Why in news?

• Recently, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Electronics & IT, launched two projects—
• Revival of Namda craft of Kashmir as a special pilot project under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0 and
• Upskilling of artisans and weavers of Kashmir under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), component of PMKVY.

About the projects

• The objective of these projects is to boost and preserve the traditional Namda craft of Kashmir and upskill the local weavers and artisans to enhance their productivity through RPL assessment and certification.
• The Namda project will benefit 2,250 people of 30 Namda Clusters from 6 districts of Kashmir (Srinagar, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Budgam and Anantnag) and RPL initiative targets to upskill 10,900 artisans and weavers of Jammu and Kashmir.

What is Namda craft?

• Namda craft is a rug made of sheep wool through felting technique instead of normal weaving process.

Significance of the initiative

• Due to low availability of raw material, lack of skilled manpower and marketing techniques, the export of this craft has declined almost 100 percent between 1998 and 2008.
• Therefore, through this special project under PMKVY, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has designed short-term training curriculum to preserve this endangered craft.

More on the project

• The project will be implemented in 25 batches in 3 cycles of training.
• Each training program will be of approximately three and half months, which results in the cycles being completed in approximately 14 – 16 months.
• The Namda project will be an industry-based training program with beneficiaries involved in Namda Crafts Production who will contribute towards preserving and reviving the rich heritage associated with Namda craft in Kashmir. This will also improve the access of existing artisans of Namda crafts cluster in Kashmir and will improve their prospects of employability.

Why in news?

• National Pollution Day is being observed on 2^nd December, 2021

About National Pollution Control Day

• The day is observed in the memory of people who lost their lives in the Bhopal gas disaster.
• The industrial accident occurred in 1984 when the gas Methyl Isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2–3 and killed thousands.

Objectives of the day

• Spread awareness of managing and controlling industrial disasters
• Prevent the pollution produced by industrial processes or human negligence
• Make people and industries aware of the importance of pollution control acts

Why in news?

.World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS. The day has become one of the most widely recognized international health days.
About World AIDS Day
Aim
• World AIDS Day aims to raise awareness about the disease and commemorate those who have passed away due to it and celebrate victories in the field such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.
• The day aims to spread correct information such as the fact that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a contagious virus that leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Many people confuse the terms and consider both as synonymous but they are not. AIDS is the last stage of the HIV virus. HIV patients can prevent AIDS by taking HIV medication regularly.
• The day also throws emphasis on the fact that HIV cannot be spread by touch, cough or handshake or sharing food with the HIV-infected person. It can only spread through unprotected sexual contact with a person or infected needles and infected blood.

Why in news?

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Mumbai defeated Tamil Nadu Police with 5-3 goals in the 49th Hot Weather
Football Championship here today.
• As many as eight teams took part in this tournament, in which RBI Mumbai and Tamil Nadu Police reached in the
final match.
• Deputy Inspector General of Police, central zone, Mandi, Madhusudan was the Chief guest of this event, who
awarded the winter team.
• Addressing the gathering, the DIG said the sport was essential for the youth to ensure mental health.
• He encouraged the youths to take active participation in different games besides focusing on their study.
• Rajender Gupta, general secretary of the tournament organising committee, said, “Our main aim to organise this
event is to encourage the youths of the district to play football.
• We also urge the state government to make efforts to promote sports across the state by providing adequate
infrastructure for it.

Why in news?
• Digital payments major, Paytm, has launched a ‘transit card’ through its payments bank subsidiary for metro, bus, rail, and parking payments.
About the transit card for metro, bus, rail payments
Launch of the card
• The first phase of rollout is being launched in collaboration with Hyderabad Metro Rail, Ahmedabad Metro and the Delhi Airport Express Line, where users can leverage the power of seamless transactions.
• Paytm Payments Bank Limited has announced the launch of Paytm Transit Card, keeping in mind the vision of one nation, one card.
Key features
• The card will take care of users’ everyday needs — from travel in metro, railways, state-owned bus services, toll & parking charges, to payments at offline merchant stores, online shopping and more.
• The card also enables withdrawal of money from ATMs.
• The launch of the transit card is aligned with the bank’s initiatives to bring out products that make banking and transactions seamlessly operable for all Indians.
• It has also created a digital process to apply, recharge, and track transactions of the cards on the Paytm App. The card will be delivered at the doorstep of the user or can be purchased at designated sales points. The prepaid card is directly linked to Paytm wallet.

Why in news?
• The Indian Railways is constructing the world’s tallest bridge pier in Manipur which is a part of 111 km
long Jiribam-Imphal railway project.
About world’s tallest railway bridge pier project in Manipur
• The ambitious project in Manipur is part of the 111 km long Jiribam-Imphal railway line to connect the
capital of Manipur with the broad-gauge network of the country.
Height
• The bridge, which is being built at a pier height of 141 metres, will surpass the existing record of 139
meter of Mala – Rijeka viaduct, Montenegro in Europe.
Significance
• With the completion of the project, the 111 km of distance will be covered in 2-2.5 hours. Presently,
the distance between Jiribam-Imphal (NH-37) is 220 km, which took about 10-12 hours of travelling.
The work on the bridge will be completed by December 2023.
Cost
• The 111 km project consists of 61 per cent of tunnels. According to the Chief Engineer, the total
anticipated cost of the bridge is Rs 374 crore.

Why in news?
• Bilaspur has become the first district in Himachal Pradesh to complete Covid vaccination.
About Vaccination in Bilaspur
• Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Rai stated that 3,16,475 persons were vaccinated with the first dose
while the second dose was administered to 3,16,755 persons.
• He said 280 more persons were given the second dose, as compared to the first dosage.
• Notably, in total, 6,33,230 doses of the Covid vaccine were administered in the district.

Why in news?

• Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh launched a “unique” face recognition technology that would act as a proof of ‘life certificate’ for pensioners and ensure ease of living for the retired and elderly citizens.

About the unique face recognition tech for pensioners

• The face recognition technology would act as a proof of life certificate’ for pensioners.
• It will ensure ease of living for retired & elderly citizens.
• All pensioners are required to submit their life certificate annually in order to receive pension.
• Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions has also implemented a facility to give certificate digitally.

Who has developed this technology?

• This face recognition technology has been devised by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in collaboration with the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). The initiative to provide digital life certificates was launched by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW).

Significance of Unique face recognition technology

• The Unique face recognition technique, launched recently to provide ‘life certificate’ is a historic and far-reaching reform because it will touch the lives of 68 lakh central government pensioners as well as those covered under the EPFO and state governments.

Why in news?

• Nearly 400 years after the country became a British colony, Barbados has become the world’s newet republic. The Caribbean Island nation removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state in a ceremony attended by Prince Charles.

About the formation of newest republic

History of Barbados as a British colony and after

• Barbados, which is said to have been made a ‘slave society’ by the British, first became an English colony when a ship arrived at the Caribbean in 1625.
• On November 30, 1966, Barbados gained its independence.

Who took over as the new head of Barbados?

• Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, who was selected to become the first president of Barbados last month, took over as the President of the country.

Why in news?

• Recently, Nagaland Police launched a mobile application for facilitating the users to get in touch with the law enforcers anywhere in the state.

About the app

• This app is a beginning towards interactive communication between the law enforcers and people.

Developed by

• The app was developed by the Police Headquarters CID branch in collaboration with Excel logics Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd, Nagaland.

Features of the app

• The App has contact numbers of Nagaland Police officers, along with other features like alerts, emergency numbers, and police station details.

Significance

• The stress of the app is on stopping violence against women and making mothers and sisters realise that they can get in touch with the police easily.