Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 12 Jun 2023
- 5 min read
"Hamari Bhasha, Hamari Virasat" and 75th International Archives Day
The Ministry of State for Culture inaugurated the exhibition "Hamari Bhasha, Hamari Virasat '' under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) at the National Archives of India in New Delhi, commemorating the 75th International Archives Day. The exhibition aims to celebrate India's linguistic diversity, highlighting its status as one of the most linguistically diverse countries globally, with approximately 788 languages spoken. India is thus one of the four most linguistically diversified countries in the world, along with Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Nigeria.
The exhibition features a variety of original manuscripts, including the ancient Gilgit Manuscripts (written between the 5th -6th centuries CE, which is the oldest surviving manuscript collection in India), Tattvartha Sutra (Ancient Jain Text), Ramayana, and Srimad Bhagwad Gita, among others. Furthermore, the National Archives of India has made over 72,000 manuscripts available, both physically and through digitization, ensuring their accessibility to people worldwide.
International Archives Day is a day of celebration and awareness of the importance and value of archives and archivists. It is celebrated on June 9 every year, since 2008, to commemorate the date when the International Council on Archives (ICA) was created under the auspices of UNESCO in 1948.
Read more: National Archives of India, UNESCO.
Birsa Munda
The Indian Prime Minister paid tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda, an iconic freedom fighter and tribal leader, on his death anniversary on June 9.
Bhagwan Birsa Munda was born on November 15, 1875, and belonged to the Munda tribe. He founded a faith called Birsait, which attracted many tribal followers. He organised and led the “Ulgulan” or “Munda Rebellion” (1899-1900) against the British authorities and the landlords who were usurping tribal lands and subjecting them to inhumane working conditions. He envisioned a society free from exploitation and sought to restore the rights and dignity of the tribal communities.
He is widely revered as a folk hero and a symbol of tribal resistance. The state of "Jharkhand" means "The Land of Forests" was brought into existence by the Bihar reorganisation Act on 15th November 2000 - the birth anniversary of the legendary Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
Read more: Birsa Munda, Munda Rebellion.
Shakti Scheme
The government of Karnataka has launched the 'Shakti' scheme. The scheme offers women free travel in non-premium services provided by State-run Road Transport Corporations (RTCs). The scheme aims to empower women to join the workforce and contribute to the development of the state and the country. The government will issue 'Shakti Smart Cards' to women after receiving applications, and in the meantime, they can use any identity card issued by the Central or State government as a proof of eligibility for free travel.
The scheme is limited to women who are domicile of Karnataka and applies to general and express services operated by RTCs, with certain exclusions. Additionally, 50% of seats in eligible services are reserved for men.
PM-SVANidhi
According to data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, women in southern states are availing the loan scheme for street vendors, PM-SVANidhi, at a higher rate compared to their counterparts in the north. Of the total beneficiaries of the scheme in the country, 41% are women. Southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have a majority of women beneficiaries, with percentages ranging from 50% to 70%. In the northeastern states, although the overall number of beneficiaries is small, a high percentage of women are benefiting from the scheme.
Northern states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan have lower percentages of women beneficiaries, but the absolute numbers are still significant.
PM SVANidhi is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Its objectives are: To facilitate working capital loan; To incentivize regular repayment; and to reward digital transactions
Read more: PM-SVANidhi
