- Periodic Labour Force Survey: The recent Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) has reported that the unemployment rate in the country has shown a decrease between April and June 2023.
- Findings: The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons of age 15 years and above and the Worker-Population Ratio (WPR) improved during the period. The LFPR in urban areas increased from 47.5% in April-June 2022 to 48.8% in April-June 2023 for persons of age 15years and above. The WPR in urban areas increased from 43.9% in April-June 2022 to 45.5% in similar months in this year for persons of age 15 years and above. For male, it increased from 68.3% to 69.2% and for female, it increased from 18.9% to 21.1% during this period.
- Hemochromatosis: It is an inherited condition where iron levels in the body slowly build up over many years. This health condition is primarily classified into two types:
Hereditary hemochromatosis: It is driven by a mutation in the HFE gene, resulting in individuals being homozygous for the C282Y variant. This genetic anomaly sets the stage for a lifelong struggle with excessive iron absorption within the intestines.
Secondary hemochromatosis: It is typically caused by external factors like frequent blood transfusions, excessive iron supplementation, or certain medical conditions. The iron accumulation in secondary hemochromatosis is often more rapid and can have a similar impact on organ function. Symptoms of haemochromatosis usually start between the ages of 30 and 60.Phlebotomy is the standard treatment for primary hemochromatosis. Iron toxicity can be reduced by removing red blood cells, the body’s main mobilizer of iron. Phlebotomy is usually performed once or twice a week.
- Exercise CHAKRAVAT: It is an Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR Exercise (AJHE) Since its first edition in 2015, the Annual Joint HADR Exercise, CHAKRAVAT has transformed itself into a multi-agency endeavour. The exercise has been conducted by the Indian Army, Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Air Force (IAF) in rotation since 2016.The 2023 edition of the exercise is being hosted by the Indian Navy at Goa. The exercise will witness participation from various national agencies namely, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Institute for Disaster Management (NIDM), Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, Indian Metrological Department (IMD) and other organizations.
- 2023 Economics Nobel Prize: It has been awarded to economist Claudia Goldin for advancing the understanding of women’s labour market outcomes. The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences is also known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences. Goldin is only the third woman to win the prize since it was first introduced in 1969.She provided the first comprehensive account of women’s earnings and labour market participation through the centuries. Her research reveals the causes of change as well as the main sources of the remaining gender gap. She showed that female participation in the labour market did not have an upward trend over a 200-year period, but instead forms a U-shaped curve. The participation of married women decreased with the transition from an agrarian to an industrial society in the early nineteenth century, but then started to increase with the growth of the service sector in the early twentieth century.
