Central idea

The article scrutinizes various Union government welfare schemes, citing issues in health insurance, education, water mission, nutrition, financial inclusion, and minority scholarships. It urges corrective measures to rectify identified challenges, emphasizing the reassessment of budget allocations for improved transparency and program efficacy.

Key Highlights:

• Critique of BJP’s welfare schemes, questioning their effectiveness and highlighting discrepancies.
• Examination of schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Jal Jeevan Mission, PM POSHAN, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Minority Scholarships.
• Mention of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report exposing issues in Ayushman Bharat, including fraudulent practices.
• Emphasis on the allocation and utilization of funds in schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and PM POSHAN.
• Challenges in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, particularly the slow progress in providing functional tap connections.
• Criticism of the decrease in allocation for PM POSHAN despite the persisting issue of child malnutrition.
• Statistics revealing issues in Jan Dhan Yojana, including a high percentage of zero-balance accounts and decreased claim settlements.

Key Phrases for mains marks enhancement:

• “Hype than substance” in describing BJP’s welfare schemes.
• “Glaring discrepancies” in the Ayushman Bharat scheme, as highlighted by CAG.
• “Measly budget allocation” for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and structural barriers to girls’ education.
• “Certified” villages under Jal Jeevan Mission and the slow progress in providing tap connections.
• “Decrease in allocation” for PM POSHAN despite the prevalence of child malnutrition.
• “Zero balance accounts” and “dormant or inoperative” Jan Dhan accounts.
• “Discontinuation” and “reduction of funding” for Minority Scholarships, impacting educational opportunities.

Analysis:

The article critically examines several welfare schemes launched by the BJP government, questioning their impact and effectiveness. It highlights discrepancies in implementation, allocation, and utilization of funds in schemes related to healthcare, education, water supply, nutrition, and financial inclusion. The analysis draws attention to issues such as fraudulent practices, slow progress in achieving objectives, and reductions in budget allocations despite persistent challenges.

Key Data:

• 5 lakh beneficiaries linked with a single cell phone number in Ayushman Bharat.
• 80% of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao funds spent on media campaigns.
• Only 35% of villages under Jal Jeevan Mission certified for providing drinking water.
• Rs 11,600 crore allocation for PM POSHAN in 2023, a 9% decrease from the previous year.
• Over 8% of Jan Dhan accounts as zero balance, and 18% either dormant or inoperative.
• Discontinuation of the Maulana Azad Fellowship scheme and reduction of funds for Minority Scholarships.

Ayushman Bharat:

• Challenges: Glaring discrepancies highlighted by the CAG, including fraudulent practices and data manipulation.
• Analysis: The scheme faces credibility issues due to these discrepancies, raising questions about its transparency and effectiveness.
• Way Forward: Implement corrective measures based on the CAG report findings to ensure transparency and accountability.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao:

• Challenges: Heavy spending on media campaigns (80%), structural barriers hindering girls’ education.
• Analysis: Allocation concerns and structural barriers indicate shortcomings in achieving the scheme’s objectives.
• Way Forward: Reevaluate budget allocations, focusing on direct implementation and addressing barriers to girls’ education.

Jal Jeevan Mission:

• Challenges: Slow progress in providing functional tap connections, only 35% of villages certified.
• Analysis: Concerns about achieving objectives by the 2024 deadline due to slow progress and incomplete certifications.
• Way Forward: Intensify efforts to expedite tap connections and ensure the certification of remaining villages.

PM POSHAN:

• Challenges: Decreased budget allocation (9% reduction), persisting child malnutrition issues.
• Analysis: Despite the prevalence of child malnutrition, reduced funding raises concerns about the scheme’s impact.
• Way Forward: Reconsider budget decisions to align with the magnitude of challenges and enhance the effectiveness of nutritional interventions.

Jan Dhan Yojana:

• Challenges: High percentage of zero-balance accounts (8%) and decreased claim settlements.
• Analysis: Issues with inactive accounts and declining claim settlements indicate challenges in the scheme’s implementation.
• Way Forward: Enhance outreach and awareness programs to ensure the effective utilization of financial inclusion schemes.

Minority Scholarships:

• Challenges: Discontinuation of Maulana Azad Fellowship, reduction of funds for educational opportunities.
• Analysis: Discontinuation and reduced funding impact educational opportunities for minorities.
• Way Forward: Reconsider decisions to discontinue or reduce funding, supporting educational opportunities for minorities.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now