Current Affairs – March 10, 2021

 

India

ISRO develops radar for joint earth observation satellite mission with NASA

ISRO has completed development of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capable of producing extremely high-resolution images for a joint earth observation satellite mission with the US space agency NASA. NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a joint collaboration for a dual-frequency L and S-band SAR for earth observation. NASA and ISRO signed a partnership on September 30, 2014 to collaborate on and launch NISAR. The mission is targeted to launch in early 2022 from ISRO Sriharikota spaceport.

PM inaugurates 1.8 km “Maitri Setu” between India and Bangladesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 9, 2021 inaugurated the “Maitri Setu” between India and Bangladesh with Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina. The “Maitri Setu” has been built over the Feni river, which flows between the Indian boundary in Tripura and Bangladesh. The 1.9-km-long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. PM also laid the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post at Sabroom.

PM releases manuscript with commentaries on shlokas of Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a Manuscript with commentaries by 21 scholars on slokas of Srimad Bhagavadgita in New Delhi on March 9, 2021. The Manuscript has been published by Dharmarth Trust, Jammu and Kashmir.

PMs of India, Japan discuss Myanmar, Quad; South China Sea situation

The PMs of India and Japan on March 9, 2021 discussed the Myanmar situation besides situation in East and South China Sea, China’s Coast Guard Law and the situation in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga shared the view to steadily advance both Japan-India bilateral cooperation and Japan-Australia-India-U.S. quadrilateral cooperation.

BJP’s Trivendra Singh Rawat resigns as Uttarakhand CM

Trivendra Singh Rawat on March 8, 2021 resigned as the chief minister of Uttarakhand, a year before the hill state is scheduled to go to polls. Rawat, who became the CM after the BJP swept the assembly elections in early 2017, tendered his resignation after meeting Governor Baby Rani Maurya.

Delhi government to open special women mohalla clinics

The Delhi government on March 9, 2021 announced that special women mohalla clinics will be opened across the city in the next financial year to offer free gynaecological and other medical care services to them within walking distance from their homes. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, made the announcement while presenting the government’s annual budget for year 2021-22.

Seamless Indo-Bangladesh connectivity to increase national incomes: World Bank

Seamless transport connectivity between India and Bangladesh has the potential to increase national income by as much as 17 percent in Bangladesh and 8 percent in India, according to a new World Bank report. Titled “Connecting to Thrive: Challenges and Opportunities of Transport Integration in Eastern South Asia”, the report analyses the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA); com­pares it with international best practices; and identifies its strengths as well as gaps for seamless regional connectivity.

Economy & Corporate

DoT launches online certification course on 5G Technology for Government Officers

Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Anshu Prakash on March 9, 2021 inaugurated an online certification course on 5G Technology for Government Officers through Video Conferencing. National Telecommunications Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training (NTIPRIT), the premier training institute of (DoT), is conducting the first of its kind 36-hour (12 week) online 5G Certification Course to train and certify Government Officers. To start with, this 36-hour certificate course on 5G has been made available to Officers.

NITI Aayog and RMI release report ‘Mobilising Electric Vehicle Financing in India’

NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) India released a new report ‘Mobilising Electric Vehicle Financing in India’, which highlights the role of finance in the India’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and analyses that the transition will require a cumulative capital investment of USD 266 billion (Rs 19.7 lakh crore) in EVs, charging infrastructure, and batteries over the next decade. The report also identifies a market size of USD 50 billion (Rs 3.7 lakh crore) for the financing of EVs in 2030—about 80% of the current size of India’s retail vehicle finance industry, worth USD 60 billion (Rs 4.5 lakh crore) today.

NITI Aayog, DEA organise national-level virtual workshop on asset monetization

NITI Aayog, along with the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), organized a national-level virtual workshop on asset monetization on March 9, 2021. Chaired by the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, the workshop engaged with the Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories. The workshop elaborated on the strategic context of core and non-core asset monetization, along with detailed discussions on the need for and modality of such monetization.

Pallav Mohapatra appointed Chief of Asset Reconstruction Co India Ltd (ARCIL)

Former Central Bank of India CEO Pallav Mohapatra has been appointed as chief of Asset Reconstruction Co India Ltd (ARCIL) with effect from March 8. Founded in 2002, ARCIL is India’s oldest asset reconstruction company. It currently manages assets of Rs. 12,000 crores. Its total employees are 230. Its shareholders include Avenue Capital, SBI, IDBI, ICICI, PNB and also GIC Singapore.

CAG G. C. Murmu appointed Chairman of panel of external auditors of UN

Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu has been again appointed as the chairman of the panel of external auditors of the United Nations for 2021. Besides India, the panel consists of 12 countries, namely Germany, Chile, China, United Kingdom, France, Philippines, Switzerland, Italy, Ghana, Indonesia, Canada and Russia. As the Chairman, the CAG plays a key role in achieving the panel’s objective of greater degree of collaboration and coordination and exchange of information on audit methods and findings among the panel members.

World

Pregnancy could get women fired in 38 nations: World Bank Chief Economist

There are still almost 40 countries where women can be fired from their jobs simply for getting pregnant, World Bank Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart said in a discussion on how the pandemic is making it even harder for women to escape poverty. Speaking on Bloomberg Television, Reinhart said the economic fallout from Covid-19 had been “very regressive,” hitting the most vulnerable hardest, including women.

Sports

Koneru Humpy wins BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award for 2020

Chess player Koneru Humpy has won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award (ISWOTY) for 2020, following a public vote. Former long jumper Anju Bobby George was given the Lifetime Achievement award for her contribution to Indian sport. Emerging Player of the Year award was won by with Manu Bhaker.

Aligarh Muslim University to set up centre of Sufism and Islamic Philosophy

 The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has proposed to set up a Centre of Sufism and Islamic Philosophy with the aim to provide a platform for inter-religious studies and dialogues at national and international levels, The centre will re-examine the core issues of Islamic Philosophy in its historic-cultural context. It will also revisit the classical Islamic tests to provide a deeper understanding of Islamic thought, culture and civilisation.

“We aim to bring a clear picture of Islam and its relevance in all times. AMU is perhaps the only seat of learning that has three disciplines of Philosophy, namely Indian, Islamic and Western Philosophy,” Prof. Latif Shah Hussain Kazmi, Chairman, Department of Philosophy, said. The objective is to propagate secular, humanist, pluralist and liberal ethos of Islam, added Kazmi.

The proposal to set up the Centre of Sufism and Islamic Philosophy has been passed unanimously at the Ordinary Meeting of the Academic Council. “We hope for a better mutual understanding among all religions, a sense of brotherhood with the teaching of the saints,” Kazmi added.

The proposed centre also has plans to conduct research in the fields of Sufism, comparative study of Sufism and mystic traditions in other religions such as Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism, etc. “We will encourage research on the various dimensions of Sufism and Islamic Philosophy and the ways of enhancing religious understanding in our country,” he said.

The centre also plans to organise inter-faith dialogues, seminars, conferences and extension lectures on Sufism, mysticism and bhakti movement etc.

The concept note of the centre envisages that Islamic Philosophy has remained for long spells of time under a shadow of doubt, criticism and uncertainty. Some thinkers, mostly orientalists, denied its very existence. Those philosophers who tended to deny the very existence of an Islamic Philosophy in view of their social and religious prejudices, misunderstood the very vision and mission of Islam. They consequently maintained that the teachings of Islam are opposed to all free discussion and rational investigation. The only fruits that Islam, according to these philosophers, has borne for its followers have been intellectual despotism, irrationalism and dogmatism, the concept note states.

“The centre would serve as the platform for advanced learning and research investigating the philosophical doctrines of the great Islamic philosophers such as Ab Bakr al Razi, Suhravardi,al Farabi etc. Their philosophical contributions in Islamic framework need to be revisited, explored and re-examined in the light of contemporary philosophical discourse.” Prof. Kazmi said.

“Throughout centuries, Sufis travelled across Asia, Africa and Europe. They lived with or co-existed with Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucionists, Christians and Pagans. They were at peace with all of them. These men of God mingled with all human beings irrespective of caste, creed, gender, colour, race and culture,” he said.

According to the plan, the centre “will focus on classical, medieval and modern framework that needs to be synthesised into a horizontal framework with science and modern social scientific studies”. The centre will offer diploma as well as Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. degree in Sufism and Islamic philosophy

Source: Indian Express, 10/03/21

IIT-Delhi to provide digital support to students from economically weaker backgrounds

 IIT-Delhi and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) have collaborated to provide digital support to students from economically weaker backgrounds and help them complete their education amid the Covid-19 pandemic. As per the institute, the remaining semester two of 2019-20 and the upcoming semester one and semester two of 2020-21 will be held online.

As part of the initiative, IIT-Delhi will provide devices like laptop, smartphone, tablet and high-speed internet connection. To bolster this effort, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation will fund the initiative. Prof V Ramgopal Rao, director, IIT Delhi, said, “IIT Delhi, as a student-friendly institution, believes that students in need must get all the necessary support. In several discussions in the Covid-19 working group and other forums, it was proposed that we support as many students as possible to overcome the challenges they face due to the pandemic.”

Geeta Goel, country director, India, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation said lack of access to a device can be the biggest hindrance to continued learning. “Our partnership with IIT Delhi is anchored around our core principle of everyone deserves opportunity, and that resources should not limit the success of students who have displayed academic excellence and tremendous grit in securing their seats at a premier institute like IIT Delhi,” she said.Elaborating upon this initiative, Prof Reetika Khera, associate dean, students welfare, IIT-Delhi said Covid-19 has placed students under all kinds of pressures ranging from “lack of personal space, strain on their mental and physical well-being, economic distress to personal losses.” Collaborations like this will help in bridging the digital divide, she said.

Source: Indian Express, 9/03/21

Invisible and unheard: India’s women manual scavengers

 In India, even today, many women continue to be engaged in one of the most inhuman and undignified forms of manual scavenging, which involves cleaning of insanitary dry latrines with bare hands, carrying the basket or bucket containing the human faeces on their head, and disposing of it, on a daily basis, despite the practice being forbidden by law. Due to the deep-rooted societal and systemic challenges these women face, most of them are unaware about their entitlements and rights, let alone have the voice to demand them. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, as the world commits to “Choose to Challenge”, it is critical to acknowledge the historical neglect and apathy these women have faced, understand their harsh realities, and prioritise action to support them.

Despite the existence of legal frameworks which strictly prohibit the practice of manual scavenging and mandate respectful and lawful rehabilitation of these workers, and the Karnataka High Court having noted this practice as “most inhuman” and violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21, it still continues in pockets across the country. When one thinks of “manual scavenging”, the image that usually comes to mind is of men risking their lives while cleaning sewer lines, toilet tanks and drains. However, most of us don’t realise that women, too, work as manual scavengers, and while they may not face an imminent risk of death like men, the daily humiliation, health hazards, and lifelong neglect they are subjected to are no less excruciating.

There’s a lack of clear government estimates of the number of women engaged in manual scavenging, owing to which we have limited understanding on the extent of women’s engagement in this practice as well as their socio-economic vulnerabilities. However, estimates by several organisations suggest that more than 75 per cent of manual scavengers are women.

Such woman are usually from Dalit caste groups including those referred to as Bhangi, Valmiki, Mahar, Mehtar. A considerable number of women have started to leave this work in recent years, as a result of increasing awareness, as well as due to the success of large-scale sanitation drives under the Swachh Bharat Mission. However, in absence of a viable alternative income source, they struggle for the basic necessities. The double burden of discrimination they experience — as women and as members of the most marginalised social groups — adds to their woes. The pandemic has heightened their distress. In the absence of dedicated institutional arrangements to support these women, the question of who would take the lead in ensuring their empowerment and rehabilitation remains unanswered.

India has several legal mandates, government programmes and institutional structures to support manual scavengers. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act, 2013 and the subsequent orders by the Supreme Court of India mandate justice, rights and freedom for manual scavengers. Institutions such as the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation, state-level counterparts of these bodies, and district level authorities have been set up for the implementation of these. Furthermore, though there are programmes like the Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS), the budget utilisation is far less than the allocation, indicating implementation gaps. Many recent national-level policy initiatives have shown commitment to this cause, including a proposed inter-ministerial action plan for the elimination of manual scavenging. The Ministry of Urban and Housing Affairs’ programmes such as the Emergency Response Sanitation Unit (ERSU) and the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge, and the Odisha government’s recent scheme “Garima” for the safety and dignity of core sanitation workers, are other recent examples.

However, in practice, most of the government schemes focus on improving the safety of sewer and septic tank cleaners. While the significance of these programmes cannot be denied, there is a lack of focus on women workers.

Moreover, systemic apathy towards such marginalised communities among the local administration has resulted in implementation gaps in the initiatives for identification and supporting women engaged in manual scavenging. For example, a 2018 baseline survey, undertaken under WaterAid India’s project aimed at strengthening the rule of law to advance rights and freedom of manual scavengers, identified close to a thousand such women who are currently or till recently were engaged in manual scavenging in just 36 urban locations across four states. However, the local administrations were not ready to accept that manual scavenging existed in their jurisdictions. As a result, most of these women struggled to even get enrolled under the government programmes. More recent field insights suggest that while the number of women currently working as manual scavengers have gone down due to Swachh Bharat Mission and similar initiatives, the majority of these women struggle to make ends meet and are yet to be recognised under the law, in order to access rehabilitation support and related entitlements, and take up alternative sources of livelihood.

In their hurried bid to declare cities and towns manual scavenging-free, many urban administrators seem to have reported the non-existence of the practice of manual scavenging, leaving many of these workers uncounted, which could have led to the inability or reluctance of the current administrators to formally enrol and support these women further. This might also explain the incomplete status of several enrolment surveys initiated so far, as well as the discrepancies in the available data. Among the few who do manage to get enrolled, a very small number of women are able to access their entitlements.

A series of stringent measures is required to ensure empathy and support to persons engaged in manual scavenging, with a conscious focus on women.

First, the guidelines for the SRMS need to be revised to include specific schemes, plans, targets, budgets and indicators for all categories of work that come under the definition of manual scavenging. This might be the only way of ensuring that women engaged in manual cleaning of insanitary dry latrines are prioritised and covered by such schemes.
Second, all the affidavits, declarations and submissions made in the past by various urban and district authorities, which claim that their area is free of manual scavenging, should be declared as null and void, and a fresh identification of specific categories which have been left out should be mandated, with specific instructions for including women currently/ previously engaged in manual cleaning of insanitary dry latrines. In addition, a special mandate must be given to the urban and district administration to organise camps that ensure the enrolment of all these women and their families under schemes for supporting manual scavengers, as well as under other programmes around health, education, nutrition, social welfare, employment/livelihoods among others. Incentives need to be provided to officials who accelerate the identification, enrolment and provision of benefits for persons, including women, engaged in manual scavenging. Punitive measures need to be introduced for cases wherein the officials fail to enrol them and provide the mandated benefits.

Third, coverage of women currently or previously engaged in manual scavenging should be ensured under the National Urban and Rural Livelihood Missions. Inclusion of these women can be specifically recommended under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission’s existing mandate which ensures that at least 10 per cent of the persons covered under the SHGs and other initiatives are the vulnerable urban poor.

Fourth, the enrolment of children of persons engaged in manual scavenging in schools, educational institutions and skilling programmes must be mandated, while also ensuring access to scholarship and other support measures. This would be essential to break the inter-generational cycle of inhuman work and oppression.

Finally, special financial incentives must be provided to households with insanitary dry latrines, wherever present, for conversion to sanitary latrines.

Acknowledging the existence and challenges of these manual scavengers, especially the women who continue to remain unseen and unrecognised, is a necessary first step towards ensuring that their rights are recognised and guaranteeing their freedom from this inhuman practice. Only by “Choosing to Challenge” this situation, can we support them in their quest towards justice, dignity, and sustainable alternative livelihoods.

VR Raman is a systems and policy expert who has worked on large-scale programmes and policies across India and multiple development sectors, with a focus on the most marginalised sections of society. Currently, he is head of policy, WaterAid India

Kanika Singh is the lead for sanitation policy initiatives at WaterAid India. She works on policy research and advocacy on issues around sanitation, with a focus on equity and inclusion

Source: Indian Express, 9/03/21

How Covid-19 can transform health care

 The pandemic disrupted life, livelihoods, education and health like little else in recent history.The pandemic disrupted life, livelihoods, education and health like little else in recent history. The world found innovations and adaptations to minimise some of the disruptions for some people, but not all. Health care disruptions, less amenable to home-based solutions, ranged across a very broad continuum — a shift in health-seeking behaviour, limitations in health infrastructure, difficulties in outreach to community members, lack of availability of human resources and interruptions in supply chains. Not all of these were limited to the context of the pandemic — some have pre-existed but got magnified in the context of the pandemic.

Covid-19 saw health care workers diverted to the much-needed task of preventing and dealing with infections, taking them away from their regular tasks, and thus, further reducing the availability of health care workers. Health care facilities were deployed for testing and treating patients, but this made them unavailable for regular services. Supply chains were disrupted due to lockdowns. When health facilities were functioning, citizens were either fearful or unable to travel to them or were unaware that facilities were functioning. All this led to significant disruption in the provision of essential health services such as routine immunisation, testing and treating tuberculosis (TB) patients, maternal and child health care and nutrition-related interventions.

But India is no stranger to innovation. A few months into the pandemic, there were a variety of interventions, which sought to address some of these barriers related to health human resources, demand for and access to services, and provision to the last mile. Innovations were found in at least four categories — leveraging technology, leveraging community platforms, strengthening frontline workers and augmenting supply chains.

Extensive interventions leveraged the digital platform such as remote counselling and consultation in several states; a child growth-monitoring app for remote monitoring of severely acute malnourished children in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh; an Interactive Voice Response System-based solution in Uttar Pradesh for reminder calls to the community about immunisation sessions; digital surveillance applications for front-line workers for TB and Covid-vulnerability assessment in states such as Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab for simultaneous TB and Covid assessment; an artificial intelligence-based diagnostics solution to scan chest X-rays and detect abnormalities.

Various organisations leveraged digital platforms to conduct training and information sessions for frontline workers. The range of such services and their providers is vast including e-Sanjeevani, Swasth, Practo, Portea, TeCHO, Anmol, to name just a few.

The involvement of community-based organisations in the form of self-help groups (SHGs) and village organisations reinforced their potential for last-mile services. Active TB case finding by community health volunteers through outreach and awareness; demand generation for services and provision of timely information to pregnant women by volunteer groups through helpline numbers; support for essential health service delivery through panchayati raj institutions contributed to strengthening health services.

The Indian postal department was leveraged for its extensive postal network as an alternative logistics chain for delivery of family planning commodities. Social franchising model for TB diagnosis and drug dispensation via e-pharmacies to the doorsteps of patients was also utilised.

India saw many innovations rolled out, although not necessarily at scale and most not evaluated for impact. Based on rigorous impact evaluations, there is potential for scale and convergence. It is not that this potential is not recognised by the government. The introduction of telemedicine guidelines and the launch of the National Digital Health Mission provide a foundation for greater leverage of the digital platform. Admittedly, limited internet penetration in rural India, gender disparity in internet usage, data privacy and data-sharing ethics concerns limit the impact of digital platforms, but an increasing focus on health technology platforms can address, to some extent, the needs of information, triaging, counselling, consultation, scheduling visits, home delivery of drugs, and remote follow-up reducing some of the demand- and supply-side challenges.

Similarly, a stronger policy environment can enable the 70 million SHG women members to play an institutionalised role in health service functions, such as behaviour change interventions, demand for essential services, community-led accountability of health systems and services.

The pandemic saw multiple innovations surface, some deployed in small geographies, some by private organisations and others by the government, most not evaluated for impact. These innovations merit policy attention — in assessing their impact, in their geographic scale, in convergence of currently fragmented services, and in developing meaningful partnerships with private innovators for public adoption.

Scaling innovations requires attention to at least three aspects. One, assessment of innovation impact and certification, which, in turn, will require institutional mechanisms that can enable this. Second, a policy environment that encourages and facilitates public contracting of innovations, in a context where the benefits of purchasing existing, tried-and-tested products/services in the public system are large. Third, grant-and-loan mechanisms that enable innovators to address the needs of the health care system. The platforms on which these innovations are deployed are under-leveraged, with the pandemic demonstrating the opportunity to build on these innovations, leading to a stronger health systems response.

Sandhya Venkateswaran is fellow, Lancet Citizen’s Commission on Reimagining India’s Health System

Source: Hindustan Times, 10/03/21

Quote of the Day March 9, 2021

 

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C S Lewis

“आप कभी भी नया लक्ष्य निर्धारित करने या नया सपना देखने के लिये बहुत बूढ़े नहीं होते।”
सी. एस. लुईस

Current Affairs – March 9, 2021

 

India

India-Uzbekistan exercise ‘Dustlik’ to be held in Uttarakhand from March 9 to 21

The armies of Indian and Uzbekistan will be part of a joint exercise recreating Kashmir-like counter-terror operations between March 9 and 21 in Chaubatia near Ranikhet in Uttarakhand. The second edition of exercise Dustlik is aimed at carrying out joint counter-terror operations in a mountainous rural and urban scenario. The first edition of the exercise took place in November 2019 near Tashkent in Uzbekistan.

Maharashtra: 1% concession in stamp duty on property transfer in woman’s name

The Maharashtra government’s budget for 2021-22, presented on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2021, offered one per cent concession in stamp duty if property is transferred only in a woman’s or women’s name. Deputy Chief Minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar presented a budget with revenue deficit Rs 10,226 crore in the state Legislative Assembly.

1^st meeting of National Committee to commemorate 75 years of independence held

Chairing the first meeting of the National Committee to commemorate 75 years of independence, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav virtually on March 8, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed that 5 pillars have been decided for the celebration of the 75 years. These are Freedom Struggle, Ideas at 75, Achievements at 75, Actions at 75 and Resolve at 75.

All Helpline numbers of Railways merged into single number 139

Indian Railway has integrated all railway helplines into single number 139 which is Rail Madad Helpline for quick grievance redressal and enquiry during the journey. As the new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers, it will be easy for the passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during the travel.

Batla House encounter: Court convicts Indian Mujahideen man for killing Inspector

A court in Delhi on March 8, 2021 convicted Ariz Khan, allegedly associated with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, for the murder of Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and other offences in connection with the 2008 Batla House encounter in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi.

Economy & Corporate

Govt nets Rs 53,346 crore from Vivad Se Vishwas scheme till February 22

The government has realised Rs 53,346 crore through direct tax dispute resolution scheme Vivad Se Vishwas till February 22, Parliament was informed on March 8, 2021. The Vivad Se Vishwas scheme provides for settlement of disputed tax, disputed interest, disputed penalty or disputed fees in relation to an assessment or reassessment order. The dispute is settled on payment of 100 per cent of the disputed tax and 25 per cent of the disputed penalty or interest or fee.

Google lends support to one million female entrepreneurs in India

Google on March 8, 2021 announced that it will support 1 million rural women entrepreneurs in India during its virtual event called ‘Women Will’ held to celebrate the International Women’s Day. It also launched a global Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls, under which Google will provide $25 million in grants to non-profits and social enterprises in India and around the world that are doing important work to help women and girls reach their full potential.

World

International Women’s Day observed on March 8

The International Women’s Day was observed on March 8, 2021. This year’s theme for the International Day, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”, celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Switzerland: People voted in favour of banning full face coverings in public places

In Switzerland, people have voted in favour of banning full face coverings in public places in a referendum. Dubbed as ‘burqa ban’ by media and campaigners, the proposal was supported by 51.2 per cent of voters. The result means nobody in the country can cover their face completely in public whether in shops or in the open across the country except in places of worship or for health and safety reasons.

Singapore ranked first in Economic Freedom Index by The Heritage Foundation

Singapore topped the global ranking for the second year in a row while India was ranked 121^st in the latest Economic Freedom Index published by US conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation. The index ranks 12 indicators from property rights to financial freedom under four categories: rule of law, size of government, regulatory efficiency and open markets.

French billionaire MP Olivier Dassault (69) dies in helicopter crash

French billionaire Olivier Dassault (69), a politician and scion of the Dassault aircraft-making family, was killed in a helicopter crash on March 7, 2021. His helicopter crashed near the upmarket coastal resort of Deauville in northwest France. The Dassault Aviation group has been a leading French plane manufacturer for the last 70 years and is behind the Falcon private jet, the Mirage warplane, and most recently the state-of-the art Rafale fighter.