DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th April 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –Environment and Ecology

Context: Recently, Chhattisgarh Forest Department successfully translocated four sub-adult wild buffaloes from Assam to Chattisgarh’s Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary.

About Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary:-

IMAGE SOURCE: Layout map of the Barnowpara Sanctuary, Raipur Forest Division, C.G .  | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

• Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary is located in the district of Raipur in Chhattisgarh.
• Barnawapara the name coined from village Bar and Nawapara.
• The rivers Balmedhi, Jonk and Mahanadi are the lifeline river which runs along the sanctuary.
• River Balamdehi forms the western boundary and Jonk River forms the northeastern boundary of the Sanctuary.
• The Balar reservoir situated inside the sanctuary supports a number of wetland birds and fishes.
• Flora: The sanctuary contains major vegetation of Teak, Sal and Mixed forest.
• Fauna: Cheetal, Sambhar, Nilgai Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, and Wild Dogs, are commonly seen.

The Indian Wild Buffalo

• It is the state animal of Chhattisgarh (India)
• Habitat: mainly found in the alluvial grasslands, marshes, swamps and river valleys.
• In India, they are generally concentrated in North East India in Kaziranga National Park, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary, D’Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule 1.

MUST READ: Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary

SOURCE: THE TIMES OF INDIA

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements : (2022)

1. Wild animals are the sole property of the government.
2. When a wild animal is declared protected, the such animal is entitled to equal protection whether it is found in protected areas or outside.
3. Apprehension of a protected wild animal becoming a danger to human life is sufficient ground for its capture or killing.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3
4. 3 only

Q.2) Consider the following animals (2021)

1. Hedgehog
2. Marmot
3. Pangolin

To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and protects/protects its/their vulnerable parts?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 only
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 3

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recently, Europe’s most powerful nuclear reactor, The Olkiluoto 3 reactor has completed its test phase in Finland.

About the Olkiluoto 3 reactor:-

IMAGE SOURCE: Location of the Olkiluoto site in Finland  | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

• The Olkiluoto 3 reactor is an EPR (European Pressurized Water Reactor).
• It is the first new-generation EPR, or European Pressurized Reactor, plant to have gone online in Europe.
• It is located in Finland.
• It is built by the French-led Areva-Siemens consortium.
• It is the most powerful nuclear reactor in Europe.
• It has a capacity of generating 1,600 megawatts.
• Construction of Olkiluoto 3 began in 2005.
• It covers approximately 14% of Finland’s electricity demand.
• The Olkiluoto 3 is Western Europe’s first new reactor in more than 15 years.
• It will help Finland to achieve its carbon neutrality targets and increase energy security.

MUST READ: India’s Nuclear Energy

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following is a reason why astronomical distances are measured in light-years? (2022)

1. Distance among stellar bodies does not change
2. The gravity of stellar bodies does not change
3. Light always travels in straight lines
4. The speed of light is always the same                                                                        

Q.2) With reference to the carbon nanotubes, consider the following statement : (2020)

1. They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
2. They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of the human body.
3. They can be used in biochemical sensors.
4. Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Syllabus

• Prelims –Environment and Ecology

Context: Recently, the G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meeting concluded.

About G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meeting:-

IMAGE SOURCE: G7 Countries – WorldAtlas

• G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment was held in Sapporo, Japan.
•  The participating leaders committed to work towards ensuring carbon-free electricity production by 2035 and “accelerating” the phase-out of coal.
• This is significant as the G7 nations account for a quarter of global carbon emissions.

Key highlights of Carbon-Free Power By 2035:-

• Acceleration of renewable energy: The countries agreed to accelerate solar and wind energy investments to produce 1,000 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 from solar power and 150 GW of wind power from off-shore platforms.
  • This move is in line with recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to ensure that global temperatures do not increase by more than 1.5°C of pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.
• Elimination of subsidies: The countries reaffirmed their commitment to the elimination of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.
  • • Phasing out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies is a key component of the Paris Agreement.
• Removal of government support towards fossil-fuel-driven power: The countries emphasized that, with the exception of a few clearly defined circumstances that are consistent with a 1.5°C warming limit and the goals of the Paris Agreement, they have stopped all new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation by the end of 2021 and public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector in 2022.
• The group will each provide an update on their approach to implementation by the end of 2023.
• The ministers have agreed to prioritize steps toward phasing out “unabated” coal power generation plants that do not employ mechanisms to capture emissions and prevent them from escaping into the atmosphere.
• The G7 countries have endorsed Japan’s national strategy that emphasizes clean coal, hydrogen, and nuclear energy to ensure its energy security.
• The leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the transition to clean energy and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
• The leaders emphasized the need to urgently reduce carbon emissions and achieve a “predominantly decarbonized power sector” by 2035.

MUST READ: India’s Transition Away from Coal

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) “Climate Action Tracker” which monitors the emission reduction pledges of different countries is a : (2022)

1. Database created by a coalition of research organisations
2. Wing of “International Panel of Climate Change”
3. Committee under “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change”
4. Agency promoted and financed by United Nations Environment Programme and World Bank

Q.2) In rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or reducing carbon footprint? (2020)

1. Copper slag
2. Cold mix asphalt technology
3. Geotextiles
4. Hot mix asphalt technology
5. Portland cement

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 4 and 5 only
4. 1 and 5 only

Syllabus

• Prelims –Governance

Context: Recently, the Public sector banks have set a target for the sale of flagship government insurance schemes Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) in FY24.

About Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY):-

• PMJJBY is an insurance scheme by the Ministry of Finance.
• It offers life insurance cover for death due to any reason.
• It is a one-year cover, renewable from year to year.
• Eligibility:-
  •  The age of the applicant must be between 18 and 50 Years.
  • The applicant must hold a Bank Account / Post Office Account.
•  Aadhar is to be the primary KYC for the bank account.
•  The life cover of Rs. 2 lakhs shall be for the one-year period stretching from 1st June to 31st May and will be renewable.
• Risk Coverage: Rs. 2 Lakh in case of death of the insured, due to any reason.
•  Premium:-
  • A premium of ₹ 330/- per annum per subscriber .
  • It is to be auto-debited in one instalment from the subscriber’s bank account.
• The scheme is being offered by Life Insurance Corporation and all other life insurers who are willing to offer the product on similar terms with necessary approvals and tie up with banks for this purpose.

About Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY):-

IMAGE SOURCE: Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana — Vikaspedia

• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) was launched in 2015.
• It is implemented by the Ministry of Finance.
• Objective: to enhance the level of insurance penetration in the country and to provide insurance coverage to common people, especially the poor and the underprivileged sections of society.
• Eligibility: Available to people in the age group 18 to 70 years with a bank account.

• Premium: Rs.12 per annum.
  • With effect from June 1, 2022, the premium is Rs 20 per annum.
• Payment Mode: The premium will be directly auto-debited by the bank from the subscriber account on or before the 1st of June of each annual coverage period under the scheme.
• Risk Coverage:-
  • Death – Rs 2 Lakh
  • Total and irrecoverable loss of both eyes or loss of use of both hands or feet or loss of sight of one eye and loss of use of hand or foot – Rs 2 Lakh
  • Total and irrecoverable loss of sight of one eye or loss of use of one hand or foot – Rs.1 Lakh.
• Eligibility: Any person having a bank account and an Aadhaar number linked to the bank account can give a simple form to the bank every year before the 1st of June to join the scheme.
  •  Name of nominee to be given in the form.
• Terms of Risk Coverage: A person has to opt for the scheme every year.
  • They can also prefer to give a long-term option of continuing in which case his/her account will be auto-debited every year by the bank.
• Implementation: The scheme will be offered by all Public Sector General Insurance Companies and all other insurers who are willing to join the scheme and tie up with banks for this purpose.

MUST READ: Digital Banking Units (DBU)

SOURCE: ECONOMICS TIMES

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) What is the purpose of ‘Vidyanjali Yojana’? (2017)

1. To enable famous foreign educational institutions to open their campuses in India.
2. To increase the quality of education provided in government schools by taking help from the private sector and the community.
3. To encourage voluntary monetary contributions from private individuals and organizations so as to improve the infrastructure facilities for primary and secondary schools.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 2 and 3 only

Q.2) Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)? (2017)

1. Resident Indian citizens only
2. Persons of age from 21 to 55 only
3. All State Government employees joining the services after the state of notification by the respective State Governments
4. All Central Government employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April 2004

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recently, the users of the digital newsletter platform Substack reported they could not like or retweet Twitter posts with Substack links.

About Substack:-

• Substack, is an online publishing platform that lets writers and podcasters publish and share content directly with their targeted audience.
• It was launched in 2017.
• The platform allows content creators to generate income directly from subscribers on their terms.
•  For readers and listeners, the platform provides an easy way to access content and support individual creators based on users’ needs and preferences.
• Susbtack content creators look to social media platforms to create additional engagement with readers and listeners.
•  It also helps them grow their audience base.
• The creators post links on Twitter, Facebook, and other prominent social media for interested users to subscribe to and follow posts regularly.
  • These links are used to redirect users to content published on Substack, driving online traffic toward the original content published on the platform.

MUST READ: Guidelines for Social Media Platform

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Web 3.0, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. Web 3.0 technology enables people to control their own data.
2. In the Web 3.0 world, there can be blockchain-based social networks.
3. Web 3.0 is operated by users collectively rather than by a corporation

Which of the following given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.2) With reference to “Software as a Service (SaaS)”, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. SaaS buyers can customise the user interface and can change data fields.
2. SaaS users can access their data through their mobile devices.
3. Outlook, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail are forms of SaaS.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recently, World Hemophilia Day 2023 was celebrated.

About Hemophilia:-

• World Haemophilia Day is celebrated on the 17th of April every year.
• It aims to increase awareness about haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.
• The day is celebrated in honour of Frank Schnabel.
  • Frank Schnabel: founder of the World Federation of Haemophilia (WHF).

• Haemophilia is a medical condition, mostly inherited.
• In this, the ability of blood to clot is severely reduced, so that even a minor injury can cause severe bleeding.
• It is caused by a mutation or change, in one of the genes, that provides instructions for making the clotting factor proteins needed to form a blood clot.
  • This change or mutation can prevent the clotting protein from working properly or at all.
  • These genes are located on the X chromosome.
• Men are more vulnerable to haemophilia than women.
•  It is quite a rare disease, about 1 in 10,000 people are born with it.

Types:-

• Haemophilia A:-
  • It is The most common type of Haemophilia is called Haemophilia A.
  •  A person does not have enough clotting factor VIII (factor eight).
• Haemophilia B:-
  • A person with Haemophilia B does not have enough factor IX (factor nine).

Symptoms:-

• Big bruises.
• Bleeding into muscles and joints.
• Spontaneous bleeding (sudden bleeding inside the body for no clear reason).
• Prolonged bleeding after getting a cut, removing a tooth, or having surgery.

Treatment:-

• The main treatment for Haemophilia is Replacement Therapy.
• Replacement Therapy:-
  • Concentrates of clotting factor VIII (for Haemophilia A) or clotting factor IX (for Haemophilia B) are slowly dripped or injected into a vein.
  • These infusions help replace the clotting factor that is missing or low.

MUST READ: The Human Genome Project

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondrial replacement therapy either before or after in vitro fertilization of the egg.
2. A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from the mother and not from the father.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.2) With reference to recent developments regarding ‘Recombinant vector Vaccines’, consider the following statements: (2022)

1. Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these vaccines.
2. Bacteria and viruses are used as vectors.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Syllabus

• Prelims – Governance

Context: Recently launched Jivhala scheme offers loans to Yerwada jail inmates in Maharashtra.

About the Jivhala scheme:-

• A loan scheme named Jivhala has been launched by the Maharashtra Department of Prisons.
• It is for the inmates who are serving sentences in various jails across Maharashtra.
• The scheme, was implemented by the Department of Prisons and Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank.
• It has been started in Pune’s Yerawada Central Jail.
• The credit scheme, named Jivhala, means affection in Marathi.
• It is primarily for inmates who are undergoing a prison sentence of more than three years.
• In the initial phase of this scheme, a Rs 50,000 loan will be given.
•  The interest rate that will be applicable is 7%.
• Out of the interest that will be earned by the bank, 1 per cent will be contributed by the bank to the prisoners’ welfare fund.
• For issuing this loan no guarantor or mortgage is required

MUST READ: Police & Prison Reform

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) What is the aim of the programme ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’? (2017)

1. Achieving 100% literacy by promoting collaboration between voluntary organizations and the government’s education system and local communities.
2. Connecting institutions of higher education with local communities to address development challenges through appropriate technologies.
3. Strengthening India’s scientific research institutions in order to make India a scientific and technological power.
4. Developing human capital by allocating special funds for health care and education of rural and urban poor, and organizing skill development programmes and vocational training for them.

Q.2) Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to (2017)

1. Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
2. Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
3. Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.
4. Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Syllabus

• Prelims –Important Institutions

Context: Recently, NHAI told NGT that the alternative designs under evaluation for ECR are widening near Odiyur Lake.

About NHAI:-

• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was set up under NHAI Act, 1988.
• It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• It has been entrusted with the National Highways Development Project, along with other minor projects for development, maintenance and management.
  • National Highways Development Project (NHDP) is a project to upgrade, rehabilitate and widen major highways in India to a higher standard.
  • The project was started in 1998.
• NHAI maintains the National Highways network to global standards and in a cost-effective manner and promotes economic well-being and quality of life of the people.

MUST READ: Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model

SOURCE: THE HINDU

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Which one of the following is the purpose of `UDAY’, a scheme of the Government (2016)

1. Providing technical and financial assistance to start-up entrepreneurs in the field of renewable sources of energy
2. Providing electricity to every household in the country by 2018
3. Replacing the coal-based power plants with natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind and tidal power plants over a period of time
4. Providing for financial turnaround and revival of power distribution companies

Q.2) Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to (2016)

1. rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
2. release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
3. eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
4. release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (Governance) and GS 3 (Economy and Environment)

Context: Recognising that climate change is one of the most critical challenges in the present era, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a framework for banks to accept and promote green deposits.

About Green Deposit:

Image credit: The Hindu

• A green deposit refers to an interest-bearing deposit received by regulated entities (usually banks and non-banking financial institutions) for a fixed period.
  • The proceeds are earmarked for being allocated towards green finance.
• The investment in this fixed tenure deposit will go towards financing eligible businesses and projects that promote the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and sustainable economy.
• The projects must encourage energy efficiency in resource utilization, reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, promote climate resilience and/or adaptation and value, and improve natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

The green deposit framework:

• As per the RBI framework, banks will offer the deposits as cumulative/ non-cumulative deposits.
• On maturity, the green deposits would be renewed or withdrawn at the choice of the depositor.
• The green deposits shall be denominated in rupees only.

Key Features of the Framework:

Applicability:

• The framework is applicable to Scheduled Commercial Banks, including Small Finance Banks, excluding Regional Rural Banks, Local Area Banks and Payments Banks and all deposit-taking Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), including Housing Finance Companies.

Allocation:

• REs will be required to allocate the proceeds raised through green deposits towards a list of green activities and projects that encourage energy efficiency in resource utilization, reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, promote climate resilience and/or adaptation, and improve natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

Exclusion:

• Projects involving new or existing extraction, production and distribution of fossil fuels, including improvements and upgrades, nuclear power, direct waste incineration, alcohol, weapons, tobacco, gaming, or palm oil industries.
• Renewable energy projects generating energy from biomass using feedstock originating from protected areas, landfill projects and hydropower plants larger than 25 MW have been excluded from green financing.

Financing Framework:

• To ensure effective allocation of green deposits, REs must put in place a Board-approved Financing Framework (FF).
  • The green deposits shall be denominated in Indian Rupees only.
• The allocation of funds raised through green deposits by REs during a financial year shall be subject to independent third-party verification/assurance, which shall be done on an annual basis.

Significance:

• The idea is to foster and develop a green finance ecosystem in the country.
• It aims to encourage regulated entities (REs) to offer green deposits to customers, protect the interest of the depositors, aid customers to achieve their sustainability agenda, address greenwashing concerns, and help augment the flow of credit to green activities/projects.
• Climate change has been recognised as one of the most critical challenges and globally, various efforts have been taken to reduce emissions as well as promote sustainability.
• The financial sector can play a pivotal role in mobilising resources and their allocation thereof in green activities/project
  • Green finance is also progressively gaining traction in India,
• The allocation of proceeds raised from green deposits should be based on the official Indian green taxonomy.
• The projects must encourage energy efficiency in resource utilisation and improve natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Banks and NBFCs will have to put in place a comprehensive board-approved policy on green deposits.
• There are no penal provisions for banks that do not utilize green deposits.
  • However, since the utilization of green deposits is transparent, if funds are not adequately deployed, depositors may not be very forthcoming to invest in green deposits of the bank.

Way Forward:

Green deposits are a step towards promoting sustainable financing and addressing environmental concerns. These deposits offer investors an opportunity to invest in eco-friendly projects while earning reasonable returns. By investing in green deposits, investors can make a positive impact on the environment and contribute towards creating a sustainable future.

Thus, with the transparency and regulatory framework in place, green deposits are an attractive option for savers looking to invest in socially responsible investment products.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (Governance)

Context: The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, informed that the Ministry of Labour and Employment is implementing the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, which provides for paid maternity leave to women workers and crèche facility by establishments.

About the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961:

• The Maternity Benefit Act was originally passed to regulate the employment of women in “certain establishments” for the period before and after childbirth and to provide for maternity benefit and certain other benefits.
• Originally it applied to every establishment being a factory, mine or plantation.
• Later in 1973, it was extended to any such establishment belonging to Government and every establishment where persons are employed for the exhibition of equestrian, acrobatic and other performances.
• It repealed the Mines Maternity Benefit Act, 1941 and Maternity Benefit Act, 1929.
• The right to paid maternity leaves was also given under the 1961 Act, although the period of such leave could not exceed twelve weeks.
• Additionally, no woman could be allowed to avail maternity benefits if she had not worked in the establishment for at least one hundred and sixty days in the twelve months immediately preceding the date of her expected delivery.
• These benefits would be allowed without dismissing the female worker from service or reduction of wages.
• Violating provisions of the Act could result in three months’ punishment, with or without a fine.

The 2017 amendment:

• The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 was amended to allow 26 weeks of paid leave after childbirth, although only to biological mothers.
• The amendment also inserted Section 5(4) which said that adoptive or surrogate mothers legally adopting a child below three months will be entitled to a maternity benefit period of 12 weeks from the date the child is handed over to the mother.
• Women in the unorganised sector cannot avail the benefits of the Maternity Benefit(Amendment) Act 2017.

Benefits:

• The enhancement of paid maternity leave for women is a progressive step and would benefit about 1.8 million women in the organised sector.
• It would allow a woman to take care of her infant in the most important, formative months of a child and provide her with much needed work-life balance.
• It will make India at third place, only after Canada and Norway, in the level of maternity benefits such as paid time off work extended to women.
• The amendment is in line with several expert recommendations including that of the World Health Organisation, which recommends exclusive breastfeeding of children for the first 24 weeks.
• It will make for a milestone legislation on the road to reducing gender inequality at work and bringing down maternal and infant mortality in India.

Associated challenges:

Unorganised sector women do not receive benefits:

• Women in the unorganised sector cannot avail the benefits of the Maternity Benefit(Amendment) Act 2017.

According to Section 5(4) of the amended Act

• It says “A woman who legally adopts a child below the age of three months or a commissioning mother shall be entitled to maternity benefit for a period of twelve weeks ….”.
• A woman adopting a child older than three months gets no benefits.
  • This is challenged as being “discriminatory” and “arbitrary” towards adoptive mothers.
• This section also arbitrarily discriminates against orphaned, abandoned, or surrendered children above the age of three months.

Implementation of the Act not equal across sectors:

• A report by Team Lease in 2020 revealed that the Maternity Benefit Act has not delivered a positive impact on job opportunities for women, even three years after its implementation.
• More than five out of 10 sectors reviewed showed a drop in women’s participation since the implementation of the Act.
• 7 out of 10 sectors were expected to show positive momentum in women’s workforce participation in the medium term, while 5 of the 10 sectors showed a drop in the share of women in their workforce.

Challenges faced by women after maternity leave:

• According to the same report, after maternity leave, women face several challenges such as wage cuts (30%), resistance or lack of support from family (25%), and access to childcare (20%).

Way Forward:

The solution for the long list of barriers that women face in accessing employment opportunities, such as the risk of exploitation particularly in the informal sector, the lack of wage parity, concerns regarding safety and security, etc., need to be addressed on priority basis.

India’s problem is not just about ensuring women return to the workforce after childbirth but in bringing women into the workforce in the first place. Resolving this will require more than just maternity leave.

Source:   PIB

Q.1) Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary is located in

1. Jharkhand
2. Chhattisgarh
3. Maharashtra
4. Odisha

Q.2) Consider the following countries:

1. United States
2. Japan
3. India
4. China
5. France

Which of the above are members of G7 group?

1. 1 3 and 4 only
2. 1 4 and 5 only
3. 2 3 and 4 only
4. 1 2 and 5 only

Q.3) Consider the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY):

1. PMJJBY is an insurance scheme by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
2. To apply for benefits under the scheme, the age of the applicant must be between 18 and 50 Years.
3. The scheme is being offered by Life Insurance Corporation only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 3 only
4. 1 and 3 only

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’ 18th April 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – c

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – a