2.  Since our Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has taken oven (26 May), He has visited 9 countries – Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, Brazil, USA, Australia, Myanmar and Fiji. These visits primarily have economic objectives.

3.  The visits are Narendra Modi’s endeavours to strengthen India’s foreign ties and relationships with countries in order to facilitate mutual development and greater attention is also being provided to economic objectives. Important schemes and divergence from the previous regime’s policies are reflected in the schemes introduced by him.

4.  Shri Narendra Modi plans to visit several other countries in 2015 including Sri Lanka, UK, Bangladesh, Singapore, Russia and Germany. It is plausible that he plans to strengthen the economic state of India and bring about economic reforms as his objectives since he has assumed office are economy oriented talks with his foreign counter - parts.  His primary objectives would also include the successful implementation of programmes for cleanliness and sanitation (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) and programmes such as Digital India – an initiative of the Government of India to integrate the government departments and the people of India and to ensure effective governance.

6.  India missed the 2005 deadline of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education.  However, the country has hastened progress and the Gender Parity Index (GPI) for Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in primary and secondary education has risen.  Achieving GPI in tertiary education remains a challenge.  The labor market openness to women in industry and services has only marginally increased from 13-18 percent between 1990-91 and 2004-05.  In the current government, India has only 61 women representatives out of 543 members in Lok Sabha, while there are 31 female MPs in the 243-member Rajya Sabha.

7. A number of efforts have been made for educating girls and empowering women in India:-  The National Programme for the Education of Girls at the Elementary Level (NPEGEL)  Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya(KGBV)  Mahila Samakhya (MS)  The National policy for the empowerment of women was initiated in 2001.  There exist several legislative acts to provide protection and ensure the rights of women.  Some of the currently operating schemes for economic empowerment are Swa-shakti, Swayamsiddha, Swaslamban Programme, support to Training and Employment Programme which aim to bring out socio- economic development and empowerment of women through promotion of women Self Help Groups (SHGs), and income generating activities.

8.  The literacy rate among males (15 -24 years old) was 84 in 2001 against 68 for females (15 -24 years old) and National Service Scheme(NSS) 2007-08 showed the literacy rates as 91 and 80 respectively. The ratio of Female literacy rate to Male literacy rate for 15-24 years increased from 0.67 in 1991 to 0.80 in 2001 and stood at 0.88 in 2007-08. The ratio of female literacy rate to male literacy rate in the age group 15-24 years tends to exceed 1 by 2015, implying higher literacy rate among female youths than their male counterparts.  In 2011-12, the 68th round NSS results had estimated the percentage share of females in wage employment in the non- agricultural sector as 19.3% with the share in rural and urban areas as 19.9% and 18.7% respectively. It is projected that at this rate of progress, the share of women in wage employment can at best reach a level of about 22.28% by 2015.

10. Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana Launched on 6 th December by prime minister Narendra Modi. Its aim is to develop institutional infrastructure in more than 300 villages.

11. E-LIBRARIES The National e-library project, aims to create a e-library besides designing an audio-visual interactive platform for students and academic fraternity in the country, is set to become operational by next academic year. The project aims to provide academic content through the Internet.

12. PROJECT UDAAN This project aims at providing vocational and skilled training to over 40000 young minds. This is mainly for unemployed people living in urban areas.

13. GOALS AND SCHEMES ON ECONOMIC ISSUES

14. THE SCHEMES INTRODUCED  National Rural Livelihood Mission(NRLM): This scheme will organize rural poor into SHG groups and make them capable for self-employment. The idea is to developing better livelihood options for the poor.  Voluntary Disclosure of Income Scheme: Opportunity to the income tax/ wealth tax defaulters to disclose their undisclosed income at the prevailing tax rates.  Prime Minister's People Money Scheme: Each household must have a bank account and India has geared up gear up for the gigantic task of enrolling over 7.5 crore (75 million) households and to open their accounts

15. UNDER THIS SCHEME  Under the scheme:  1. Account holders will be provided zero-balance bank account with RuPay debit card, in addition to accidental insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh(to be given by 'HDFC Egro').  2. Those who open accounts by January 26, 2015 over and above the 1 lakh accident, they will be given life insurance cover of Rs 30,000(to be given by LIC).  3. After Six months of opening of the bank account, holders can avail 5,000 overdraft from the bank.

16. CONTD..  4. With the introduction of new technology introduced by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a person can transfer funds, check balance through a normal phone which was earlier limited only to smart phones so far.  5. Mobile banking for the poor would be available through National Unified USSD Platform (NUUP) for which all banks and mobile companies have come together.