1. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY (IWD)
The United Nations observance of International Women’s Day will be held virtually on 8 March, 2022.
About:
- International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.
- Spurred on by the universal female suffrage movement that had begun in New Zealand, IWD originated from labor movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century.
- IWD became a mainstream global holiday following its adoption by the United Nations in 1977.
- The theme for this year’s observance is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
- The year 2022 is pivotal for achieving gender equality in the context of climate change, and environmental and disaster risk reduction, which are some of the greatest global challenges of the twenty-first century. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach.
Source : Indian Express
2. ‘DONATE A PENSION’ SCHEME
The Union Labour and Employment Ministry launched the “donate a pension” scheme allowing any citizen to pay the premium amount on behalf of an unorganised worker under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Scheme.
About:
- The pension scheme, which was launched in 2019, allows unorganised sector workers between the age of 18 and 40, who earn up to ₹15,000 a month, to enroll by paying a premium amount between ₹55 and ₹200, depending on the age, that would be matched by the government.
- On reaching the age of 60, the beneficiaries would get a ₹3,000 monthly pension. As of March 3, the scheme had 46.34 lakh enrolments.
- “Donate a pension” scheme allows a citizen to “donate the premium contribution of their immediate support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers, care givers, nurses, in their household or establishment.
- The donor can pay the contribution for a minimum of one year, with the amount ranging from ₹660 to ₹2,400 a year, depending on the age of the beneficiary.
- The premium amount can be paid through maandhan.in or by visiting a Common Service Centre anywhere in the country.
3. Yupp TV
India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has signed a MOU with Yupp TV, an over-the-top (OTT) platform, in order to expand the reach of DD India channel, which puts forth the country’s perspective on various international developments on global platforms.
About:
- With this, DD India is now available on the OTT platform of Yupp TV in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, West Asia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
- Available in more than 190 countries, the channel offers international viewers India’s perspective on all domestic and global developments and also acts as a bridge between India and Indian diaspora across the world. It showcases India’s culture and values to the world.
- The content hosting agreement was signed by Prasar Bharati’s chief executive officer Shashi Shekhar Vempati and Yupp TV founder and chief executive officer Uday Reddy.
YuppTV
- YuppTV is an over-the-top (OTT) content provider for South Asian content including live television and films with recording and storage features.
- Headquartered in Atlanta and Hyderabad, YuppTV offers 300+ TV channels in 15 languages: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Oriya, Gujarati, Sinhalese, Bangla, Nepali, Urdu and English.
Source : The Hindu
4. SWATANTRATA SAINIK SAMMAN YOJANYA (SSSY)
The Government of India has approved the continuation of the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) and its components beyond 31.03.2021 for the Financial Years 2021-22 to 2025-26, with a total financial outlay of Rs.3,274.87 crore.
About:
- The proposal for continuation of the SSSY was received from the Ministry of Home Affairs under Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah.
- Freedom Fighters and their eligible dependents have been sanctioned the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension and presently, there are 23,566 beneficiaries across the country covered under this scheme.
- The amount of pension has been revised from time to time and Dearness Relief is also given since 15.08.2016.
Source : Indian Express
5. SLINEX
The Ninth Edition of India - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime Exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) is scheduled at Visakhapatnam from 07 Mar to 10 Mar 2022.
About:
- The exercise is being conducted in two phases; the Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam on 07-08 Mar 22 followed by the Sea Phase on 09-10 Mar 22 in the Bay of Bengal.
- Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLNS Sayurala, an advanced offshore patrol vessel and the Indian Navy by INS Kirch, a guided missile corvette.
- The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Trincomalee in October 2020.
- SLINEX aims to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies.
- SLINEX is in consonance with India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and PM Modis vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’.
Source : PIB
6. KANYA SHIKHSA PRAVESH UTSAV
On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF, launched a landmark campaign Kanya Shikhsa Pravesh Utsav.
About:
- It’s objective is to bring back out of school adolescent girls in India to the formal education and/or skilling system.
- The campaign has been launched with the objective of enhancing enrolment and retention of girls between 11-14 years of age in school.
- The initiative intends to build on the existing schemes and programmes like Schemes for Adolescent Girls (SAG),Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) and National Education Policy (NEP) to work on a comprehensive system for out of school girls.
- The campaign will be rolled out under the umbrella of MoWCD’s BBBP initiative by targeting more than 400,000 out of school adolescent girls as primary beneficiaries.
Source : PIB
7. PLI SCHEME FOR WHITE GOODS (ACs AND LED LIGHTS)
The Union Cabinet had given approval for the PLI Scheme for White Goods for manufacture of components and sub-assemblies of Air Conditioners (ACs) and LED Lights on 7.04.2021.
About:
- The Scheme is to be implemented over a seven-year period, from FY 2021-22 to FY 2028-29 and has an outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore.
- The Scheme was notified by DPIIT on 16.04.2021.
- The Scheme shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales for a period of five (5) years subsequent to the base year and one year of gestation period. Only manufacturing of components of ACs and LED Lights will be incentivized under the Scheme.
- As of now, 42 applicants with committed investment of Rs 4,614 crore have been provisionally selected as beneficiaries under the PLI scheme.
- Additional applications are invited under Clause 9.2 of the Scheme Guidelines for investments under the Scheme on the same terms and conditions as stipulated in the Scheme Guidelines issued on June 04, 2021, as amended from time to time.
Source : PIB
8. START-UP VILLAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME
National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) signed a MoU with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to develop a sustainable model for promoting entrepreneurship at the grass roots by initiating the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP).
About:
- SVEP is a sub-component of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) of the Ministry of Rural Development.
- It aims to support entrepreneurs in rural areas to set-up enterprises at the village-level in non-agricultural sectors. The partnership will enable the rural community by helping them set up their trades and provide complete support till they are stabilized.
- Under the partnership rural entrepreneurs will be able to access banking systems for receiving financial support for starting their enterprises, including support from MUDRA bank. Integrated ICT techniques and tools will also be provided for training and capacity building along with enterprise advisory services to augment the entrepreneurship ecosystem in India’s villages.
- The beneficiaries of the project are from the Self-Help Group (SHG) ecosystem of DAY-NRLM and the scheme not only supports existing enterprises but new enterprises as well.
- National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Source : PIB
9. NARI SHAKTI PURASKARS
Nari Shakti Puruskar for the years 2020 and 2021 will be conferred by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind at a special ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on 8th March, 2022. The award ceremony for the year 2020 could not be held in 2021 due to prevalent situation created by COVID-19 pandemic.
About:
- In all, 28 awards (14 each for the year 2020 and 2021) will be presented to 29 individuals in recognition of their exceptional work in rendering distinguished services towards empowerment of women, especially vulnerable and marginalized women.
- ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar’ is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to acknowledge the exceptional contribution made by individuals and institutions, to celebrate women as game changers and catalyst of positive change in the society.
- The winners of the Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2020 are from fields as diverse as entrepreneurship, agriculture, innovation, social work, arts and crafts, STEMM, and wildlife conservation, etc.
- The winners of the Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2021 are from the fields of linguistics, entrepreneurship, agriculture, social work, arts and crafts, Merchant Navy, STEMM, education and literature, disability rights, etc.
Source : PIB
10. JYOTIRAO PHULE AND SAVITRIBAI PHULE
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has recently received flak for his remarks on the child marriage of the social reformist couple Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.
About:
- Mahatma Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule stand out as an extraordinary couple in the social and educational history of India. They spearheaded path-breaking work towards female education and empowerment, and towards ending caste- and gender-based discrimination.
- In 1840, at a time when child marriages were common, Savitri at the age of ten was married to Jyotirao, who was thirteen years old at the time. The couple later in life strove to oppose child marriage and also organised widow remarriages.
- Together, by 1848, the Phules started a school for girls, Shudras and Ati-Shudras in Poona. The historic work was started by Jyotirao when he was just 21 years old, ably supported by his 18-year-old wife.
- In 1853, Jyotirao-Savitribai opened a care centre for pregnant widows to have safe deliveries and to end the practice of infanticide owing to social norms. The Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (Home for the Prevention of Infanticide) started in their own house at 395, Ganj Peth, Pune.
- The Satyashodhak Samaj (The Truth-Seeker’s Society) was established on September 24, 1873 by Jyotirao-Savitribai and other like-minded people. The Samaj advocated for social changes that went against prevalent traditions, including economical weddings, inter-caste marriages, eradication of child marriages, and widow remarriage.