Question Q.13GS2GS2

Examine the role of the National Commission for Women (NCW) in protecting and promoting the rights of women in India.

Introduction

74th constitutional amendment act 1993, provided constitutional status to urban local governments (municipalities). Mission Karmayogi is launched by Government to transform civil services to achieve the ideals of prosperous India. National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body, having setup to promote, advance the rights of women in the country.

51 words

Main Body

Recommendations to strengthen NCW:

1Giving constitutional status to NCW so that it can work with enhanced scope and powers.

2Binding provisions on recommendation suggested by NCW & that justice is achieved in time.

3Institutional strengthening:

By collaboration with civil society/NGOs

Inter-ministerial coordination

Active coordination with states.

4Setting up similar institutions at state level, for enhanced coverage.

NCW, which is setup for safeguarding women should be strengthened by taking comprehensive reforms so that the ideal of nari-shakti is realised and nation prospers.

74th constitutional amendment act 1993, provided constitutional status to urban local governments (municipalities).

Urban planning & governance: limited dividends on ground

1Rapid & haphazard urbanization: leading to unplanned and divided sprawl of other cities.

2Infrastructure challenges:

Water, sanitation, roads, poor over-administered, leading to challenges in basic amenities.

3Metropolitanization of urbanization, leaving out tier-2, tier-3 cities, skipping stepped m/platform for corruption issues in metros.

4Funding shortages owing to poor devolution of funds and limited revenue generation.

5Lack of comprehensive urban planning, at district level, leading to unplanned urbanization.

6Funding shortages owing to poor devolution of funds and limited revenue generation.

7Lack of comprehensive urban planning, at district level, leading to unplanned urbanization.

8Issues of pollution, environment, growth of slums, criminal activity (human acts/weapons, drugs), challenging good urban governance.

Measures to improve urban governance:

1Sustainable urbanization through:

Sequential development through tier 3,4 cities

e.g.: Ujjain nidy dev fund of NHB, Transform villages to reduce migration.

e.g.: Creation of industries, employment opportunities.

2Approved revenues of urban areas:

Internal resource mobilization through better tax collection, and explore municipal bonds for generating resources.

Finance commission (state & centre) grants effective utilization.

3Urban planning & education:

Comprehensive curriculum reform

Inculcate urban development to be promoted

4Resilient urban cities through inclusion of climate, gender norms in planning.

40% India lives in urban areas by 2040 and it is crucial to transform urban planning & governance for achieving SDG (Sustainable city and communities).

Mission Karmayogi is launched by Government to transform civil services to achieve the ideals of prosperous India.

Civil services: Welfare at constitutional aspect:

1Achieve the ideal of welfare state in line with DPSP of constitution

2Reduce inequality among people through better delivery of services

3Promote balanced region development, reducing regional imbalance

4Achieving gender equity:

e.g.: promoting SHG, employment & entrepreneurship through access to credits, mainly (for women Kaiural viken yogana)

5Bring orders & implementation to achieve environmental, economic, fuel, political justice.

Civil services: upholding constitutional spirit:

1Political neutrality & impartiality

e.g.: Atuek Khemka, T.N. Seshan

2Constitutional morality is upheld through citizen-centric, objective, transparent governance.

Challenges in welfare & spirit of Constitution by civil servants:

Political-bureaucratic nexus, negating citizens

Lack of domain specific agility, leading to delayed justice

Lack of active participation, from where:

Rigid hierarchical, institution setup

e.g.: Top-down approach.

Transforming civil services for welfare & spirit of constitution through:

1Institutional reform:

Use: Launch entry for competition, innovation

2Capacity building:

Use based towards role-based

3Accountability through:

Within-charter, RTI audit etc

4Reducing political interference

e.g.: good-part recommendation

Civil servants should be politically neutral, non-proprietary neutral.

Citizen-centric, role-based civil services with focus on efficiency and equity is crucial to achieve developed country status by 2047.

1Stout audit of accounts of parties under Section 29 of RPA 1951.

2Provisions & deal with hate speech should be incorporated.

3Ensure internal party democracy through provisions in RPA at Model Code of Conduct.

4Faster clearance of pending cases by courts by setting special fast-track courts for cases under RPA 1951.

RPA 1951 which is enacted for ensuring free and fair elections should be sufficiently strengthened for achieving the same.

National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body, having setup to promote, advance the rights of women in the country.

NCW—protecting and promoting rights of women:

1Policy recommending to government and monitoring the implementation

2Suo-motu cognisance of cases relating to protection of rights of women

e.g.: Sundeswali incident in Bengal, Nirbhaya case etc.

3Advocacy for advancement of women's rights, through multi-stakeholder collaboration.

4Recommending compensations and penalties to safeguard dignity and rights.

CSO + Government: Picture symbiosis for development & governance

1Improving quality of life of people:

Ref: DARPAN portal for NGOs for finance & support

2Effective & equitable governance:

eg: RTI portal and use by CSOs

3Achieving sustainable development goals:

eg: Anamanatha & government mid-day meal schemes, achieving SDG 1 and 2

4Women empowerment and realizing navshakti:

eg: Domed scheme partnership with civil society

Challenges to symbiosis between CSO-government:

1Legislative challenge:

eg: FCRA 2020 amendment, limiting finances and operations of CSOs due to stringent norms

802 words16 paragraphs17 bullet points

Conclusion

NCW, which is setup for safeguarding women should be strengthened by taking comprehensive reforms so that the ideal of nari-shakti is realised and nation prospers. 40% India lives in urban areas by 2040 and it is crucial to transform urban planning & governance for achieving SDG (Sustainable city and communities). Citizen-centric, role-based civil services with focus on efficiency and equity is crucial to achieve developed country status by 2047.

69 words

Diagram

Circular diagram showing challenges to welfare and spirit of Constitution: political-bureaucratic nexus, lack of domain specific agility, lack of active participation, and rigid hierarchical institutional setup, with top-down approach as example

Answer continues on next page

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Provides actionable recommendations
Linkage to national vision (nari-shakti)
Comprehensive approach covering multiple levels
Direct reference to constitutional amendment
Clear enumeration of problems
Identifies systemic issues
Practical solutions mentioned with examples
Addresses financial aspects comprehensively
Links to developmental schemes
Links to SDG framework
Addresses cross-cutting issues like climate and gender
Future-focused perspective
Links to government initiative (Mission Karmayogi)
References DPSP framework
Addresses gender equity specifically
Real-world case examples provided
Identifies specific institutional challenges
Addresses political dimensions
Actionable recommendations provided
Links to Vision 2047
Emphasizes multiple dimensions of reform
Structured approach addressing multiple dimensions
Specific references to RPA 1951 provisions
Practical recommendations for implementation
Clear identification of NCW's statutory status
Practical examples of NCW's role
Structured enumeration of functions
Good use of specific government schemes and portals
Identifies SDG alignment

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Page 29

Topper

Banna Venkatesh

AIR 152024

Subject & Paper

GS2GS2

Topic

Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections

Women's Social Capital

National Commission for Women

Writing Stats

922

Total words

Paragraphs

Bullets

analytical

Tone