Mumbai is set to become India's first tri-service common defense station.
• Mumbai is being established by the armed forces as the country's first "tri-service common defense station" for the Army, Navy, and Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The aim of the move is to promote unity among the three services ahead of the establishment of a unified theater command.
• Currently, the senior military hierarchy is discussing the matter, and an announcement is expected shortly.
• Currently, India has no common defense stations.
• In 2001, Andaman and Nicobar Command was established as a full-fledged tri-service command.
• Last year, additional initiatives such as inter-service postings were implemented to promote cooperation between the services.
• All Army, Navy, and IAF facilities, including logistics, infrastructure, repair, and maintenance, as well as stores and supplies, will be consolidated into a single defense station, allowing their optimum operation under a single lead service.
APPOINTMENT
Kamal Kishore has been appointed as Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction by the UN Secretary-General.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed a top official from India's National Disaster Management Authority as his Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Kamal Kishore has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
• In the current position at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Kishore holds the rank of secretary to the government of India.
• He succeeded Mami Mizutori of Japan at UNDRR.
• As part of India's G20 presidency, Kishor led the G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction.
• He also contributed to the development of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Climate Action Summit in 2019.
• Established in 1999, the UNDRR was created to ensure the implementation of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
STATE NEWS
Tripura's Matabari Pera and Pachra got a coveted GI tag.
• On March 31, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha informed that two commodities from the state have earned the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• The two items that have received the tag include the first one is Matabari Pera, a dairy-based sweet item traditionally served as prasad at the Tripurasundari temple in Gomti district.
• The second one is Pachra, a handwoven cloth used by the state’s Indigenous communities.
• In March 2023, Matabari Mahila Cluster Level Bhumukhi Sambaya Samiti Ltd had applied for a GI tag for Matabari Pera, while Dewanbari Mahila Cluster Bhumukhi Sambaya Samiti Ltd had made a similar application for Pachara or Rignai cloth.
• According to the 1921 census, there were 34,356 tribal families in Tripura while the number of weavers was 34,485.
• However, the Industrial Survey Report of 1955–56 stated that the total number of weavers was only 15,000.
• Experts believe that the GI tag is expected to give a boost to the dwindling number of traditional weavers and encourage a rich art form.
• A year ago, Tripura's iconic Queen Pineapple received the GI tag among 13 other products from the Northeast.
• 60 products from across India, including the famous Banaras Thandai, have been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
INTERNATIONAL MEWS
UNESCO added 18 sites to the Global Geoparks network.
• UNESCO’s Executive Board has decided to add 18 sites to the Global Geoparks network.
• The total number of Geoparks reached 213 in 48 countries.
• The new geoparks are situated in Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
• Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their significant geological heritage with public outreach and a sustainable approach to development.
• The UNESCO Global Geopark designation was formed in 2015. It recognizes geological heritage of international significance.
• Two UNESCO Member States are joining the network for the first time: New Zealand and the Philippines.
INDEX AND RANKING
An International Labour Organization (ILO) report on India's labor market
• An International Labour Organization (ILO) report on India's labor market revealed that the unemployment rate for graduates was 29.1%.
• This was about nine times higher than the 3.4% rate for people who are illiterate.
• The ILO reported that young individuals in India who have completed higher education have a greater unemployment rate than those who have not completed any education.
• Young people with a secondary or higher education had an unemployment rate of 18.4%. This rate was six times higher.
• According to the ILO, youth unemployment in India was mostly a concern for those with a secondary education or above.
• The ILO stated that youth unemployment rates in India are currently higher than the global levels.
• According to the ILO, "the high and rising unemployment rate is a reflection of the Indian economy's inability to create enough remunerative jobs in the non-farm sectors for new educated youth labor force entrants."
• In China, the unemployment rate for youth (16–24 years old) increased to 15.3% in the year’s first two months.
• This was around three times greater than the urban population's 5.3% rate.
• The percentage of young Indians without jobs between the ages of 15 and 29 fell from 88.6% in 2000 to 82.9% in 2022.
• The ILO data indicate that from 2000-2022, the percentage of young people with an education increased to 65.7% from 54.2%.
• According to ILO statistics, women made up 76.7% of young people without jobs who had completed their education, compared to men's 62.2%.
• Additionally, there was more unemployment in urban than rural areas.
• According to the ILO, India has one of the lowest percentages of female labor force participation in the world, at roughly 25%.
