Women’s day 2022

(GS-I: Issues related to women)

In News:

Women’s Day is celebrated every year around the world on March 8.

Theme:

Theme for International Women’s Day, 2022 (IWD 2022) is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’.

Details:

It attempts to recognise the “contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all”.

IWD 2022 campaign theme is ‘#BreakTheBias’.

It intends to promote a “gender equal world”, which is “free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination”. “A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive”, and where “difference is valued and celebrated”.

History and significance:

IWD has been celebrated for over a century now, but many people think of it purely as a feminist cause. Its roots, however, are found in the labour movement, wherein it was first organised in 1911 by the early 20th century Marxist from Germany Clara Zetkin.

What colors symbolize International Women’s Day?

Purple, green and white are the colors of International Women’s Day.

Purple signifies justice and dignity.

Green symbolizes hope.

White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept.

The colors originated from the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in the UK in 1908.

Need for an International Women’s Day:

According to the World Economic Forum, sadly none of us will see gender parity in our lifetimes, and nor likely will many of our children. Gender parity will not be attained for almost a century.

Women, especially young women, are at the forefront of diverse and inclusive movements online and on the streets for social justice, climate change and equality in all parts of the world.

Yet, women under 30 are less than 1 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide.

This is why, this year’s International Women’s Day is a rallying cry for Generation Equality, to act for an equal future for all.

Governor’s address

(GS-II: Important Constitutional posts)

In News:

The customary governor’s address on the opening day of the budget session of a state assembly was mired in controversy recently in West Bengal and Telangana.

What happened in West Bengal?

The governor of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was unable to deliver his address at the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the budget session, amid sloganeering, chaos and protests.

What happened in Telangana?

In Telangana, the budget session of the state assembly commenced without the customary governor’s address, and the incumbent, Tamilisai Soundararajan, expressed discontent over the state government’s decision to not have the governor’s address at the beginning of the session.

Governor’s Address:

Article 176(1) of the Constitution of India enjoins that the Governor shall Address both the Houses assembled together at the commencement of the first Session after each general election to the Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year and inform the Legislature of the causes of its Summons.

What it contains?

The Address of the Governor contains a review of the activities and Achievements of the Government during the previous year and their policy with regard to important internal problems as well as a brief account of the programme of Government Business for the session.

Discussions on Governor’s address:

On the first day on which the discussion on the Address of the Governor begins, a copy of the Address of the Governor is laid on the table of the House.

The Speaker, in consultation with the Business Advisory Committee, allots time for discussion of the matters referred to in the Governor’s Address.

A motion is moved by a member and seconded by another member thanking the Governor for the Address.

The occasion provided for General Discussion in respect of any aspect of administration and also the matters referred to in the address.

Members may move Amendments to the Motion of Thanks in such form as may be considered appropriate by the Speaker.

Promoting Inland Waterways in the Country

(GS-III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc)

In News:

Pandu in Guwahati recently received the maiden voyage of food-grains from Patna to via Bangladesh, ushering new age for inland waterways in Assam as Brahmaputra (NW2) gets connected with Ganga (National Waterway-1) via Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route.

Details:

MV Lal Bahadur Shastri carrying 200 MT of foodgrains for Food Corporation of India (FCI) completed the maiden pilot run from Patna.

The vessel sailed of 2,350 km from Patna on NW-1, passed through Bhagalpur, Manihari, Sahibganj, Farakka, Tribeni, Kolkata, Haldia, Hemnagar; Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route through Khulna, Narayanganj, Sirajganj, Chilmari and NW-2 through Dhubri, and Jogighopa.

Inland waterways in India:

To promote inland water transport in the country, 111 ‘inland Waterways’ has been declared as ‘National Waterways’ under the National Waterways Act, 2016.

Inland water transport in the country is being promoted as an economical, environment friendly supplementary mode of transport to rail and road.

Did you know?

Under Entry 24 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the central government can make laws on shipping and navigation on inland waterways which are classified as national waterways by Parliament by law.

Important National Waterways of India:

National Waterway 1:

From Allahabad to Haldia with a distance of 1620 km.

The NW1 run through the Ganges, Bhagirathi and Hooghly river system with having fixed terminals at Haldia, Farrakka and Patna.

Floating terminals at the riverside cities like Kolkata, Bhagalpur, Varanasi and Allahabad.

It is the longest National Waterway in India.

National Waterway 2:

Brahmaputra River from Sadiya to Dhubri in Assam state.

The NW2 is the third longest Waterway with a total length of 891 km.

National Waterway 3:

The West Coast Canal or NW3 is in Kerala state and run from Kollam to Kottapuram.

The 205 km long West Coast Canal is India’s first waterway with all-time navigation facility.

The NW3 is consisting of West Coast Canal, Champakara Canal and Udyogmandal Canal.

It runs through Kottappuram, Cherthala, Thrikkunnapuzha, Kollam and Alappuzha.

National Waterway 4:

NW4 connects Kakinada to Pondicherry.

The NW4 is the second longest waterway of India.

Total length of 1095 km in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

National Waterway 5:

NW5 connects Odisha to West Bengal.

It runs through the stretch on Brahmani River, East Coast Canal, Matai River and Mahanadi River.

The 623 km long canal system handle the traffic of cargo such as coal, fertilizer, cement and iron.

National Waterway 6:

NW6 is the proposed waterway in Assam.

It will connect Lakhipur to Bhanga at River Barak.

The 121 km long waterway will boost trade between Silchar (Assam) to Mizoram.

Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule

(GS-I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues)

In News:

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has recently received flak for his remarks on the social reformist couple Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.

He said in a video, “Savitribai was married off at the age of 10 and her husband was 13 years old at that time. Now think about it, what must girls and boys be thinking after getting married”.

About Savitribhai Phule:

Born in Naigaon in Maharashtra on January 3, 1831, Phule is widely regarded as one of India’s first generation modern feminists for her significant contributions in ensuring equal education opportunities under the British raj.

She became the first female teacher in India in 1848 and opened a school for girls along with her husband, social reformer Jyotirao Phule.

The two also worked against discrimination based on caste-based identity, something vehemently opposed by the orthodox sections of society in Pune.

The couple set up ‘Balyata Pratibandak Gruha’, a childcare centre for the protection of pregnant widows and rape victims.

Phule also played a pivotal role in directing the work of the Satyashodhak Samaj, formed by her husband with the objective to achieve equal rights for the marginalised lower castes.

As an extension, they started, ‘Satya Shodhaka Marriage’ where the marrying couple has to take a pledge to promote education and equality.

Savitribai opened a clinic in 1897 for victims of the bubonic plague that spread across Maharashtra just before the turn of the century.

She also set up “Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha”.

She organised a boycott by barbers against the tradition of head tonsuring of widows.

In her honour, University of Pune was renamed Savitribai Phule University in 2015.

About Jyotirao Phule:

Born in 1827 in Satara district of Maharashtra.

Phule was given the title of Mahatma on May 11, 1888, by Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar, a Maharashtrian social activist.

His famous works:

Tritiya Ratna (1855), Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkarayacha Aasud, or Cultivator’s Whipcord (1881), Satyashodhak Samajokt Mangalashtakasah Sarva Puja-vidhi (1887).

Need of the hour:

Complete women’s empowerment is still a distant dream in India. While celebrating her legacy, we must also remember the contributions of her husband Jyotiba, who dreamt of equity for women and people of lower castes.