Context

• Government has formed a technical committee headed by NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar to prepare policy prescriptions for an integrated social protection framework.
• Social protection is defined as the set of policies and programmes designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets and enhancing their capacity to protect themselves against hazards and interruption or loss of income.
• The committee will include senior officials of nodal central ministries delivering social benefits.
• It will also identify the top five priority areas for the government, which could range from employment and old-age security to health, agriculture and introduction of specific interventions.