Hindu Notes from General Studies-01

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2500 year old cave paintings discovered on Indonesian island

News:

• Scientists have discovered ancient cave paintings, dating from at least 2,500 years ago, on a tiny Indonesian island that was previously unexplored.

Beyond News:

• The team uncovered a total of 28 rock art sites on the island of Kisar which measures just 81 square kilometres and lies north of Timor-Leste.
• The paintings help tell the story of the region’s history of trade and culture.

Archaeologically, no one has ever explored this small island before.

• These Indonesian islands were the heart of the spice trade going back for thousands of years.
• The paintings they found depict boats, dogs, horses and people often holding what look like shields.
• The discovery pointed to a stronger shared history with the neighbouring island of Timor than had previously been known.
• The Kisar paintings include images which are remarkably similar to those in the east end of Timor-Leste.

The researchers said that, the relationship between the two islands likely extends back to the Neolithic period 3,500 years ago, which saw an influx of Austronesian settlers who introduced domestic animals, such as the dog, and perhaps cereal crops.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

Bill to amend Payment of Gratuity Act provisions

News:

• The government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that will allow it to notify the period of maternity leave and gratuity that can be availed by employees under a central law.

Beyond News:

• The Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 was enacted to provide for gratuity payment to employees engaged in factories, mines, oilfields, plantations, ports, railway companies, shops or other establishments.
• It is applicable to employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service in an establishment that has ten or more persons.

 Objects and Reasons of the bill.

The amendment would allow the central government to notify the maternity leave period for “female employees as deemed to be in continuous service in place of existing twelve weeks“

The proposal comes against the backdrop of the Maternity Benefit Act (Amendment) Act, 2017 enhancing the maximum maternity leave period to 26 weeks.

With respect to gratuity, the amount is calculated on the basis of a formula which is 15 days of wages for each year of completed services, subject to the ceiling of  10 lakh. This limit was fixed in 2010.

After implementation of the Seventh Central Pay Commission, the ceiling of gratuity amount for central government employees has been increased from  10 lakh to  20 lakh.

Tribal literacy programme gets overwhelming response in Wayanad

News:

• The first phase of the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority’s fourth standard equivalent course has evoked overwhelming response in the tribal hamlets of Wayanad.

Beyond News:

• The authority ventured into the tribal belt of Wayanad with its literacy programme after a similar project in the Attappadi region of Palakkad proved a remarkable success.
• The programme aims at eliminating illiteracy among tribal community members, rekindling a passion for learning among them through equivalent courses, and imparting civic sense through education.

 According to the 2011 Census, of Wayanad’s total population of 8,17,420, tribal people accounted for 1,51,443, the highest concentration in the State.

Protest against Transgender Persons Bill

News:

• Members of the transgender community from across India gathered on Sansad Marg in the Capital (Delhi) to protest against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016.

Beyond News

• The protesters said that the Bill will snatch away the constitutional rights of trans persons and demanded that the legislation be re-formulated through consultation with the community.
• Most gender non-conforming persons are socially isolated and face immense violence even within their homes as well as discrimination and marginalisation in education and employment.

Transgender activists said that the problem they have with the Bill is that the very definition of a transgender person is problematic and so are clauses with regard to criminalisation of enticement to beg, screening committees to issue a certificate of identity, lenient punishment for violence against transpersons, and the clause on family and residence, as they feel it violates the constitutional right to freedom of residence.

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