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By admin: Oct. 7, 2023

After Bihar, Rajasthan announced caste-based census

Tags: State News

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced to conduct the state caste-based census.

An Overview of the News

• Census activities come under the Union List as per the 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Reasons for caste-based census in Rajasthan:

• Social Security: The Census is considered essential to identify weaker sections within different castes, with the aim of ensuring social security for them.

• Schemes: This can help target government schemes better, ensuring that benefits reach those who need it most.

• Preventing duplication: The census can also help identify specific sections within castes that require government support in areas such as economics, social welfare and education, thereby reducing duplication of beneficiaries receiving multiple benefits. Could.

Caste-based Census of Bihar:

• Caste based census was conducted by the Bihar government in 2023.

• According to the census, more than 63% of the population of Bihar consists of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC).

• The Government of Bihar promised the upliftment of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and OBCs in line with the constitutional provisions and applicable laws.

Legal dispute over caste-based census:

• The central government has argued before the Supreme Court that the Census Act of 1948 gives exclusive power to the central government to conduct all census-related activities.

Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC):

• The SECC was initially conducted in 1931 and was intended to assess the economic condition of each Indian household in both rural and urban areas.

• This data can be used to identify indicators of deprivation and inequalities, including those related to caste, providing a more comprehensive view of inequalities.

Important Points:

• The decennial census activities are supervised by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner for India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

• The first census in India was conducted in 1872, and the first census of independent India was conducted in 1951, governed by the Census Act of 1948.

India Reclaims AIBD Presidency for Third Straight Term

Tags: National News

India was re-elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) General Conference (GC) for the third consecutive time.

An Overview of the News

• This re-election is a testament to India's leadership and influence in this prestigious international organization.

• India has already served as the Chair of the AIBD GC from 2018-2021 and 2021-2023.

• This reflects India's commitment and contribution to the organization over an extended period.

General Conference (GC) 2023:

• The 21st General Conference of AIBD and Associated Meetings 2023 was successfully held in Port Louis, Mauritius.

• AIBD Chairman Gaurav Dwivedi, who is also the CEO of Prasar Bharati, presided over the conference.

Objectives of the conference:

• The two-day conference aims to promote a dynamic and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region.

• This objective was pursued through policy development and resource allocation discussions.

About AIBD:

• AIBD is a specialized regional inter-governmental organization established in 1977 in collaboration with UNESCO.

• The organization currently consists of 92 member organizations from 44 countries, including 26 government members and 44 associates.

• These members represent diverse regions including Asia, the Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Arab States, and North America.

Founding Membership of India:

• India is one of the founding members of AIBD, highlighting its historical partnership and commitment.

• Prasar Bharati, India's public service broadcaster, represents the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India within the AIBD.

Importance of India's role:

• India's prominent position within the AIBD underlines the international media's confidence in India and Prasar Bharati.

• This role provides a strong foundation for India to strategically pursue further achievements in the broadcasting sector on the global stage.

World Cup Day - 7 October

Tags: Important Days

World Cotton Day is celebrated every year on 7 October to emphasize the global importance of cotton.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of World Cotton Day is to promote technological progress in cotton production, cotton products and cotton cultivation.

• The Union Textiles Ministry observed World Cotton Day 2023 on 7 October.

• The conference's theme was "Enhancing the quality and productivity of Indian cotton through policy, innovation, and technology upgradation."

• The event was organized in collaboration with the EU-Resource Efficiency Initiative, Cotton Corporation of India Limited (CCI) and GIZ.

Bale Identification and Traceability System (BITS):

• CCI launches the 'Bail Identification and Traceability System' (BITS) using blockchain technology.

• BITS assigns a QR code to each cotton bale for transparent tracking of quality information including origin, processing factory, storage details and timestamp.

The theme of World Cotton Day 2023:

• The United Nations has set its theme as 'Making cotton fair and sustainable for all: from farm to fashion'.

• The theme highlights the role of cotton in economic development, international trade and poverty alleviation.

Global Cotton Production:

• India is the leader in cotton production, contributing 38% of the total world cotton production.

• China is the second largest cotton producer globally.

History of World Cotton Day:

• In 2012, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali proposed celebrating World Cotton Day at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

• The first World Cotton Day event organized by WTO took place in 2019 with the support of FAO, ICAC and UNCTAD.

Description of Cotton Cultivation:

• Cotton is a Kharif crop and is suitable for dry climates.

• It usually takes 6 to 8 months to mature.

• Cotton covers 2.1% of the world's arable land and meets 27% of global textile needs.

• Ideal conditions for cotton production: temperature (21-30 °C), rainfall (50-100 cm), soil (black cotton soil with good drainage, soil of Deccan plateau is suitable).

CottonSpecies:

• There are four cultivated species of cotton: Gossypium arboreum, G. Herbacem, G. hirsutum, and G. barbadense.

BT Cotton:

• Bt cotton is a genetically modified insect-resistant variety of cotton.

Cotton Products:

• Cotton is used to make textiles, fiber, oil and animal feed.

Top cotton-producing countries:

• The top three cotton-producing countries globally are India, China and the United States.

Top cotton-producing states in India:

• Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan are the major cotton-producing states of India.

Released a draft of guidelines called UMMEED to prevent student suicide in schools

Tags: National

Guidelines named UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathize, Empower, Develop) to prevent student suicides in schools were recently introduced by the Ministry of Education (MoE).

An Overview of the News

• The primary goal of the guidelines is to help schools improve sensitivity, understanding, and support toward students who may have reported suicide or suicidal thoughts.

• Schools are advised to set up School Wellness Teams (SWTs) led by the school principal, whose members are trained to deal with crisis situations.

• When a student exhibits warning signs related to self-harm or suicide, it is mandatory to immediately report the case to SWT for immediate action.

Teacher and Family Orientation:

• Schools are encouraged to hold an annual orientation for teachers and family members.

• The purpose of these orientations is to increase awareness of student suicide and to equip various stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills to support at-risk students.

Immediate response to warning signs:

• The guidelines emphasize the importance of immediate response when a student displays warning signs or attempts suicide.

• Any individual from the school or any member of the wellness team who encounters such a case should follow the prescribed actions outlined in the guidelines.

Madhya Pradesh government announces 35% reservation in government job vacancies for women

Tags: State News

Madhya Pradesh government officially announced a 35% reservation in government job vacancies for women except in the forest department.

An Overview of the News

• To implement this policy, an amendment was introduced in the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Special Provisions for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997.

• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that 35% of vacancies in police and other government jobs will be reserved for women, and 50% of teaching posts will also be earmarked for women.

Ladli Bahana Scheme:

• The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has announced the transfer of financial assistance under "Laadli Behna Yojana", a welfare scheme for women, which provides ₹1,250 per month to each beneficiary.

About Madhya Pradesh

• It is the second largest state of India in terms of area after Rajasthan.

• Forests occupy 25.14 percent of its area.

• Governor - Mangubhai Patel

• Chief Minister - Shivraj Singh Chauhan

• Capital - Bhopal

Hyderabad Organizes Empowering 'Divya Kala Mela' for Disabled Artisans

Tags: State News

'Divya Kala Mela' organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in Secunderabad, Hyderabad started on 6 October 2023.

An Overview of the News

• 'Divya Kala Mela' is scheduled to be organized from 6 October to 15 October 2023.

• Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar inaugurated the program on 6 October 2023.

National Initiative:

• This initiative is part of a larger effort of the Department to promote the products and craftsmanship of entrepreneurs/artisans with disabilities across India.

• The program is planned to be organized in 12 cities during the period 2023-2024.

Product Showcase:

• The event will feature a wide range of products including handicrafts, handloom textiles, embroidery work and packaged foods from different regions including Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states.

• These products will be showcased by around 100 disabled artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from around 20 States/UTs.

Product Categories:

• The products will be categorized into home decor and lifestyle, clothing, stationery and eco-friendly products, packaged food and organic products, toys and gifts, and jewelry and personal accessories like clutch bags.

Economic Empowerment:

• The initiative aims to economically empower persons with disabilities by providing them a platform to market and showcase their products and skills.

• It encourages 'Vocal for Local' initiatives, allowing people to support and buy products made by designated disabled artisans.

Nationwide Effort:

• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has an ambitious plan to promote this concept and 'Divya Kala Mela' is an important step in this direction.

• It has been organized in many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur and Varanasi in 2022 and 2023.

Tenure of SBI Chairman Dinesh Khara extended till August 2024

Tags: Person in news

The Government of India extended the tenure of SBI Chairman Dinesh Khara till August 2024.

An Overview of the News

• On October 5, 2023, the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the tenure of State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Dinesh Khara for a further period beyond October 2023 until he attains the age of 63 years. Let's do.

• Dinesh Kahra will now retire on 28 August 2024.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet also extended the tenure of SBI MD Ashwini Tiwari for two years.

State Bank of India:

• Its origin is traced to the establishment of the Bank of Calcutta in 1806, which was later renamed the Bank of Bengal in 1809. The Bank of Bombay was established in 1840, and the Bank of Madras was established in 1843.

• In 1921, these three banks were merged and one Imperial Bank of India was formed.

• On the recommendation of the All India Rural Credit Survey Committee (Gorwala Committee) 1951, the Government of India nationalized the Imperial Bank of India with the enactment of the State Bank of India Act 1955 and renamed it State Bank of India.

• SBI is the largest commercial bank in India.

Chairman - Dinesh Kumar Khara

Managing Director - Alok Kumar Chaudhary

Headquarters - Mumbai

Tagline - The Banker To Every Indian