Women break new ground in MGNREGS
- Women’s participation in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has increased to a 10 year high in the financial year 2022-23.
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- According to the latest statistics available with the Union Rural Development Ministry 57.8% of the workers who used the scheme in 2022 were women which is their highest level of participation since 2012-13.
- For the past five years, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, women’s share in the MGNREGS workforce has been hovering between 85% and 90%.
- Women’s participation increased due to two factors – market forces and welfare incentives for women MGNREGS workers.
- The growth spike was higher in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
- The proportion of women workers in Bihar grew 3.7 percentage points this year, while U.P. saw a 3.3 percentage point hike.
About MGNREGA
- Launched on August 25, 2005.
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- The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment to adult members of any rural household willing to do unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
- Implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD).
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- Aims to improve the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or unskilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India.
- The employment will be provided within a radius of 5 km: if it is above 5 km extra wage will be paid.
Defence, National Security and Terrorism
K9-Vajra
- The Defence Ministry has started the process for the procurement of 100 more K9-Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzers.
- They are manufactured in India by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) using technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense.
- The induction of Dhanush, K-9 Vajra and M777 Ultra Light Howitzers has enhanced the reach of artillery firepower on the northern borders.
About K9-Vajra:
- It is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer.
- It can be mainly used in deserts, but can be deployed in the mountains as well.
- To ensure that these systems performed optimally,
- The Army also procured winterisation kits for the regiment deployed to enable K9 – Vajra to be used in the extreme cold weather conditions of the mountains.
About M777 Ultra Light Howitzers:
- It is a 155 mm, 39-calibre towed artillery gun and weighs 4 tonnes.
- It is made of titanium and aluminium alloys.
- It has a range of 2.4 to 30 km.
