- AROUND TWO LAKH CHILD MARRIAGES WERE PREVENTED IN A YEAR, SAYS WCD MINISTRY
SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES
- India has seen significant progress in reducing child marriages, with rates halving from 47.4% (2005-06) to 23.3%(2019-21).
- Campaigns and Strategies: Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat Abhiyanlaunched by WCD Ministry to eradicate child marriage.
- Focus on7 stateswith high child marriage rates: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar.
- Target to bring child marriage rates below5% by 2029.
- Key Features: Launch of theChild Marriage Free Bharat Portal: Aims to raise awareness, report cases, and monitor progress.
- Incorporates grassroots-level attitudinal changes alongside legislative measures.
- Critical Insights: Highlights the importance of social awareness and education over mere legal frameworks to eradicate deeply rooted social issues
2. AID NEEDED TO MEET THE COSTS OF CONTROLLING PLASTICS : INDIA
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT
- India proposed financial and technological aid to developing countries for complying with the Global Plastics Treaty at the Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee in Busan.
- Key Points: Developing nations require compensation for costs incurred in implementing plastic control measures.
- India emphasizes “national circumstances” and the necessity of technology transfer from developed to developing nations.
- Proposal: Creation of a dedicated multilateral fund with “additional and distinct” financial transfers.
- The fund aims to ensure a just transition to sustainable plastic production and consumption
3. THE RIGHT TO WORK DELETED
SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES
- The article discusses the surge in deletion of job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), particularly since 2022-23.
- The deletion is linked to the implementation ofAadhaar-Based Payment Systems (ABPS)and procedural flaws.
- What is MGNREGA? Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005): Provides at least100 days of wage employment per year to rural households willing to do unskilled manual labor.
- Legal entitlement for all adults in registered households.
- Mandates transparency and accountability in implementation.
- The Issue: A large number of MGNREGA job cards (1.03 crore)were deleted across India in recent years.
- In2022-23, deletions surged by247%, affecting5.53 crore workers.
- Reasons for deletion include:
- Duplicate job cards
- Migration or permanent relocation of households
- Wrongful issuance
- False information
- Death of a worker
- Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS): Introduced as a mandatory system to ensure wage payments directly to workers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
- Issues: Many workers are not enrolled in ABPS, leading to exclusion.
- Errors in linking Aadhaar with job cards or bank accounts prevent rightful workers from receiving payments.
4. USING BODY’S DEFENCES AGAINST CANCER
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT
- Cancer is termed the “emperor of all maladies,” with metastasis (spread of cancer) being a significant challenge.
- Recent research shows white blood cells activated during severe COVID-19exhibit cancer-fighting abilities.
- Key Findings: Specializednon-classical monocytes (I-NCMs)can migrate to tumors and summon Natural Killer (NK) cells to destroy cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy is emerging as a promising treatment by enhancing the body’s immune system. Significance:
- Advances in personalized medicine and immunotherapy can revolutionize cancer treatment.
5. KASHMIRI, CENTRAL ASIAN ARTISANS RECONNECT UNDER ONE ROOF IN SRINAGAR
SUBJECT: CULTURE
- Artisans from Kashmir and Central Asia reunited after 500 years in an event celebrating Srinagar’s World Craft City tag by the World Crafts Council.
- Key Details: Kashmiri crafts have roots in Central Asian traditions (e.g., Suzani embroidery and Persian carpet weaving).
- Art forms include wood carving, Sozni embroidery, and Sehna knotting techniques.
- Promoted by rulers like Zain-ul-Abidin (15th Century), interactions ceased post-1947 due to fortified borders
