Paper 2: Governance | Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Relevance: Universal Health Coverage, Importance of Resolution
WHO Adopts Resolution on digital health brought out by India
Why in News?
The 71st World Health Assembly adopted the resolution on digital health brought out by India. The assembly is decision-making body of the WHO (World Health Organization). The 71st World Health Assembly was held last week in Geneva and was attended by delegations from all WHO member states
How important is this Resolution
- The resolution paves the path for WHO to establish a global strategy on digital health identifying priority areas including where WHO should focus its efforts and engages member states to optimize their health systems in sync with the global digital health agenda.
- Digital health is important in the context of countries achieving health-related SDG targets
Digital Health Technology
- It has huge potential for supporting Universal Health Coverage and improving accessibility, quality and affordability of health services.
Paper 2– Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Relevance: Developmental Issues with States Special Category Status
Bihar for Special Status
Why in news
Chief Minister of Bihar demanded Special Status for Bihar. He has pointed out various issues, which have been a major blockade in Bihar’s development
Reason for demand
Bihar has highest proportion of backward districts as compared to any other state. In addition, Bihar has occupied the last rank in terms of real per capita GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) among all States in all the years 2000 through 2012. Bihar accounted for roughly 2.8 % of the GDP but 8.2% of the country’s population during 2009-12.
Special Status
- There is no provision of special status in the constitution ,however Central government extend financial assistance to states that are at a comparative disadvantage against others
- It was in 1969, concept of Special Status emerged based on Gadgil Formula, which was centre assistance to states.
14th Finance Commission and Special Category Status
- Central plan assistance to SCS States has been subsumed in an increased devolution of the divisible pool to all States (from 32% in the 13th FC recommendations to 42%.
- In addition, 14th FC recommended variables such as “forest cover” to be included in devolution.
Paper 2: Governance | Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential
Relevance: Elections in India ,Transparency ,Election Commission of India
Issues with VVPAT
Why in news?
The high incidence of glitches in the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in the recent by-elections.
What are VVPAT machines?
- The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail is a method that provides feedback to voters.
- It is an independent verification printer machine and is attached to electronic voting machines.
- It allows voters to verify if their vote has gone to the intended candidate.
Issues with the VVPAT
- Ever since the implementation of the VVPAT system last year, machine malfunction and subsequent delays in polling have been recurring issues
- The ECI has suggested that these machines were more prone to malfunctioning due to their sensitivity to extreme weather conditions and exposure to light
- It also blamed the relative inexperience of polling officers handling them, compared to the ballot and control units for the electronic voting machines (EVMs) that have been in use for much longer
What is the Election Commission’s stand on the issue?
- The EC has time and again reiterated that EVMs cannot be tampered
Do we need VVPAT?
- There is enough empirical evidence to show that EVMs have eased polling and helped increase voter turnout since being put to use
- But in using VVPAT machines to reassure sceptics about an election’s integrity, the ECI has introduced a new element, and cost, to the process
- Considering these challenges, the ECI should consider deploying the VVPAT machines in a limited, statistically significant, randomly chosen set of polling booths
- This will reduce the possibility of glitches affecting the polling process as well-tested machines could be deployed (with enough replacements also handy) to such booths
