PUNJAB

Self-help groups empowering rural women in Punjab

After leaving government job as a mathematics teacher in the early 90s, Ludhiana-based Gurdev Kaur Deol tried her hands on many things and finally decided to empower rural women and girls.

It started as a small group in the form of a self-help group and today she is transforming the lives of 300 families by marketing their produce through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).

She is not the lone example. There are many women and NGOs who are engaged in transforming the lives of rural women through self-help groups. The women who were unemployed earlier are now earning anywhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 20,000 per month.

At a time when dwindling farm incomes are making agriculture unviable, especially for small and marginal farmers, self-help groups (SHGs) in Punjab are silently transforming the lives of women folk and their families. They are helping the rural girls and women to become independent by taking initiatives for starting new ventures.

To assist the women, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) is helping them through SHG Bank Linkage Programme. It has facilitated formation and saving linkage of around 50,000 and credit linkage of 31,300 SHGs in Punjab.

Nabard facilitates the SHGs to avail institutional credit to take up economic activities, impart skill and entrepreneurship through various micro entrepreneurship development programmes and facilitate the SHGs’ graduate to micro-entrepreneurs.

INTERNATIONAL

Covid-2019 is official name for disease caused by new coronavirus says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the official name for the disease caused by the new coronavirus is Covid-2019.

It comes after the death toll from the virus passed one thousand. Tens of thousands of people have been infected.

The word coronavirus refers to the group of viruses it belongs to.

Researchers have been calling for an official name to avoid confusion and stigmatisation of any group or country.

US President Donald Trump signs USD 8.3B bill to fight coronavirus outbreak

US President Donald Trump signed an 8.3 billion US

Dollars measure to help tackle the coronavirus

outbreak killed 12 people in the US and infected

more than 200.

The legislation provides federal public health

agencies with money for vaccines, tests, and

potential treatments and helps state and local

governments prepare and respond to the threat.

NATIONAL

Cabinet clears merger of 10 PSBs into 4 banks effective April 1

The Cabinet approved the amalgamation of the 10 public sector banks (PSB) into 4 PSBs that was announced on August 30, 2019.

The merger would come into effect from April 1, 2020.

The Cabinet’s approval will lead to the merger of –

Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India into Punjab National Bank;
Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India;
Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank; and
Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank

According to the government, the merger of the 10 banks will lead to the creation of stronger establishments that will be able to meet the challenge of a $ 5 trillion economy.

Mumbai set to host IOC session in 2023

Mumbai is set to host the 2023 International Olympic Committee’s session after the IOC Executive Board recommended the Indian city for the annual conference.

The IOC Executive Board decided to put Mumbai’s candidature to a vote of the members.

The decision is to be ratified at the 136th IOC session in Tokyo in July this year.

After ratification, this will be the second-ever IOC session to be held in India after a long gap of 37 years.

India last hosted an IOC session way back in 1983 in New Delhi.

Mineral Law Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha approves Mines and Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill over the Delhi violence and other issues.

Mines and Mineral Laws

The Bill proposes to remove end-use restrictions for participating in coal mine auctions, and it will open up the coal sector fully for commercial mining for all domestic and global companies. The process for the passage of the bill was underway when the House was adjourned following protests by Opposition members over controversial remarks by a Rajasthan MP against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members.

The bill explains about the coal sector completely for commercial mining. It intends to remove end-use restrictions to participate in coal mine auction. The ordinance allows coal mining by any company present in industries other than steel and power and does away with the captive end-use criteria.

DAY-NULM signs MoU with Amazon for e-marketing of products made by SHGs

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) that functions under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs signed MoU with Amazon for e-marketing of products made by Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the country in urban areas.

The partnership aims to provide access to a wider customer base for products made by SHGs and to strengthen the mission of creating sustainable livelihoods in urban areas.

MHA approves Automated Facial Recognition System to identify bodies, missing children, criminals

Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the automated facial recognition system (AFRS) for the identification of unrecognized bodies, missing children, and criminals.

The approval has been accorded for the implementation of AFRS by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

AFRS will use police records and will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies.

It is expected to facilitate better identification of criminals, unidentified dead bodies, and missing or found children and persons and will not violate privacy.

AFRS will use police records and will be accessible only to law enforcement agencies.

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