a>, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Environment and Forests, Commerce and Power. He has also been an advisor to the then Prime Minister and Finance Minister. He has served in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Planning+Commission">Planning Commission</a>, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Advisory+Board+on+Energy">Advisory Board on Energy</a> and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Ministry+of+Industry">Ministry of Industry</a>. He is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Jairam+Ramesh">Jairam Ramesh</a>. 
 
Business Insider caught up with Mr. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Jairam+Ramesh">Ramesh</a> on the sidelines of the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet, and got chatting about <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=startups">startups</a>, development, and the environment. 
 
What’s you take on Mr. Modi’s startup policy? 
This is another excellent marketing gimmick. Between 2004-2014, there were 200 startups and $50 billion coming as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=VC+funds">VC funds</a>. India became the third largest startup ecosystem in the world after the US and Israel. Now Mr. Modi has suddenly discovered the importance of startups. 
 
The most important point is that he’s avoided the issue of net neutrality. If <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Facebook">Facebook</a> is going to determine what India views, the startup ecosystem can’t last. 
 
You’ve said Mr. Modi is delaying the <keyword id="387846" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="GST-Bill">GST Bill</keyword>. Why do you say that? 
There is a broad consensus that the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=GST">GST</a> should come. The Congress introduced it back in March 2011. Mr. Modi single-handedly subverted the bill for 3 years. Now he’s become Prime Minister, and the greatest champion of the Bill. 
 
The BJP wants a pro-industry <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=GST">GST</a>. We want a pro-people one. We’ve made suggestions. Let’s hope they consider our advice. 
 
You’ve also said that Mr. Jaitley has showed how not to handle the economy. What according to you is going wrong? 
Exports have fallen for 13 months in a row, industrial production is at its worst in 4 years, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Consumer+Price+Inflation">Consumer Price Inflation</a> is at its peak in 15 months. The Rupee was at Rs. 58/Dollar when Mr. Modi came into power. It’s currently Rs. 68/Dollar. Even the Stock Markets which were very gung ho when Mr. Modi became Prime Minister are stagnant. All the indicators of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=economic+progress">economic progress</a> paint a bleak picture. 
 
Oil prices have crashed from $120/Barrel to $20/Barrel. In spite of that you’ve not shown results, which shows he has worked hard to mismanage the economy. 
 
Do you believe in the Modi government’s Growth Mantra? 
We need rapid, inclusive and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sustainable+growth">sustainable growth</a>. Growth that is slow is unacceptable, growth that is non-inclusive in unjust, and growth that is not sustainable is not doing anyone any good. 
 
How do you see this contradiction between the Growth Mantra and the Economic Indicators? 
Mr. Modi has to go beyond slogans. He’s a great marketer. He’s the best car salesman that history has ever seen. He can sell you a user car and convince you that it’s a new car. However, he has to go beyond marketing, re-branding and packing, and get into the nitty-gritty of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=economic+growth">economic growth</a>. 
 
How does the government figure out the balance between sustainable development and technological advancement? 
The choices and trade-offs that we make are going to determine the extent to which we’re able to bring the two together. There is a conflict between the two in the short run. However, it’s not impossible over a long time. 
 
How we manage this conflict, this trade-off is important. There is no simple formula. 
 
Do you think it’s increasingly difficult to take the environmental standpoint? 
In the last 18 months, the place for civil society has shrunk. There is growth triumphalism. You can call this ecological intolerance. 
 
Could you explain your idea of ‘Grow Now, Pay Later’ Economies? 
Most Asian economies, including China have the idea that they’ll have 20 years of growth, and worry about its consequences later. It’s the ‘Dekha jayega’ (We’ll see later) approach to economic development. 
 
Rural demand continues to be weak. How can we tap into that? Over the last 18 months, all <keyword id="6355126" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rural-Development">rural development</keyword> programmes have not seen an increase in budget. Whether it’s the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=National+Rural+Employment+Guarantee+Act">National Rural Employment Guarantee Act</a>, the National Rural Livelihood Mission, they’ve been emasculated and starved of funds. Minimum Support Prices have not increased. The net consequence of that is that the growth in wage rates has been very slow, and rural purchasing power is very weak. 
 
Your expectations from the Budget. 
I don’t have much expectation, really. 
 
Mr. Jaitley has already announced that the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Corporate+Taxes">Corporate Taxes</a>, and eliminate allowances as well. Let’s see what actually happens. Fingers crossed. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Exclusive: ‘Jaitley worked hard to mismanage the economy’:
Jairam Ramesh

Almost 4 lakh diarrhoeal disease deaths can be averted if '<keyword id="7834202" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jal-jeevan-mission" source="Orion">Jal Jeevan Mission</keyword>' meets its target of providing clean water to all rural households, according to a new study by the <keyword id="6356311" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organisation" source="Orion">World Health Organisation</keyword>. The government launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in 2019, a nationwide programme that aims to provide all houses in rural areas with safe and adequate drinking water through individual tap connections by next year. The <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) was requested by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to conduct a study to assess potential health gains and associated cost savings due to increased access in safely-managed drinking water services in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. The study found that, on an estimate, if the Jal Jeevan Mission provided safely-managed drinking water to all of India, this would result in averting almost 4 lakh deaths caused by diarrhoeal disease. According to official figures, till now 62 per cent rural households have been provided with tap water connection. "With universal coverage of safely-managed drinking water in India, almost 14 million DALYS (Disability adjusted life years) from the diarrhoeal disease are estimated to be averted, resulting in estimated cost savings of up to USD 101 billion," the study said. Also, the study said that providing a tap connection to every household would result in significant time saved on water collection (66.6 million hours each day), especially among women. Presenting the research findings, Richard Johnston, co-lead of WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, said if the world achieves its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets of drinking water and sanitation, it will be because of India. "There are two reasons for it -- population and size -- as India is the country with the largest population in the world so what happens in India is important for the world but it is also because India is demonstrating what can be done and what is possible when it makes commitments and investments," he said. Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the <keyword id="6364555" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-council-of-medical-research" source="Orion">Indian Council of Medical Research</keyword>, said these findings are plausible. "We must understand that these are gross underestimates of the total benefits of providing safe water not only because these benefits go beyond health and they affect many communicable and non-communicable diseases. And even malnutrition, which is a big issue for us as they are all also related to water, so we must consider these just modest assumptions and tip of the iceberg," Bahl said. WHO estimation of health impacts is based on comparative risk assessment (CRA) methods, which are used extensively in the burden of disease assessments (Ezzati 2002, Pruss-Ustun 2019). The analysis estimated potential health gains from the Mission by comparing two scenarios. The JJM scenario assumed that coverage of safely managed drinking water services in India increases linearly from baseline levels to 100 per cent coverage at the end of the programme, whereas, the business-as-usual scenario assumed improvements in coverage rates are in line with historical annual rates of 0.5 percentage points change per year. For the economic analysis, the value per DALY averted from the JJM initiative was based on an approach described in the 2001 report of the WHO's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health which assigned each life year a value of three times the GDP per capita. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/the-worlds-oceans-last-month-were-warmer-than-any-other-may-since-the-beginning-of-the-19th-century/articleshow/100875382.cms">The world's oceans last month were warmer than any other May since the beginning of the 19th century</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/bmw-m2-launched-in-india-here-are-some-of-the-top-sports-cars-available-in-the-country/slidelist/100874746.cms">BMW M2 comes to India: Here’s how it compares with top sports cars available here</a>

Almost 4 lakh diarrhoeal disease deaths can be averted if Jal Jeevan Mission meets target: WHO study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An outbreak of <keyword id="6375416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cholera" source="Orion">cholera</keyword> and other diseases could kill thousands in <keyword id="13358326" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mariupol" source="Orion">Mariupol</keyword>, the city's mayor warned.</li><li>The Ukrainian port city is occupied by Russian forces following months of heavy fighting.</li></ul>An outbreak of water-borne diseases — caused in part by dead bodies contaminating wells — could kill thousands more people in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol, <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword>, the city's mayor warned Friday."This is unfortunately the assessment of our doctors: that the war which took over 20,000 residents... unfortunately, with these infection outbreaks, will claim thousands more Mariupolites," Mayor Vadym Boychenko said on Ukrainian television, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cholera-other-diseases-could-kill-thousands-ukraines-mariupol-mayor-2022-06-10/">Reuters reported</a>.Speaking <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61762787">to the BBC</a>, Boychenko said that "cholera, dysentery, and other infectious diseases are already in the city."A spokesperson for the US State Department told Insider that cholera "may increasingly threaten health and well-being" in cities such as Mariupol."The increasingly dire situation with regards to the availability of clean drinking water and sanitation only underscores the need for humanitarian access," the spokesperson said.The concern is shared by British officials.In an intelligence assessment released Friday, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense said medical services in the port city "are likely already near collapse" and that "a major cholera outbreak in Mariupol will exacerbate this further," <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/mariupol-now-facing-major-cholera-062400950.html?guccounter=1">The Evening Standard reported</a>.According to the World Health Organization, the ingestion of water contaminated with cholera "can kill within hours if left untreated." A nine-year outbreak of the virus in Haiti, for example, killed approximately 10,000 people, per the United Nations.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-kremlin-is-trying-to-make-ukrainian-towns-russian-2022-5">Mariupol's Russian-appointed mayor</a> has denied that there are any cases of cholera in Mariupol, according to the BBC.Around 100,000 residents are believed to remain after Russian forces besieged the city for months, destroying much of its infrastructure.Have a <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> tip? Email this reporter: <a href="mailto:cdavis@insider.com">cdavis@insider.com</a>

A cholera outbreak could kill thousands of Ukrainians in Russian-occupied Mariupol, mayor warns

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The first day of the <keyword id="11902211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="world-economic-forum" source="Orion">World Economic Forum</keyword>'s conference in <keyword id="12777989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="davos" source="Orion">Davos</keyword> saw NGOs, pharmaceutical companies, and institutions come together to discuss how to build resilient healthcare. </li><li>Poverty, inaccessible primary healthcare, and a focus on cures over prevention are drivers of ongoing inequity.</li></ul>The <keyword id="11896136" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic" source="Orion">pandemic</keyword> shone a light on health inequalities; now it's time to ramp up efforts to close the healthcare gap. So said panel speakers at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos today. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, the conference is back. But the pandemic remains high in the minds of event speakers, who asked how the world can adapt policies, partnerships, and practices in order to deliver access to uninterrupted care for all, in the face of future health crises. During the pandemic, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01297-8">high-income </a>countries were able to vaccinate 75 - 85% of their populations within a year of receiving the first vaccine supplies. But the number of those vaccinated in low-income countries was less than 10%, said Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of Access to Medicine Foundation, in a panel discussion. "The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely put a spotlight on a chronic issue in healthcare: inequity of access," she said, adding "and the inequity is huge — we often forget that 80% of the world's population lives in middle and low-income countries." A lack of access to vaccines and medicines is a persisting issue. But so too is the availability of products such as life-saving medical oxygen, which Iyer calls "a long-neglected issue in the healthcare crisis." Globally, those living in poverty have always been <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/fact-sheets/2022/environmental-health-inequalities-fact-sheet-series-2022">more at risk</a> of poor health and disease. Inadequate nutrition, poor housing conditions, sanitation, and drinking water all contribute to negative health outcomes. Now, global conflicts and climate change are leading to an increase in migration, which has had a knock-on effect on access to healthcare too. <h2>Finding solutions </h2>When it comes to solutions, those such as Leif Johansson, chairman of the board for AstraZeneca, see a reason for optimism. "I am impressed with how India is beginning to use digital to enhance healthcare, especially when you come out to the rural areas," he told Davos attendees, adding, "over time, artificial intelligence will open up a large amount of low-cost healthcare opportunities." Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, also joined the panel and explained that in his Indian state, new healthcare policies aim not only to make a doctor available for each citizen but also to ensure that those on low incomes have access to insurance. But more is needed to close the health gap. A combination of good governance, future-proofing global trade agreements, and a consideration of inequities early on in the pharmaceutical research stages are necessary to ensure resilience against future disease outbreaks. "We definitely need to see closer collaboration between industry public partners and non-profit organizations, said Iyer. She added that involving patients in product development processes and considering access issues early in the research stage could mitigate future inequities, taking the strain off healthcare systems further down the line.Above all else, attendees agreed that to scale up and adapt healthcare in a way that ensures equal access for all, the focus must be shifted from curative care — treating an individual who is already sick — to preventative care. "We are spending 97% of all healthcare on curative mode and only 3% in prevention," said Johansson. "That's absolutely wrong — we all seem to agree on that; every panel I go to, we agree on that, and then we go home and do nothing," he told the crowd. <h2>Beyond health </h2>However, even if panel members 'do something', inequalities in healthcare may persist for as long as global economic disparities do."We need debt cancellation," said UN Aid Director, Winnie Byanyima, who took to the microphone during audience question time. During the pandemic, debt repayments for low-income countries were several times more than that of healthcare spending, she said, with Africa's debt repayments amounting to nine times that than which the continent was able to spend on investing in health. Without first fixing economic issues, there are no healthcare solutions, she urged the room, saying, "we need to get rules of finance, rules of trade, and rules of tax to work for developing countries if we are going to come out of a health crisis and an economic crisis."

Global healthcare gaps persist because of growing economic inequities, said experts speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos

(Eds: With more inputs) New Delhi, Feb 13 () Senior IAS officer Debasish Panda was on Thursday appointed as the new finance secretary as part of a top level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre. Panda, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present special secretary, department of financial services. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment as secretary, department of financial services, in place of Rajiv Kumar, who superannuates this month-end, a personnel ministry order said. Besides him, Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has been appointed secretary, department of consumer affairs. Saraswati Prasad, a 1985-batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, will be secretary, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. He is at present special secretary and financial adviser, ministry of steel. Usha Sharma, Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, has been appointed secretary, department of youth affairs. Senior civil servant Raj Kumar will be secretary, department of defence production. Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, is currently Director General, Employees' State Insurance Corporation. Rajeev Ranjan has been appointed as secretary, department of fisheries. Ranjan is currently special secretary, GST council secretariat. He has been appointed as the fisheries secretary in place of Rajni Sekhri Sibal, who retires on February 29. The tenure of Parameswaran Iyer, secretary, department of drinking water and sanitation, has been extended by one more year. The ACC has approved extension for a further period of one year beyond April 30, 2020, i.e. up to April 30, 2021, in Iyer's tenure, the order said. AKV AKV SMNSMN

Bureaucratic reshuffle: Debasish Panda appointed finance secretary

New Delhi, Jan 22 () The Finance Ministry will showcase achievements of the financial inclusion drive through a tableau during the Republic Day parade on January 26.
 The Defence Ministry has selected the design of Department of Financial Services (DFS) of Ministry of Finance for taking part in the parade.
 Besides DFS, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, NDRF Ministry of Home Affairs, CPWD Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Ministry of Shipping will also participate in the Republic Day parade, according to a Defence Ministry release.
 Financial inclusion programme initiated in mission mode since August 2014 to ensure access to financial services - banking/ savings &amp; deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, pension.
Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana as many as 37.87 crore accounts have been opened with total deposit of Rs 1.12 lakh crore.
 India's financial inclusion efforts have won recognition from the World Bank as their data indicated that 55 per cent of new bank accounts were opened are from India.
As per the World Bank Global Findex Report 2017, adult bank account holders in India increased to 80 per cent in 2017 as compared to 53 per cent in 2014 and 35 per cent in 2011.
The report acknowledged impact of government policy in reducing gaps in bank account ownership between rich and poor to 5 per cent in 2017, down from 15 per cent in 2014.
 Besides, the government also initiated insuring the uninsured. Under this, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana was launched in 2015.
 The PMJJBY offers life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh in case of death due to any reason to people in the age group of 18-50 years having a bank or post office account, who give their consent to join or enable auto-debit of premium of Rs 330 per annum.
The PMSBY offers insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh for accidental death or total permanent disability and Rs 1 lakh for partial permanent disability to people in the age group of 18-70 years with a bank or post office account, who give their consent to join or enable auto-debit of premium of Rs 12 per annum. DP DP MR
MR

Finmin to showcase achievements of financial inclusion at Republic Day parade

<ul><li>On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) election manifesto called 'Kejriwal ki Guarantee'.</li><li>The manifesto includes regularising Delhi's unauthorised colonies with a promise to provide facilities like drinking water and sanitation.</li><li>Over the past month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been drumming to its own tune putting up hoardings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside unauthorised colonies asking them to sign up for the Pradhan Manti Awas Yojana which promises permanent housing.</li></ul> Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal released the election manifesto of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — named after himself — ‘Kejriwal ki Guarantee’ on Sunday. For the 2020 election, Kejriwal’s ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/aap-manifesto-kejriwal-ka-guarantee-card-released-know-all-points/articleshow/73373498.cms?src=hp_latest">guarantee card</a>’ promises to deliver on 10 points of action, which include around-the-clock electricity and water, ‘world-class’ education system, better more public transportation and making Delhi litter-free. It also has a specific impetus on unauthorised colonies or jhuggi jhopri (JJ) colonies. He Kejriwal promises facilities like drinking water, sanitation, roads and infrastructure, mohalla clinics and CCTV cameras - once they are legalised. His promise to citizens living in authorised colonies is pitched against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) recent bill that plans to regularise over 1,700 slums and build over 2 lakh homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY). In addition, BJP candidate Manoj Tiwari has also been making the headlines for ‘<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/delhi/we-will-offer-5-times-more-subsidy-than-aap-manoj-tiwari/articleshow/73361360.cms">silently</a>’ working towards helping people in these communities. Out of Delhi’s 70 assembly segments, slum-dwellers hold the decisive vote in nearly 28, according to a <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/bjp-eyes-slum-vote-bank-leaders-told-to-stay-there/articleshow/68472349.cms">senior BJP leader</a>. During the last Delhi Election in 2015, AAP was able to garner 95% of those votes — not to mention winning 67 of the 70 seats. Hoardings all over Delhi Many claims that the bill to regularise Delhi’s unauthorised colonies was passed in Parliament suspiciously close to the election. Since December, the central government has been pushing hard to get people to sign up for homes under PMAY. 
 
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 According to a report by PTI, the BJP’s Delhi chapter has started putting up large hoardings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi across colonies to win them over. Each hoarding has a larger-than-life picture of Modi with the slogan, “Jahan jhuggi wahin makan,” which roughly translates to, “a house in place of a hut.” The scheme promises a two-bedroom house with water, electricity and waste management connections. "We have a target to put up large hoardings of the PMAY in 700 JJ clusters in the city, where around 20 lakh people live," Delhi BJP JJ Cluster Cell president Umesh Verma told PTI. Ownership certificates Countering the Bill passed by the central government, Kejriwal launched the Mukhyamantrai Awas Yojan (MMAY). On the day of the launch, he distributed 65,000 ownership certificates to families currently living in JJ colonies promising pucca houses. However, according to the Union Ministry, Kejriwal has been holding back on funds. Union Minister <a href="https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/india/centre-plans-2l-houses-under-pmay-u-.html">Hardeep Puri</a> claims that AAP received part payment of ₹5.85 lakh in September 2018 to undertake a survey of 23 priority JJ clusters but did not complete the task. Why BJP wants to win the 2020 Delhi election The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been out of power in Delhi for over two decades. Since 1998, Delhi has been a Congress stronghold. In 2012, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rose to power after Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption (IAC) movement. Despite the AAP’s historic win in 2015 — winning 67 of Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats — they lost in every single constituency during the Lok Sabha election last year to the BJP. In order for the BJP to win the 2020 Delhi election, AAP’s would have to lose in nearly the half the constituencies where it’s currently in power. <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/delhi-assembly-polls-2020/story/delhi-assembly-election-what-is-at-stake-for-arvind-kerjiwal-pm-modi-and-rahul-gandhi-1634678-2020-01-07?utm_source=recengine&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;referral=yes&amp;utm_content=footerstrip-1">Political pundits</a> believe this election will be AAP’s report card on their performance in Delhi over the last five years while BJP’s win will largely rest on Modi’s popularity. BJP is using its star power with Manoj Tiwari and has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/delhi-election-2020-aaps-raghav-chadha-will-have-to-win-the-poorvanchali-vote-in-rajinder-nagar/articleshow/73274750.cms">plans to feature</a> more Bhojpuri stars, union ministers and MPs from Poorvanchal — home to over 40% Delhi migrants — on its ballot to reign in the vote bank that includes over 4 million voters. (With inputs from PTI) See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/both-bjp-and-aap-want-votes-from-delhis-4-million-slum-dwellers-for-schemes-that-havent-taken-off-yet/articleshow/73251403.cms">Both BJP and AAP want votes from Delhi's 4 million slum dwellers for schemes that haven't taken off yet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/delhi-election-2020-bjps-manoj-tiwari-is-ready-for-the-spotlight/articleshow/73273105.cms">Delhi Election 2020: Lights, camera, and action – Manoj Tiwari is ready for the spotlight</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/aap-manifesto-kejriwal-ka-guarantee-card-released-know-all-points/articleshow/73373498.cms">Aam Aadmi Party Manifesto: "Kejriwal ki Guarantee" short manifesto released, full version to be out in 10 days</a>

You Searched For "ministry of drinking water and sanitation iyer" and got 12 results

Government to open lateral entry door for private sector specialists

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Modi gets top man for his Swachh Bharat Mission

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Exclusive: ‘Jaitley worked hard to mismanage the economy’: Jairam Ramesh

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Almost 4 lakh diarrhoeal disease deaths can be averted if Jal Jeevan Mission meets target: WHO study

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A cholera outbreak could kill thousands of Ukrainians in Russian-occupied Mariupol, mayor warns

Charles R. Davis

Global healthcare gaps persist because of growing economic inequities, said experts speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos

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Bureaucratic reshuffle: Debasish Panda appointed finance secretary

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Finmin to showcase achievements of financial inclusion at Republic Day parade

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Arvind Kejriwal joins the battle for slum votes as he pegs his 'guarantee' against Modi's life-size persona

Prabhjote Gill

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