Keep up-to-date with all that is happening in welfare policy with this curated selection of news – Policy Buzz – published every fortnight.

Policy News

1. The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, released ₹7,183.4 crore to 14 states as the 2nd monthly instalment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) grant.
2. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved extension of the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) till December 2024.
3. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched the North East Capacity Building (NECB) 2.0 project for various sections of society in the North-Eastern states.
4. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has invited suggestions on the draft National Youth Policy.
5. The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an agreement for the localisation of the sustainable development goals.
6. The Union government launched a 90-day campaign, ‘Azadi Se Antyodaya Tak’ with a mission to saturate 75 districts under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Health and Nutrition 

1. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) report.
2. The Centre has reduced wheat allocation to some states and UTs under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) till September 2022. Rice will be distributed instead to maintain the overall figure. 
3. The Union government released the Civil Registration System (CRS) report 2020 based on birth and death reports.
4. The National Health Authority (NHA) released the revised draft of Health Data Management (HDM) policy.
5. The World Health Organisation representative to India announced that the country has developed a national framework to eliminate malaria by 2030.

Education

1. The Ministry of Education released the ‘mandate document’ for a common curriculum framework under the new National Education Policy (NEP).
2. The Prime Minister’s Office chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress in the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
3. The state government of Haryana launched the ‘e-Adhigam’ scheme under which nearly three lakh tablets were distributed to government school students of Classes 10 and 12.

Sanitation

1. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched ‘National Behaviour Change Communication Framework for Garbage Free Cities’ under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.
2. The Municipal Administration and Urban Development department approved ₹1445 crore for a project to take up ‘Used Water Management’ under Swachh Mission with Central and State funds.

Other News

1. The Supreme Court directed state Governments and UTs to implement the suggestions made by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in regards to Children in Street Situations (CiSS).
2. The Supreme Court ruled that no individual can be forced to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but allowed for reasonable and proportionate restrictions. 
3. The Reserve Bank of India released the Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for FY 2021-22.
4. The Madras High Court declared Nature to be a living being with all corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.
5. Atal Innovation Mission launched the phase 1 of the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge (ANIC 2.0).

Also Read: In a Glance: Budget Session 2022 (Part II)