RAJASTHAN

• Rajasthan govt spent less fund on welfare of women: CAG

 

• The latest report by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted that total expenditure against Gender Budgeting decreased from 78.6% to 62.4% during 2012-17.

 

• The examination of leading schemes like Missing Gramya Shakti (MGS), Rajeev Gandhi Balika Empowerment Scheme (SABLA) etc has highlighted several loopholes.

 

• The CAG observed that the Missing Gramya Shakti (MGS) which aims to strengthen women self-help groups through clustering, capacity building and handholding, saw no expenditure was incurred during 2016-17 against budget provision of Rs16. 60 crore. The director of women and empowerment informed in August 2017 that the scheme could not be implemented due to non-approval of work plan of MGS by the finance department.

 

• Similarly, the Rajeev Gandhi Balika Empowerment Scheme (SABL) which aims at empowering adolescent girls of 11 to 18 years by improving their nutritional and health status, life skills etc saw only Rs 40 lakh was incurred against the budget allocation of Rs 101 crore during 2016-17 due to non-implementation of supplementary of nutrition scheme.

 

• The CAG has also observed that National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) funded by the Centre is being implemented by Rajasthan Grameen Ajeevika Vikas Parishad which aims at creating financially sustainable and effective institutional platform of the rural poor. It was observed in the report that during 2016-17, only Rs 25 crore was spent against allocation of Rs 118 crore under his scheme due to non-receipt of funds from the Centre.

 

• The Gender Responsive Budgeting (GIB) is a means to ensure that public resources are allocated in an equitable way to satisfy the most pressing needs of specific gender groups. During the budget speech of 2009-10, the state government announced preparations of GRB, which would enable gender based budget analysis of each department.

INTERNATIONAL

 

• World Kidney Day 2018: 8 March

 

• World Kidney Day is observed annually on the 2nd Thursday in March.

 

• World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

 

• World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).

 

 

• India to give UN $15.82m for Nepal quake reconstruction

 

• India has pledged 15.82 million dollars in assistance to quake-ravaged Nepal for its massive reconstruction programme.

 

• India signed an agreement in this regard with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to build 50000 homes for the quake victims.

 

• As per the agreement, the Indian Government will give 8.41 million US dollars to the UNOPS and 7.41 Million US dollar to the UNDP.

 

 

·         UK college to teach Hinglish to students for jobs in India

 

• UK’s Portsmouth Collegehas offered to teach its students ‘Hinglish‘, a mix of Hindi and English languages, becoming the country’s first educational institutionto do so.
• The course is being introduced partly due to India’s growing economic importance and to prepare British students who may take up jobs in India or in Indian companies based in the UK.

 

NATIONAL

 

• PM launches National Nutrition Mission

 

• On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, launched the National Nutrition Mission, and expansion of the coverage of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme, at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.

 

• He also interacted with beneficiary mothers and girl children of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme.

 

• The Prime Minister awarded certificates to the best performing districts under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme.

 

 

• Government announces launch of ‘SUVIDHA’

 

• Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananth kumar announced the launch of ‘Suvidha’, the 100% Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

 

• The affordable sanitary napkin will be available for Rs. 2.50 per pad at over 3200 Janaushadhi Kendras across India and would ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’for the underprivileged Women of India.

 

• This step taken by the Department of Pharmaceuticals will ensure the achievement of Prime Minster Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Affordable and Quality Healthcare for All.

 

 

• Udyam Sakhi Portal Launched for Women Entrepreneurs

 

• On the occasion of International Women’s Day today, March 8,the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) launched a portal for women entrepreneursof India: www.udyamsakhi.org.

 

• The portal was unveiled by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of MSME, Giriraj Singh, in a program.

 

• The Minister said that India has around 8 million women who have started and are running their own businesses and the Ministry of MSME believes that the women in India can play a vital role in the growth of the Indian economy.

 

• The portal is a network for nurturing entrepreneurship and creating business models for low cost products and services in order to empower women and make them self-reliant and self-sufficient.

 

• Delhi Police launches All Women Patrolling Squad to strengthen women safety

 

• On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Delhi police launched an “All-women patrolling squad”.

 

• With the motto – Be the change, you want to see – wearing on their sleeves, the women suad riding mean machine in Delhi’s south district aims to protect women from cat-callers and instil a sense of confidence among women.

 

• The squad was launched in the form of a ‘road trip’ from Sarojni Nagar to Select Citywalk Mall in Saket.