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

• Mahila Samman Savings Certificates (MSSC) was launched in multiple post offices across the country.
• A proposal for giving 8 per cent interest subsidy on loans obtained by members of women Self Help Groups (SHGs) from Mahila Nidhi, the state’s first-ever women’s cooperative fund, was approved by the Rajasthan government. 
• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines And Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 was notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The Amendment Rules have attracted attention from various stakeholders. 
• ‘Captive Employment’ initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) was initiated by the Union Ministry for Rural Development (MoRD).
• The domestic pricing model of natural gas has been amended by the Centre in line with the recommendations of the Kirit Parikh committee.
• Registrations for Ladli Behna Yojana are underway in Gram Panchayats of Madhya Pradesh.

Health 

• Prices of 384 essential drugs and over 1,000 formulations would see a hike of over 11 per cent, said members of Indian Medical Association (IMA)-Telangana State.

Education

• The first Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test held in March, 2023 witnessed participation of over 22.7 lakh learners.
• Suggestions on Draft National Curriculum Framework for School Education invited by the Ministry of Education.

WASH

• Swachhotsav – International Day of Zero Waste: Rally for Garbage Free Cities was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• The first Ministerial-level meeting of the Joint Working Group between India and the Netherlands took place on 3rd April.
• Concerns over the safety of 234 functional large dams were flagged by the Parliamentary Panel on Water Resources.

Other News

• The performance of the Lokpal seems to be far from satisfactory, said a report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
• The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was asked to decide cases pending for more than 10 years on a priority basis by the Parliamentary committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
• The Economic Advisory Council to the PM has suggested tweaking the definition of rural-urban areas.
• The revamping of credit guarantee scheme for micro and small enterprises with effect from 1 April 2023.
• A panel to review the pension system for government employees was set up by the Ministry of Finance.

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