August 28th 2024 Current Affairs

Index:

1. Key Aspects of Employment Issues in Rajasthan for UPSC Exam

  1. Impact of Policy Changes
  • Discontinuation of Schemes: BJP government in Rajasthan discontinued Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra Internship Scheme and Mahatma Gandhi Seva Preraks recruitment, affecting over 5,000 youths.
  • Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitras: Provided a ₹17,500 monthly stipend to young graduates working in government departments.
  • Replacement Scheme: Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme introduced in response to protests.
  1. Unemployment Statistics
  • Current Rate: Rajasthan’s unemployment rate slightly reduced from 4.7% (2020-21 and 2021-22) to 4% (2022-23).
  • Registered Unemployed: Over 18.40 lakh candidates with the Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship.
  1. Challenges in Employment
  • Irregular Payments: Issues with the unemployment dole scheme, which provided ₹4,500 monthly but faced criticism for irregular payments and stringent criteria.
  • Lack of Work: Urban employment guarantee scheme struggles with insufficient work opportunities; informal sector offers minimal and inconsistent wages.
  1. Recruitment and Quotas
  • Grade III Teachers: 50% reservation for women has led to unrest among jobless youths; 25,000 vacant posts.
  • Job Market Dynamics: Increasing demand in unorganised sectors like mining, manufacturing, and construction, with a need for better capacity utilisation.
  1. Recent Developments
  • Paper Leaks: 20 incidents since 2021 affecting government recruitment exams.
  • Corporate Culture Impact: Labour reforms allowing easier firing and restricting unionising have worsened urban employment conditions.
  1. Suggestions for Improvement
  • Investment and Infrastructure: Promoting an investor-friendly environment and improving rural infrastructure.
  • Skill Development: Partnerships between industries and academia to create skill development centres.
  • Curriculum Changes: Alterations in school curricula to enhance employability.

2. India-Brazil Strategic Partnership

  1. Overview
  • Deepened Partnership: The strategic partnership between India and Brazil has expanded and diversified over the years.
  • Domains Covered: Includes defence, space, security, technology, and people-to-people relations.
  1. Recent Developments
  • India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting (JCM): Held in Delhi; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira discussed various aspects of the partnership.
  • Support and Cooperation:
    • G-20 Presidency: India supported Brazil’s G-20 presidency, and Brazil reciprocated during India’s presidency.
    • Ministerial Consensus: Notable achievements include the successful release of the first Ministerial consensus document under Brazil’s G-20 chairmanship.
  1. Future Prospects
  • Upcoming G-20 Summit: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rio de Janeiro in November for the G-20 Summit.
  • Bilateral Trade: Despite recent challenges, there is a substantial and increasing bilateral trade basket.
  1. Common Goals
  • Sustainable Development: Both nations aim for sustainable development and prosperity.

Global Agenda: Shared perspectives on various pressing global issues.

3. Upgrading Weather Forecasting: India Meteorological Department (IMD)

  1. Current Status
  • IMD’s Progress: Significant advancements in weather forecasting infrastructure and technology over the past decade.
  • Public Trust: Improved accuracy in forecasts has led to increased public trust and demand for detailed weather information.

 

  1. Historical Context
  • Past Limitations: IMD previously focused on basic weather updates, primarily rainfall and temperature forecasts.
  • Evolution: Transitioned to providing comprehensive weather information, including real-time updates and heatwave warnings.

 

  1. Infrastructure Improvements

Doppler Weather Radars: Enhanced coverage, though still lacking in some regions.

Technology Enhancements:

  • High-Performance Computing Systems: Installed to improve forecasting capabilities.
  • Supercomputers and Weather Satellites: Expanded to enhance data processing and forecasting accuracy.

 

  1. Major Initiatives
  • Monsoon Mission (2012): Aimed at improving long-range monsoon forecasts.
  • Cyclone Forecasting: Significant success in predicting cyclones (e.g., Phailin, 2013), reducing loss of life through timely warnings.

 

  1. Challenges
  • Climate Change: Increased unpredictability in weather patterns, making forecasting more complex.
  • Forecasting Difficulties:
    • Extreme Events: High uncertainty in predicting rare, extreme weather events.
    • Regional Accuracy: Better general accuracy for large-scale phenomena (e.g., monsoons), but less reliable for regional and short-term forecasts.

 

  1. Future Upgrades
  • Infrastructure:

Ocean Observation Systems: Needed to enhance maritime weather predictions.

High-Resolution Earth Observation Satellites: To improve data collection and forecasting.

  • Customised Models:

India-Specific Weather Models: Development of models tailored to Indian climate conditions.

Research and Development: Intensive R&D and regional climate assessments required to address limitations of current global models.

 

  1. Strategic Goals
  • Hyper-Local Forecasts: Aim to improve forecast resolution to 1 km x 1 km for better planning and early warning systems.

Disaster Preparedness: Enhance capability to predict and respond to extreme weather events, mitigating potential impacts.

4. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

  1. Overview
  • Launch and Objective: PMJDY was launched on August 28, 2014, to provide banking services to unbanked households using the JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) trinity.
  • Goal: To ensure financial inclusion, reduce inequalities, and strengthen livelihoods for marginalized communities.

 

  1. Achievements
  • Account Opening: Over 53 crore PMJDY accounts opened with a total balance of ₹2.31 lakh crore as of August 2024, compared to 14.7 crore accounts with ₹15,670 crore deposits in March 2015.
  • Gender and Regional Distribution:
    • 6% of accounts are held by women.
    • 6% of accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas.
    • UP has the highest number of accounts (9.4 crore), followed by Bihar (6 crore).

 

  1. Impact
  • Social Implications: Reduction in thefts and consumption of intoxicants in states with higher PMJDY account penetration.
  • Economic Impact:
    • ₹38.49 lakh crore transferred via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), with ₹3.48 lakh crore of leakages plugged.
    • Boost in digital transactions with 55.7 billion UPI transactions recorded as of July 2024.
  1. Positive Aspects
  • Insurance and Overdraft: Accounts include insurance coverage and overdraft facilities.
  • Savings Habits: Encouraged better saving practices among account holders.

 

  1. Challenges and Areas for Improvement
  • Ecosystem Strengthening:
    • Private Sector Involvement: Encourage partnerships and increase private sector participation.
    • Financial Literacy: Improve capacity through incubation and education.
    • Gender-Inclusive Services: Promote financial services tailored to women and marginalized groups.

 

  • Product Penetration:
    • Micro-Insurance and Credit: Expand availability of micro-insurance and cost-effective credit services without causing over-indebtedness.
    • Unified Lending Interface: New interface aimed at improving efficiency in lending.

 

  • Consumer Protection:
    • Trust in Digital Products: Strengthen frameworks to protect consumers and balance regulation with innovation.

 

  • Customer-Centric Design:
    • Customized Products: Design financial products that cater to the needs of low-income individuals with erratic income streams.
    • Integration with Other Schemes: Link PMJDY accounts with other government schemes for a holistic approach to economic empowerment.

 

  1. Future Directions
  • Holistic Approach: Future programs should interlink PMJDY with other government schemes to enhance overall economic empowerment and inclusion.
  • Continued Improvement: Address current barriers and adapt to evolving needs through ongoing innovation and targeted interventions.

5. Developing a Care Ecosystem in India: Key Insights and Recommendations

  1. Overview of Current Situation
  • Low Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR):
    • India’s FLFPR was 37% in 2022-23, below the global average of 47.8% (2022).
    • Despite improvement from 23.3% in 2017-18, a significant portion (37.5%) of women’s labor is unpaid, primarily as “helpers in household enterprises.”

 

  • Care Responsibilities:
    • Women in India spend about three times more time daily on unpaid domestic work compared to men.
    • Care responsibilities include childcare, eldercare, and domestic work, which contribute to lower female participation in the formal labor force.

 

  1. Current Measures and Initiatives
  • Childcare Support:
    • Increased budget allocation (3%) for the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme in 2024-25.
    • Existing community-based creches operated in partnership between government and non-government bodies.
    • Need for scalable and context-specific creches in rural, tribal, and urban areas.

 

  • Challenges with Childcare Focus:
    • Solely addressing childcare is insufficient; women’s broader caregiving responsibilities also need attention.
    • Rising demand for external caregivers in urban and peri-urban areas.
    • Lack of standardized processes for caregiver employment, including issues with training, wages, and safety.

 

  1. Need for a Comprehensive Care Ecosystem
  • Ecosystem Development:
    • Create a system that addresses care needs across age groups and socio-economic statuses.
    • Ensure the protection and fair treatment of care workers, including decent wages and quality training.
    • Address disparities in availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of care services.
  • Mapping Needs and Supply:
    • Conduct a needs-based assessment to identify required care services and map existing supply-side actors (public, private, and non-profit sectors).
    • Improve regulation and standards for care services to ensure consistency and quality.

 

  1. Policy Recommendations
  • Training and Certification:
    • Address gaps in training, skilling, and certification of care workers.
    • Support institutions like the Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council and the National Skill Development Corporation in enhancing skill levels and standards.
  • Recognition and Remuneration:
    • Enhance respect, remuneration, and dignity for care workers.
    • Implement policies to improve working conditions and standards in the care sector.
  • Comprehensive Policy Framework:
    • Develop a policy that defines the care ecosystem from a life-course perspective.
    • Establish a committee involving Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Labour and Employment, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to oversee and coordinate efforts.

 

  1. Perspectives on the Care Economy
  • Economic Productivity:
    • Recognize the care economy as a crucial driver for increasing economic productivity.
  • Business Perspective:
    • Encourage organizations to view the care economy as a field for investment and employment opportunities.
  • Human Rights Perspective:
    • Focus on gender equality and disability inclusion as integral to developing the care sector.

6. Findings of Pragyan Rover

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