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By admin: July 16, 2024

World Youth Skills Day: 15 July 2024

Tags: Important Days

Observed annually on 15 July to emphasize the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.

An Overview of the News

• Theme for World Youth Skills Day 2024:"Youth Skills for Peace and Development."

• Established by UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/69/145 on 18 December 2014.

• Firstobserved on 15 July 2015.

UNESCO-UNEVOC:

• UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training is part of UNESCO's network of education institutes.

• It focuses on promoting Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) worldwide.

• Headquarters - Bonn, Germany

• Head - Friedrich Huebler

Uttarakhand Integrates eSwasthya Dham Portal with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Tags: State News

The eSwasthya Dham portal, launched by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Uttarakhand, is now integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

An Overview of the News

• This integration aims to create an integrated digital health infrastructure across India.

• The portal monitors the health parameters of pilgrims on the Char Dham Yatra, which includes visits to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

• Pilgrims can create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), a 14-digit number, in just 1-2 minutes using the portal.

• ABHA creation, as part of the ABDM, establishes a digital health identity for devotees, facilitating better management of health records and quicker emergency interventions.

• The platform prioritizes the health of pilgrims, especially senior citizens, given the challenges of high altitude locations at the Char Dham shrines.

About Uttarakhand

• Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami

• Governor: Gurmit Singh

• Capital: Dehradun

• Wildlife Sanctuaries:

  • Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Benog Wildlife Sanctuary

• Festivals:

  • Kangdali Festival

  • Uttarayani Mela or Uttarayani Fair

NOTE:- Uttar Pradesh becomes the first state in India to generate one crore tokens through the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID.

Jayant Chaudhary Launches Skill India Digital Hub for Transparent Scheme Access

Tags: National News

Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) at the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), launched the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) Portal.

An Overview of the News

• The portal's primary objective is to ensure beneficiaries have access to complete information about all schemes.

• It aims to enhance transparency and facilitate easier access to skill development opportunities across India.

About SIDH:

• SIDH is integral to India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), a flagship initiative by the Government of India aimed at leveraging digital technologies for skill development.

• Its primary goal is to enhance transparency and provide detailed information about government schemes to beneficiaries.

• The portal offers education aligned with industry needs, career opportunities, and support for entrepreneurship, catering to the aspirations of millions of Indians seeking better prospects.

Skill India Digital (SID) Platform Launch (Sept. 2023)

• In September 2023, Dharmendra Pradhan, former Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, launched Skill India Digital (SID).

• SID is a comprehensive digital platform designed to transform India's skills, education, employment, and entrepreneurship sectors.

• The platform aims to revolutionize the landscape of skill development in India through digital means.

• Its focus spans across enhancing skills, facilitating education, promoting employment, and fostering entrepreneurship.

NITI Aayog Releases 4th SDG India Index: Kerala and Uttarakhand Share Top Spot

Tags: INDEX

On 12th July 2024, NITI Aayog released the 4th edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index and dashboard for 2023-24 in New Delhi.

An Overview of the News

• India's overall SDG score improved from 66 points in 2020-21 to 71 points in 2023-24, due to progress in poverty reduction, economic growth, climate action, and life on land.

• Kerala retained its top ranking among states for the 4th consecutive time, sharing the top spot with Uttarakhand, both scoring 79 points.

Lowest Performing States

• Bihar was the worst-performing state with a score of 57 points, followed by Jharkhand (62) and Nagaland (63).

Top Performing Union Territories

• Among Union Territories (UTs), the top performers were:

  • Chandigarh (77)

  • Jammu & Kashmir (74)

  • Puducherry (74)

  • Andaman & Nicobar Islands (70)

  • Delhi (70)

SDG India Index Dashboard

• The SDG India Index 2023-24 is available on an online dashboard with user-friendly visualizations for identifying development gaps at national and subnational levels.

Launch Event

• The index was launched by Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, with key attendees including:

  • B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog

  • Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India

  • Dr. Yogesh Suri, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog

  • Isabelle Tschan Harada, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP

Index Details 2023- 24

• The index measured and monitored the progress of all states and UTs on 113 indicators aligned with the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's (MOSPI) National Indicator Framework (NIF).

• Scores for each state and UT on the 16 SDGs ranged from 0-100, with 100 indicating achievement of the 2030 targets.

• Score categories: Aspirant (0-49), Performer (50-64), Front-Runner (65-99), Achiever (100).

• SDG goal 14 was excluded from the composite score as it is limited to the 9 coastal states.

• India's overall score was below 50 on all 16 goals except for Goal 5 (gender equality).

• The SDG India Index was developed in collaboration with MOSPI, the United Nations, and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

SDG India Index 2023-24

• Top 5 Performers:

  • Kerala and Uttarakhand (79 points)

  • Tamil Nadu (78 points)

  • Goa and Himachal Pradesh (77 points)

  • Punjab and Sikkim (76 points)

  • Karnataka (75 points)

• Bottom 5 Performers:

  • Bihar (57 points)

  • Jharkhand (62 points)

  • Nagaland and Meghalaya (63 points each)

  • Arunachal Pradesh and Assam (65 points each)

  • Odisha (66 points)

India Declares 'Constitution Murder Day' to Remember 1975 Emergency

Tags: Important Days

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Government of India, declared June 25 as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day)' to commemorate events during the Emergency of 1975.

An Overview of the News

• Starting from 2025, this day will be observed annually to honor those who opposed the abuse of power during that period.

Events of June 25, 1975

• On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of Emergency under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution.

• This action was in response to political instability, economic challenges, and a court ruling against the PM's 1971 election.

Impact of the Emergency

• The Emergency led to the suspension of constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and press.

• Thousands of opposition leaders, activists, and journalists were arrested without due process, fostering an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

• The period witnessed gross abuses of power, including forced sterilization programs and slum clearance drives in Delhi.

End of the Emergency

• The Emergency officially ended in March 1977 after 21 months, coinciding with general elections.

• The elections resulted in a significant defeat for Indira Gandhi's Congress party, marking a pivotal moment in Indian democracy.

Arun Kumar Bansal Appointed MD & CEO of Paytm Payments Bank

Tags: Person in news

Arun Kumar Bansal has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL).

An Overview of the News

• His appointment follows the resignation of Surinder Chawla in April 2024.

• Chawla's departure from PPBL was effective from June 26, 2024.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved Bansal's appointment on June 20, 2024.

Background of Arun Kumar Bansal:

• Bansal previously served as the Executive Director (ED) and head of treasury (on contract), designated as Senior Management Personnel (SMP) at IDBI Bank Limited.

• He resigned from IDBI Bank with effect from June 25, 2024. Bansal began his career at Indian Bank in 1991.

• From 2020 to 2022, he held the positions of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Manager (GM) at Indian Bank.

• He also served as a Non-Executive Director at Indbank Merchant Banking Services Limited from 2020 to 2022.Bansal joined IDBI Bank in June 2022.

• He is associated with the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Paytm Payments Bank:-

• Founded in 2017, Paytm Payments Bank is headquartered in Noida, India.

• It received its payments bank license from the Reserve Bank of India in 2017 and launched operations in November that year.

• In 2021, it was granted scheduled bank status by the RBI.

• Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Bangladesh Joins Colombo Security Conclave as 5th Full Member

Tags: International News

Bangladesh officially became the 5th full member of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), joining India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and the Maldives.

An Overview of the News

• The announcement was made during the 8th Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA) meeting of the CSC, hosted virtually by Mauritius on July 10, 2024.

• Seychelles participated as an Observer state.

Historical Context:

• Mauritius became the 4th member of the CSC during the 5th meeting held in Male, Maldives, in March 2022.

• The 6th NSA-level meeting was held in Mauritius in December 2023.

Key Dignitaries:

• India: Represented by Pankaj Kumar, Deputy National Security Adviser (Internal Affairs).

• Bangladesh: Represented by Lt. General Mizanur Rahman Shameem, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

• Maldives: Represented by Major General (Retired) Hamid Shafeeg, DNSA.

• Mauritius: Represented by Yoidhisteer Thecka, Principal Coordinator Security Matter in PMO.

• Sri Lanka: Represented by General LHSC Silva, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

• Secretariat of the CSC: Represented by Acting Secretary Commodore AD Weerasinghe.

• Seychelles: Delegation led by Lt. Colonel Michael Hollanda, Commander of Land Force, Seychelles Defence Forces.

Future Meetings:

• The 7th National Security Adviser (NSA)-level meeting of the CSC will be hosted by India in 2025.

Review of Previous Decisions:

• Member nations reviewed decisions from the 7th DNSA level meeting hosted virtually by the Maldives on July 12, 2023, and the 6th NSA-level meeting.

• Progress of activities under the Roadmap of Activities for 2023-24 of the CSC was also reviewed.

About CSC:-

• Established: 2011 as a trilateral maritime security group (India, Sri Lanka, Maldives).

• Renamed: 2020 as Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) to expand maritime cooperation.

• Aim: Promote regional cooperation and shared security for littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Secretariat: Established in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2021.

About Bangladesh:-

• Capital: Dhaka

• Official Language: Bengali

• Currency: Bangladeshi Taka

• Borders: India, Myanmar

• National Day: 26th March

• National Symbols: Shapla (water lily), Royal Bengal tiger

• National Anthem: Amar Sonar Bangla (‘My Golden Bengal’)

• Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina

• President: Mohammad Shahabuddin

ICAR’s Foundation and Technology Day Celebration Commences in New Delhi

Tags: Important Days

The two-day-long Foundation and Technology Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) began in New Delhi.

An Overview of the News

• Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 16 inaugurated the two-day function organised to mark the 96th Foundation Day of ICAR.

• ICAR, originally established as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, has led agricultural research since its inception on July 16, 1929.

• The inauguration was attended by Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary and Ramnath Thakur.

Engaging the Youth in Agriculture

• On the first day, school students were invited to participate and gain knowledge about agriculture and its allied technologies.

• The students visited an exhibition that showcased various Agri-innovations and technologies.

• This initiative aimed to inspire and educate the younger generation about the advancements and opportunities in the agricultural sector.

Key Initiatives and Technological Advancements

• Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (Agriculture Research and Education) and DG ICAR, highlighted the Council’s key initiatives such as ‘100 Days 100 Varieties’, ‘100 Days 100 Technologies’, and ‘One Scientist One Product’.

• He emphasized recent developments in technologies related to water management, soil health, organic farming, seed technology, and agricultural tools.

• These advancements reflect ICAR's commitment to enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.