Current Affair 1:

GLOBAL MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX 2022

 

The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a key international resource that measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries.

First launched in 2010 by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at the University of Oxford and the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme, the global MPI advances Sustainable Development Goal 1, holding the world accountable to its resolution to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.

MPI values are the product of the incidence of poverty (proportion of people who live in multidimensional poverty) and the intensity of poverty (average deprivation score among multidimensionally poor people). The MPI is therefore sensitive to changes in both components. The MPI ranges from 0 to 1, and higher values imply higher poverty.

All indicators are equally weighted within each dimension, so the health and education indicators are weighted 1/6 each, and the standard of living indicators are weighted 1/18 each. The global MPI identifies people as multidimensionally poor if their deprivation score is 1/3 or higher.

Among poor people, deprivations in cooking fuel and housing are the most common, followed by nutrition and sanitation.

See India’s score:

Current Affair 2:

One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA)

 

News:

   

Today, a new One Health Joint Plan of Action was launched by the Quadripartite – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE).

This first joint plan on One Health aims to create a framework to integrate systems and capacity so that we can collectively better prevent, predict, detect, and respond to health threats. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to improve the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment, while contributing to sustainable development.

The five-year plan (2022-2026) focuses on supporting and expanding capacities in six areas: One Health capacities for health systems, emerging and re-emerging zoonotic epidemics, endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases, food safety risks, antimicrobial resistance and the environment.

Current Affair 3:

UN E-Government Survey 2022 (E-Government Development Index (EGDI )

 

The 2022 United Nations E-Government Survey was prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (UN DESA).

The Survey measures e-government effectiveness in the delivery of public services.

The first United Nations E-Government Survey was published in 2001. The 2022 Survey is the eleventh edition of a biennial publication dedicated to tracking the global development of e-government in all United Nations Member States.

The Survey tracks progress of e-government development via the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The EGDI, which assesses e-government development at the national level, is a composite index based on the weighted average of three normalized indices.

1. One-third is derived from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index (TII) based on data provided by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU),
2. one-third from the Human Capital Index (HCI) based on data mainly provided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and
3. one-third from the Online Service Index (OSI) based on data collected from an independent online assessment, conducted by UNDESA, which assesses the national online presence of all 193 United Nations Member States, complemented by a Member State Questionnaire (MSQ).

Europe remains the leader in the index, followed by Asia, the Americas, Oceania and Africa.

 

Questions won’t come beyond this. So, I am not covering more details.

Current Affair 4:

Digital Banking Units (DBUs)

 

Yesterday, 24 Banks launched 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) in 75 districts. DBUs would promote financial inclusion and digital literacy, which will boost the formalization of the economy. DBUs are physical banking units that will provide services without requiring paper.

The DBUs will enable those who do not have ICT infrastructure to access banking services digitally. They will also assist those who are not tech savvy to adopt digital banking. In DBU, the products and services will be offered to customers in 2 modes:

1. Self Service Mode
2. Digital Assistance Mode

DBUs will be different from traditional branch in following aspects:

1. They will provide banking services including cash deposit & withdrawal 24 x 7.
2. Services shall be provided digitally.
3. People not having connectivity or computing devices can do banking transactions from DBU in a paperless mode.
4. Bank staff will be available to help and guide users for banking transactions in assisted mode
5. Will help in providing digital financial literacy and create awareness for adopting digital banking.

DBUs will be brick-and-mortar outlets which will provide a variety of digital banking facilities to people such as opening savings accounts, balance-check, print passbooks, transfer of funds, investment in fixed deposits, loan applications, stop-payment instructions for cheques issued, applying for credit/debit cards, view statement of account, pay taxes, pay bills, make nominations, etc.

Background: As part of the Union budget speech for 2022-23, the finance minister announced setting up the 75 DBUs in 75 districts to commemorate our country's 75 years of independence. The DBUs are being set up with the objective to ensure the benefits of digital banking reach every nook and corner of the country and will cover all the States and Union territories. 11 Public Sector Banks, 12 Private Sector Banks and one Small Finance Bank are participating in the endeavour.

 

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