CM Siddaramaiah lauds ICDS as visionary scheme benefiting 40 lakh women, children
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday described the ICDS as a "visionary initiative" aimed at eliminating maternal and child mortality and tackling malnutrition.
He said the scheme currently benefits over 40 lakh women and children through 69,922 anganwadi centres across the state.
Speaking at an event organised by the Department of Women and Child Development, Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens to mark the golden jubilee of the Comprehensive Child Development Scheme in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah called the Integrated Child Development Services scheme a "visionary scheme" of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, according to a press release.
He said the programme was launched in the 1970s, when malnutrition and maternal-child mortality rates were high.
He added that the first anganwadi centre in Karnataka was started in Hosahalli village in T Narasipura taluk and initially operated in 33 taluks. Currently, 69,922 centres are functional across the state.
Siddaramaiah praised anganwadi workers and helpers, saying they serve with dedication and act as a "second mother" to children in their care.
He added that the ICDS programme has significantly reduced infant and maternal mortality, it said.
Highlighting women’s empowerment, the chief minister said economic and social self-reliance for women is crucial for societal progress, noting that inequality and illiteracy among women persist.
"It is encouraging that women are becoming educated. They must achieve 100 per cent literacy and gain rational and scientific knowledge," he said.
He noted that educating one girl benefits the entire family. Under the state’s Shakti scheme, over six crore women have travelled free on government buses. The Gruhalakshmi scheme has provided Rs 2,000 to 1.26 crore female heads of households, it said.
Siddaramaiah added that the government has spent over Rs 1.04 lakh crore on these guarantee schemes to empower women "economically and educationally."
Accusing the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of opposing the state’s guarantee schemes", he said, "Our freedom will be meaningful only when women are empowered."
The chief minister further said Rs 95,000 crore has been allocated for women’s welfare in this year’s budget.
Although ICDS is a central government programme, Siddaramaiah said the state provides additional funding. "If Rs 2,700 comes from the Centre, the state provides Rs 8,500. Karnataka gives the highest honorarium to Anganwadi workers and helpers in the country," he said.
Pointing to the success of the Shakti and Gruhalakshmi schemes, he said Karnataka now ranks first in the country in per capita income.
"After implementing the Shakti scheme, women’s workforce participation increased by 21 per cent in rural areas," he added.
The five guarantees that the Siddaramaiah government promised include 200 units of free power to all households under Gruha Jyoti, Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family under Gruha Lakshmi, and 10 kg of rice free for every member of a BPL household under Anna Bhagya.
The Yuva Nidhi scheme provides Rs 3,000 per month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, both aged 18-25, for two years. Additionally, free travel for women in public transport buses is offered under the Shakti scheme.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
