(a) whether United Nations Development Programmes HRD report 2005 has ranked India at 127th position out of 177 countries;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether it is a fact that one in every 11 Indian children dies in the first five years of life; and
(d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government to focus recorded in the UNDP HRD report?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI M.A.A. FATMI)
(a) & (b): Yes Sir. As per the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2005, India has
been ranked at the 127th position out of 177 countries
having Human Development Index 0.602.
(c) As per the National Family Health Survey- II, age-group
(0-5) mortality rate is 94.9 per 1000 life birth.
(d) Following steps have been taken by the Government to
improve the Human Development Index:
Ø National Literacy Mission (NLM) was set up to achieve a
sustainable threshold level of 75% literacy by 2007. A
number of steps have been taken by NLM to enhance adult
literacy in the country which include revision of NLM
parameters and enhancement of financial norms; integration
of phases of Total Literacy and Post Literacy; delegation of
powers to State Literacy Mission Authorities; enlarging the
scope of Continuing Education; strengthening of Jan Shikshan
Sansthans and extending their activities in rural areas;
revitalizing State Resource Centres for preparation of
better teaching materials and improved quality of training.
Ø In principle, a Scheme of Universal Access and Quality
at the Secondary Stage has been approved by the Planning
Commission with the objective to make secondary education of
good quality available, accessible and affordable to all
young persons
Ø Several steps have been taken by the Government to
reduce the infant and under five mortality rate which
includes; strict implementation of Child Marriage
(Prevention) Act, Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique
(Regulation, Prevention and Misuse) Act; raise awareness on
the reduced sex ratio by creating efforts through media
campaigns; expansion of Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS) to all blocks of the country with increased component
of nutrition and immunization and other health programmes by
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.