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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

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

Howdy Opening Bell crew. Phil Rosen here, reporting from Wall Street. Yesterday, for the second time this year, I watched the euro slip below the dollar. As compelled as I was to immediately book a flight to the continent, instead I decided to bring you all the details of what's happening with the world's two biggest currencies.And, as we've covered here before, the move can be traced back to Russia. Let's get started. If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-opening-bell">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://www.insider.com/app">here.</a><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-euro-parity-natural-gas-crisis-russia-fed-rate-hikes-2022-8"></a>1. When Russia's Gazprom unexpectedly announced the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will close for a <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-gazprom-nord-stream-1-gas-energy-recession-europe-shutdown-2022-8?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">three-day maintenance shutdown</a>, confidence in Europe's economy stumbled. The <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-euro-parity-natural-gas-crisis-russia-fed-rate-hikes-2022-8">euro moved below the dollar</a> on a 0.7% drop to hit $0.9968 on Monday — and continued falling Tuesday — reflecting the worsening energy crisis, heightened stakes, and steeper odds for a downturn, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-euro-parity-natural-gas-crisis-russia-fed-rate-hikes-2022-8">Insider's Carla Mozeé writes</a>. I caught up with Michael Reinking, NYSE's senior market strategist, who said industrial companies are beginning to reduce production, and firms are paring back their hedging on natural gas futures as <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/natural-gas-prices-european-russia-pipeline-shutdown-nord-stream-maintenance-2022-8">prices skyrocket</a> while demand dwindles. "Essentially, industrial players are saying if [natural gas] prices don't improve then they'll start shutting down factories," he said. But, to Reinking, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-euro-parity-natural-gas-crisis-russia-fed-rate-hikes-2022-8">parity with the greenback</a> is not the full story. Other currencies, including <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/bonds/dollar-versus-yuan-china-cuts-interest-rates-again-inflation-recession-2022-8">China's yuan</a> and Japan's yen, also fell, pointing more broadly to markets reacting to a hawkish Federal Reserve."The US is the best house on a bad block right now," he explained to me, suggesting that investors are flocking to the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/us-dollar-index?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">safe haven dollar</a> as speculation mounts ahead of Friday's Fed gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Since June, a narrative has gained steam for a potential Fed pivot, but Reinking expects Chair Powell to cool those expectations by reiterating an aggressive stance — ultimately <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/dollar-euro-parity-natural-gas-crisis-russia-fed-rate-hikes-2022-8">pushing the dollar even higher</a>. JPMorgan analysts, too, say that 75 basis points is on tap next month, though it should be the last big move by the central bank for the year. "There's two opposing forces moving in the same direction," Reinking said. "The European energy crisis and the US getting more hawkish in their policy tone."What's your outlook for the euro through the end of this year? Email me at <a href="mailto:prosen@insider.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prosen@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://newsletter.businessinsider.com/click/28755657.127966/aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9waGlscm9zZW5uP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bc3ab9f08" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@philrosenn.</a>In other news: <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-oil-flows-china-india-record-american-crude-ships-exports-2022-8"></a><div type="image" title="Oil tanker" height="2393" width="4787" msid="93732236" hostid="261" sizebytes="1591616"></div>2. US stock futures edge higher early Tuesday, after major indexes closed lower Monday. Meanwhile, in the past week gasoline prices in the US have <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/gas-price-outlook-commodities-fuel-crude-oil-bank-of-america-2022-8">fallen below $4 a gallon</a>, according to new data. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/premarket">Here are the latest market moves.</a>3. On the docket: Macy's Inc, Nordstrom Inc., and more, all <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">reporting</a>. Plus, look out for the number of new home sales, due to be released by the US Census Bureau later this morning. 4. Goldman Sachs recommends this batch of stocks that offer dividends that are double the market average. These names offer higher yields, faster growth, and lower P/E ratios than the median, according to analysts. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-high-dividend-growth-potential-goldman-sachs-2022-8">See the list of 23 companies here.</a>5. Meet Jake Freeman, the USC student who cashed out a $110 million profit on Bed Bath &amp; Beyond. The 20-year-old math and economics major has published complex academic papers and has shown prodigious intellect from an early age. Here's his story — <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/bed-bath-beyond-meme-stock-jake-freeman-college-senior-profile-2022-8">including how he made his first $500 investment at age 13</a>.6. American oil is heading overseas at a record pace. Crude exports to South Korea, China, and India have soared as buyers scoop up more than <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-oil-flows-china-india-record-american-crude-ships-exports-2022-8">20 million barrels of US supplies this month</a>. It comes as the US's strategic oil reserves fell to their lowest level in 37 years last week, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/us-strategic-oil-reserves-lowest-since-1985-joe-biden-releases-2022-8">following the releases ordered by President Joe Biden.</a> 7. Wells Fargo warned investors it's time to get cautious. It may be high time to get out of equity positions despite the recent rally, CIO Darrell Cronk told Bloomberg. "This very much looks like a bear market rally," he said. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/bear-market-rally-stocks-investing-federal-reserve-hikes-wells-fargo-2022-8">"You've got to play defense."</a>8. This 24-year-old financial planner suggested having multiple streams of income but cautioned that filing taxes can present a big headache for young workers. He shared the two ways to deal with complex paperwork for side hustles — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/side-hustle-tax-options-sole-proprietor-llc-s-c-corp-2022-8">and the best option for someone looking to upgrade to a "mid hustle."</a> 9. These are the most undervalued real estate stocks in the market right now. Some have discounts to fair value of up to 64%, according to investment research giant Morningstar. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-investing-top-10-most-undervalued-stocks-morningstar-2022-8">Here's its list of 10 companies.</a><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/amc-entertainment-stock-price-ape-preferred-equity-dilution-cineworld-bankruptcy-2022-8"></a><div type="image" title="AMC" height="991" width="1138" msid="93732238" hostid="261" sizebytes="32148"></div>10. AMC Entertainment cratered 40% the day of the company's issuance of 'APE' preferred stock. The new issuance could one day be converted into common shares and lead to more dilution. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/amc-entertainment-stock-price-ape-preferred-equity-dilution-cineworld-bankruptcy-2022-8">Dig into the meme stock's implosion here.</a>Keep up with the latest markets news throughout your day by checking out <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh">The Refresh from Insider</a>, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh">Listen here.</a>Curated by Phil Rosen in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:prosen@insider.com">prosen@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/philrosenn">@philrosenn</a>).Edited by Max Adams (<a href="https://twitter.com/maxradams">@maxradams</a>) in New York and Hallam Bullock (<a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

The euro sank below parity for the second time this year on Monday. Here's what's moving currency markets.

Following a modified Atkins diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates and taking medication may reduce seizures by over half in people with tough-to-treat epilepsy, according to a study by researchers at the <keyword id="6365231" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="all-india-institute-of-medical-sciences" source="Orion">All India Institute of Medical Sciences</keyword>. The modified Atkins diet is a combination of the Atkins diet and a ketogenic diet that includes food items such as soy products, heavy cream, butter and oils, leafy green vegetables, and animal protein including eggs, chicken, fish, and bacon. While the ketogenic diet has been shown to be effective in reducing seizures, its stringent requirements and restrictions can make it difficult to follow, the researchers said. "For people with drug-resistant epilepsy, or those who have been unable to find an effective treatment to reduce seizures, it's encouraging to see that there are lifestyle changes that can be combined with standard drug therapy to reduce the number of seizures," said <keyword id="2194193" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="manjari-tripathi" source="Orion">Manjari Tripathi</keyword>, from AIIMS <keyword id="6358777" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-delhi" source="Orion">New Delhi</keyword>. "Our study found that this combination may reduce the chance of seizures by more than half," said Tripathi, author of the study published in the journal <keyword id="72938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neurology" source="Orion">Neurology</keyword>. The study involved 160 adults and adolescents who had epilepsy for more than 10 years on average and had at least 27 seizures per month despite trying an average of four antiseizure medications at the maximum tolerated dose. They were randomly assigned to receive either standard drug therapy alone or drugs plus the modified Atkins diet over six months. Participants logged their seizures and meals. They were given food lists, sample menus and recipes. Carbohydrate intake was restricted to 20 grams per day. <keyword id="914284" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="us-federal" source="Orion">US Federal</keyword> dietary guidelines recommend between 225 and 325 grams of carbs per day. After six months, researchers found that 26 per cent of people who had both drug therapy and followed the modified Atkins diet had more than a 50 per cent reduction in seizures compared to only three per cent of the people who had drug therapy alone. Four people in the diet group were free of seizures by the end of the study, while no one in the medication-only group was seizure-free, the researchers found. The study also looked at the quality of life, behaviour and side effects at six months. The group that had drug therapy and followed the modified Atkins diet showed an improvement in all areas compared to the group that had drug therapy alone, the researchers said. They noted that 33 per cent of the participants did not complete the study due to poor tolerance of the diet, lack of benefits or the inability to follow up in part due to COVID-19. However, the researchers said tolerance of the modified Atkins diet was better than what is seen with the ketogenic diet. "While the modified Atkins diet may be an effective treatment in controlling seizures, further research is needed to identify genetic biomarkers and other factors associated with the response to this diet," Tripathi added. "This may improve patient care by encouraging targeted precision based earlier use of this diet," she added. The researchers acknowledged a limitation in the study that seizures were self-reported or reported by caregivers, so some of them may not have been reported at all. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/how-covid-can-disturb-your-sleep-and-dreams-and-what-could-help/articleshow/96783538.cms">How Covid can disturb your sleep and dreams and what could help</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indias-decennial-census-to-be-delayed-further-say-officials/articleshow/96784633.cms">India's decennial census to be delayed further say officials</a>

High fat, low carb diet along with medicines can cut seizures by half: AIIMS study

Delimitation stands for the defining of the boundaries of assembly or parliamentary constituencies in a country or province governed by a legislative set up. The process of delimitation actually redraws the size and scope of the constituencies and also decides the number of seats that have to be reserved for the Scheduled castes. Delimitation process is repeated in regular intervals to ensure that the different constituencies have a similar number of votes. The process of delimitation is entrusted to a commission specially set up for this purpose. The orders of the delimitation commission cannot be questioned by the state legislative assembly, parliament or any court of law. Delimitation in the past Usually delimitation commissions are set up after every census following the enactment of delimitation Act by the parliament under the Article 82 of the constitution. So far, 4 delimitation acts were passed in 1952, 1962, 1972, and 2002. The existing delimitation of constituencies are the result of the delimitation act, 2002 accomplished in the same year based on the data obtained from the 2001 census. Delimitation Act 2002 In the delimitation Act 2002, a special amendment was made to freeze the delimitation of states in the country till the census after 2026. This will mean that the status of the present constituencies will have to be maintained till the first census after 2026. This amendment was made on the following grounds. When delimitation was done according to the population, the states which achieved in population control found their number of seats reduce while the states reporting higher populations were benefited by more constituencies. Therefore only after 2026, changing the number of seats in the parliament can be considered. Delimitation in <keyword id="17605" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword> Following the accession of Kashmir into India, Sheikh Abdulla’s government allotted 30 seats for the Jammu region, 43 seats for the Kashmir region and two seats for the Ladakh region. After this move, the regional disparity continued to exist with Jammu having 37 seats, Kashmir having 46 seats and Ladakh having 4 seats. Between 2005 and 2008, the Gulam Nabi Azad’s government recommended a 25% increase in the number of seats in all the three geographies. Though this process would have increased an additional of 22 constituencies in the assembly, the PDP – Congress alliance could not achieve this since it lacked majority in the assembly. Demands for Delimitation in J&amp;K In 2002, the Farooq Abdullah government amended the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir leading to the freezing of delimitation till 2026. This will mean that the status quo of the constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will remain the same till 2026 on par with the other states of India. While the need for delimitation is felt increasingly in the region now more than ever in the past, the present moves by the BJP government seeks to fulfill the long-standing demands of the people of Jammu and Kashmir so that they will get an equal representation in the parliament. Legal experts say that the Delimitation Act of 2002 can be struck down by the Governor and the decision will have to get the concurrence of the parliament within a period of six months after passing the ordinance.

Understanding Delimitation in the context of Jammu and Kashmir

Our nation is poised to become the world’s youngest country by 2020, with an average age of 29 years. Coinciding with that event, India will account for 28% of the world’s workforce, according to an E&amp;Y- FICCI report. 
 Reports indicate that the vast talent pool of the country suffers from either not having the <keyword id="33447" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="skills">skills</keyword> to be employable or in many instances are not being able to signal their availability for <keyword id="11018" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jobs">jobs</keyword> matching their skills due to an inefficient marketplace for jobs. This is especially true for jobs at entry level or mass recruitment, since a majority of the jobs tend to be the lower levels of in the hierarchy. 
 Of the five million graduates, only 34% are readily employable. Most lack necessary skills required for any role in any industry, according to an assessment tests done by Wheebox-People Strong in association with <keyword id="6358345" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="CII">CII</keyword>. <keyword id="6372870" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Census">Census</keyword> data released in September 2013 indicated that 63.4% of India’s total population falls in the working age group. According to a study on skill development in India conducted by NSDC, 1 million people join the workforce every month i.e. over 12 million per year.They can be categorized as highly skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled, with majority falling in the last category.How this issue of employability is addressed will determine whether India eventually experiences a demographic dividend or a demographic nightmare. 
 
According to another study by Aspiring Minds, 47% of graduates are not employable in any sector of the economy. Poor knowledge of English and inadequate computing skills are compounded by the absence of even basic domain knowledge for roles and industry that job seekers hope to join. Unfortunately a vast majority of students prefer dead-end and non-value adding graduate degree to vocational training. 
 A reorientation towards vocational training or introduction of strong aspects of “learning by doing” and soft skills in graduate programmes can remedy this situation. As an immediate response, the <keyword id="26362" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Government">Government</keyword> is striving to achieve formal/informal skill development of the working population through various initiatives, which employ fresh learning methods.HR professionals and the Government together need to devise educational programmes which impart the required skills to the students to make them productive and employable. The private sector needs to spell out what is it that they are looking for in a fresher. 
 
The private sector is also taking several initiatives to contribute effectively to the Government’s endeavors. Companies and industry associations across business sectors, are not only creating their in-house training facilities, but are also taking steps to make potential employees job-ready before they join organizations. A number of the jobs available for the low-end white-collar workers require a very basic level of training. What’s more in the service sector, most employers are willing to provide such training and job seekers to be gainfully employed. Besides the efforts being made towards training them and arming them with better skills, it is also crucial to identify their existing skills and preferences and connect them to jobs that they are most suited for. 
 Hence, it is not quite correct to say that most graduates are ‘unemployable’, since with a basic level of training interventions and on the job training, job seekers can be prepared for roles in field sales, customer service, in-store sales, back-office, logistics etc,graduates who can thus become skilled workers and be productive is huge. The skill <keyword id="6420764" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="deficit">deficit</keyword> is definitely over-hyped as far as the service sector is concerned. Quite often it is simply an issue of an inefficient marketplace, which makes it difficult to for a candidate with high “fit” and “intent” to signal their presence to employers. 
 
Skill deficit is more of a reality in manufacturing where technical expertise and training is often lacking. 
It is therefore a fair conclusion that the skill deficit, though real, is often a match-making deficiency in the mass recruitment segment, especially in services industry. Being able to identify candidates with high intent and fit and provide a clearing or pre-screening mechanism can solve a significant part of the woes. 
 
 
(Pallav Sinha is the Founder and CEO, MeraJob, an online job portal. Visit at ​http://www.merajobindia.com/)

Jobs: Skill deficit , a myth or reality?

<ul><li>We have come a long way and the day is not far when we will be equal. </li><li>The bridge between men and women in the world of business has been built to a considerable extent and with time, we will only see more improvement.</li><li>Saroja Yeramilli, CEO and Founder, <keyword id="3198780" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Melorra">Melorra</keyword> her personal journey of starting Melorra and how she feels entrepreneurship is an innate quality in women given that they build a home – and that to me is nothing short of being an entrepreneur. </li></ul>“On my own, I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I will create something else.” This quote by Oprah is not only profoundly motivating but also relevant in the present scenario. According to the sixth economic census, by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), women comprise as much as 13.76% of the total entrepreneurs in India. This figure indicates the changing times and how women are coming forward to create something of their own –building enterprises and empires. We often hear it said that after years of silence and submission, Indian women are finally ‘getting there.’ While the statement may not apply to all Indian women yet, we cannot ignore the fact that they are successfully breaking the shackles of convention. They are venturing into new areas to explore their talent and build their dreams. Not only have women strived tirelessly to overcome challenges and succeed in their career, but they have scaled unprecedented heights that many of their male peers haven’t even accomplished. Women are no longer relegated to conventional roles and have begun to make their presence felt. Many women entrepreneurs have paved the way, and run successful enterprises and brands – be it Falguni Nayar who founded Nykaa or Richa Kar of Zivame. These women have shown how challenges exist only to be overcome and are not something to run away from. The government, recognizing the potential of start-ups, particularly those led by women, has allocated a good part of the budget to accelerate their growth. Several changes have been made to the existing labor laws and rental housing to have a direct impact on startups. Policies have also been introduced to ensure positive outcomes in startup segments such as e-commerce, food delivery and grocery. All these are helping women entrepreneurs fuel their dreams and shape them into reality. Women-led organizations tend to grow more and have happier employees. Studies have shown that women tend to be more compassionate as leaders and are more communal in any group of people. Women also tend to be more determined and firmer about what they want to do. Their clarity of thought is what often helps them raise funds for their ventures and build a workforce that perpetually feels motivated. If I was to take the example of my personal journey, from being in the corporate domain to now leading a successful startup called Melorra, it has been remarkable. From ideation to fruition and raising the largest ever seed funding for an Indian venture, there has been learning and unlearning. Melorra is now present in almost every pin code in India and is on the way to becoming one of the largest consumer brands in the country – a futuristic jewellery company that uses technology to cater to the wardrobe needs of the modern Indian woman. We have come a long way and the day is not far when we will be equal. The bridge between men and women in the world of business has been built to a considerable extent and with time, we will only see more improvement. I feel entrepreneurship is an innate quality in women given that they build a home – and that to me is nothing short of being an entrepreneur. To all the women out there, you are diamonds, not meant to be broken; not meant to be stopped. If you chase your dream of building something of your own, nothing can come in your way. All the Best! - By Saroja Yeramilli, CEO and Founder, Melorra

Women Entrepreneurship in India: Are we equal yet?

Introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the health insurance scheme with a grand vision is named as <keyword id="6199405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ayushman-bharat">Ayushman Bharat</keyword> providing the subscribers a medical expenses cover of up to Rs 5 lakh. Here is what you must know about the scheme and the eligibility criteria that will help you benefit from the scheme. Called by other names such as the National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM) or Modicare, this government-sponsored health insurance scheme offers free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for medical care availed of at any government hospital or an empanelled medical care facility in India. The scheme is meant only for poor families and the economically deprived segments of the society. The scheme aims to cover about 10.74 crore beneficiary families and around 50 crore Indian citizens. Key aspects of <keyword id="6199968" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ayushman-Bharat-scheme">Ayushman Bharat scheme</keyword> The medical insurance cover will provide a maximum of about Rs 5 lakhs per family per year on secondary as well as tertiary medical care availed of from medical facilities. Eligibility is strictly based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) database and those that are eligible will be covered by the program automatically without having to register for it. If a person from an eligible family is hospitalized, the family need not spend on the treatment when they visit a government or an empanelled private hospital for treatment. The policy covers all kinds of diseases and the benefit offers coverage both for pre and post hospitalization expenses. Unlike other kinds of medical insurance schemes, there is no waiting period for pre-existing ailments. Though Aadhaar card is not a mandated requirement for availing of the medical care under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the beneficiaries will have to produce a prescribed ID at the hospital to receive free treatment. Eligibility criteria for Ayushman Bharat scheme in rural areas 1. Families inhabiting a single room or a domicile with “kuchcha walls and kuchcha roof" 2. Families in which there is no adult member in the age group 16 and 59 3. Family headed by a female with no adult male member belonging to the 16-59 age group 4. Families in which there is at least one disabled member and no able-bodied adult member 5. SC/ST households 6. Landless households making a majority of their earnings from manual casual labour 7. Extremely poor and those individuals surviving on alms 8. Families of manual scavengers 9. Families belonging to primitive tribal groups Eligibility criteria for Ayushman Bharat scheme in urban areas As per the guidelines issues as part of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the following 11 occupational categories of workers are included in the list automatically. 1. <keyword id="6470258" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Domestic-worker">Domestic worker</keyword> 2. Street vendor, cobbler, hawker, and other service providers working on the streets 3. Construction worker, plumber, mason, labour, painter, welder, security guard, coolie and other head-load workers 4. Sweeper, sanitation worker, and gardener 8. Home-based worker, artisan, handicrafts worker, and tailor 9. Transport worker, driver, conductor, helper to drivers and conductors, cart puller, and rickshaw puller 10. Shop worker, assistant, peon in small establishment, helper, delivery assistant, attendant, and waiter 11. Electrician, mechanic, assembler, and repair worker 12. Washer-man, and chowkidar 13. Homeless people

What is Prime Minister health insurance scheme?

<ul><li>It has been exactly a week since International Women's Day when we were spammed with ads related to struggles women go through every day. </li><li>However, we have all forgotten about their contributions and struggles a week later, and moved on. </li><li><keyword id="10253869" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="anushka-iyer">Anushka Iyer</keyword>, Founder and CEO, Wiggles.in writes a few challenges that women founders face in our country.</li></ul>Raised eyebrows are a given when it’s a woman founder at the helm, doing what she does best, driving change. From using the rolling pin in the kitchen to mastering a spacewalk, a woman has come a long way from where she began. 'Be a man,’ is the most common advice women entrepreneurs receive. And it is this very gender stereotype that needs to be shattered. The business world is no longer a ‘man's world.’ There has been a spurt of women entrepreneurs in recent years but not without facing their more than fair share of challenges while building their start-ups. As gender stereotypes, lack of support from mentors, unequal pay, lack of financial backing and many other issues continue to exist, here are a few elementary challenges that women founders face daily in spite of the changing times. Getting A Seat At The Table According to the sixth economic census, by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), women comprise as much as 13.76% of the total entrepreneurs in India. One of the uncomfortable realities of being a female leader is walking into a meeting and realizing that you’re one of the few women in the room among your male counterparts. The pressure of being the only one is undoubtedly overwhelming. The odd one out is often treated differently and subjected to discrimination. With such challenges, women find it hard to speak up and voice their opinion. Women need to support each other in their journey to the top. More women leaders need to turn role models and flow against the tide. Instead of sitting back, it is imperative to step forward and make a lasting impression by being both seen and heard. Policies that don’t help Financial and HR policies don't make it any easier for women. Most financial institutions favour men over women when it comes to providing loans. Even the HR policies, although they are now being altered, make it difficult for women to take an extended maternity leave and ultimately, she may not be considered for an upcoming promotion although she is deserving of it. Financial institutions and banks do not consider unmarried women, working women or young women as ‘proper applicants’ for loans since it is the general belief that her business plan is going to be short lived. Shattering the Glass Ceiling For some of us, the ceiling is considered a mere illusion, but for the rest, it is still very real and exists despite many women shattering it time and time again. Opinionated and passionate are seen as ‘crazy’ and shut down when they voice their opinions. Their ideas are seen as ‘impractical’ or ‘unrealistic’ and often confused with the women being too emotional. The struggle to shatter the glass ceiling is another hurdle that is stopping women from becoming leaders. But, things are changing gradually. As mentioned in a study by Google and Bain &amp; company, today, India has 13.5–15.7 million women-owned enterprises, representing 20% of all enterprises. This definitely becomes a talking point for future generations. Patriarchy The market, especially for entrepreneurs, is male-dominated. Women still struggle to find their place in a man’s world. There is already a lot of competition in the market when it comes to operations, marketing, organizing and setting up your business, add to that a patriarchal society where a woman is discouraged every step of the way, it gets harder for women to pursue their dreams. Raising Funding Women entrepreneurs have to rely on their own savings or family and friends to get the seed money to start their own business. As for women who do start their business, finding investors and convincing them to believe in her is a whole other challenge, as her abilities are often doubted. Less than 3% of all capital in the world is invested into female founders. All in a time when 93% of daily purchases are made by women. This massive surge in female led funds does prove that people are investing in female founders, so there is indeed a shift happening. Work-Life Balance A lot of us ask ourselves, ‘Can we really have it all?’ In reality, men and women in leadership positions are challenged with balancing their career and personal life, it is a given. However, women are expected to play a larger role when it comes to juggling responsibilities as compared to their male partners. Working mothers, single mothers have the responsibility of taking care of their children, the family and their business. Trying to create a balance between the two, leaves a person feeling exhausted and unable to perform their best. Skepticism There’s a lot of skepticism around women entrepreneurs ‘making it.’ They are not taken seriously enough, her business is seen as a hobby and nothing more. When faced with such issues, it becomes a challenge for most women to convince investors, her family, the society that she means business. In the workplace, much like everywhere else, women continue to face unfair gender biases and discriminations. However, a different perspective, can show these obstacles and challenges as stepping stones to make one stronger and resilient to face any obstacles. The way in which a difficult journey unfolds will always bring in a positive impact and inspire everyone to handle difficult situations with finesse. Post-COVID, the world has changed. It has made us realize that we are just a tiny minuscule part of this universe and the saying, “To live and let live” holds true. If it's going to be the survival of the fittest, women are definitely all armed to take the world by storm now. Come to think of it, bring on the challenges, a woman’s going to find her way through it all.

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