Today's Brief 1-7/0

1. SWAYAM Plus Platform: The SWAYAM Plus Platform is an initiative of the Ministry of Education (formerly MHRD) to offer industry-oriented online courses that can enhance the employability of learners. Launched in February 2021, it builds upon the foundation of the SWAYAM platform by providing courses developed collaboratively with industry leaders like L&T, Microsoft, and CISCO.Here are some of the key features of the SWAYAM Plus Platform:Overall, the SWAYAM Plus Platform is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their skills and knowledge for the workforce. Focus on employability: Courses are designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge that are in demand by employers.

2. Industry collaboration: Courses are developed in collaboration with industry partners, ensuring that they are relevant to the current job market.

3. Multilingual content: Courses are available in multiple Indian languages, making them accessible to a wider range of learners.

4. AI-enabled guidance: The platform uses AI to provide learners with personalized guidance and support.

5. Credit recognition: Some courses offer credit recognition, which can be transferred to a learner's degree program.

6. Pathways to employment: The platform provides learners with resources and support to help them find jobs.

2.What is El Nino: El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterized by the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is part of the larger El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern, which also includes La Niña, the opposite phase characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the same region.

During an El Niño event, warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures disrupt the typical atmospheric circulation patterns, leading to changes in weather and climate around the world. The impacts of El Niño can vary, but they often include:

1. Changes in precipitation patterns: El Niño can influence rainfall and temperature patterns, leading to droughts in some regions and increased rainfall in others. For example, it is associated with drier conditions in parts of Australia, Indonesia, and India, while bringing wetter conditions to parts of South America.

2. Impact on fisheries: Warmer sea surface temperatures can affect marine ecosystems, leading to changes in fish distribution and abundance. This can have significant impacts on fisheries and the livelihoods of communities dependent on them.

3. Disruption of ecosystems: El Niño can cause stress to terrestrial and marine ecosystems, leading to coral bleaching, wildfires, and other environmental changes.

4. Agricultural impacts: Changes in precipitation patterns can affect crop yields, leading to both positive and negative impacts on agriculture depending on the region.

El Niño events typically occur every 2 to 7 years and can last for several months. Monitoring and understanding these events are crucial for predicting and managing their impacts on weather, agriculture, and ecosystems around the globe.

3.White Revolution 2.0: The term "White Revolution 2.0" refers to a proposed plan to build upon the successes of the original White Revolution in India, which significantly increased milk production in the country. Here's a breakdown of both:

Original White Revolution:

• Aim: Achieve self-sufficiency in milk production and empower dairy farmers.

• Key aspects:

• Operation Flood: Established a national milk grid for efficient production and distribution.

• Amul: A large dairy cooperative that played a central role in the revolution.

• Farmer cooperatives: Gave farmers more control over the milk production process and pricing.

White Revolution 2.0:

• Goal: Further increase milk output, improve farmer incomes, and address current challenges.

• Possible areas of focus:

• Improving animal breeding: Utilizing advanced technologies like sex-sorted semen and embryo transfer to produce high-yielding cows.

• Enhancing animal nutrition: Encouraging cultivation of protein-rich fodder and reducing dependence on expensive concentrates.

• Lowering production costs: Implementing strategies to make milk production more affordable for farmers.

• Strengthening cooperatives: Ensuring fair pricing for farmers and efficient milk collection systems.

4.The 12th edition of the International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Center, is a report that assesses the intellectual property frameworks of the top 55 economies around the world.

Here's a quick rundown of some key points:

• Importance of IP: The Index highlights the role of strong IP rights in fostering innovation, creativity, and economic growth.

• Ranking System: It evaluates countries based on 50 criteria across various categories like patent, copyright, trademark, and enforcement mechanisms.

• Top performers: The United States, United Kingdom, and France hold the top three spots.

• India's performance: India maintains its position from the previous year at 42nd with an overall score of 38.64%.

• Global Trends: The report shows positive advancements in 20 economies, including improvements from Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Nigeria. However, some countries still face challenges, with 8 nations experiencing declines in their IP framework.

5.PM-AJAY stands for Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana, which translates to "Prime Minister's Scheme for Upliftment of Scheduled Castes" https://pmajay.dosje.gov.in/. It's a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Government of India in 2021-22.

Objectives of PM-AJAY:

• Reduce poverty among Scheduled Caste (SC) communities by generating employment opportunities through skill development and income-generating schemes.

• Improve socio-economic development indicators in SC-dominated villages by ensuring proper infrastructure and essential services.

Components of PM-AJAY:

1. Adarsh Gram (Model Village): Develops SC-dominated villages into model villages with necessary infrastructure.

2. Grant-in-aid for District/State Level Projects: Provides financial assistance for projects that improve the socio-economic status of SCs, including infrastructure creation, hostel construction, and livelihood initiatives.

3. Construction of Hostels: Supports building hostels in top-ranked educational institutions for SC students.

Overall, PM-AJAY aims to empower SC communities by enhancing their economic opportunities and social well-being.

6.The World Bank's Women, Business and the Law 2024 report, the 10th in the series, focuses on the legal environment impacting women's economic opportunities across 190 economies. This year's edition brings new insights:

• Dual Data Sets: It includes two sets of data:

• Women, Business and the Law 1.0: Updates the existing index with eight indicators affecting women's experiences throughout their careers, covering areas like mobility, workplace rights, pay equity, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, asset ownership, and pensions.

• Women, Business and the Law 2.0: Introduces a new framework to assess the gap between legal rights on paper (de jure) and their implementation in practice (de facto). It examines legal frameworks, support structures, and expert opinions on the status of women's rights.

• Global Gender Gap: A key finding is the vast global gender gap in legal rights. Women worldwide still have significantly fewer legal rights compared to men.

• Implementation Gap: The report highlights a surprising implementation gap across all measured economies. Even when laws exist to promote gender equality, their practical application often falls short.

• Pathways to Progress: The report emphasizes the need for governments, the private sector, and civil society to work together to bridge these legal and implementation gaps. This can be achieved through legal reforms, policy changes, and strengthening institutions to ensure women have equal opportunities to thrive economical
  

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