Prelims 2017

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Day 32

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 Geography www.iasscore.in

SOUTH AMERICA
South America, the fourth-largestcontinent, extends from theGulfof Darin in the northwest to
thearchipelagoof Tierra del Fuego in the south.
SALIENT FACTS
It is also known as Continent of Birds.
South America is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west and the
Caribbean Sea in the north-
The Andes Mountains, which lies parallel to the western side of the continent, forms the largest mountain

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chain in the world.
The Amazon River occupies a large depression in the Earths Crust, formed by the uplift of the Andes.

evergreen forests are known as Selvas. OR
The Amazon Basin in the largest area of the tropical evergreen forests in the world. These tropical

Amazon and its tributaries, Parana, Orinoco and Sao Francisco, are the main rivers of South America.
The immense Brazilian Shield underlies more than one-third of South America. It is pitted with numerous
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volcanic intrusions and a large basaltic plateau exists between the Parana River and the Atlantic Ocean.
It includes the Easter Islands, the Falkland Islands, the Galapagos Islands and the Tierra del Fuego.
Tropical conditions are found across over half of South America, when both rainfall and temperatures are
high, hot humid rainforest prevail.
PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISION
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South America can be divided into three physicalregions:mountains and highlands, riverbasins, andcoastal
plains.
Mountains & Highlands
South Americas primary mountain system, the Andes, is also the worlds longest. The range covers about
8,850 kilometers (5,500 miles). Situated on the far western edge of the continent, the Andes stretch from the
southern tip to the northernmost coast of South America. There are hundreds of peaks more than 4,500 meters
(15,000 feet) tall, many of which are volcanic.
The highest peak in the Andes, Aconcagua, stands at 6,962 meters (22,841 feet) and straddles the Argentina-
Chileborder. Aconcagua is the tallest mountain outside Asia.
Highplateaus are also a feature of the Andes. Thealtiplanoof Peru and Bolivia, for example, has an elevation
of about 3,700 meters (12,300 feet). The Patagonia region of Argentina and Chile consists of lower-elevation
plateaus andruggedglaciers.
Outside the Andes, South America has two principal highland areas: the Brazilian Highlands and the Guiana
Highlands. Located south of the Amazon River in Brazil, the Brazilian Highlands are made up of low
mountains and plateaus that rise to an average elevation of 1,006 meters (3,300 feet). The Guiana Highlands
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are located between the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. The heavily forested plateau of the Guiana Highlands
covers southern Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, northern Brazil, and a portion of southeastern Colombia.
River Basins
South America has three important river basins: the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraguay/Paran.
The Amazon River basin has an area of almost 7 million square kilometers (2.7 million square miles), making
it the largestwatershedin the world. The basin, which covers most of northern South America, is fed by
tributaries from the glaciers of the Andes. Every second, the Amazon River empties 209,000 cubic meters
(7,381,000 cubic feet) offreshwaterinto the Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon River is the life force of the equally vast Amazon rain forest, which makes up about half of
the rain forest of the entire planet. Thistropicalbiome has as many as 100 different tree species on a single
acre, including the rubber tree, silk cotton tree, and Brazil nut tree. Other important plant species include palms,
ferns, and ropelike vines known aslianasthat network throughout the rain forests densecanopy.
The Orinoco River flows north of the Amazon. The Orinoco flows in a giantarcfor more than 2,736 kilometers
(1,700miles), originating in the Guiana Highlands of northern Brazil and discharging in the Atlantic Ocean in

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Venezuela. The Orinoco River basin covers an area of about 948,000 square kilometers (366,000 square miles)
and encompasses approximately 80 percent of Venezuela and 25 percent of Colombia.
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A vastsavannaor grassland region, known as the Llanos, is the primary biome of the Orinoco River basin. The
Llanos is primarily made up of grasses.Swampgrasses,sedges, and bunchgrass are found in wet, low-lying
areas. Carpet grass is found in the higher and drier elevations.
Like most grassland biomes, the Llanos is the perfect habitat for many bird species, including the scarlet ibis,
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bellbird, and umbrellabird. Important river species include the piranha, electric eel, and the Orinoco crocodile,
which can reach a length of more than 6 meters (20 feet).
The Paraguay/Paran River basin covers almost 2.8 million square kilometers (1,081,000 square miles), which
is much of southeastern Brazil and Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. The Paran River includes
Iguazu Falls, a massive series of waterfalls that extend for 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles).
Along with the Uruguay River, the Paran River empties into the Rio de la Plataestuarybetween Argentina
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and Uruguay. The Rio de la Plata is the most populated region of both countries. The capital cities of Buenos
Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, practically face each other across the estuary.
The Paraguay/Paran River basin supplies water to theplains biome, or Pampas, of South America. The
Pampas have rich,fertilesoiland predictable rainfall patterns. They are the most important grazing andcropland
areas on the continent.
Coastal Plains
A coastal plain is an area of low, flat land next to a seacoast. South American coastal plains are found on the
northeastern coast of Brazil, on the Atlantic Ocean, and the western, Pacific coast of Peru and Chile. The
coastal plains of northeastern Brazil are extremely dry. The Brazilian Highlands act as awedgethat pushes
moist sea winds away from the coastal plains.
The western coastal plains are also extremely dry. They are trapped between the cold Peru Current to the west
and the Andes Mountains to the east. The PeruCurrentbrings cold water to the Pacific coast of Peru and
Chile. This cold surface water results inthermal inversion: cold air at sea level and stable, warmer air higher
up. Thermal inversion produces a thick layer ofclouds at low altitudes. These low-lying clouds blanket much
of the Pacific coast of South America. They do not allowprecipitationto form.
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The Atacama Desert is part of the western coastal plain. The Atacama is considered the driest region in the
world. The average rainfall is about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) a year, and some parts of the Atacama have
never had rain in recorded history.
CLIMATEOF SOUTH AMERICA
The Climate of South America influenced by the geographical location. Away from the equator to the north
and south, there is a greater contrast in temperature between summer and winter in the tropical region. Winters
are cooler and summers are less hot.
The Equatorial region: The Highlands of Brazil and Guiana receives moderate annual rainfall and summer is
the rainy season. The Equatorial region receives high rainfall throughout the year. There is no dry season in
the Equatorial region.
Pampas: In the Pampas lowlands of South America winters are cooler and summers are less hot. Rainfall is
moderate and is maximum in summer. The rain-shadow region of the Andes ranges is the Plateau of Patagonia.

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It is a temperate desert and gets a low rainfall.
Chile: The southernmost region of Chile has marine or oceanic type of climate. This region receives high

only.
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rainfall throughout the year. Central Chile region has warm summers and mild winters with rainfall in winter

Atacama desert: The Atacama desert has the hot desert type of climate, which is found in the Northern Chile
and Southern Peru. The Andes mountains region climate changes according to height above the sealevel. The
lower slopes have tropical climate, the middle slopes have temperate conditions and above 6000 metres
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permanent cover of snow.
IMPORTANT RIVERS
Rivers Originate Drains Pass through
Amazon River Andes Mountains Atlantic Ocean Peru, Colombia, Brazil,
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Orinoco River Parima Mountains
Parana River Paranaba River
Uruguay River Starts in the Serra do Mar
in Brazil, where the Canoas
River and the Pelotas
River are joined
Madeira River Confluence of Beni and Amazon River
Mamor, Near Guayaramern
Ecuador
Atlantic Ocean Colombia, Venezuela
Rio de la Plata, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay
Atlantic Ocean
Rio de la Plata, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
Atlantic Ocean
Bolivia, Brazil

DESERTS OF SOUTH AMERICA

La Guajira Desert a desert in northern Colombia,
Patagonian Desert the largest desert by area in the Americas, located in Argentina and Chile,
Atacama a desert in Chile and Peru, the driest place on Earth,
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Sechura Desert a desert located along a portion of the northwestern coast in Peru, South America,
Monte Desert in Argentina, a smaller desert above the Patagonian
Peruvian Desert- in Peru and Chile
PAMPAS
The Pampas of South America are a grassland biome. They are flat, fertile plains that covers an area of
300,000 sq. miles or 777,000 square kilometers, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes Mountains. It is found
primarily in Argentina and extends into Uruguay.
The word Pampas comes from the Guarani Indian word for level plain. The Argentinean Pampas are the home
of the Gaucho, the original South American cowboy. The pampas is located just below Buenos Aires,
between 34 and 30 south latitude, and 57 and 63 west latitude.
The average temperature in the Pampas is 18 C. The pampas has a high sun or dry season in the summer,
which in the Southern Hemisphere is in December. The wind blows most of the time. The climate in the
pampas is humid and warm.

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There are many kinds of animal and plant life in the Pampas. Native plants and animals on the Pampas have
made adaptations to living in a windy grassland. There are not very many trees because fires frequently occur
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in the pampas. The fires do not kill the grasses, which regenerate from their root crowns, but destroy the trees,
which have shallow root systems. The exception is the Ombu, which has made adaptations to protect itself
from fires.
The humid Pampas ecosystem is one of the richest grazing areas in the world. Because of its temperate
climate and rich, deep soil, most of the Pampas has been cultivated and turned into croplands.
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INSTITUTIONS RELATED TO HEALTH

A. Medical Council of India
The Medical Council of India was set up in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933. This Act
was repealed and a new Act, The Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, was enacted. This latter Act was
further amended in 1964, 1993 and in 2001. The objectives of the Indian Medical Council, as per the Act,
are as follows:
a) Maintenance of uniform standards of medical education, both undergraduate and postgraduate.
b) Recommendation for recognition/de-recognition of medical qualifications of medical institutions of
India or foreign countries.

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c) Permanent registration/provisional registration of doctors with recognised medical qualifications.

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d) Reciprocity with foreign countries in the matter of mutual recognition of medical qualifications.
The promotion of medical ethics; ensuring ethical medical practice and punishing wrong-doers; providing
guidance to medical professionals on good medical practice, and advice on novel forms of treatment
bristling with ethical implications (the use of embryos in medical research and the use of stem cells in
clinical practice being just two recent examples) do not feature in the stated objectives.
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B. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related
issues in various Ministries and Departments.
FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their
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manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for
human consumption.
FSSAI has been mandated by the FSS Act, 2006 for performing the following functions:
a) Framing of Regulations to lay down the Standards and guidelines in relation to articles of food and
specifying appropriate system of enforcing various standards thus notified.
b) Laying down mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies engaged in certification
of food safety management system for food businesses.
c) Laying down procedure and guidelines for accreditation of laboratories and notification of the accredited
laboratories.
d) To provide scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments in
the matters of framing the policy and rules in areas which have a direct or indirect bearing of food
safety and nutrition .
e) Collect and collate data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk,
contaminants in food, residues of various, contaminants in foods products, identification of emerging
risks and introduction of rapid alert system.
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f) Creating an information network across the country so that the public, consumers, Panchayats etc
receive rapid, reliable and objective information about food safety and issues of concern.
g) Provide training programmes for persons who are involved or intend to get involved in food businesses.
h) Contribute to the development of international technical standards for food, sanitary and phyto-sanitary
standards.
i) Promote general awareness about food safety and food standards.
C. Codex India
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) was created in 1961/62 by Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), to develop food standards,
guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
The main purpose of this Programme is to protect the health of consumers, ensure fair practices in the
food trade, and promote coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental
and non-governmental organizations.

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Codex India the National Codex Contact Point (NCCP) for India, is located at the Directorate General
Of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOH&FW), Government of India. It
coordinates and promotes Codex activities in India in association with the National Codex Committee and
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facilitates Indias input to the work of Codex through an established consultation process.
D. Indian Council of Medical Research
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, the apex body in India for the formulation,
coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the
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world.
The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry
of Health & Family Welfare.
The Councils research priorities coincide with the National health priorities such as control and management
of communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, control of nutritional disorders,
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developing alternative strategies for health care delivery, containment within safety limits of environmental
and occupational health problems; research on major non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular
diseases, blindness, diabetes and other metabolic and haematological disorders; mental health research and
drug research (including traditional remedies). All these efforts are undertaken with a view to reduce the
total burden of disease and to promote health and well-being of the population.
E. National Medicinal Plants Board
The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) set-up in November 2000 by the Government of India has
the primary mandate of coordinating all matters relating to medicinal plants and support policies and
programmes for growth of trade, export, conservation and cultivation.
The Board is located in the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homeopathy
(AYUSH) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Functions of the Board
a) Assessment of demand/supply position relating to medicinal plants both within the country and abroad
b) Advise concerned Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations/ State/ UT Governments on policy matters
relating to schemes and programmes for development of medicinal plants.
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c) Provide guidance in the formulation of proposals, schemes and programmes etc. to be taken-up by
agencies having access to land for cultivation and infrastructure for collection, storage and transportation
of medicinal plants.
d) Identification, inventorisation and quantification of medicinal plants.
e) Promotion of ex-situ/in-situ cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants.
f) Promotion of co-operative efforts among collectors and growers and assisting them to store, transport and
market their produce effectively.
g) Setting up of data-base system for inventorisation, dissemination of information and facilitating the
prevention of Patents being obtained for medicinal use of plants which is in the public domain.
h) Matters relating to import/export of raw material, as well as value added products either as medicine,
food supplements or as herbal cosmetics including adoption of better techniques for marketing of product
to increase their reputation for quality and reliability in the country and abroad.

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i) Undertaking and awarding Scientific, Technological research and cost-effectiveness studies.
j) Development of protocols for cultivation and quality control.
k) Encouraging the Protection of patent Rights and IPR.
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NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
RELATED TO EDUCATION
A. Central Advisory Board of Education
The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) is the highest advisory body to advise the Central and
State Governments in the field of education.
It was first established in 1920 and dissolved in 1923 as a measure of economy. It was revived in 1935
and had continued to exist till 1994. The CABE remained dormant for almost a decade since 1994, and
it is only in 2004 that this important body in the field of education has been revived by the Government
of India.
It is the highest advisory board in the country to advice in education related matter. It gives advises to
the State or, Central Education Committee.

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The principal duty of the Central Advisory Board of Education is to provide priceless advises to the State
as well as Central education board. It gives advises to those boards which regulates as well as generates
the basic rules and regulations of education in the whole of the country.
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B. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
The AICTE was set up in 1948 as an advisory body to assist the Central Government in the planning and
development of technical education at the post-secondary level.
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Education in engineering and technology, architecture, management and pharmacy is within the purview
of the AICTE.
In 1988, the AICTE was constituted as a statutory body under an Act of Parliament.
The AICTE coordinates and supports the development of engineering colleges, management education
institutions and polytechnics engaged in the training of technicians.
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Development support is provided by the AICTE to universities (through the UGC) and engineering
colleges and polytechnics for their expansion, as also for improvements in their quality and standards.
Among the major programmes supported by the AICTE are review and renewal of the curriculum for the
education and training of engineers and technicians. Modernization of the laboratories and workshops,
removal of obsolescence, establishment of community polytechnics, technology forecasting, manpower
planning, training of teachers, preparation of norms and standards for programmes of education and
training in various disciplines at different levels, and extending the benefits of technical and training to
the backward and rural areas.
In order to improve upon the present technical education system, the current objective is to modify the
engineering curriculum as follows: Greater emphasis on design oriented teaching, teaching of design
methodologies, problem solving approach; Greater exposure to industrial and manufacturing processes;
Exclusion of outmoded technologies and inclusion of the new appropriate and emerging technologies and
Greater input of management education and professional communication skills.
C. The University Grants Commission
The University Grants Commission (UGC) was established in 1952 and was constituted as a statutory
body under an Act of Parliament in 1956.
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It serves as a coordinating body between the Union and State Governments and the institutions of higher
learning. It acts as an advisory body to these Governments and institutions on issues relating to higher
education.
The primary responsibility of the Commission is to promote and coordinate university education in the
country and to ensure that the standards are maintained in teaching, research and examinations. In
performing these functions, the UGC allocates and disburses grants placed at its disposal by the Central
Government to the Universities, after an assessment of their needs.
The Commission provides the development and maintenance grants to universities established under the
Acts of Parliament and only development grants to those established by state legislatures.
D. Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE)
TheCentral Board of Secondary Education(abbreviated asCBSE) is a Board of Education for public and
private schools, under theUnion Government of India.
The main objectives were those of: serving the educational institutions more effectively, toberesponsive

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to the educational needs of those students whose parents were employed in the Central Government and
had frequently transferable jobs.

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The jurisdiction of the Board is extensive and stretches beyond the national geographical boundaries.
Schools located outside India are looked after by regional office Delhi.Matters pertaining to day-to-day
administration,liaison withschools,pre and post examination arrangements are all dealt with by the
respective regional offices.
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The Central Board of Secondary Education was set up to achieve certain interlinked objectives:
a. To prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examination at the end of Class X
andXII.
b. To grant qualifying certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools.
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c. To fulfill the educational requirements of those students whose parents were employed in transferable
jobs.
d. To prescribe and update the course of instructions of examinations
e. To affiliate institutions for the purpose of examination and raise the academic standards of the country.
CBSE has launched the grading system. As a part of this new system, students marks will be replaced
by grades which will be evaluated through a series of curricular and extra-curricular evaluations along with
academics. Grades are awarded to students based on work experience skills, dexterity, innovation, steadiness,
teamwork, public speaking, behavior, etc. to evaluate and present an overall measure of the students
ability. This helps the students who are not good in academics to show their talent in other fields such
as arts, humanities, sports, music, athletics, etc.
E. National Knowledge Commission
The National Knowledge Commission is a high-level advisory body to the Prime Minister of India, with
the objective of transforming India into a knowledge society.
The National Knowledge Commission has been given a mandate to guide policy and direct reforms,
focusing on certain key areas such as education, science and technology, agriculture, industry, e-governance
etc.
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Easy access to knowledge, creation and preservation of knowledge systems, dissemination of knowledge
and better knowledge services are core concerns of the commission.
The overarching aim of the National Knowledge Commission is to enable the development of a vibrant
knowledge based society. The NKC seeks to develop appropriate institutional frameworks to:
i. Strengthen the education system, promote domestic research and innovation, facilitate knowledge
application in sectors like health, agriculture, and industry.
ii. Leverage information and communication technologies to enhance governance and improve connectivity.
iii. Devise mechanisms for exchange and interaction between knowledge systems in the global arena.

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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

CSR is the commitment by businesses to behave ethically and contribute to economic development, while
improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society
at large.
The dimensions of the CSR triangular concept can be characterized as follows:
The self-regulation approach is characteristic of most company-related initiatives. In this case, companies
decide for themselves how far to engage in CSR and which CSR measures to implement. As the role of
the state is limited, liability is limited, too.
In legal regulation, the government is the most important player. This is reflected in multinational initiatives

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which are based on binding legal commitments, Individual codes of conduct for companies from one side
of the spectrum, the legal instruments the other.

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Multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as the Global Compact or the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Companies,
are located between the two extremes and can be defined conceptually as co-regulation approaches in
which stakeholders are involved in a companys CSR policy-making process. In this third way, NGOs,
business associations, governmental organizations and multilateral institutions, among others, work together
in a constructive manner to achieve complementary goals in the CSR process.
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CSR can not only refer to the compliance of human right standards, labor and social security arrangements,
but also to the fight against climate change, sustainable management of natural resources and consumer
protection. The various practices followed by the corporate in different parts of the world differ significantly.
In the Developed nations, the basic needs of the population do not need so much support as in the under-
developed nations. The demographies, literacy rate, poverty ratio and GDP of the country have significant role
in determining the directions of CSR initiatives of an organization.
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In the Asian context, CSR mostly involves activities like adopting villages for holistic development, in which
they provide medical and sanitation facilities, build school and houses, and helping villages become self-reliant
by teaching them vocational and business skills.
CSR provisions in India
CSR in India has traditionally been seen as a philanthropic activity. And in keeping with the Indian tradition,
it was an activity that was performed but not deliberated. The practice of CSR in India still remains within
the philanthropic space, but has moved from institutional building (educational, research and cultural) to
community development through various projects. Also, with global influences and with communities becoming
more active and demanding, there appears to be a discernible trend, that while CSR remains largely restricted
to community development, it is getting more strategic in nature (that is, getting linked with business) than
philanthropic, and a large number of companies are reporting the activities they are undertaking in this space
in their official websites, annual reports, sustainability reports and even publishing CSR reports. The Companies
Act, 2013 has introduced the idea of CSR to the forefront.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India has formally notified CSR provisions under the
Section 135 of Companies Act 2013 and the related rules effective from 1st April 2014. As per the provisions
of section 135, a company with turnover of INR 1000 crore or more or a net-worth of INR 500 crore or more
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or net profit of INR 5 crore or more in any financial year shall constitute a CSR Committee and would be
required to spend at least 2% of their average net profits of the past three years on CSR activities. If for any
reason a company is unable to do so, they would be required to explain the reason for that. An annual report
on CSR activities must be included in the Board Report of a company spending on CSR.
The contribution of any State setup funds, social business projects has been removed. Further, it seems that
the concept of shared value proposition has been ruled out, for instance, a company cannot choose a project
which also support their business object. If a water purifier company do CSR in the area of providing safe
drinking water and run a campaign to create awareness regarding safe drinking water, this will have a shared
value proposition. Such company also derived some value for its future business prospects. The ambit of the
Act does not specifically cover foreign companies, but Rules clearly includes foreign companies having its
branch or project office in India.
The Companies Act has considerably widened the ambit of CSR activities which now includes:
Poverty eradication
Promotion of education, gender equality and women empowerment

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reducing child mortality and improving maternal health
Combating AIDS/HIV, malaria and other diseases
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Ensuring environmental sustainability
Employment-enhancing vocational skills and social business projects
Relief and funds for socio-economic development such as for welfare of SC/ST, OBCs, minorities and
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women.
Clause 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 requires a CSR committee to be constituted by the board of directors.
They will be responsible for preparing a detailed plan of the CSR activities including, decisions regarding the
expenditure, the type of activities to be undertaken, roles and responsibilities of the concerned individuals and
a monitoring and reporting mechanism. The CSR committee will also be required to ensure that all the income
accrued to the company by way of CSR activities is credited back to the CSR corpus.
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ACCESS TO JUSTICE PROJECT

Access to justice is the ability of people to seek and obtain a remedy through formal or informal institutions
of justice for grievances. There is no access to justice where citizens (especially marginalized groups) fear the
system, see it as unfamiliar, and do not access it; where the justice system is financially inaccessible; where
individuals have no lawyers; where they do not have information or knowledge of rights; or where there is a
weak justice system.
Hence the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India has been implementing
a project on Access to Justice for Marginalized People with UNDP support. The interventions under the
Project are focused on strengthening access to justice for the poor, particularly women, Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes, and minorities. The Project seeks, on the one hand, to improve the institutional capacities

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of key justice service providers to enable them to effectively serve the poor and disadvantaged. On the other
hand, it aims to directly empower the poor and disadvantaged men and women to seek and demand justice
services.
What is the GoI UNDP Access to Justice Project About?

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In 2009, a Project on Access to Justice for Marginalized People was launched by the Department of
Justice in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme.
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The Project aims to empower the poor and disadvantaged sections of society to seek and demand justice
services.
The Project also seeks to improve the institutional capacities of key justice service providers to enable
them to effectively serve the poor and disadvantaged.
What is the duration of the Project?
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The Project commenced in 2006 as a pilot phase for two years. The 1st Phase of the Project expanded from
2008-2013. The Project is currently in its second phase extending from 2013-2017.
What is the Geographic Coverage of the Project?
The Project has focused activities in eight States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

GIS Map Showing Operational States under Access to Justice Project

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What are the broad deliverables of the Project?

The A2J Project aims to work closely with the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the State
Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs) to ensure improved access to justice for the poor and the disempowered.
With the overall objective of increasing access to justice for marginalised persons the Project has the following
broad deliverables:
Support national and local justice delivery institutions such as NALSA, SLSAs & SJAs
Develop legal and representational capacity of Civil Society Organisations and networks providing access
to justice services to disadvantaged groups (such as,
Enhance legal awareness of women and men belonging to marginalized groups
Inform policies and institutional structures through action research and studies.
Achievements so far
Based on the success of the partnership, the Government has launched a similar project in Jammu and
Kashmir and the North East of India with a budget allocation of US$ 6 million.

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More than 2 million people from marginalized communities are more aware of their legal rights and how
to seek redressal of their grievances.
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As a result of convergence with the Ministry of Human Resource Development legal literacy has been
included in the continuing adult literacy programme under the national Government of India literacy
scheme, -Sakshar Bharat.
Over 7,000 paralegals trained to better assist marginalized communities, drawn from diverse backgrounds
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including- SC, ST, Minorities, women SHGs, Muslim women, women living in urban slums and so on.
The project has built greater synergy between ranges of key actors, both nationally and at state levels to
better coordinate efforts in supporting the legal needs of marginalized communities.
A first-ever study conducted in India on legal aid clinics run by law schools and needs assessments of several
State Legal Services Authority have enabled a better understanding of the barriers faced by marginalized
GS

communities in accessing justice.

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NATIONAL CRIME RECORD BUREAU

National Crime Records Bureau, an attached office of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India was
established in 1986 with a mandate to empower Indian Police with information technology solutions and
criminal intelligence to enable them to enforce the law effectively.
TheNational Crime Records Bureau, abbreviated toNCRB, is an Indian government agency responsible for
collecting and analysingcrime dataas defined by theIndian Penal Code(IPC).
NCRB is headquartered inNew Delhiand is part of theMinistry of Home Affairs(MHA),Government of
India. The current Director of NCRB is Ish Kumar (IPS), who replaced Radha Krishna Kini (IPS) in October
2016.

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The objectives are:
To prepare an enabling IT environment - policy framework, guidelines, architecture, best practices for

OR
Police Forces throughout the country To improve knowledge based pro-active policing with the use of IT
for improving internal efficiency, effectiveness and public service delivery
To lead and coordinate development of IT products and build a National Resource Centre of IT solutions
for police organizations
SC
To create and maintain secure sharable National Databases on crimes, criminals, property and organized
criminal gangs for law enforcement agencies and promote their use for public service delivery
To obtain, compile, analyze and publish the National Crime Statistics
To obtain, process and disseminate finger print records of criminals including foreign criminals to establish
their identity; promote automation of State Finger Print Bureau. and encourage research for the development
of Finger Print Science
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To provide training in IT and Finger Print Science for capacity building in Police Forces
To coordinate development of Modern State Crime Records Bureau.
To interact with Foreign Police Forces to share IT practices and crime information.
NCRB also compiles and publishes National Crime Statistics i.e. Crime in India, Accidental Deaths & Suicides,
Prison Statistics and Finger Prints. These publications serve as principal reference points by policy makers,
police, criminologists, researchers and media both in India and abroad.
NCRB has also floated various IT based Public Services like, Vahan Samanvyay (online Motor Vehicle Matching),
Talash ( matching of missing persons and dead bodies). In addition, NCRB also maintains Counterfeit Currency
Information and Management System (FICN) and Colour Portrait Building System (CBPS).
MAJOR SYSTEMS UNDER NATIONAL CRIME RECORD BUREAU
Crime Criminal Information System (CCIS):
CCIS is perhaps one of the biggest police application in the world implemented at 36 States and UTs,
727 police districts and at National level using standard input Integrated Investigation Forms, Operating
system and RDBMS across the country.
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The MHA has entrusted NCRB with a renewed mandate for theCrime and Criminal Tracking Network
and Systems(CCTNS) Project. Out of approximately 15000 Police Stations, around 12000 have started
registering 100% FIRs online. The application software has been deployed in over 12500 locations.
In view of the technological advancement in the field of IT the application is upgraded to support
Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Gurmukhi, and Kannada beside Hindi and English to provide regional language
support of these regions.
Also the Enquiries and Reports are made web enabled to make crime criminal information available
anywhere anytime through internet. Application has facility of decision support to view multi-dimensional
view of data on crime, criminal and properties.
This has brought in positive impact amongst the police officers about the application as they can get
the information as and when required through internet. This latest version of the application is
Christened as CCISMLe. The application is implemented at almost all the locations of the district and
state headquarters in the country.
Vahan Samanvay (Online Motor Vehicle Coordination System):

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In its endeavour ofPublic Service Delivery,NCRB has released its Motor Vehicle Coordination e-
service, namedVahan Samanvay. This is an excellent citizen centric interface for verification of the
OR
status of a motor vehicle (stolen or not) before negotiating for a pre-owned vehicle or recovery status
of a stolen vehicle. This also facilitates law enforcement agencies and RTOs while checking the credentials
of any vehicle.
Many State/UT police organizations are also operating motor vehicle enquiry counters in their respective
States/UTs for the convenience of general public. The enquiry service is also available online for the
SC

general public.
Colour Portrait Building System (CBPS):
Portrait Building System (PBS) help to extract Face components like Head, Eye, Nose, Mouth, Chin
etc., described by witness similar to criminal, from the digitized portraits directory and assemble these
components to construct face image of accused.
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By using PBS, NCRB has been assisting the Investigating Officers of States/UTs Police, CBI and other
police agencies by preparing the Portraits of the accused based on the account given by the eyewitnesses.
Fingerprint analysis and criminal training system (FACTS):
A FACT is an advanced Automated Fingerprint Identification System. It uses image processing and pattern
recognition technique to capture, encode, store and match finger prints including comparison of Chance Prints.
Objectives of facts:
To maintain and computerize finger print record slips of specified categories of Indian and foreign
criminals convicted of offences falling under the schedule of crimes as mandated for CFPB.
To conduct search of references relating to unidentified interstate suspected persons received from
police stations and other investigating agencies in India and to search chance prints developed at the
scene of crime.
To maintain and computerize the fingerprint records of International criminals and to conduct search
of references sent by Interpol Division of CBI, New Delhi.
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Facts - data flow:

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Fake Indian Currency Notes Information System (FICN):

OR
NCRB has created a National level database and developed & deployed Web-enabled software for
online recording and reporting of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) Seizures made by State/UT
Police, Investigation Agencies, Intelligence Agencies & CAPF and Detections made by Banks (RBI,
Public Sector, Private Sector & Foreign Banks). The system is available at NCRB Web-Portal ncrb.gov.in
and can be accessed round the clock by Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance and other
SC
authorized users. Exclusive training-cum-workshops have been conducted for all stakeholders.
Other facts:
NCRB has recently received Digital India Award 2016-Silver Open Data Championship from the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India for uploading of Crime Statistics
since 1965 on website.
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The Central Finger Print Bureau established in 1955, is also embedded in NCRB and is a national
repository of all fingerprints in the country and has more than one million ten digit finger prints data base
of criminals (both convicted and arrested), provides for search facility on FACTS (Fingerprint Analysis
and Criminal Tracing System). It is proposed to upgrade to NAFIS in near future so that police stations
will be able to send finger prints/ fire queries directly online to NCRB.
NCRB also assists various States in capacity building in the area of Finger Prints, CCTNS, Network
security and Digital Forensics through its training centers in Delhi and Kolkata. NCRB has conducted
more than 750 training programmes and trained approximately 16000 officers till date including foreign
law enforcement officers (1366 foreign officers from 93 countries).
The Bureau looks forward to fostering of partnership with universities, researchers, NGOs and public.
CCTNS once fully functional will allow search for a criminal / suspect on a national data base apart from
providing various services to the citizens through Citizen Portal.
In future, it is also proposed to connect Police, Courts, Prosecution, Prisons and Forensic Labs into an Interoperable
Criminal Justice System (ICJS) for facilitating data exchange between the various pillars of criminal justice
system.
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