• Australia Dominates U19 World Cup 2024 Final, Secures 4th Title with a 79-Run Victory Over India.

2024 ICC UNDER-19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP:

• The 2024 ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup was an international limited-overs cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), that was held in South Africa from 19 January to 11 February 2024.
• It was the fifteenth edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup. India were the defending champions.

U19 WORLD CUP:

• The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is an international cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) contested by national under-19 teams.
• First contested in 1988, as the Youth Cricket World Cup, it was not staged again until 1998. Since then, the World Cup has been held as a biennial event, organised by the ICC.
• Among the full members, India have won the World Cup on a record five occasions,while Australia have won four times.

• The 17th Lok Sabha, which concluded in February 2024, witnessed a notable decline in its average annual sitting days to 55 according to a statistical study by the non-profit PRS Legislative Research.

AVERAGE ANNUAL SITTING DAYS:

• First Lok Sabha (With Jawaharlal Nehru as Leader):
  • Average: 135 days per year.
• 17th Lok Sabha (Concluded in February 2024):
  • Average: 55 days per year.
  • Total sittings: 274.
• Factors Influencing Decrease:
  • Pandemic Impact: Pandemic mentioned as one explanation for the decrease in sitting days.
• Session Adjournments:
  • 11 out of 15 sessions during the 17th Lok Sabha were adjourned early.
  • Resulted in the cancellation of 40 scheduled sittings.
• Year-wise Sitting Days:
  • Lowest Sitting Days: Parliament sat for the lowest number of days in 2020 – a total of 33 days.
• Constitutional Position:
  • Deputy Speaker Absence:
• 17th Lok Sabha operated without a Deputy Speaker.
• Constitutionally mandated position as per Article 93.

• Brumation is a period of dormancy or slowed activity in reptiles, similar to hibernation in mammals, occurring during colder months when temperatures drop and food becomes scarce.
• Reptiles enter brumation to conserve energy and survive adverse environmental conditions.
• During brumation, reptiles may retreat to underground burrows, rock crevices, or other sheltered areas with stable temperatures.
• Metabolism slows significantly during brumation, allowing reptiles to go weeks or months without eating.
• Various reptilian species, including turtles, snakes, and lizards, exhibit brumation behavior by burrowing, seeking refuge in underground dens or caves, or hiding under rocks or vegetation.
• Brumation is crucial for reptiles to survive cold climates until they can reemerge to feed and reproduce in more favorable conditions.

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi along with the President of Sri Lanka, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Mr Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, and also RuPay card services in Mauritius via video conferencing.

BENEFITS:

• Digital transformation will get a boost, local economies will witness positive change and tourism will be promoted.
• Its launch symbolizes the success of Global South cooperation.
• The launch will enable the availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India.
• The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate usage of RuPay Card for settlements in India and Mauritius.
• It aligns with India’s policy of ‘Neighborhood First’ and our maritime vision -SAGARe. Security and growth for all in the region. India does not see its development separately from its neighbors.

ABOUT UNIFIED PAYMENTS INTERFACE (UPI):

• It is an advanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)- round–the-clock funds transfer service to make cashless payments faster, easier and smoother.
• UPI is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood.
• UPI is currently the biggest among the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operated systems including National Automated Clearing House (NACH), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS), Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), RuPay etc.
• The top UPI apps today include PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, Amazon Pay and BHIM, the latter being the Government offering.

ABOUT RUPAY:

• RuPay (portmanteau of Rupee and Payment) is an Indian multinational financial services and Payment Service System, conceived and launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2014.
• NPCI conceived RuPay as an alternative to Mastercard and Visa, while consolidating and integrating various payment systems in India. RuPay was launched with an objective of a less cash economy.
• It was created to fulfil the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) vision of establishing a domestic, open and multilateral system of payments. RuPay facilitates electronic payment at all Indian banks and financial institutions.

• PM distributed more than 1 lakh appointment letters to newly inducted recruits in Government departments and organisations under Rozgar Mela.

ROZGAR MELA:

• To give impetus to the employment initiatives in the country, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Govt. of India has been organizing Rozgar Melas across the nation for providing suitable job opportunities in private sector to the unemployed youth.
• A NSDC Rozgar Mela is a 1/2-day event where several employers and job seekers come together for the purpose of applying and interviewing for jobs.
• These Rozgar Melas generally cater to the youth in the age group of 18-35 Years with an academic qualification covering 8th/10th/12th Pass, ITI, Diploma, Graduates including the trained and certified candidates conforming to National Skills Qualifications Framework.
• With initiatives like Rozgar Melas, the Government is ensuring a parallel growth in the private/ industrial sector. There is no end to the potential for industry to flourish across the States with big corporates partnering the government and pledging to invest.
• Rozgar Mela is expected to leverage further employment generation and provide gainful opportunities to the Youth for their empowerment and direct participation in National Development.

ROZGAR MELA: WHY NOT A SOLUTION TO THE UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS ?

• No Adequate Jobs: India needs to create anywhere between 20 million to 200 million new jobs but in comparison these Melas are providing negligible jobs.
• No Job Creation: These are only pre-existing vacancies, not new job creation.

• MoS released a commemorative coin of Rs 200/- and a currency coin of Rs 10/- on the occasion of bicentennial birth anniversary of Sri Satguru Ram Singh Ji.

SATGURU RAM SINGH JI :

• Namdhari Guru Ram Singh (3 February 1816 – 1885) was the second guru (religious leader) of the Namdhari sect of Sikhism.
• He was a great philanthropist, a thinker, seer and a great social reformer.
• Satguru was the first to use Non- cooperation and swadeshi as a tool to liberate the country from the yokes of British rulers. He preached and practiced among the people to be Indian, remain Indian and buy Indian.
• He asked the people not to kill the girl child in infancy and raised a movement against Sati Pratha, to provide equal rights of education to the girl child. He fixed the age of marriage at 18 and 20 for girls and boys respectively in 1857.
• He was exiled to Myanmar in 1872.

• The Central government has decided to include Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the Ayushman Bharat free public health cover scheme.

RESPONSE:

• The Health Ministry has received Aadhaar details of:
  • 23 lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers.
  • Over three lakh ASHA workers from various States.

SIGNIFICANCE:

• This initiative aims to extend health cover benefits to ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, and helpers under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Key Component: Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)

Coverage:

• Provides health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per year for poor and vulnerable families.

ASHA PROGRAM SIGNIFICANCE:

• ASHA program noted as a key component of community processes.
• Recognized for continuous evolution over the last decade and a half.
• Functions as a facilitator, mobilizer, and provider of community-level care.
• Acknowledged as the cornerstone of the National Health Mission.

ASHA AND COMMUNITY FIGURES:

• Over 13 lakh Anganwadi workers and over 10 lakh Anganwadi helpers in the country as of December 31, 2023.
• India has 9.83 lakh ASHAs in position against the target of 10.35 lakh across 35 States and UTs.

AYUSHMAN BHARAT SCHEME FIGURES:

• Currently, 55 crore individuals, corresponding to 12 crore families, are covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
• Many States/UTs implementing AB-PMJAY have further expanded the beneficiary base at their own cost.

• The National Productivity Day 2024 is observed every year in India on February 12, 2024. The formation of National Productivity Council is being celebrated every year all over the country by commemorating 12th February as Productivity Day.
• The theme of 2024 is Artificial Intelligence (AI)- Productivity Engine for Economic Growth.
• This theme highlights the significant role that artificial intelligence (AI) plays in enhancing productivity across various sectors of the economy.

NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL (NPC)

• The National Productivity Council was established in the year
• NPC is national level organization to promote productivity culture in India.
• National Productivity Council is an autonomous registered society under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The headquarter of National Productivity Council is New Delhi.
• The current director general of NPC is Arun Kumar Jha, IES.

• The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated on 11th February every year to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls.
• This day serves as a crucial reminder of the immense contributions women and girls have made, and continue to make, in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
• The UN General Assembly designated the Day in
• It is implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN-Women, in collaboration with institutions and civil society partners.
• Theme – “Closing the Gender Gap in Science: Accelerating Action”

• External Affairs Minister will address the inaugural session of the 7th Indian Ocean Conference in Perth, Australia
• The Conference is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the Indian Ocean Region, organized annually by the Ministry of External Affairs since 2016, in association with India Foundation.
• The Indian Ocean Conference commences theme for 2024 – “Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean”.