National
‘Mission Shakti' Scheme
⇒ Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued detailed guidelines for ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme.
The Government of India has launched ‘Mission Shakti’ – an integrated women empowerment programme as umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period 202l-22 to 2025-26.
Aim:
‘Mission Shakti’ is a scheme in mission mode aimed at strengthening interventions for women safety, security and empowerment.
- The scheme seeks to realise the Government’s commitment for “women-led development‟ by addressing issues affecting women on a life-cycle continuum basis and by making them equal partners in nation-building through convergence and citizen-ownership.
- The scheme seeks to make women economically empowered, exercising free choice over their minds and bodies in an atmosphere free from violence and threat.
- It also seeks to reduce the care burden on women and increase female labour force participation by promoting skill development, capacity building, financial literacy, access to micro-credit etc.
Sub-schemes of ‘Mission Shakti’:
‘Mission Shakti’ has two sub-schemes – ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’.
» While the “Sambal” sub-scheme is for safety and security of women, the “Samarthya” sub-scheme is for empowerment of women.
- The components of ‘Sambal’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) with a new component of Nari Adalats – women’s collectives to promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution and gender justice in society and within families.
- The components of ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh and Working Women Hostel have been included with modifications.
National Watershed Conference
⇒ Keeping the importance of sustainable development of rainfed/degraded land in view, Department of Land Resources organized a National Watershed Conference in New Delhi on 14th July, 2022.
The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Shri Giriraj Singh inaugurated the National Watershed Conference.
Focus & Theme:
The Conference was focused on doubling of Farmer’s Income through ‘Production System: Horticulture/ Plantation in watershed project areas’.
The Conference focused basically on three themes:
- Production Systems (Plantation and Horticulture)
- Springshed development
- Amrit Sarovar in Watershed project areas
» During the conference discussions were held on Protecting our Waters through Springshed and Rejuvenating Water Bodies through Mission Amrit Sarovar.
Government of India’s national Integrated Watershed Management Program (presently WDC-PMKSY) is the second largest watershed program in the world after China (World Bank Report, July 2014).
Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY):
Department of Land Resources (DoLR) has been mandated by Government of India to implement a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely, Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY).
DoLR has financially supported 6382 watershed projects in States/UTs with a target of 29.57 million ha under WDC-PMKSY 1.0 which has successfully been concluded in March 2022.
Completion reports and End-line reports of projects are being received in DoLR and the outcomes reported are incredible:
- increase in ground water table upto 3 m,
- increase in cultivated area upto 30%,
- increase in farmer’s annual income upto 70.13%,
- increase in milk production upto 40% and
- increase in the cropping intensity upto 18.3%.
So far 5693 projects have been reported as completed by States/UTs covering an area of 27.10 million ha.
Meanwhile DoLR has, during December, 2021, also rolled out WDC-PMKSY 2.0 with a Central allocation of Rs.8134 crore and physical target of 4.95 million ha. A total of 1099 projects have already been sanctioned under WDC 2.0.
Springshed development under WDC-PMKSY 2.0:
Under WDC-PMKSY 2.0, Springshed development has been incorporated as a new activity within the project areas of watershed.
- It was on the basis of recommendation of NITI Aayog which in collaboration with ICIMOD published a report in 2017-18 showing almost 50% of 4-5 million springs in India are either dried up or are on the verge of drying up.
- The development of springshed in mountainous regions would help address the issues of ecological, economic and biodiversity security of the country.
Two-day symposium ‘Manthan’
⇒ Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated a two-day symposium ‘Manthan’ on upliftment of triabal communities at Palghar in Maharashtra on 14 July 2022.
About Manthan Symposium:
» The Symposium focused on the various programmes to be undertaken on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by Eklavya Model Residential Schools, Fees Control Authority, Grants Department and Tribal Museums which organize ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda. It also includes discussions on Scheduled Tribe Component and health and education of tribal population.
- Apart from Maharashtra, representatives of Tribal Welfare Departments from Jammu, Kashmir, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Assam, Mizoram, Meghlaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu participated in the symposium.
International
BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting 2022
⇒ The Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Bhupender Yadav attended the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting on 14 July 2022 held under the Chinese Presidency.
- The Ministers of the member countries viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the meeting.
Discussions were held on three priority issues, namely:
- Promoting Green Jobs for Sustainable Development
- Developing Skills for Resilient Recovery
- Protecting Workers’ Right in New Forms of Employment
» One of the significant outcomes of the aforesaid meeting was the adoption of the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Declaration.
» The Declaration recognized the need for promoting green jobs for sustainable development, strengthening of cooperation in skills development, and protection of workers’ rights in new forms of employment.