Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 25 July 2024 | Download PDF

• On July 25, 2024, the Indian Army contingent departed for the Multinational Military Exercise KHAAN QUEST, which will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from July 27 to August 9, 2024. 
• This exercise aims to enhance peacekeeping capabilities among military forces from various countries.

Background:

• KHAAN QUEST began in 2003 as a bilateral exercise between the United States and the Mongolian Armed Forces. 
• Since 2006, it has evolved into a multinational peacekeeping exercise, with the upcoming edition marking its 21st iteration. 
• The previous exercise was held in Mongolia from June 19 to July 2, 2023.

Key Points:

• Contingent Composition: The Indian Army contingent consists of 40 personnel, primarily from a Battalion of the Madras Regiment, along with additional troops from various Arms and Services. Notably, the contingent includes one woman officer and two women soldiers.
• Exercise Objectives: KHAAN QUEST aims to prepare the Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational context, focusing on interoperability and military readiness in operations aligned with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
• Training Focus: The exercise will emphasize physical fitness, joint planning, and tactical drills, including:
  • Establishment of static and mobile checkpoints
  • Cordon and search operations
  • Patrolling
  • Civilian evacuation from hostile areas
  • Counter-IED drills
  • Combat first aid and casualty evacuation
• International Collaboration: KHAAN QUEST provides a platform for participating nations to share best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures for joint operations, fostering camaraderie and interoperability among soldiers from different countries.

• Rashtrapati Bhavan serves as a prominent symbol of India’s national identity and heritage. 
• The renaming initiative reflects ongoing efforts to make this historic site more accessible and representative of Indian cultural ethos.

Key Points

Renaming of Halls:

• Durbar Hall is now Ganatantra Mandap.
• Ashok Hall is now Ashok Mandap.

Cultural Relevance:

• • The term ‘Durbar’ historically refers to the courts of Indian rulers and was associated with colonial governance. 
  • The new name, ‘Ganatantra Mandap,’ emphasizes the concept of a republic, which is foundational to Indian society.
  • ‘Ashok’ signifies peace and unity, drawing from Emperor Ashok, a historical figure known for promoting non-violence and coexistence. 
• The renaming to ‘Ashok Mandap’ aims to eliminate colonial influences while preserving the cultural significance of the term.

• The budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, emphasizes employment and skill development as key priorities. 
• The package comprises five major schemes designed to facilitate employment, enhance skills, and support various sectors, including MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises).

Key Highlights:

• Financial Commitment: The Prime Minister’s package includes a substantial outlay of Rs. 2 lakh crore, targeting employment and skilling opportunities for 4.1 crore youth.
• Implementation through EPFO: Three of the five schemes will be executed via the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), promoting workforce formalization and providing incentives for both employers and employees.

Employment Linked Incentive Schemes:

• Scheme A: First-Time Employment Support
  • • Targets first-time employees registered with EPFO.
    • Provides a one-month wage (up to Rs. 15,000) in three installments.
    • Aims to ease the transition for new entrants into the workforce.
• Scheme B: Job Creation in Manufacturing

• • • Incentivizes employers for hiring first-time employees in the manufacturing sector.
    • Offers benefits based on EPFO contributions during the first four years of employment, targeting employees with salaries up to Rs. 1 lakh.
• Scheme C: Employer Support

• • Reimburses employers Rs. 3,000 per month for two years for EPFO contributions for each additional employee with a salary of up to Rs. 1 lakh.

Additional Schemes

• Scheme D: Centrally Sponsored Skilling Scheme
  • • Aimed at skilling 20 lakh youth over five years in collaboration with state governments and industries.
    • Involves upgrading 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to meet industry skill needs.
• Scheme E: Internship Opportunities

• • Offers internships to 1 crore youth in 500 top companies over five years.
  • Provides an internship allowance of Rs. 5,000 per month and one-time assistance of Rs. 6,000.

Focus on Women and Infrastructure:

• Women’s Workforce Participation: The budget proposes establishing working women hostels and crèches, alongside women-specific skilling programs and support for women self-help groups.
• Infrastructure Investment: An 11% increase in capital expenditure to ₹11.11 lakh crore is expected to create job opportunities across various sectors, addressing urban and rural unemployment.

• The GBA is a multi-stakeholder alliance designed to unite major consumers and producers of biofuels, facilitating capacity building, technical support, policy sharing, and the implementation of internationally recognized standards.
• Since its inception, the GBA has expanded to include 24 member countries and 12 international organizations, demonstrating significant global support.

Key Points:

• Objectives of the GBA:
  • • Accelerate the global uptake of biofuels.
    • Serve as a central knowledge repository and expert hub.
• Facilitate technology advancements and sustainable biofuel utilization.

• • • Promote collaboration among diverse stakeholders to drive biofuel development and deployment.
  • Membership Growth: The GBA has attracted considerable interest, growing to 24 member countries and 12 international organizations since its launch. It has held three meetings of its Temporary Executive Committee (TEC) to define immediate initiatives, including a workshop series and policy framework for biofuels.
  • International Engagement: The GBA has established a presence at various global forums, including COP28, the World Economic Forum, and the World Biogas Summit. It was also invited to participate in meetings under the G20 and G7 presidencies, enhancing its visibility and influence.
  • Opportunities for India: The GBA positions India as a knowledge base and production hub for biofuels, including ethanol, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and Compressed Bio Gas (CBG). 
  • Participation in the GBA is expected to elevate India’s status in the global biofuels sector and support domestic initiatives like the PM-JIVAN Yojna and the SATAT scheme.
  • Future Initiatives: The GBA plans to conduct workshops and develop country-specific policy frameworks to facilitate the adoption of biofuels. 
• It aims to create a virtual marketplace to connect industries and stakeholders, promoting technology transfer and collaboration.

About:

• On September 9, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside leaders from the USA, Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Singapore, Bangladesh, Mauritius, and the UAE, launched the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) during the G20 Summit in New Delhi. 
• This initiative aims to foster collaboration among governments, international organizations, and industries to enhance the production and adoption of biofuels globally.

• The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight test of the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System.

Key points:

Missile Specifications:

Phase-II AD Endo-atmospheric Missile:

• Indigenously developed, two-stage, solid-propelled ground-launched missile system.
• Designed to neutralize various enemy ballistic missile threats in the endo to low exo-atmospheric regions.
• Incorporates state-of-the-art indigenous technologies developed by various DRDO laboratories.

• Odisha faces a significant issue with high dropout rates in secondary education.
• According to the Odisha Economic Survey Report 2023-24, the overall dropout rate at this level is 27.3%.
• Such a high dropout rate hampers students’ ability to secure respectable livelihoods in the future.

Tribal and Dalit Boys’ Dropout Rates:

• The dropout rate among tribal boys at the secondary level is alarmingly high at 35.3%.
• Comparatively, the dropout rate for tribal girls at this level is 30.9%.
• For Scheduled Castes, 33% of boys drop out at the secondary level, compared to 29.4% of girls.

Dropout Rates at Upper Primary Level:

• Among tribal students, 9.8% of boys and 7.7% of girls drop out at the upper primary level.
• For Scheduled Castes, the dropout rates at this level are 8.5% for boys and 7.8% for girls.

Educational Infrastructure and Enrolment:

• Odisha has 1,737 residential schools and 5,500 hostels, serving 4.5 lakh ST and SC students.
• Despite these facilities, boys constitute less than 40% of the total enrolment among tribal and Dalit students, with girls making up 61.11%.

Government Initiatives:

• The state government provides scholarships to SC/ST students to support their education.
• In 2023-24, ₹762.4 crore was allocated for pre-matric scholarships.
• ₹473.68 crore was released for post-matric scholarships.

Challenges and Observations:

• Despite having a high proportion of trained teachers (95.6%) and an improved pupil-teacher ratio, dropout rates remain high.
• The survey emphasizes the need to identify factors contributing to these high dropout rates.

Gross Enrolment Ratios:

• Gross enrolment ratio for higher secondary education is 43.6%, far below the target of 100%.
• For higher education, the gross enrolment ratio is only 22.1% for students aged 18-23, against a target of 50%.

• The Odisha Economic Survey 2023-24 provides a comprehensive overview of the state’s economic performance, growth prospects, sectoral contributions, and socio-economic indicators.

Key points:

Economic Growth

• Growth Rate: Odisha’s economy is projected to grow by 8.5% in 2023-24, up from 7.9% in the previous year.
• Sectoral Contribution: The growth is primarily driven by the industry and services sectors.

Per Capita Income:

• Income Estimate: Per capita income for 2023-24 is estimated at Rs 1,61,437.
• Comparison: This figure is 12.4% lower than the national average of Rs 1,84,205.
• Development Initiatives: Efforts are underway to boost per capita income and contribute to India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission.

Poverty Reduction:

• Reduction in Poverty: Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio decreased from 29.3% (2015-16) to 15.7% (2019-21), lifting over 62 lakh individuals out of poverty.
• State Ranking: Odisha is ranked 6th among 17 major states in terms of poverty prevalence.

Agriculture Sector:

• GSVA Contribution: Agriculture contributes 20.4% to the Gross State Value Added (GSVA).
• Growth Rate: Expected growth of 3.5% in 2023-24.
• Foodgrain Production: Increased by 24.2% to 141.4 lakh MT in 2022-23.
• Rice Production: Fifth-largest rice producer, contributing 7% to India’s total rice production.
• Yield Gaps: Significant gaps in crop yields compared to the national average.

Industrial Sector

• Growth Projection: Expected to expand by 8.7% in 2023-24, accounting for 43.2% of GSVA.
• Focus: Predominantly on basic metals and minerals, with a need for diversification into value-added sectors.

Service Sector:

• Growth Rate: Projected to grow by 9.2% in 2023-24.
• Economic Contribution: Accounts for 36% of the state’s economy and 26% of total employment.
• IT Sector: Need to attract more IT and ITeS companies to boost exports.
• Tourism: Requires investment in infrastructure to realize its potential post-pandemic.

Labour Force Participation:

• LFPR Increase: Labour Force Participation Rate rose from 51.2% (2018-19) to 61.3% (2022-23).
• Female LFPR: Increased from 24.4% (2018-19) to 44.7% (2022-23).
• Employment Focus: Aim to create high-quality jobs with better wages.

Capital Outlay:

• Budget Allocation: INR 51,683 crore allocated for capital outlay in 2023-24, representing 6.2% of GSDP.

Livestock and Fisheries:

• Meat Production: Increased to 226.9 thousand MT in 2022-23.
• Milk Production: Grew to 24.8 lakh metric tonnes.
• Fish Production: Surged to 10.5 lakh tonnes, with an 11% CAGR since 2014-15.

Mineral Revenue and Financial Services:

• Revenue: Mineral revenue reached INR 38,075 crore in 2022-23.
• Financial Services: Contribute 2.9% to the state’s GSVA.
• Banking Access: Many Gram Panchayats lack brick-and-mortar bank branches.

Infrastructure Development:

• Railways: 2,992 km of railway routes, with 98.3% electrified.
• Aviation: Expanded civil aviation sector, connecting to 19 Indian cities and three international destinations.
• Rural Roads: Coverage increased from 22,795 km (2011-12) to 99,446 km (2023-24).

Education

• GER Statistics: Gross Enrolment Ratio for upper primary (91.3), secondary (80.4), and higher secondary (43.6).
• Residential Schools: Extensive network serving ST and SC students.

Healthcare

• Institutional Births: Rate of 92.2%, higher than the national average.
• Maternal Mortality: Ratio of 119 per lakh live births, above the national average.
• Rural Focus: Efforts to improve healthcare and rural infrastructure.

All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Adda247.