National
Central Sector Scheme "SMILE"
⇒ The Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar launched the Central Sector scheme “SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” in New Delhi on 12 February 2022.
- This umbrella scheme, under the aegis of Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, is designed to provide welfare measures to the Transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging.
- The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has allocated Rs.365 Crore for the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The scheme includes two sub-schemes- ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’ and ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of engaged in the act of Begging’.
The Sub-scheme – ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’ includes the following components-
- Scholarships for Transgender Students: Scholarships for students studying in IX and till post-graduation to enable them to complete their education.
- Skill Development and Livelihood: Skill Development and Livelihood under PM-DAKSH scheme of the Department.
- Composite Medical Health: A comprehensive package in convergence with PM-JAY supporting Gender-Reaffirmation surgeries through selected hospitals
- Housing in the form of ‘Garima Greh’: Shelter Homes ‘Garima Greh’ where food, clothing, recreational facilities, skill development opportunities, recreational activities, medical support etc. will be provided
- Provision of Transgender Protection Cell: Setting up of Transgender Protection in each state to monitor cases of offences and to ensure timely registration, investigation and prosecution of offences.
- E-Services (National Portal &Helpline and Advertisement) and other Welfare Measures
The focus of the sub-scheme ‘Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging’ is as follows-
- Survey and identification: Survey and Identification of beneficiaries shall be carried out by the Implementing Agencies.
- Mobilization: Outreach work will be done to mobilize the persons engaged in begging to avail the services available in the Shelter Homes.
- Rescue/Shelter Home: The shelter homes will facilitate education for children engaged in the act of Begging and children of persons engaged in the act of Begging.
- Comprehensive resettlement.
Additionally,
» Skill development/vocational training will be provided to attain capacity, capability and desirability so that they can sustain and live a life of dignity by engaging in self-employment.
» Pilot projects initiated on Comprehensive Rehabilitation intercities namely Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna and Ahmedabad.
17th edition of Mumbai International Film Festival
⇒ The 17th edition of Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short Fiction and Animation films (MIFF-2022) will be held from 29 May to 4 June, 2022 at the Films Division complex, Mumbai.
- MIFF is organized by the Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India and supported by the Government of Maharashtra.
- MIFF is the oldest and largest festival for non-feature films in South Asia.
» Films completed between 1st September, 2019 and 31st December, 2021 are eligible for entry in MIFF-2022.
Awards:
- The Best Documentary of the Festival will receive a Golden Conch and Rs.10 lakhs cash award.
- The winning films in different categories will receive handsome cash awards, Silver Conches, Trophies and Certificates.
- As India is celebrating “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, the current edition has instituted a special award for Best Short Film on the theme, India@75.
- The festival will also honour a veteran personality from the Indian non-feature film fraternity with the prestigious V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award. The winner of the award will receive cash component of Rs.10 lakhs, a trophy and citation.
Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04
⇒ India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C52 injected Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04, into an intended sun synchronous polar orbit of 529 km altitude on February 14, 2022 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota.
This was the 80th launch vehicle mission from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota, 54th flight of PSLV, and the 23rd flight of PSLV in XL configuration (6 strap-on motors).
About Satellite:
- The satellite EOS-04 is a Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry & Plantations, Soil Moisture & Hydrology and Flood mapping.
- Weighing about 1710 kg, it generates 2280 W power and has a mission life of 10 years.
The vehicle also placed two small satellites:
- A student satellite (INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in association with Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at University of Colorado, Boulder
- A technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to India-Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B)
» Co-passenger satellites were successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence.
Death
Veteran Bengali playback singer, Gitashree Sandhya Mukhopadhyay
⇒ Veteran Bengali playback singer, Gitashree Sandhya Mukhopadhyay passed away on 15 February 2022 in Kolkata. She was 90.
Sandhya Mukherjee’s first record was in 1945 and her first album of Durga Puja songs was released in 1948.
Sandhya Mukherjee received Banga Bibhushan in 2011, which is the highest civilian honour of West Bengal. In 1971, she bagged the national award for best female playback singer for songs in the films Jai Jayanti (1970) and Nishi Padma (1970).
The evergreen singer was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022 but refused the Padma Shri award.