Daily Current Capsules

17 May 2023

Social Issues/GSII

Khasi People

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about Khasi tribe) + Mains ( GS II Social Justice)

What’s the NEWS

• A tribal council’s order not to issue a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate to any Khasi person who adopts the surname of her or his father has triggered a war of words in matrilineal Meghalaya.
• The Khasis, numbering about 1.39 lakh, is one of the three indigenous matrilineal communities in the northeastern State. The other two are Garos and Jaintias.

Know! about the issue

• Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) directed the headmen of all villages and urban localities across the Khasi domain not to issue ST certificates to those who adopt their father’s surname instead of sticking to tradition by taking their mother’s clan name.
• According to KHADC’s chief executive member, khashi tribe cannot use the surname of the father as we are a matrilineal society. This is applicable to Basaiawmoit and every other Khasi,
• He alluded to sections 3 and 12 of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act, 1997, which says only those following the custom of using their mother’s surname will be identified as a Khasi.
• Also, it is mandatory for any Khasi woman who marries a non-Khasi needs to obtain the Khasi tribe certificate for applying for the ST certificate for her children.

Know! about Khasi Tribe

• The Khasi people are an ethnic group of Meghalaya in north-eastern India with a significant population in the bordering state of Assam and in certain parts of Bangladesh.
• Khasi people form the majority of the population of the eastern part of Meghalaya, that is Khasi Hills, constituting 78.3% of the region’s population, and is the state’s largest community, with around 48% of the population of Meghalaya.
• They are among the few Austroasiatic-speaking peoples in South Asia.
• The Khasi tribe holds the distinction of being one of the few remaining matriarchal tribes in the world.
• Under the Constitution of India, the Khasis have been granted the status of a Scheduled Tribe.

Economy

Gig Workers

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about Gig Economy + Code on Social Security, 2020 ) + Mains ( GS II Social Justice + GS III Economic development)

What’s the NEWS

• The Chief Minister of Rajasthan announced earlier this year that the State would set up India’s first welfare fund called the Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers Social Security and Welfare Fund.
• This is the first real instance of a regulatory move to unburden gig and platform workers’ vulnerabilities since the Code on Social Security was passed in 2020.
• The code came amid the COVID-19 pandemic when platform workers became the backbone of metropolitan logistics, acting to serve customers, and working with and for State governments in their food relief schemes.

Know! about the welfare fund

• Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers Welfare Board can be used to serve the needs of a technology-mediated workforce.
• The board, a tripartite institution with representatives from bureaucracy, employers or clients, and workers’ unions or associations, exists as a workaround to what is otherwise embedded in formal employment.
• An employment contract and contributory worker benefits bring together workers, states, and employers in conversation with each other.
• This relationship is meant to ensure quick communication in moments of failure where workers or employers do not get their due and enable better communication between the parties

Related Terms

Gig workers

• Gig Workers are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers, and temporary workers.
• Gig workers enter into formal agreements with on-demand companies to provide services to the company’s clients.

Gig Economy

• A gig economy is a labor market that relies heavily on temporary and part-time positions filled by independent contractors and freelancers rather than full-time permanent employees.
• Gig workers gain flexibility and independence but little or no job security.
• Many employers save money by avoiding paying benefits such as health coverage and paid vacation time.
• Others pay for some benefits to gig workers but outsource the benefits programs and other management tasks to external agencies.
• The gig economy is based on flexible, temporary, or freelance jobs, often involving connecting with clients or customers through an online platform.
• The gig economy can benefit workers, businesses, and consumers by making work more adaptable to the needs of the moment and the demand for flexible lifestyles.
• At the same time, the gig economy can have downsides due to the erosion of traditional economic relationships between workers, businesses, and

Code on Social Security, 2020

• Social security means the measures of protection afforded to employees, inclusive of unorganized workers, gig workers, and platform workers to ensure access to health care and to provide income security
• The Code on Social Security,2020 subsumes nine central labor legislations.ie., The Employees’ Compensation Act, 1923, The Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, The Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959, The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, The Cine Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981, The Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996 and the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act 2008.
• The objective of the Code on Social Security, 2020 is to amend and consolidate the existing labor laws relating to social security with the wider goal of extending social security benefits to all employees and workers irrespective of belonging to the organized or unorganized sector.
• The Code on Social Security, 2020 brings, within itself the self-employed workers, home workers, wage workers, migrant workers, workers in the unorganized sector, gig workers, and platform workers for the purpose of social security schemes, including life insurance and disability insurance, health and maternity benefits, provident fund.

Prelims Factoids

U.S. State Department 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about USCIRF)

What’s the NEWS

• The External Affairs Ministry has said that reports like US State Department 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom continue to be based on misinformation and flawed understanding.

Report Highlights

• The U.S. report on religious freedom had itemized a number of cases of alleged violence against Christians, Muslims, and Dalits in India, and criticized Indian anti-conversion laws.

US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

• USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission, dedicated to defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.
• It is an advisory body to the US Congress.
• It is Headquartered in Washington DC
• USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report provides recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad.
• Established by the US government in 1998
• Recommendations of USCIRF are non-binding on the state department.
• Traditionally, India does not recognize the view of USCIRF.

Prelims Factoids

International Museum Expo 2023

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about International Museum Expo 2023 + about ICOM + Chennapatnam art style.

What’s the NEWS

• Prime Minister will inaugurate the International Museum Expo 2023 on 18th May at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Know! about International Museum Expo

• The International Museum Expo is being organised as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, to celebrate the 47th International Museum Day (IMD).
• The IMD theme for this year is ‘Museums, Sustainability, and Well Being’.
• Organized by – Ministry of Culture
• Objective – It has been designed to initiate a holistic conversation on Museums to enable them to evolve as cultural centers that play a pivotal role in India’s cultural diplomacy, in a year where India holds the G-20 Presidency, while also keeping the International Council on Museums (ICOM) theme ‘Museums, Sustainability, and Well Being’ at its core.
• The Mascot of the International Museum Expo is a contemporized version of the Dancing Girl made of wood in the Chennapatnam art style.

International Council of Museums (ICOM)

• It is a non-governmental organization dedicated to museums, maintaining formal relations with UNESCO, and having a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
• Founded in 1946, ICOM also partners with entities such as the World Intellectual Property Organization, Interpol, and the World Customs Organization in order to carry out its international public service missions

Chennapatnam art style.

• Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys and dolls that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the Ramanagara district of Karnataka state, India.
• This traditional craft is protected as a geographical indication (GI) under the World Trade Organization, administered by the Government of Karnataka.

Prelims Factoids

National Logistics Management Seminar, LOGISEM – 23

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about LOGISEM-23)

What’s the NEWS

• National Logistics Management Seminar, LOGISEM – 23, on the theme ‘Leverage Emerging Global Supply Chain to Enhance Logistics Capabilities While Absorbing Disruptions’, was held on 16 May 2023 at Air Force Auditorium, New Delhi.

Seminar Highlights

• The discussions ranged from future prospects of the domestic aviation industry, modern trends in supply chain management & warehousing, and public procurement initiatives through GeM.
• The Seminar provided an ideal platform for the exchange of ideas between civil and military logisticians and is expected to assist IAF to tailor its supply-chain needs based on modern technologies and global trends.

Prelims Factoids

Sagar Parikrama

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about Sagar Parikrama)

What’s the NEWS

• The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying has announced the commencement of Phase-V of the Sagar Parikrama initiative.

Sagar Parikrama – Phase V Highlights

• Starting from Raigad, Maharashtra on 17th May 2023 and ending in Canacona, Goa on 19th May 2023, the journey aims to address the challenges faced by fishers and stakeholders while uplifting their economic prospects through various fisheries schemes and programs, such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) & Kisan Credit Cards (KCC).
• Having successfully completed four phases, covering 19 locations in Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, this unprecedented initiative continues to garner support from all stakeholders.
• The Phase-V journey will encompass six locations across the states of Maharashtra and Goa: Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg Districts in Maharashtra, and Vasco, Mormugao, and Canacona in Goa.
• During the journey, fishermen, coastal fishers, fish farmers, and young fishery entrepreneurs will receive certificates and sanctions related to the PMMSY, KCC, and State Schemes.
• Sagar Parikrama Phase-V sets the stage for an inclusive, prosperous future for fisherfolk and the fisheries sector in India.
• Sagar Parikrama symbolizes solidarity with fisherfolk, fish farmers, and concerned stakeholders

Associated Scheme

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

• Launched by – Department of Fisheries; Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying
• PMMSY shall bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India at a total investment of ₹ 20,050 crore for holistic development of the fisheries sector including the welfare of fishers.
• PMMSY is implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of five years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
• In the Union Budget 2023-24, a new sub-scheme under the PMMSY has been announced with an investment of Rs.6,000 crore to enable activities of fish vendors, fishermen, and micro and small enterprises for improving value chain efficiencies and expanding the market.

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TEAM CL/GKP