International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023

 The Government of India has sponsored the proposal for the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, which has been accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This has given the Indian Government the opportunity to celebrate the IYM and position India as the global hub for millets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also shared his vision for the IYM to become a “People’s Movement”.

What are Millets?

Millets are small-seeded grasses that are often referred to as “Nutri-cereals”. Some common types of millets include sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), little millet (kutki), foxtail millet (kakun), proso millet (cheena), barnyard millet (sawa), and kodo millet (kodon). These grains are a staple cereal crop for millions of smallholder dryland farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and offer a variety of benefits such as nutrition, income, and livelihood for farmers. They can also be used for food, feed, fodder, biofuels, and brewing.

Significance and Benefits of Millets

Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice due to their higher protein levels and a more balanced amino acid profile. They also contain various phytochemicals which have therapeutic properties due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. In addition to being climate resilient, millet grains are rich in nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, and good-quality fat; minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, and B complex vitamins. Importantly, millet production does not depend on the use of chemical fertilizers, making it a sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

India’s Prioritization of Millets

• In April 2018, millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals” in India, and the year 2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets with the goal of increasing promotion and demand for these grains. The global millets market is expected to have a CAGR of 4.5% between 2021 and 2026.
• The Indian Government has recognized the significant potential of millets and has prioritized them, aligning with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In December 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations hosted the opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 in Rome, Italy, which was attended by a delegation of senior government officials from India.
• In the lead-up to the year-long celebration of the IYM, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in India hosted a special “Millet Luncheon” for Members of Parliament at the Parliament house.

Activities for the International Year of Millets

Several Indian ministries and states have planned activities for the IYM in January 2023. The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has planned 15 activities over 15 days, including engaging sports persons, nutritionists, and fitness experts through video messages, conducting webinars on millets with leading nutritionists and dieticians, and promoting millets through the Fit India App.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries will be organizing Millet Fair-cum-exhibitions in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will hold Eat Right Melas in Punjab, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Assam Achieves Zero Poaching of Endangered Rhinos

 For the first time in nearly 45 years, Assam recorded zero poaching of endangered rhinos in 2022. These animals, known for their valuable horns, were poached 191 times in Assam between 2000 and 2021. The highest number of incidents occurred in 2013 and 2014, with 27 rhino deaths each reported. In 2020 and 2021, two rhinos were killed each year. The last time no poaching was reported in Assam was in 1977.

Coordinated Efforts by State Departments

Officials attribute the success in reducing rhino poaching to the sincere, concerted, and coordinated efforts of the state’s forest and police departments. Upon taking office in May 2021, the special director general of police (law and order), G P Singh, made it a priority to implement zero tolerance towards rhino poaching. In June 2021, a special task force was created with Singh as its head and 22 senior police and forest department officials, including chief wildlife warden MK Yadava.

Previously, the forest and police departments worked independently to address wildlife crimes such as poaching. The task force was established to coordinate the fight against poachers. Yadava reported that the coordinated efforts have been effective, stating, “We have intelligence both from forest and police sources about activities and movements of poachers, which helps in action against them.”

Database and Use of Technology

The task force compiled a database of past incidents of rhino poaching, including details of when, how, and where they occurred. Information was also collected on the entry and exit points used by poachers to access Kaziranga, Manas, Orang, and Pobitora, as well as the identities of all criminals associated with rhino poaching. The task force used this information to take tough action against poachers, including the deployment of armed commandos and the use of technology, such as drones and dog squads, to track poachers’ movements.

Assam’s One-Horned Rhino Population

Assam is home to nearly 2,900 one-horned rhinos, making it the largest habitat for this vulnerable species. According to the State of the Rhinos Report 2022, the total population of one-horned rhinos, found only in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, is 4,012. Poaching has long been a concern in Assam’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, with poachers linked to international wildlife parts smuggling gangs responsible for 191 rhino deaths since 2000. In 2014 and 2015, the highest number of poaching incidents occurred, with 17 each year. The number of rhinos killed decreased in subsequent years, with 18 in 2016 and only one in 2021.

Government Commitment to Zero Poaching

The BJP-led government, which was reelected in May 2021, made a commitment to achieving zero poaching. This issue was also raised in the election manifestos of the Congress party and other political parties. In June 2021, the state government established a 22-member task force headed by GP Singh and deployed armed commandos to vigilantly and strictly combat poachers. The task force included senior forest officers and SPs from 11 districts and six wildlife divisions, as well as armed commandos from the police and state forest personnel. These resources were deployed in the core areas of rhino habitats, including Kaziranga, Manas, Orang, and Pobitora. The use of drones and dog squads helped to track poachers and bring them to justice.

Delimitation of Constituencies in Assam

 The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently announced that it had commenced the process of delimitation of state assembly and parliamentary constituencies of Assam. The last delimitation in Assam happened in 1976. The current delimitation exercise is being conducted based on the 1971 Census.

What is the delimitation exercise?

• Delimitation is the process of redrawing boundaries of state assembly seats and the Lok Sabha seats to represent the changing population numbers.
• The main purpose of the delimitation exercise is to ensure equal representation to equal segments of a population.
• Since the population does not increase uniformly, delimitation reflects the changes in the distribution of the population over a period of time.
• In Assam, the population stood at 1.46 crore in 1971. In 2001, it has increased to 2.66 crore. The population did not increase uniformly across all areas of the state.

What is Delimitation Commission?

• The Delimitation Commission is an independent commission responsible for conducting delimitation exercises.
• It is set up by the Central Government under the Delimitation Commission Act.
• This commission jointly works with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the delimitation.
• It includes a retired Supreme Court Judge, the Chief Election Commissioner and the respective state’s State Election Commissioners
• It functions without any executive influence. Its orders are final and cannot be questioned before any court as such actions would postpone elections indefinitely.

How is delimitation carried out?

Article 82 of the Constitution requires the Indian Parliament to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census. Once this Act is in force, the Central Government must set up a Delimitation Commission.

The Delimitation Commission is required to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies in such a way that the population of all seats are same, as far as it is possible. It is also tasked with the identification of seats reserved for SCs and STs.

Quote of the Day January 2, 2023

 

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Robert Frost

“जंगल में दो राहें अलग हुईं, और मैंने कम सफ़र की जाने वाली चुनी, और उससे ही सारा फ़र्क पड़ा है।”
रॉबर्ट फ्रॉस्ट

Proposal to Shift from “Minimum” to “Living” Wages

 The Union Labour Ministry is currently mulling to shift from the “minimum wages” to “living wages” in a bid to bring more people from poverty in the country.

What is a living wage?

The term “living wage” is the theoretical income level that enables an individual or a family to afford adequate shelter, food, healthcare and other basic necessities. It is the minimum income of that helps support a satisfactory standard of living and prevents individuals from falling into poverty.

How is the living wage different from minimum wage?

• A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for workers to meet their basic necessities. It is different from the minimum wage, which is based on labor productivity and skill sets.
• Minimum wage is the lowest amount of money a laborer can earn as mandated by the law. It does not change based on inflation. It can increase only with the government intervention. This is not true for the living wage.
• The living wage is determined by the average cost to live comfortably, while the minimum wage is the fixed amount set by the government.
• The difference between the minimum wage and the living wage can range between 10 and 25 percent based on the cost of living in a specific place.

About India’s decision

The Indian government is considering to shift from the minimum wage to the living wage to eliminate poverty in the country. If such a shift happens, it would have significant financial implications for India and the government. It will make Sustainable Development Goal commitments easily achievable.

India is planning to receive assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to understand what constitutes a living wage since it is highly subjective. The ILO member states, including India, have recently requested the ILO to contribute to the improved understanding of living wages by undertaking a peer-reviewed research on the theoretical concepts and theoretical estimations.

Economic and Political Weekly: Table of Contents

 

Vol. 57, Issue No. 53, 31 Dec, 2022

Editorials

Reboot Export Strategies

Communal Outlook in a Paternalistic Disguise

From the Editor's Desk

Making Democracy Social

From 50 Years Ago

From 50 Years Ago: Bangkok: Student Power

Strategic Affairs

Ukraine: From the Impasse to a Negotiated Settlement?

Jawahar Bhagwat

Commentary

An Estimate of Evasion of Personal Income Tax in India, 2011–12 to 2017–18

Ravindra H Dholakia

Time Is Ripe for a One Health Law in India

Rashmi Bhat

Unveiling the Post-lockdown Migration Statistics

Puneet Kumar Shrivastav

Wage Suppression and Wage-rentierism

Joseph Mohorčich

Book Reviews

Debating the Power and Plight of Uttar Pradesh

Arvind Kumar

(Scholar) Fans and Fandom Studies

Ghazala Jamil

Perspectives

Labour Agency and Global Production Networks in India - Intermediaries—Old and New

Keshab Das

Special Articles

Bound to Labour - The Cyclical Burden of Wages and Time Poverty on Female Domestic Workers

Aditi Natarajan, Malavika Rangarajan

‘Towards a More Prosperous and Plentiful Kerala’ - A Green Model of Development for the 21st Century

Mihir Shah

The Urgent Need for Actionable and Comprehensive Data Protection Legislation in India

Deepika Saluja, Krati Shrivastava, Anil Jacob, Oommen John

Current Statistics

Current Statistics

Postscript

Rahul Sankrityayan’s Mehrarun ke Durdasa

Preety Choudhari, Richa Chand

On Dwelling, Ecopoetry and the Future of the Earth

Akaitab Mukherjee

​​​​​​​A Change of Climate

Pitamber Kaushik 

Last Lines

Letters

Mounting Fertiliser Subsidy in India

Ajil Mankunnummal

Pilgrimage versus Tourism in Jharkhand

Vinay Suhalka

The importance of learning grammar and creative writing for students

 Importance of English Grammar

English grammar is one of the most important aspects when you study the language. But it can also be one of the most difficult and complex parts. Here, I will discuss why English grammar matters in different situations—from informal conversations to professional communications. It will help you study grammar more efficiently by focusing on the concepts that are most important to you—along with some key English grammar rules that you should not ignore. Knowing correct grammar is the key to speaking English confidently. It will help you avoid making errors and save you from embarrassments.

Power of Grammar

Learning proper grammar is important because it is the basis of the language that makes it possible for us to speak effectively. Grammar teaches you words and word groups that make up sentences not only in English, but also in all other languages. We, humans, learn to string sentences together even as children, but the details that talk about how sentences are built, the types of words and word groups that make up sentences—is known as grammar. This knowledge of grammar opens a window into the human mind and into our amazingly complex mental capacity of knowing and learning a specific language. We always connect grammar with errors and correctness. But remember that knowing grammar helps us understand what makes sentences and paragraphs clear and interesting and enjoyable and crisp.

Grammar in Daily Life

There are situations where English grammar is especially important. For instance, if you are applying for a job interview in an English-speaking country, the employer would be interested in the quality of your spoken and written English. In a recent study of UK job recruiters, 50% said spelling and grammar errors were the biggest reasons they rejected an application.

Grammar is also essential for your social life. When you are meeting new people or visiting new places, the last thing you want is to be misunderstood! To avoid confusing your friends, or arriving at the wrong destination, or even ordering more drinks than you intend, you need to have a firm grip on how you structure your words.

Importance of Creative Writing

Developing structures within creative writing helps students build their thoughts into a logical process, as well as their emotions. They will be able to look at situations in the workplace and the rest of their lives with clarity, being able to define clear pathways in order to overcome problems in the future.Creative writing will also help them improve their intellectual skills. Their sentence structure, vocabulary and use of punctuations will be notably more advanced than others of the same age who do not practice creative writing. In a world where text speaks and emojis are common, creative writing helps develop writing skills that are being forgotten. If a child cannot communicate effectively, the problem may become worse as they grow older. Sharing ideas with others allows a child to develop their storyline and collaborate with others. Encouraging creative writing can help a child communicate efficiently in a world of technology.

Creative writing helps improve grades in different subjects. This is because imaginative writing helps improve thinking skills and also helps students learn more about themselves as writers. If you are looking for ways to boost your child’s grades, the best thing you can do is to encourage them to write creatively. Here, I will talk about how creative writing improves grades and tips on how parents can get their child started with their own creativity! Creative work helps improve your child’s study habits, because they are more likely to pay attention in class when they are already thinking about their creative projects at home.

Confidence in Studies

Creative writing helps kids feel more confident in their own abilities. It gives them the opportunity to explore different worlds and ideas without fear of being judged, which can be difficult when it comes to schoolwork. This kind of writing teaches children to express themselves creatively through the words they use.

Communication Skills

Creative writing also teaches students to communicate their ideas in a clear and concise way. This is important for any educational setting, but it is especially true for attaining higher grades, where verbal communication skills are important.

Greater Memory Power

Publishing creative work teaches children about collaboration. It prepares them to work in group projects later in life or starting their own businesses, too. It strengthens memory skills and increases intelligence. Students will be more focused in class because they will think about what happens next for the characters they have created.

It allows students an opportunity to experiment with different types of words, formats, and sentence structures. It broadens their horizon by exposing them to a creative world beyond just reading story books. Children enjoy creative writing enormously! It teaches kids to be more imaginative and explore their thoughts with art. It is also a good way to get to know and bond with unknown people.

About the author: Ritu Rahul Rathod, founder of Moonlight Musings

Source: The Telegraph, 28/12/22