Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology

Image Source - Gktoday

Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WEST), a new I-STEM (Indian Science Technology and Engineering facilities Map) project, was just introduced.

Major Points

• Women's Empowerment: The WEST initiative will support women with STEM backgrounds and give them the tools they need to participate in the ecosystem of science, technology, and innovation.
• Offering a separate platform to women who are scientifically inclined: Through the WEST initiative, I-STEM will offer a separate platform to women who are scientifically inclined and wish to pursue careers as researchers, scientists, or technologists in cutting-edge fields of science and engineering.
• Skill Development: The WEST initiative's skill development programs will train women with expertise in science and technology to brush up on their skills and work "in the field" as lab technicians and maintenance engineers, filling critical gaps in the nation's R&D infrastructure.
• Opportunities: Women can join the WEST program and investigate ways to get involved in many fields while pursuing jobs in R&D at different levels, including those of technicians, technologists, scientists, and entrepreneurs.
• Opportunities include designing and manufacturing scientific apparatus as well as operating and maintaining it.
• Through the I-STEM platform, women can start their own businesses and work as consultants for the upkeep and operation of expensive equipment and devices.
• A Committed Team: The WEST initiative will be successfully implemented thanks to a committed group of women.
• Strong Network of Support: Women in S&T will have strong support networks thanks to the access to R&D facilities and R&D software platforms (COMSOL, MATLAB, LABVIEW, AUTOCAD) made possible through the I-STEM portal.

Relevance to WEST

• In order to address the historical underrepresentation of women in these disciplines, the skilled female labour force of the nation will be fully used.
• Bridging the Skill Gap: This would go a long way toward closing the "skills gap" and maximising the usage of equipment purchased with public funds.
• Women Returning to S&T Fields: This project will assist women who have taken a career hiatus in returning to S&T fields. The current assistance that I-STEM offers to female entrepreneurs starting S&T businesses will be improved as a result of the WEST initiative.
• Reducing the Gender Salary Gap: Women would benefit from equal opportunities not only in terms of the profession's gender wage gap but also in terms of their own financial security and well-being.

About Indian Science, Technology and Engineering facilities Map (I-STEM)

• A dynamic and interactive national platform called I-STEM is home to a number of scientific activities.
• The office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, was the one that started it.
• It serves as the umbrella organisation for numerous initiatives encouraging R&D and technology innovation partnerships within and between universities and industries, particularly startups.
• I-STEM will give female researchers a place to discuss their findings, problems, and strategies for moving the nation forward through innovation, science, and technology.
• Additionally, through the I-STEM WhatsApp and Telegram platforms, a digital consortium called "Connect Quickly" for online conversation and immediate help has also been developed.

Way Forward

• Strategies aimed at educating and retaining women in engineering, scientific, and technology (WEST) disciplines must be supported given the significance of technology in future growth and innovation.
• It is vital that more women participate in I-STEM.
• By gathering input and putting plans in action to broaden the engagement of women in WEST and I-STEM, I-STEM needs to keep track of the impact of the program.

Also, Read - Poshan Maah 2022

Poshan Maah 2022

Every year, September is observed as Rashtriya Poshan Maah, or National Nutrition Month, throughout the nation.

Key themes of Poshan Maah 2022:

• The month's events will be focused on important issues including gender-sensitive, water conservation, and management, traditional food for women and children in tribal areas, and Mahila and Swasthya, Bachcha and Shiksha - Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi.
• Message Distribution: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is taking advantage of this opportunity to heavily promote vital messages to all target beneficiaries on healthy eating behaviours and practices.
• Building Convergences: The Ministry is also actively examining how to increase ASHA and Anganwadi Workers' participation in meetings of the Village Organization and to develop convergences with other line departments at the state level.
• It consists of a month's worth of events centred on pregnancy care, effective breastfeeding, anaemia, growth monitoring, girls' education, diet, the appropriate age for marriage, hygiene and sanitation, and healthy eating (food fortification).
• The exercises are based on the Jan Andolan Guidelines and the Center on Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC).
• SBCC refers to the methodical application of communication strategies to advance modifications in knowledge, attitudes, norms, beliefs, and behaviours.
• One of Poshan Abhiyaan's tactics is the Jan Andolan.
• On the My Gov portal, a food, and nutrition quiz, as well as a meme contest, will be held.
• At the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, a special form of nutrition park has been developed where visitors can see nutrition-related instruction in addition to having fun.

Meaning of POSHAN Maah

• Through citizen participation, it encourages community mobilization to combat malnutrition among young children and women.
• Everyone's health and nourishment are being ensured by the project.

The National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan) (NNM)

• India's main program for the improvement of children's, pregnant women's, and breastfeeding mothers' nutritional outcomes were introduced in 2018.
• The Government of India's Ministry of Women and Child Development is in charge of implementation.
• Principal Elements: Community mobilisation and public participation are crucial elements of this project (Jan Andolan).
• Government Budgetary Support (50%) and IBRD (World Bank) or other multilateral development banks (50%) each contribute 50% of NNM's funding (MDB).
• The remainder of the government's fiscal support is split as follows: 60% for the Centre, 40% for the States/UTs, 90% for the NER and Himalayan States, and 100% for UTs without a legislature.
• NNM aims to cut back on stunting by 2% year, undernutrition by 2% annually, anaemia (in early children, women, and teenage females), and low birth weight by 2% annually.
• The mission would work to reduce stunting from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022, even if the goal is to reduce stunting by at least 2% per year (Mission 25 by 2022).
• By activating Poshan Panchayats in villages and making the Gram Panchayat and the Sarpanch the centre of activity, the Ministry of Women & Child Development hopes to transform this Jan Andolan into a Jan Bhagidari.

App to Track POSHAN

• A Poshan Tracker app has been released by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Goal: To improve maternal and child undernutrition by strengthening the implementation constraints across all levels of the nutrition systems.
• It is constructed utilizing centralized data architecture that is compatible with other ministries' and programs’ digital technology platforms.

Also, Read - India Bangladesh Agreements

India Bangladesh Agreements

Image Source - BBC

• The Bangladeshi Prime Minister recently visited India and spoke with the Indian Prime Minister.
• In addition to announcing new connectivity and energy initiatives, India and Bangladesh have inked seven agreements for cooperation in fields ranging from the sharing of river waters to space.

Key Moments from the Meeting

• An interim water-sharing agreement for the Kushiyara river was struck by India and Bangladesh, marking their first such arrangement in more than 25 years.
• In 1996, the Ganga Water Treaty was ratified.

Importance:

• The Kushiyara accord will assist residents of Sylhet, Bangladesh, and southern Assam.

• Bangladesh will benefit from India's decision to expand the window for sharing real-time flood-related information.
• Trade and collaboration: India and Bangladesh have made the decision to begin talks on a comprehensive trade agreement and step up their collaboration against terrorism and extremism.
• Both nations will shortly begin discussions on the bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement in an effort to further expedite this progress.
• Rail, space, IT, and media agreements were reached by the two sides.

Mujib Scholarship:

• Recently, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina established the Mujib Scholarship for the illegitimate children of Indian troops who died or suffered grave injuries during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

• Hasina's father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is honoured with a prize bearing his name.
• The Bangladeshi government estimates that 1,984 Indian Army soldiers died in the conflict.

Loans and Advances:

• India has offered Bangladesh development projects concessional loans totalling USD 9.5 billion. These projects include rail connectivity between Khulna and Dhaka and Chilahati and Rajshahi.
• Connecting the Darshana-Gede and Mongla ports for USD 312 million.
• The Parbatipur-Kaunia rail project, which would make it easier to move gasoline, will cost USD 120 million to complete.

Defence Purchasing:

• In 2018, India gave Bangladesh a Line of Credit (LoC) for $500 million.
• Bangladesh and the Defence Public Sector Undertaking of Kolkata inked a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2018 to exchange information and expertise about the planning and building of warships.
• A wish list of military platforms and systems that Dhaka's armed forces would like to purchase from India has been made public.

The Bangladesh Army has authorised the purchase of three things:

• $5,000,000 for 5 Bridge Layer Tanks (BLT-72)
• , 7 Portable Steel Bridges, USD 2.2 million
• At USD 2.2 million, one mine protective vehicle
• Off-road vehicles, large recovery vehicles, armoured engineer reconnaissance vehicles, and bulletproof helmets are among the further proposed purchases.

Thermal Power Project:

• The first unit of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, which is being constructed in Bangladesh's Khulna Division with Concessionary Funding from India, was unveiled by the two countries.
• In August 2022, the unit was synchronised with Bangladesh's electrical grid, and when the project is finished, it will produce 1,320MW.

Connectivity:

• Rushpa Rail Bridge: A vital piece of the 64.7-km Khulna-Mongla port wide gauge railway project, the 5.13-km Rupsha rail bridge was also opened.
• A $389 million Indian line of credit was used to build the bridge.
• It will boost communication with Mongla, Bangladesh’s second largest port

India Bangladesh Relations

• India was one of the first nations to recognize Bangladesh and open diplomatic relations after the nation gained its independence in December 1971 was India.
• On a global scale, both countries participate in the SAARC, BIMSTEC, Indian Ocean Coastal Regional Cooperation Association, and Commonwealth organizations.
• Trade and investment: Bangladesh is India's top trading partner in South Asia, and India is Bangladesh's top export destination in Asia.
• India exported $14.09 billion to Bangladesh in 2021.
• Bangladesh may move up five positions in two years to the fourth-largest export market for India in FY22.
• Bangladesh's expansion is largely a result of its performance as an exporter of clothing, which makes up about 80% of all exports.

Collaboration in energy and power:

• One of the defining characteristics of relations between India and Bangladesh is cooperation in the power sector.
• Currently, 1160 MW of power are imported by Bangladesh from India.
• India's largest development partner is Bangladesh.
• In the last eight years, India has provided Bangladesh with three lines of credit (LOCs) totalling $8 billion for the construction of various types of infrastructure, including roads, trains, shipping, and ports.

Building capacity and developing human resources:

• India's development cooperation initiatives in Bangladesh focus heavily on developing human resources through its numerous ongoing training programs and Scholarships.

• since 2019 at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Mussoorie, the Government of India has been teaching 1800 members of the Bangladesh Civil Service.
• The celebration of the two nations' shared cultural heritage involves the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), which is located in Dhaka.
• Its training programs in yoga, kathak, Manipuri dance, the Hindi language, Hindustani classical music, and cultural events with well-known performers from Bangladesh and India all support the development of intercultural relationships.

Defence Cooperation:

• High-level discussions between the services chiefs of the Indian Navy, Bangladeshi Navy, and Indian Air Force; the second annual defence dialogue; the first tri-services staff meetings; and Navy and Air Force-specific discussions.

• The Coast Guards' DG-level discussions have significantly improved their bilateral defence cooperation.
• Both nations have maintained and improved mutual engagements in the training sector.
• Various joint exercises between the two nations are conducted, including Exercise Milan and Exercise Sampriti (Army) (Navy).

Multimodal Connectivity:

• Bangladesh-bound passenger trains between India:

• Since 2017, the Bandhan Express has run from Kolkata to Khulna.
• To meet the needs of the citizens of both nations, it travels the distance via the border crossings at Petrapole and Benapole.
• Since 2008, Maitree Express has run from Dhaka to Kolkata.
• Previously, 90% of the seats on the three-weekly route between Kolkata and Dhaka were occupied.
• The Bandhan Express's 456-passenger capacity is shared by this train.
• Mitali Express: departing from North Bengal's New Jalpaiguri for Dhaka.
• Both administrations have chosen to start a bus service. Siliguri, Gangtok, Bangladesh, and Bangladesh To improve interpersonal connections between the two nations, a bus service between Siliguri and Darjeeling and a trail run between Dhaka and Siliguri and Gangtok and Dhaka were both held in December 2019.

Way Forward

But the rising assistance from China in the form of port development like Ashuganj, the issues of refugees and infiltration through the porous India – Bangladesh border, and The Teesta River water dispute are a cause of concern for India. Despite that India and Bangladesh continue a strong bilateral development.

Also, Read - Importance of Regional Language