UPSC Civil Services Daily Current Affairs 8th March 2022
Topics for the day:
- ‘Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav’ scheme
- Chaos erupts in West Bengal Assembly
- Rupee sinks to record low as oil prices spike
- Donate a Pension scheme
- Swatantra sainik samman yojana (SSSY)
- Repolling in six Manipur booths today
- Nari Shakti Puraskars
‘Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav’ scheme
Context :
- On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched ‘Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav’ scheme to bring back the out-of-school girls back to the education system.
Goal of the scheme :
- 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 Beti Bachao Beti padhao initiative by targeting more than 400,000 out of school adolescent girls as primary beneficiaries.
Various government efforts towards women education in India:
- Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme: It aims to generate awareness and also improve the efficiency of welfare services for the girl child. The initial aim of the campaign was to address the declining child sex ratio but it also include propagating education, survival and protection of the girl child.
- Digital Gender Atlas: Ministry of Human Resource Development has prepared a digital gender atlas for advancing girls education in India.
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: In order to ensure greater participation of girls in elementary education, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has targeted interventions for girls which include opening of schools, appointment of additional women teachers, separate toilets for girls, teachers’ sensitisation programmes etc. In addition, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas has been opened in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs).
- Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA): It envisages enhancing the quality of education by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, improving quality of education imparted at secondary level, removal of gender, socio-economic and disability barriers.
- Udaan: CBSE has launched ‘Udaan’ to provide free online resources to girl students of Class XI and Class XII for preparation. The special focus of the scheme is to address the low enrolment ratio of girl students in prestigious institutions.
- STEM education: To increase the participation of women in STEM education, more seats have been created in the IITs and NITs.
Chaos erupts in West Bengal Assembly
Context :
- The customary governor’s address on the opening day of the budget session of a state assembly was mired in controversy recently in West Bengal and Telangana.
What happened in West Bengal?
- The governor of West Bengal, was unable to deliver his address at the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the budget session, amid sloganeering, chaos and protests.
What happened in Telangana?
- In Telangana, the budget session of the state assembly commenced without the customary governor’s address, and the incumbent, governor expressed discontent over the state government’s decision to not have the governor’s address at the beginning of the session.
Provisions of the constitution :
- Article 176(1) of the Constitution of India says that the Governor shall Address both the Houses assembled together at the commencement of the first Session after each general election to the Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year and inform the Legislature of the causes of its Summons.
- The Address of the Governor contains :
- A review of the activities and Achievements of the Government during the previous year
- It highlights the government’s policy priorities and plans for the upcoming year. The address provides a broad framework of the government’s agenda and direction.
- The programme of Government Business for the session.
Discussions on Governor’s address:
- On the first day on which the discussion on the Address of the Governor begins, a copy of the Address of the Governor is laid on the table of the House.
- The Speaker, in consultation with the Business Advisory Committee, allots time for discussion of the matters referred to in the Governor’s Address.
- A motion is moved by a member and seconded by another member thanking the Governor for the Address(motion of thanks)
- This occasion provides for General Discussion in respect of any aspect of administration and also the matters referred to in the address.
- Members may move Amendments to the Motion of Thanks in such form as may be considered appropriate by the Speaker.
Rupee sinks to record low as oil prices spike
Context :
- The rupee sank to a record low of almost 77 against the U.S. dollar
More on the news :
- The Russia Ukraine conflict sent crude oil prices soaring to 14 year highs prompting safe-haven flows into the dollar.
- The rupee closed trading on Monday at 76.93, 76 paise weaker than its previous close.
- The parabolic rise in crude oil prices towards multi year highs and spiraling commodity prices are fuelling inflationary risks, which is a key headwind for the rupee dollar exchange rate
- Significant outflows from the domestic equities, tracking global cues, are also weighing on the domestic currency
- Also higher trade deficits lead to depreciation
Impact of Depreciation of Indian Rupee :
- Depreciation in rupee is a double-edged sword for the Reserve Bank of India.
- Positive: While a weaker currency may support exports amid a nascent economic recovery from the pandemic.
- Negative: It poses risk of imported inflation, and may make it difficult for the central bank to maintain interest rates at a record low for longer.
Difference in devaluation and depreciation :
- Devaluation and depreciation are often used interchangeably.
- They both have the same effect ie. a fall in the value of the currency which makes imports more expensive, and exports more competitive.
- However, there is a difference in the way they are applied.
- A devaluation occurs when a country’s central bank makes a conscious decision to lower its exchange rate in a fixed or semi-fixed exchange rate.
- A depreciation is when there is a fall in the value of a currency in a floating exchange rate.
Donate a Pension scheme
Context :
- 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.
More on the news :
- “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 throughin or by visiting a Common Service Centre anywhere in the country.
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Scheme :
- It is a 50:50 voluntary and contributory pension scheme in which the beneficiary makes a stipulated age-specific contribution and the Central Government matches it.
- The ministry of Labour and Employment that will oversee PM-SYM, which will be implemented by Life Insurance Corporation of India and CSC eGovernance Services India Limited
- Eligibility –
- Workers working in the unorganised sector in the age group of 18-40 years can register themselves and deposit a minimum of Rs 660 to 2400 every year depending on their age.
- They should not be covered under New Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
- Further, he/she should not be an income tax payer.
- Benefits: After attaining the age of 60 years they will receive the minimum assured pension of Rs 3,000 per month.
Swatantra sainik samman yojana (SSSY)
Context :
- 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 scheme :
- The proposal for continuation of the SSSY was received from the Ministry of Home Affairs which is also the nodal ministry for the scheme
- The scheme aims to provide a monthly Samman Pension to freedom fighters, as a token of respect for their contribution in the national freedom struggle and on their demise to their eligible dependents viz. spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents.
- 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 has also been given since 2016.
Repolling in six Manipur booths today
Context :
- Re-election will take place at six polling stations in Manipur
- There were complaints of EVMs being snatched and other irregularities
Background :
- In case of elections to the lok sabha and assembly elections the election commission can order re-polling based on the report of the returning officer.
Acc to the Representation of peoples act,1951 :
- Section 58A of the act says ??if booth capturing has taken place at a polling station or at a place fixed for the poll or if booth capturing takes place in any place for counting of votes in such a manner that the result of the poll gets affected
- Then the returning officer shall forward a report on the matter to the Election Commission.
- Following this the Election Commission shall, on the receipt of a report from the returning officer either :
- Declare that the poll at that polling station or place be void, appoint a day, and fix the hours, for taking fresh poll at that polling station as it may deem fit
- If satisfied that in view of the large number of polling stations or places involved in booth capturing the result of the election is likely to be affected, or that booth capturing had affected counting of votes in such a manner as to affect the result of the election, countermand the election(order repoll) in that constituency
Who is returning officer ?
- The Returning Officer of a Parliamentary or assembly constituency is responsible for the conduct of elections in the Parliamentary or assembly constituency concerned.
- The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an officer of the Government or a local authority as the Returning Officer for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in consultation with the State Government / Union Territory Administration.
- In addition, the Election Commission of India also appoints one or more Assistant Returning Officers for each of the assembly and Parliamentary constituencies to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of his functions in connection with the conduct of elections.
- The Election Commission can designate or nominate the same person to be the returning officer for more than one constituency.
Nari Shakti Puraskars
Context :
- Nari Shakti Puraskar for the years 2020 and 2021 will be conferred by the President of India at a special ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan,
- The award ceremony for the year 2020 could not be held in 2021 due to prevalent situation created by COVID-19 pandemic
More on the news :
- In all, 28 awards (14 each for the year 2020 and 2021) will be presented to 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 and 2021 are from fields as diverse as entrepreneurship, agriculture, innovation, social work, arts and crafts, STEM, and wildlife conservation, etc.
About the awards:
- Initiated in the year 1999, it is the highest Civilian Honour for Women in India.
- The President of India confers the Nari Shakti Puraskar on the International Women’s Day (8th March), annually.
- The Nari Shakti Puraskar carries a cash award of2 Lakh and a certificate for institutions and one lakh and a certificate for individuals.
- The Ministry of Women and Child Development announces these national level awards for individuals/ groups/ Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)/ institutions etc.
- As per the Guidelines, any individual of at least 25 years of age and institutions having worked in the relevant field for at least 5 years are eligible to apply.
UPSC Civil Services Daily Current Affairs 8th March 2022
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