Context:

• The state government of Haryana has announced measures aimed at introducing gradual reforms to the justice delivery system and transforming jails into correction homes.

Key Points:

• As part of the initiative, the state government has taken steps to improve amenities being provided to inmates in jails.  Prisoners lodged in the Haryana state’s jails will now get purified rainwater for drinking. Under a novel project initiated by the state government in this regard, the rainwater coming down from the roofs of buildings on the prison campuses will be collected in storage tanks and used throughout the year.
• In the initial phase, five storage tanks of about one lakh-litre capacity each are being constructed for the purpose at Sunaria jail in Rohtak district. After analysing the working and/or shotcomings in the initial phase, the project will be replicated in other jails of the state.  According to the Director-General (Prisons), Haryana, the underlying idea behind the exercise is to conserve water and ensure the availability of adequate water at the prisons.
• This is a welcome initiative that goes in line with the concept of transforming jails into correctional homes where inmates are not devoid of the basic facilities, which, unfortunately is the case currently in almost all jails across the country. Further, the project can become a torchbearer for water conservation, with similar rain water harvesting rechniques adopted across the state. The government and state authorities have to set an example for the general population to propagate such sustainable development mechanisms and in this regard, this is a step in the right direction.
• It has further been pointed out that the project would be especially beneficial for the jails located in the areas facing scarcity of water. It is important to note here that the expenses incurred on the construction of the storage tanks will be borne by the Agriculture Department.
• As per scientific reports, the purity and quality of rainwater is much better than RO water. The quality of the stored rainwater will be on a par with that of the drinking water supplied to the residents of Europe. He further added that the stored rainwater will be sent for laboratory testing before being supplied for drinking.

Context:

• While due to political reasons, state initiatives towards development of agriculture revolve around subsidies and doles, the need of the hour is adoption of a comprehensive approach that also focusses on improving capabilities and building infrastructure.

Key Points:

• The state government of Haryana has introduced measures to improve infrastructure for assisting the farmers in getting maximum value out of their produce. The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Birmingham in order to establish a Center of Excellence in Post-Harvest Management and Cold chain in the state of Haryana.
• The state agriculture minister and other representatives had recently travelled to the University of Birmingham to take part in the Cold Chain Summit. The government of Haryana claims that the horticultural industry will profit significantly from this decision. The state government is attempting to minimize the harm done to horticultural crops in the state during the post harvest period. The current range of this loss has been estimated to be between 7 and 18 percent. Additionally, Horticulture is also likely to witness a surge in diversification with the cold chain system in place.
• Besides, farmers will be able to preserve agricultural produce’s freshness for a long period by employing a cold chain infrastructure. According to state agriculture ministry officals, this Center of Excellence would advance knowledge among farmers and other stakeholders, usage of environmentally and farmer-friendly technology, and the reduction of post-harvest losses.
• As a consequence, the state’s diversification in the direction of horticulture will significantly expand. The staff from the University of Birmingham will also visit the establishments connected to the Center of Excellence that will be established in Haryana.
• It is important to note here that horticulture crops occupy roughly 7% of Haryana’s total planted land. The Haryana government has implemented many schemes with the goal of diversifying into horticulture and raising farmers’ incomes. Haryana agriculture minister, speaking to the attendees of the Cold Chain Summit, emphasised the need to reduce crop losses in horticulture following harvest. According to official estimates, this loss now ranges from 7 to 18 percent and establishment of cold chain infrastructure will go a long way in curbing the avoidable losses.

Why in news:

• The per capita bank deposits of women in the northern region witnessed a significant increase in the last five years, highlighting their enhanced financial inclusion and growth.

Key Points:

• The trend indicates that more women are actively participating in formal banking and saving their money, thus contributing to their economic empowerment and financial stability.
• All three states – Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh—in the region feature among the nine states where women's banking deposits went up more than Rs 10,000, according to the latest report released by SBI Research. Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the other states on the list.
• In the financial year 2019, Haryana had 58,107 deposits, which increased to 72,649 in 2023, showing a rise of 14,542 deposits against the All-India average of 4,618. The state also recorded the third-highest rise in per capita women deposits in the country.
• Comparatively, in the neighbouring state of Punjab, deposits rose from 50,848 to 62,099 over the five-year period, showing a jump of 11,252 deposits. Similarly, in Himachal Pradesh, the corresponding deposits increased by 11,274, rising from 54,849 to 66,123 during the same period.
• The share of women deposits in overall rural deposits increased in the post-pandemic period to 30% in 2023 from 25% in the pre-pandemic 2019. Age-wise distribution shows that customers in the 40-60 group account for 37% of the deposits. The report pointed out that credit to women increased in almost all major sectors such as agriculture, industry and trade between 2019-2023 but their share in personal loans remained the same.
• In this regard, the experts have attributed the increase in per capita women bank deposits to a combination of government initiatives promoting financial inclusion, such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, and the rise in disposable income among women. Further, it has been pointed out that banks have become more customer-friendly and are actively competing with each other to attract new customers. The resultantly created conditions have contributed to a significant increase in women’s bank deposits.

Why in news:

• Contrary to the perception that rapid depletion of groundwater is occurring only in the agricultural-dominated rural areas of the state, the urban areas of both water-stressed states too are witnessing a high rate of fall in water levels, pointing to indiscriminate extraction of water for commercial, residential, and other purposes.

Key Points:

• While the critical issue of rapidly declining water levels demands immediate attention and enforcement of sustainable water management practices to secure water resources for the future, the respective governments of both states have done little to address this pressing issue. This could potentially lead the region towards a severe water crisis and the problem will be further compounded by the fact that the region is predominantly dependent on agriculture.
• Based on the water level data collected by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in May 2023 and compared with the decadal (2013-2022) average for the same month, the situation in the state has worsened significantly where the rate of replenishment is lower than extraction. Most of the examined wells showed lower water levels compared to the average levels observed during the last decade (2013-2022) for the same month.
• According to information tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in response to a question by a member of Parliament, in the state of Haryana, out of the 53 wells examined, 22 (41.50%) showed a dip in groundwater levels. The drop between 0-2m was noted in 15 wells while the levels depleted 2-4m in 3 wells and above 4m in 4 wells.
• Of the 62 wells examined across five districts in neighbouring state of Punjab -- Patiala (16), Ludhiana (14), Jalandhar (13), Amritsar (12) and Mohali (7) -- it was observed that the rate of water depletion in four districts exceeded the rate of recharge. The data showed that the water levels went down by 0-2m in 24 wells, 2-4m in 10 wells and more than 4m in 8 wells while a rise of 0-2m was recorded in 16 wells, 2-4m in 3 and more than 4m in 1 well.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti in this regard, has informed the House that the groundwater level in urban areas of certain parts of the country are declining because of continuous withdrawal necessitated by increased demand for freshwater for various uses, arising out of vagaries of rainfall, rise in population, industrialisation and urbanisation.
• As water is a state subject, the efforts to effectively harvest rainwater including sustainable groundwater management fall under the states’ mandate, however, the central government has also initiated a few steps.
• On its part, the central government is in the process of implementing the Atal Bhujal Yojana in water stressed areas of many states. The aim is to manage demand through scientific means involving local communities at village levels. Considering the strategic importance of the resource, a collaborative effort of state and centre governments is the need of the hour.

Actor and musician R. Subbalakshmi, popular for playing the role of grandmother in several films, passed away here on Thursday. She was 87. She had been admitted to hospital a few days ago following health problems.

A singer and composer, she made a late entry into films with the Prithviraj-starrer Nandanam. She rose to fame with hits such as Kalyanaraman, Rappakal, Thilakkam, CID Moosa, Pandippada, Rani Padmini and many more.

• She also acted in several Tamil and Telugu films. She was noted for her role in Gautham Menon’s Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa and for playing the titular role in Ammani. Her latest Tamil film was the Vijay-starrer Beast.
• She had ventured into Hindi films with roles in Ek Deewana Tha and Dil Bechara (as late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s grandmother).
• Active in the arts since childhood, she joined All India Radio (AIR) and entered films after her retirement from AIR. A Horlicks advertisement led to her first role in the hit Nandanam. She continued to receive roles and went on to enjoy success in nearly 75 movies spanning two decades. She also worked as a dubbing artiste.
• Subbalakshmi was also a TV actor, appearing in a number of serials, including on Doordarshan. She is remembered for her appearances in advertisements as well.
• She is survived by three children, including actor and dancer Thara Kalyan.

Every year, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is celebrated on December 2. This year, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery falls on a Saturday.The day is observed to highlight the importance of eradicating contemporary forms of slavery including trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage, etc. Let us read more about International Day for the Abolition

Theme:

The theme for this year's International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is - "Fighting slavery’s legacy of racism through transformative education. "

History:

On December 2, 1949, The Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others was passed by the Assembly. This day is celebrated to create awareness and inform people about the plight and dangers of slavery.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who reached Dubai on November 30, attended the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) Summit. On December 1, he took part in the World Climate Action Summit of the COP28.

• The UAE, which is hosting COP28, and the International Energy Agency highlighted a set of "decarbonisation initiatives" that can set the world on a route to an energy system that is consistent with keeping 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.
• PM announced a Green Credit Initiative' focused on creating carbon sinks through people's participation and also proposed to host the UN climate conference in 2028, or COP33, in India
• The main purpose of this initiative is to boost voluntary environmental activities like tree plantation, water conservation, sustainable agriculture, and waste management by incentivizing it for big corporations and private companies, bringing about a change in the climate issues faced by the country.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi interacted with beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra via video conferencing.

• He also launched Pradhan Mantri Mahila Kisan Drone Kendra. During the program, the Prime Minister dedicated the landmark 10,000th Jan Aushadhi Kendra at AIIMS, Deoghar.
• Shri Modi also launched the program to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras in the country from 10,000 to 25,000. Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar gave the welcome address.
• Lakhs of youth, women, farmers and people from different sections across the country joined this program of the Government of India's Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, Central and State Ministers, MPs-MLAs and other public representatives also participated at various places.

Shane Dowrich has retired from international cricket and withdrawn from the West Indies squad for the ODI series against England, the country's cricket board (CWI) announced .

• Dowrich was unexpectedly recalled to the West Indies squad this month, three years after his last Test and four years after his last ODI.
• Dowrich made his Test debut against Australia in 2015 and went on to play 35 Tests. His only ODI came against Bangladesh in 2019, and he was set to add to it in the upcoming ODI series against England.
• His last outing for the West Indies was against New Zealand in December 2020.
• The 32-year-old played 35 Tests, scoring 1570 runs with the best of 125 not out against Sri Lanka. As a wicketkeeper, he also recorded 85 catches and five stumpings.

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism and the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, died on December 1. She was 93.

• O’Connor died in Phoenix, of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness, the Supreme Court said in a news release.
• Chief Justice John Roberts mourned her death. “A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O’Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice," Roberts said in statement issued by the court. “She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor.”
• In 2018, she announced that she had been diagnosed with “the beginning stages of dementia, probably Alzheimer’s disease.” Her husband, John O’Connor, died of complications of Alzheimer’s in 2009.

Aurobindo Pharma it has received approval from the US health regulator to market a generic medication for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection.

• The company has received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market Darunavir tablets in strengths of 600 mg and 800 mg, the Hyderabad-based drug maker said in a regulatory filing.
• The company’s product is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug (RLD), Prezista tablets, 600 mg and 800 mg, of Janssen products, LP, it added.
• Darunavir tablets, 600 mg and 800 mg, in combination with other antiretroviral agents, are indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adult and pediatric patients 3 years of age and older.
• As per IQVIA data, the approved product has an estimated market size of USD 274.8 million for the 12 months ended October 2023.
• Aurobindo noted that it now has a total of 500 Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) approvals from the USFDA.

Former world No. 1 Amit Panghal and veteran Indian boxer Shiva Thapa won gold medals in their respective weight categories at the men’s National Boxing Championships 2023 in Shillong .

• Amit Panghal, a 2019 World Championships silver medallist, outpunched Anshul Punia in the final of the 51kg category to win the bout by unanimous decision. 
• Akash Sangwan, who won the 71kg title, was also presented with the best boxer of the tournament award.
• Shiva Thapa, a record six-time Asian medallist, meanwhile, faced reigning world youth champion Vanshaj in his 63.5kg final. Shiva Thapa successfully defended his title with a commanding victory. 
• Jaipal Singh pulled off the upset of the day as he knocked out Sagar, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in his 92+kg final.
• Lalit, meanwhile, outboxed Pawan in the 54kg final. The bout was closely contested throughout but Lalit maintained his composure in the pivotal moments to take the match by a 4-3 split decision.

R. Vaishali, on December 1, became only the third woman from India to get the Grandmaster (GM) title, the highest a chess player could aspire for. Koneru Humpy was the first; she was, in fact, the world’s youngest female player ever, when she became a GM in 2002, at the age of 15.

• The other Indian female GM is Dronavalli Harika. 22-year-old Vaishali completed the final requirement – 2,500 Elo points – during the ongoing Llobregat Open tournament in Spain.
• She had got her third GM norm from the Qatar Masters tournament in October and all she needed was to increase her Elo rating. A stunning performance at the Grand Swiss tournament last month in the Isle of Man, where she became the surprise winner, took her closer to that target.
• Vaishali isn’t the first from her family to become the Grandmaster, though. Her younger brother R. Praggnanandhaa had got the GM title in 2018, when he was just 12. The siblings from Chennai have also made it for the Candidates tournament, the qualifying event for the World championship match.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections jumped 15 per cent to nearly Rs 1.68 lakh crore in November, the finance ministry said on Friday. GST mop-up was over Rs 1.45 lakh crore in November 2022.

"The gross GST revenue collected in the month of November 2023 is Rs 1,67,929 crore, out of which CGST is Rs 30,420 crore, SGST is Rs 38,226 crore, IGST is Rs 87,009 crore (including Rs 39,198 crore collected on import of goods) and cess is Rs 12,274 crore (including Rs 1,036 crore collected on import of goods)," the ministry said in a statement. 

The November 2023 collections are, however, lower than Rs 1.72 lakh crore mopped up in October -- the second-highest collection ever since the GST rollout. 

Revenues for November 2023 are 15 per cent higher than the GST revenues in the same month last year and the highest for any month year-on-year during 2023-24, up to November 2023, the ministry said.

Kanchan Devi, an IFS officer from the 1991 batch of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as director general of Dehradun-based Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). With over three decades of service, she became the first woman officer to hold this position.

• Kanchan Devi has expertise in various domains of forest, wildlife and their policies, Devi specialises in forest management, policies and administration. 
• She is among the few Indian IFS officers in the country who played a key role in setting up the Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management and implementation of the World Bank-funded Ecosystem Services Improvement Project (ESIP) at ICFRE.
• Devi served as deputy director general (education) for the past four years at ICFRE.
• Her contributions span her tenure in Madhya Pradesh and the central government, including her role as a faculty member at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy.
• She has been instrumental in promoting forest education in the country, accrediting forestry courses and conducting research on forest policy, fostering human resource development.

Kanchan Devi, an IFS officer from the 1991 batch of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as director general of Dehradun-based Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE). With over three decades of service, she became the first woman officer to hold this position.

• Kanchan Devi has expertise in various domains of forest, wildlife and their policies, Devi specialises in forest management, policies and administration. 
• She is among the few Indian IFS officers in the country who played a key role in setting up the Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management and implementation of the World Bank-funded Ecosystem Services Improvement Project (ESIP) at ICFRE.
• Devi served as deputy director general (education) for the past four years at ICFRE.
• Her contributions span her tenure in Madhya Pradesh and the central government, including her role as a faculty member at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy.
• She has been instrumental in promoting forest education in the country, accrediting forestry courses and conducting research on forest policy, fostering human resource development.