October 6, 2023

by | Oct 7, 2023 | Uncategorized

NATIONAL WILDLIFE WEEK 2023

 

 69th Edition of National Wildlife Week:

  • October 2 – 8.
  • Theme: “Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation.”
  • National Wildlife Week’s history dates back to 1952.
  • The Indian Board of Wildlife conceived the concept to raise awareness about the long-term objectives of safeguarding India’s wildlife.
  • It was originally observed as Wildlife Day in 1955, it later evolved into a week-long event in 1957.
  • The choice of dates for Wildlife Week from October 2 to October 8 carries deep symbolism.
  • It coincides with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed the principles of Ahimsa (non-violence) and compassion toward all living beings.

 

KALAIGNAR WOMEN’S RIGHTS GRANT SCHEME

 

  •  The scheme was rolled out on September 15, 2023, the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DravidaMunnetraKazhagam (DMK) founder C.N. Annadurai.

What is the KalaignarMagalirUrimaiThittam?

  • Beneficiaries would be given a monthly rights grant or basic income of ₹1,000 each.
  • An estimated 1.06 crore women were recognised as heads of families and enrolled as beneficiaries.
  • The intent of the scheme is to recognise the “unquantified efforts of women who play a significant role in society by investing countless hours in both domestic responsibilities and external work.”
  • The entitlement of ₹12,000 per annum is meant to “improve the livelihood of women, enhance their standard of living  and pave the way for them to live with self-respect in society”.

Who are the eligible beneficiaries?

  • A woman, hailing from eligible families, who has completed 21 years of age (born before September 15, 2002), would be qualified to be a beneficiary of the scheme.

The beneficiary families applying should satisfy three economic criteria:

  1. Families earning annual income below ₹2.5 lakh
  2. Families holding less than five acres of wetland or less than ten acres of dryland
  3. Families consuming less than 3,600 units of electricity per year for domestic use.
  • There is no need to obtain income certificate or land records separately for applying.

Who were ineligible to apply initially?

  • The Government had exempted certain categories of women from applying for the grant.
  • These included women belonging to families of income tax payers, employees of government, public sector                    undertakings, banks, local bodies, cooperative societies, elected representatives (other than village panchayat ward        members); and those having car, jeep, tractor and heavy vehicle for own use.

AYUSHMAN BHAV

  •  The AyushmanBhav campaign is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of healthcare services, reaching every village and town in the country.
  • President DroupadiMurmu inaugurated the ‘AyushmanBhav’ campaign.
  • This initiative builds upon the success of the Ayushman Bharat program.
  • The campaign is a collaborative effort of gram panchayats in coordination with the Department of Health, other                government departments, and local elected bodies in the rural and urban area
  • Its core objective is to extend comprehensive healthcare coverage to every village and town, transcending geographical barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind.

 

 MMR IN TAMIL NADU

 

  • MMR in Tamil Nadu surged to 90 per one lakh live births in 2021-2022 (during pandemic) and dropped to 52 per one lakh live births during 2022-2023.

 What is Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR)?

  • The maternal mortality rate is the annual number of maternal deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, per 1,00,000 live births per year.

 

PREVENTING THE ERECTION OF ILLEGAL FLEX BOARDS

  • The Madras High Court insisted on strict enforcement of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies (Permission for Erection of Digital Banners and Placards) Rules.
  • It asked the Tamil Nadu government to file an affidavit listing the steps it has taken so far to prevent the erection of illegal flex boards and cut-outs that cause road accidents and leading to loss of lives.
  • The Chief Justice said that preventing the illegal flex boards from being erected was more important than acting against the violators after accidents happened.
  • Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies (Permission for Erection of Digital Banners and Placards) Rules:
  1. Every application for permission to erect digital banners shall be made to the District Collector before fifteen days.
  2. On or before the last date of permission, the digital banners or placards shall be removed and disposed safely, without causing any hazard to health or environment.
  3. No digital banners or placards shall be erected,

(i) In front of educational institutions, places of worship and hospitals with inpatient treatment facility;

(ii) In the corners of roads or street junctions, up to a distance of 100 meters on either sides of the junction including the   junctions and traffic islands; and

(iii)  In front of notified monuments, statues and other places of tourist importance.

  • No digital banners or placards shall be permitted on both sides of the road having a footpath of less than ten feet width.

 

NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE

 

  • The 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to the Norwegian playwright and author Jon Fosse for “his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”.
  • He is the fourth Norwegian recipient of the prize.
  • He was born in 1959.
  • He wrote novels and plays.
  • He went on to become one of Norway’s most-performed dramatists.
  • His work has been translated into more than 40 languages.